Best Stereo Shotgun?

alexdias

alexdias

Well-known member
I'm looking to a really good stereo shotgun.
Going to be filming in a farm/forest and a port in Brazil and want to capture a lot of very specific sounds.
Any suggestions?
 
I forgot to add I already own the ME64 & 66 and the Audio-Technica AT4073a.
With some decent windscreens and a good shockmount.

Plus, I will not have the $ to be supported by a audio recordist...
I mostly do my own sound recording with a combination of run and gun/on-board mics _ yes I know :-( _ and meticulous (the best I can) recordings later on.

Thanks.
 
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Sennheiser MKH 30 + MKH 60 in a Rycote stereo suspension is the best option for quality - and the RF technology in the mics makes them pretty well immune to the nasties caused by damp and condensation.

Use in a decent Rycote stereo kit.

The Neumann RSM 191 is also good but doesn't have the moisture protection that an RF mic. does.

The Sennheiser MKH 418S is an MS mic. in a single unit and will fit in the thinner mono windshield - it *is* an RF condenser with all that gives and is a l;ot cheaper than the 30/60 combination; but not as good.
 
I'd like to second John's reccomendation of an MKH60/30 M-S array. My go-to kit for stereo mic'ing is a `416 and a `30, and I've found few other mic setups that work as well for general field recording.

I have mixed feelings about the 418S. Its basically an MKH416 with a built-in figure-8 capsule and a 5-pin XLR, so its much lighter and more convenient than my `416/30 kit. However, the `418's side element (a back-electret model) is significantly noisier than the mid element. The 418's side element certainly does not compare well to the MKH30. Bottom line: it should be sufficient for effects recording as long as you're keeping the stereo image fairly narrow, but I wouldn't reccomend it for recording ambiences.
 
alexdias said:
I'm looking to a really good stereo shotgun.
Going to be filming in a farm/forest and a port in Brazil and want to capture a lot of very specific sounds.
Any suggestions?
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Just a note of caution - there really isn't any such thing as a "stereo shotgun," manufacturer's labeling not withstanding. It would be more appropriate to call them "stereo/shotguns" since they are really an either/or type of critter, switchable between acting as a mono shotgun and acting as a stereo mic. Shotguns are highly directional, picking up only within a narrow cone along the axis. By the very nature of the stereo soundstage, stereo mics need to pickup across a fairly wide angle on either side of the central axis. You can't stand off at a distance and capture a stereo image with them that mimics what you'd get if you were up close with a conventional stereo mic setup. If you want a good stereo recording, you have to get the "stereo shotgun" as close to the source as you would a convention cardioid/figure-8 MS pair or an X/Y pair of coincident cardioids.
 
SMuir said:
......... the `418's side element (a back-electret model) is significantly noisier than the mid element. The 418's side element certainly does not compare well to the MKH30. Bottom line: it should be sufficient for effects recording as long as you're keeping the stereo image fairly narrow, but I wouldn't recommend it for recording ambiences.
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Please can I correct this.

The side capsule in the 418S is *not* a back-electret. It is an RF condenser capsule based on the design of the 416.

It is, however, a fig-8 made up from back-to-back cardioids and is nothing like the single diaphragm of the MKH 30. In use, the side capsule of the 418S needs to be about 6dB lower in level than the mid.

I agree that it is nowhere near as good as a 30/60 combination - but it is half the price!
 
Look into the Sony ECM-680S. I've heard good things, and it won't break the bank. Has switchable stereo/mono output.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I've researching about the location and apparently the time of the year we'll be filming is the rainy season (of course) and the humidity is quite high.
The sounds of the forest and this particular farm, where they process cacao for the production of chocolate, is what I'm looking for.
 
alexdias said:
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I've researching about the location and apparently the time of the year we'll be filming is the rainy season (of course) and the humidity is quite high.
The sounds of the forest and this particular farm, where they process cacao for the production of chocolate, is what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

Then you really need to look at the MKH 418-S or a combination based on the MKH 30 + MKH 60 (or the MKH 50 instead of the 60 if you can get away with a super-cardioid).

These are all RF condenser mics which are pretty immune to the damp, unlike normal condenser mics which go noisy and crackly in the damp.
 
Glad that was cleared up. :)

But then for any rear capsule pointed 90 degrees off-axis from the sound you want, there's going to be less signal and more noise, if for no other reason than you have the selfnoise of two more small diaphragms.

A few exceptions, but they are pricey.

And as Steve said, there ain't such a thing as a stereo shotgun. It's a combo mic; shotgun OR stereo.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
tyreeford said:
Glad that was cleared up. :)

But then for any rear capsule pointed 90 degrees off-axis from the sound you want, there's going to be less signal and more noise, if for no other reason than you have the selfnoise of two more small diaphragms.

A few exceptions, but they are pricey.

And as Steve said, there ain't such a thing as a stereo shotgun. It's a combo mic; shotgun OR stereo.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Click to expand...

Yes, thank you, I understand now.
Luckily I know someone that has a 418-S and I'll borrow to do some tests.
It's an expen$ive piece of gear but I'm looking for very truthful and spacial ambient (be later be mixed on 5.1) so I might have to go for it.
 
Buy an H2. Cheap, can record 4ch at once amazing for surround ambience... for the price anyway. Tough for synch sound, great for wilds. did i say cheap? Don't know of any other product that can do this for the price
 
Hi Hanson,

So this weekend I had the opportunity to test the 418-s and, coincidentally, the Zoom H2. About 1.5 hour worth of recordings, the most diverse I could come with it, and brought the files to my sound designer to be properly evaluated.
The H2 is fantastic and, as you said, for the price is a no brainer.
Cheers,

Alex.
 
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