Sennheiser 8060 vs 416

[Noiz2]

You are right there are those out there, and you kind of supported my "they don't know anything" point. But you can't buy anything that is going to appease all of them, and that really was my main point. Buy what works for you and what you do. If you get a client with a quirky equipment "need" and they are worth the hassle then rent something for them. But you are chasing your tail trying to buy something that will make the clients happy.

 

[Alex H.]

Buy what works for you and what you do. If you get a client with a quirky equipment "need" and they are worth the hassle then rent something for them. But you are chasing your tail trying to buy something that will make the clients happy.

I've done plenty of paid, professional, work with a RØDE NTG-3 and nobody has ever asked what's in the zeppelin or complained that I'm not using X microphone. I know how to get what I want (what the client needs) out of the mic, and the results are what matter.

And I say that with the note that, mostly with out-of-state production companies coming through town, I'm seeing more productions looking only for the PSM as a worker and sending their own kits down for us to use.

To the original question of the 416 vs. the 8060, I have worked with both and they are both fine mics. The 416 has been a longtime workhorse in professional productions, and crappy mics don't get to claim things like that. I find that the 8060 has a major advantage of size and weight. Even loaded with a blimp and windjammer, it's a very low-profile and lightweight load on the end of a boom pole. Given a choice between the two, I'd take the 8060.

 

[graywolf]

Well, another way to express what I was saying is all else being equal, you might as well go with the newer stuff. However, if someone thinks the 416 is better than the 8060 then that is the way they should go, they will probably do better work with something they believe in.

With the exception of the Zoom F4, all my stuff is old and/or cheap. It all works okay, and I do not need to impress anyone but myself. My two main shotguns are AT4073A's, they impress the hell out of me and they were cheap (<$200 each).

 

[filmguy123]

I don't need to impress anyone, they won't know what gear is what or what model is what. I just want a great quality, great sounding shotgun. I like the way the Senn's sound + the reliability. The 8060 seems more forgiving off-axis too, which seemed to be the only drawback of the 416. If all else is equal then, I'd take the 8060 if it largely sounds like a 416 with some minor changes that only the most astute would notice (and even then, would really only be considered preference).

Regarding this comment:

However in your first post you said you mostly do interviews indoors... Neither mic is particularly well suited for that.

I am not sure which post is being referenced, but just to clarify I am looking at *BOTH* the 416 or 8060 -- AND -- either the 8050/MKH 50. The MKH-8050 or MKH-50 are suited well to indoor interviews, yes? The 8060 (or 416, still on table) would be for the outdoor work.

Would the newer MKH-8060 + MKH-50 be a suitable pair? (vs the 416 + 50, or the 8060 + 8050)?

 

[Jaime Valles]

I haven't tried the 8050 or 8060, but I do own the MKH-50 and MKH-60 and they sound incredible. The 50 indoors is crystal clear, and the 60 outdoors is equally good (though different, of course). Also, both are tried and true microphones in the industry, so you shouldn't get any side-eye from other folks. And they're very much weather resistant, so I have no fears taking them out on horribly humid environments. Overall, I couldn't be happier with the purchases.

 

[GaryNattrass]

In 38 years of film and broadcast I have seen mics come and go and I suspect some of them are real advances in technology, I even owned a few very high end mic's such as the AKG C12 and a very nice AMS Neve ST250 surround mic with full rycote blimp.

At the end of the day production have little care or knowledge as to what mics you are using and whilst I have a good collection of budget mics such as Takstar CM60 & 61 Realistic PZM's from the 80's, AT875r, Sony ECM MS957 and 907 and all sorts of $20 chinese mic's that have all been used on mainstream broadcast production there does tend to be a go to mic collection that is well know as well as tried and trusted.

The film and drama location guys tend to be the ones who are using the newer sennheiser mic's here in the UK but for most of my career the list is pretty standard of the mic's I have encountered.

Neuman U87 + U47, KM181 / 184
AKG 414, 451 or 460
AKG D12
Sennheiser MD421
Shure SM58 + 57
Sennheiser 416 and 816
EV RE50 + 635a
Beyer D58 + M88, M201
Sony ECM 50 + 77
Sennheiser MKE 2 gold + ME2
Calrec 1050, 1001 + 2050, 2001 + Soundfield

Of new mic's I think it is only the Sanken Cos11 and the Schoeps CCM4 have been added recently whilst at SKY but I suppose they are alternatives to some of the mics on the list above.