ME66 too sensitive

J

jangej03

Member
Hi ,

I am making a feature film. Hooked up my Sennheiser ME66 to my DVX100a (without any mixers etc). I am shooting in a 25'X 15' carpetted room. ME66 is mounted on a 10' boom pole which is mounted on a C-Stand. Mic is about 4' away from talent sloping 45 deg downward from a height of 7.5'.

It seems like my ME66 is just too sensitive. Atlease it is much more senstive than what I had expected reading up on internet. It is not all that directional also. It picks up EVERYTHING in the room from ALL directions. Even snapping my fingers about 8' away (standing next to camera). I feel it is just behaving like on board mic.

Questions:

1. Is it really supposed to be so sensitive and omni-directional? What happened to HYPER OR SUPER CORDIOD and HIGHLY DIRECTIONAL pickup pattern?

2. Am I using it correctly , what is the best way to use it?

3. What is the best way to make it MORE(extemely) directional and less sensitive? I want to pick up ONLY in the direction it is pointed in.

4. There is a small recessed red button or switch on mic right next to on-off switch. What is that for? I could not find anything about that anywhere on internet.

Please help.

Best regards,

J.
 
1. The ME66 is a very hot mic which can generally be a good thing, just keep your gain turned down really low. The off axis response that concerns you is just how sound works. You can turn down the off axis response but you can't completely eliminate it. Here is a link of a cool guy named Bryan Beasleigh doing an off axis response for the me66 http://www.dvfreelancer.com/media/audio/shotgunshootout/mkh60flat_ME66a.mp3

Here is the MKH 60 off axis response http://www.dvfreelancer.com/media/audio/shotgunshootout/MKH60FLAT_me66.mp3

To give credit, these mp3 are from this article. http://www.dvfreelancer.com/articles/shotgun_shootout.html

2. Mounting the boom pole on a C-stand can work for sit down interviews but is highly ineffective for just about anything else. Also 4 feet is too far away, you need to get at least 2 feet, but closer is always better. As you get closer to the sound you want the inverse square law applies and you will hear less bg noise.

3. As stated above, get the mic in closer to subject, turn down the gain and the bg noise will be lessened...but not eliminated. Mics do not act like lens and only pick up what's in front of them. All they can do is make what's in front of them more prominent.

4. I believe that is a bass roll off switch. If it looks like a broken L, then it is that is what it is. Someone who has this mic can correct me if I am wrong.

Lastly, the me66 or any shotgun is generally not the best choice for indoors. A hyper pattern would work better for you (most likely).
 
Thanks a lot wabbit. When you say "turn down the gain" do you mean to turn down the input (vol) using one of the two recessed dials marked "Audio" , "CH1" and "CH2" on the left near bottom side of the camera?

regards,

J.
 
The me66 doesn't have nearly the off-axis rejection of many other mics... and yes the little switch is a bass-cut... which you'll NEVER need on that mic. I'd run it full response 100% of the time. Also you will have to turn the gain way down and also be sure your internal cam pre is at -50db and not at -60db... you'd set it as low as -35db if you had the option.

If you get yourself an Oktava Hyper Cardioid and start doing your interiors with that you'll use that me66 to mash potatoes... just like Grandma used to make.
 
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