Using a 416 for recording podcasts?

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dan_aka_jack

Well-known member
Hi there,

I have bought myself a few bits of audio kit over the years for recording audio for video. Now I'm about to start recording audio podcasts (mostly either sit-down interviews or interviews at trade shows etc).

In my current kit, I have a 416 mic with a hand-holding mount. Would my 416 be suitable for recording podcasts (I assume I'd mostly hold it at about chest-height pointing up towards who ever is speaking).

Would I be better off with something like a Shure SM58 Vocal dynamic mic? I must admit that whilst the 416 is clearly an excellent mic for using in boom situations, my (fairly uneducated) view is that an SM58 might be better for my podcast recording. For starters, it's smaller and cheaper so it's less of a weight and worry to lug around to conferences etc. Also, in noisy conferences I can get the mic really close to the mouths of who-ever's talking without worrying too much about popping (unless I got a pop-shield for my 416). Finally, I do occasionally get video clients who want a mic for doing "vox-pops" type filming and I guess the SM58 would be suitable for that sort of thing. Oh, and finally the SM58 is dynamic so it wont drain the batteries on the recorder.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks,
Jack
 
Since posting my last message, I've read some reviews of the Shure SM58 which say that you really have to shout at it to get a good sound so maybe it's not ideal for what I want... maybe a hand-held condenser cardioid is what I need?
 
At the studio that I used to work at we used a 416 all the time to record voiceovers, so it would probably work great for a podcast. We would usually place the mic in front of the talent at about eye level and slightly angle it down towards the mouth. We always used a pop filter, so I can't say how it reacts to plosives without one.
 
I've always found the SM58 to be pretty forgiving of people who hold the mic too far away (former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, I'm looking in your direction :) ) or don't talk particularly loud. At least compared to the EV's that were all we had in rental when I started. (They also handle it well when somebody wants to swallow the mic or really belt it out.) I don't have any podcasting experience, but I'd have to think the SM58 would work well for you...
 
Are you referring to the Sennheiser MKH416? If so, then you'll likely find it far more detailed and transparent than the SM58. The SM58 is designed for on-stage vocals and needs to be in very close to be particularly useful. The MKH416, on the other hand, works best from 1 or 2 feet away and has the added benefit of off-axis rejection of background sound. However, the '416 is more prone to gusting, plosives, sibilance and handling noise than the SM58.

In a voiceover studio, the `416 wins hands-down. Dynamic mics (like the SM58) tend to be a bit insensitive, especially in the higher frequencies. This translates to a duller, noisier sound. The `416 will give you a very natural and transparent sound from about a foot away, but if you get right up into it you'll start getting that classic "voice of god" VO sound.

As for the additional battery drain of a phantom powered mic, the phantom power drain is a pretty small percentage of the overall power consumption in modern recorders. Just bring extra batteries.
 
A lot of folks use the MKH 416 for a VO mic. For some it's even the "secret weapon" if you know how to use proximity effect to your advantage.

Here's a little excerpt that you might be interested in http://emusician.com/mag/emusic_recording_dialog_digital/

"A closely guarded voice-over secret is to use an interference tube or shotgun mic, specifically the Sennheiser MKH 416 (see Fig. 3). This mic's tight polar pattern and hefty proximity-effect bass boost lend a deep, rich character to voices, especially male ones. “Voices just naturally sound full and punchy on the 416,” says Hogan, who often prefers it to his vintage Neumann U 47."

That's a helluva statement, consider a U47 costs over $3k!
 
SMuir said:
...
In a voiceover studio, the `416 wins hands-down. Dynamic mics (like the SM58) tend to be a bit insensitive, especially in the higher frequencies. This translates to a duller, noisier sound. The `416 will give you a very natural and transparent sound from about a foot away, but if you get right up into it you'll start getting that classic "voice of god" VO sound.

...
Click to expand...

Though some dynamics such as the Electro-Voice RE20 and RE27 that are purpose-built for broadcast announcing and VO use are an exception. Take a look at the movie "A Prairie Home Companion" - most of the plot takes place during a broadcast of a live radio show and all of the stage mics you see were live and actually being used to record production audio. All of them except for Garrison Keeler's mic are RE27's and that'll give you a good idea how they sound.
 
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NoahK said:
Funnily enough I just read this blog today from a very successful voiceover actor coming out strongly against the 416:
Click to expand...

It all depends on what you are doing.

If a film has been recorded outdoors using the 416, then it makes sense to do any voice-pvers or dialogue replacement with the same mic.

You *do* need to understand how the mic works, though as it is more directional as frequency rises - at lower frequencies it is a normal super-cardioid.
 
Guy_Cochran said:
"A closely guarded voice-over secret is to use an interference tube or shotgun mic, specifically the Sennheiser MKH 416 (see Fig. 3). This mic's tight polar pattern and hefty proximity-effect bass boost lend a deep, rich character to voices, especially male ones.
Click to expand...

Does this mean placing the 416 as close to the mouth as let´s say a RE20, to get the proximity-effect?
 
Hi guys,

Thanks loads for all the excellent replies. Sounds like I should definitely stick with my MKH416! Instead of buying another mic, I'll put the money towards buying a better recorder.

Thanks again,
Jack
 
Last year I recorded a podcast in Chicago with (2) Senn. 416s in a quite echoey/live conference room at a hotel in Chicago. Both mics were on desk stands with pop filters.

You can here the podcast in it's entirety if you go to the iTunes store and do a podcast search for 'Envisage Magazine,' then download 'Episode 6: A Sense of Urgency.'

I was very pleased with the results. Fed both 416s into my PSC Alphamix field mixer and then routed that to Boom Recorder on a Macbook Pro.
 
vicrattlehead said:
Last year I recorded a podcast in Chicago with (2) Senn. 416s in a quite echoey/live conference room at a hotel in Chicago. Both mics were on desk stands with pop filters.

You can here the podcast in it's entirety if you go to the iTunes store and do a podcast search for 'Envisage Magazine,' then download 'Episode 6: A Sense of Urgency.'

I was very pleased with the results. Fed both 416s into my PSC Alphamix field mixer and then routed that to Boom Recorder on a Macbook Pro.
Click to expand...

did u happen to use a zepplin w/the 416s?

tia

rob
 
Hi again,

Just wondering what other options there are for podcast microphones. In particular, I'm looking for a microphone for recording interviews on the floor of trade shows etc. Something like the SM58 in form factor and price but perhaps a condensor mic so it has a little more sensitivity and transparency.

I'm going off the idea of using a 416 in this particular application because of its size and also because of the change in the sound of the background noise when the mic is moved (e.g. moving it between several different people during a group interview).
 
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