supercardioid condenser vs shotgun for interior dialogue-+instrument(guitar or piano)

[eco_bach]

For an upcoming project I need to use just one boom mounted mic.
I need to choose between a supercardioid condenser like the Sennheiser MKH50, or a shotgun like the Sennheiser MKH 416.

Which would work best?

Would either be a good choice if you could only own 1 microphone?

 

[Rick R]

Interiors: MKH50
Though sometimes one can get away with using a shotgun indoors depending on a room's acoustics.
If I 'had' to choose one mic for both int and ext., it would likely be a Sanken CS3, which is not a 'interference tube' shotgun. Not everyone likes the sound of them though, and the pattern width is rather narrow, so that could be a problem with inexperenced (and/or half-ass) boom op or on a stand were the interviewee moves some.

 

[John Willett]

For an upcoming project I need to use just one boom mounted mic.
I need to choose between a supercardioid condenser like the Sennheiser MKH50, or a shotgun like the Sennheiser MKH 416.

Which would work best?

Would either be a good choice if you could only own 1 microphone?

Interior - go MKH 50 - it's lso a very much better microphone than the 416.

 

[dre83]

maybe MKH50 yes... with a windjammer etc for outside... it all depends on the location

a MKH50 in the dessert can work ...because normally there's not a lot of disturbing sound... in a city it's different

with a 416 you can be a little further but have to aim better....

choose one...and learn...

 

[John Willett]

maybe MKH50 yes... with a windjammer etc for outside... it all depends on the location

a MKH50 in the dessert can work ...because normally there's not a lot of disturbing sound... in a city it's different

with a 416 you can be a little further but have to aim better....

choose one...and learn...

Mmmmm - not so sure.

The MKH 50 and MKH 416 have about the same polar-pattern at low frequencies and the 416 only gets more directional at higher frequencies.

Further back, yes, but only a few inches. A super-cardioid at 1.9m picks up the same sound as a short gun at 2.2m - so that's a tiny 0.3m difference - about 6%, too small to worry about.

 

[dre83]

yes, but sometimes 30cm can be enough for shadow issues.

The MKH50 is smaller, so maybe more convenient in lower ceilings... and he has to choose one I assume ?

 

[John Willett]

yes, but sometimes 30cm can be enough for shadow issues.

Remember that the capsule of the 416 is about 30cm dwn the tube - so at the distance discussed the front of the mic. would be in about the same place.

The MKH50 is smaller, so maybe more convenient in lower ceilings...

Indoors am MKH 50 will be much better than a 416 due to the comb-filter effect teh 416 has with off-axis sound.

The new MKH 8060 is much better in this respect, though.

 

[ryanjf]

John - if one were to buy a new MKH 50, would it be wiser to go with the MKH 8050 since it's newer or does the MKH 50 still hold up to this day for interiors? I've heard the MKH 50 but not the MKH 8050. I do love what I hear though.