Sennheiser 8060 vs 416

G

grantw

Well-known member
I shot mostly interview style videos, usually inside. Been dealing with sub $400 mic's and I'm ready to invest in a good one to last me a while.

I just bought the 416, but as I'm looking around I see the 8060 is $250 more. I'm thinking I'll have this mic for a pretty long time, is it worth returning and spending the extra cash for the 8060?
 
Why do you use Shotgun mics indoor? They are not designed to work optimally inside, you are very likely to get terrible phasing issues with typical shotgun mics.

What's your budget? AT4053B is a great hyper cardioid for indoor vocal. If you want something versatile (mostly indoor but some outdoor use), you can take a look at Sanken CS-3e, it has an unique design that allows it work very well regardless of physical space.
 
I'm guessing he wants something versatile but good and he isn't a Microphone glossary so he went to the most widely used and loved by most videographers, the 416.

I would ask you one thing though, why do you need the 8060? Just because it is more money does not mean it is better for your uses. The 416 is a great mic at a pretty great price, and for indoor interviews it works surprisingly well. Set up a couple of sound blankets and it is amazing. It also can be a great mic for multiple uses, so out of curiosity what do you think will the 8060 provide that is better for you? The 8060 is a great mic as well.
 
grantw said:
I shot mostly interview style videos, usually inside. Been dealing with sub $400 mic's and I'm ready to invest in a good one to last me a while.

I just bought the 416, but as I'm looking around I see the 8060 is $250 more. I'm thinking I'll have this mic for a pretty long time, is it worth returning and spending the extra cash for the 8060?
Click to expand...

Yes - I would definitely get the 8060 over the 416.

The 8060 is a symmetrical capsule microphone with lower distortion and is much quieter than the 416.

Also, in the future, you can make it a digital microphone just by removing the XLR module and replacing it with the MZD8000 digital module.

The 8060 is better indoors than the 416 - I checked this with the product manager when it first came out and he said the 8060 was fine indoors.

So, yes, I would swap to the 8060 if it was me - I would not buy a 416 nowadays.
 
grantw said:
I shot mostly interview style videos, usually inside.
.
.
.
I just bought the 416, but as I'm looking around I see the 8060 is $250 more. I'm thinking I'll have this mic for a pretty long time, is it worth returning and spending the extra cash for the 8060?
Click to expand...

For interior work, I'd look at a Sennheiser MKH 8050 instead of a 416, or a 8060. The 8050 has a big following in the professional dialog recording crowd, especially for interiors.

But if you must use a shotgun indoors, I would certainly pick an 8060 over a 416.
 
MKH50 is used indoors and is a super cardiod. MMKH416 has a narrower pickup pattern than the 8060 but the 8060 is more sensitive. Both are not ideal for indoors but can still do a good job.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

I thought about upgrading simply because after I bought it I noticed the 8060 and read alot of reviews and posts about how it's newer and alot better.

My budget was around $1000.

I'm no audiophile and most likely I'll be having only this microphone for the rest of my life, or until it breaks. Looking for something that can be used as general purpose. However, yes most of the use is interviews, indoors and in offices (so battling ac's, building fans/noises, office noise, street noise, etc). As much as the the actual tone/sound is important, definitely killing surrounding noise's tops my list.
 
The 416 is still the film sound industry standard for an (outdoor) short shotgun and I don't see any indication of this changing. In additional there have been numerous reports of faulty (high noise) 8060s, coming from the factory, and in some cases, repair/replacement was problematic. Search the JW audio group for specifics.
 
Rick R said:
The 416 is still the film sound industry standard for an (outdoor) short shotgun and I don't see any indication of this changing.
Click to expand...

Because people don't like change - the 8060 is much better than the 416, IMHO, and I would not, personally, buy a 416 nowadays.


Rick R said:
In additional there have been numerous reports of faulty (high noise) 8060s, coming from the factory, and in some cases, repair/replacement was problematic. Search the JW audio group for specifics.
Click to expand...

This is old news and Sennheiser fixed this over a year ago. There have been no problems on any MKH 8000 series manufactured since July last year (2013). I rang up the product manager to check this out several months ago.
 
