MKH-416 vs Sanken CS-3e

Baker Park

Baker Park

Active member
What are the pros and cons to these two mics?

MKH-416 vs Sanken CS-3e.

I know there is high regard for the CMIT-5u but price is in the mix.

Thanks everyone.
 
If you can afford either mic then it's a no-brainer. Sanken CS3e.

Why?

Class leading rear rejection (even better then CMIT)... forgiving front pattern... and the mic just sounds good.

So what advantages does the 416 have? Almost zero handling noise, built like a tank, immunity to RF (which can come in handy on rare occasions)... and sounds pretty good.

Still... in daily use... the CS3e will be the best sounding mic... 90% of the time.

ZERO doubt about that.
 
MattinSTL said:
If you can afford either mic then it's a no-brainer. Sanken CS3e.

Why?

Class leading rear rejection (even better then CMIT)... forgiving front pattern... and the mic just sounds good.

So what advantages does the 416 have? Almost zero handling noise, built like a tank, immunity to RF (which can come in handy on rare occasions)... and sounds pretty good.

Still... in daily use... the CS3e will be the best sounding mic... 90% of the time.

ZERO doubt about that.
Click to expand...
MArtin. The only thing I don't agree with you is that is a "no-brainer". It totally depends what kind of work you do . Baker if you shoot a lot of Nat Geo documentaries and you going to spend most of the time traveling to crazy dusty and humid places, the 416 is way better than the CS-3. On the other hand Rf can be a huge problem, and again it depend of what kind of work you do. I did a whole series of docs. for the Air Force and the only microphones that work around those electronic systems were Senn Mkh series and modern Neumann. The CS-3 couldn't handle it at all.
If realiability is not your main priority, the CS-3 is the way to go, but if you need to be sure that your microphone is always working.........hum, 416.
Obviously the best way to go is having both.
 
I sure can't argue with that. Perhaps I was too quick to say "no brainer".

Let me put it this way... I work with a company here in STL that has a couple ENG sound kits... and we do stuff for almost anything that comes through the midwest... from the political debates, to Modern Marvels, Commodities (coming to Discovery soon... look for Sierra Bullets, we just did that)... Heidi Klum infomercial... History, Travel, short films, etc. etc. etc. Some pretty serious stuff... and in my favorite kit we have a CS3e... and an me66 just in case the CS3e craps out (you guys know I dislike the me66... and I've never had to use it in this kit).

So far that CS3e has done just about EVERYTHING... and I mean everything... that we shoot.

That's the only reason I said "no brainer"... because that's definitely my favorite shotgun... and it's one of the very few shotguns that can do many interiors as well.

Even though I said "no brainer" you'll notice that I still pointed out the same strengths of the 416 that you did... I owned a 416... and I like that mic, but if I could only have one I'd get a CS3e and some sort of backup.

To the OP... if you could get both... wow... how nice! But I assumed that since you said the CMIT was out of your range (and it's only $600 or so more then CS3e) that you'd be at the limits of your cash at the CS3e.

Not to muddy the waters... but again... I agree that the 416 is a great mic... it's just that given the choice... I'd go Sanken. We've had that mic in some really crazy situations and it hasn't let us down yet... but maybe we've just been lucky and I haven't realized it.
 
probably o good back up to CS-3 will be the new Rode NTG-3. I haven't tried it my self, but in the store where I buy my sound gear they tested and they are very happy. it seems like a great imitation of the 416 with a wide pattern. On the other hand it's Rf designed so it should be able to take humidity and Rf signal without problem. It's half price of the 416.
I love the sound of the Cs-3 too, my favorite shot gun by far.
 
Get a used 416 for like $450 and then get a new CS3e and you'll be set. :-) If you're really lucky and have enough time, you might even find a used CS3e. Best of both worlds.

Phil
 
BTW, and this is a little OT to this post, but needs to be said:

Given the tough economic times, now is the time to bargain hard for any equipment you purchase. Never accept "list" price. I don't mean to stick it to our friends at Coffey and Trew (and even B&H) but sales can't be great right now, so a little margin on a sale is better than continuing to carry it in inventory.

Phil
 
Id also vote for a cs3. Reason is, and i always seem to come back to this, is that I am NOT a pro audio person, just a poor fool sometimes forced to record their own audio. I want tools that will do the most for least interference by me after set up. The rear rejection on the Sanken keeps on saving me. For the record I carry two back up shotguns, ATM57s which I picked up in Japan (not available outside Japan), pretty close to the sound on the 4073.
 
i own both. Hands down cs3e for me. IMO sounds better and more versatile. I work in NYC. There is no comparison when using the cs3e outside with rejection of vehicles, construction, etc. If i'm doing eng and have to use the sanken out and inside, it works well and as others stated, sounds good. I have never had a rf or humidity issue in 1.5 years of ownership.

That being said, i cant bring myself to let go of the 416 that served me well for years and find if i need to get a second mic for random jobs, much easier to rent a 416 than find a cs3( i think pro sound rents them)

I'm curious what the character of rf through cs3 sounds like. Is it like the cell phone noises(blackberry) or something else? if someone could post an example of the rf through sanken, i would really like to hear it.
 
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