Bumping this 3 year old thread because I am inquiring about this specific comparison, especially now that the 8060 has been on market 3 more years and others may have more experience.

If buying a shotgun today and sold on the Sennheiser (not sure I am, but getting close) - which is the pick in 2017... 416 or the 8060, and why?
 
Looking at either the 416 or the 8060. Leaning 8060 as it is a little more sensitive with a slightly wider pickup pattern. Also the faulty units seem to be all gone if buying new. Thoughts?

For the interior mic, either the 8050 or the MKH50. Which one and why?

Finally, I hear the 8060 is pretty good both indoors and outdoors... Would it be redundant to have the 8060 + a super such as the 8050/MKH50 (ie more than a very minor improvement in audio quality for interviews and dialogue)?

Thanks for the help choosing between these 4 mics!
 
filmguy123 said:
Looking at either the 416 or the 8060. Leaning 8060 as it is a little more sensitive with a slightly wider pickup pattern. Also the faulty units seem to be all gone if buying new. Thoughts?

For the interior mic, either the 8050 or the MKH50. Which one and why?

Finally, I hear the 8060 is pretty good both indoors and outdoors... Would it be redundant to have the 8060 + a super such as the 8050/MKH50 (ie more than a very minor improvement in audio quality for interviews and dialogue)?

Thanks for the help choosing between these 4 mics!
Click to expand...

Don't forget the Sanken CS3-e. It is a fantastic mic both indoors and outside. The DPA 4017b is also a great choice for this.

I haven't done an A/B comparison of the 416 vs the 8060 or the MKH50 vs the 8050, but I do know a lot of people that are switching over to the newer Sennheiser mics, but there are loads of folks still happy with their 416s (not for indoor work) and their MKH50s. It's all personal preference.
 
I've ruled out the Sanken, DPA, and Schoeps for me.

My main question comes down to 416 vs 8060 (would really love to hear some input here).

And secondarily, thoughts on MKH-50 vs 8050 -- and also how to pair (ie 8060 and a MKH-50, mixing and matching generations? Or better to go 8060/8050, or 416/50?)

Thank you much.
 
filmguy123 said:
I've ruled out the Sanken, DPA, and Schoeps for me.

My main question comes down to 416 vs 8060 (would really love to hear some input here).

And secondarily, thoughts on MKH-50 vs 8050 -- and also how to pair (ie 8060 and a MKH-50, mixing and matching generations? Or better to go 8060/8050, or 416/50?)

Thank you much.
Click to expand...

Well, if I was in the business, I would go with the 8000 series. That way your clients can not say, "He is using old junk". In other words for marketing reasons.
 
graywolf said:
Well, if I was in the business, I would go with the 8000 series. That way your clients can not say, "He is using old junk". In other words for marketing reasons.
Click to expand...

Sorry I think this is silly advice. First your clients know nothing about sound. Even with out knowing them I can say that and be right 99.999% of the time. Second if they do know anything they will probably be more happy with the 416 which is tried and true. Nobody complains that the U87 in the studio is "old junk". BTW if anyone has some "old junk" they want to dump let me know!

I have worked in sound since ... 1976, give or take, from small theatre to big budget films and the only time I have ever been asked about my equipment has been either by folks who liked the results and wanted to know what I used or no-budget filmmakers who had no idea what they were talking about but thought they should ask.

When "clients" have arranged the equipment it was even more clear they had no clue. I was on a film shoot (actual film) and they paid extra for a Time Code DAT. But had no smart slate so...
FYI, for those that don't know film. Film has no TC. The only way TC helps is if you have a smart slate that shows the TC from the recorder.

However in your first post you said you mostly do interviews indoors... Neither mic is particularly well suited for that.
 
This is getting off base, but we do have one corporate client (runs internal video dept) who insists all audio is recorded with certain Scheops hypercardiods. They also refuse to use lavs. I'm camera, not sound, and on away shoots I've had to carry subrented mics when the local sound mixer didn't have the required equipment.

Those clients are out there and that's what rentals are for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top