Microphone Recommend like 416 but cheaper ?

[Matt Uhry]

I'm looking to buy a basic shotgun mic, for use mostly on a boom pole, hopefully something that's similar in use to the sennheiser 416, but cheaper and with the option of an internal battery.

Sometime I'll use it on a boom pole, direct to red, sometimes to the red via mixer and also to be used patched into my Zoom H2 by way of the mini phono plug.

Hoping to spend under $500 - mic, boom pole, shockmount, wind thingy. Is that possible ?

Any ideas would be appreciated !

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

[Paul Hazlett]

Rode has a pretty good rep in that price range, but not battery powered.

http://usa.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=NTG-3


If you want battery powered go for the Sennheiser Me-66 with k6 capsule

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...dioid_Mic.html

[Frank Weeks]

Don't think it's going to be under 500us. I am looking for the same setup but with all the accessories you mentioned...Well, take a look

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...icrophone.html

[Mark Phelan]

Matt, have a look at the Audio Technica 897. It has everything you are looking for and was recommended to me by BJ at Custom Supply when I needed something along the lines you requested. It's been a great mike and can be used with an internal battery or phantom, your choice. It's around $260.00.

BTW, I saw the new Rode blimp at NAB and liked it a lot. Here's a link to it at B&H: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...indshield.html

[Paul Hazlett]

wow did not know the Rode ntg-3 was that much, maybe the ntg-2 will be a little more iin the range.

[Matt Uhry]

I might need to raise my budget - at a certain point it make sense to just get the sennheiser 416 and not have second thoughts about it.

M

[Yannick Hagman]

I've been told that NTG-3 is on par with 416, but it has a slightly bigger pick up pattern. Makes it better for indie-work/working with non audio-people.

$500 isn't possible to have good audio. It will cost 2k$ upwards. I would buy a good mic with a rode blimp and rent the boom/recorder/mixer.

[Hans von Sonntag]

Matt,

I don't like the 416. It has a certain coke bottle feel and is too directed for most applications, IMO. Schoeps sound great, are lightweight/small, sufficiently directed without distorting sound-space the and for many sound recordist the first choice. The Russian Octavias aren't bad either, more or less a sucessful copy of the Schoeps, if I recall correctly. They are considerably cheaper.

The 416 is great for news, it's sturdy and pretty directed and good at fishing statements but heavy and needs a huge wind jammer. For anything else I wouldn't take it.

Hans

[Hans von Sonntag]

Asked my soundman:


The Cooke S4:

- Schoeps MK5. It's both in one Mic: You can switch from shotgun to omnidirectional,

- Schoep MK41, pretty narrow shotgun.

Both mics need a amp. and the wind jammer W20R. Schoeps are not cheap but like lenses will hold value.


The RPPs:

Oktava are cheap. Check www.oktava.com. There are many out there who find that the Russian made Oktavas are close to the best (Neumann and Schoeps). They are a bargain. The Oktava MK012A might be the best bet you can find. Prices: LESS than 300 USD!

Hans

[Rob Castiglione]

Hans you are right on the money.

Schoeps is in my view definitely the gold standard. For film work, I use the hypercardiod - MK 41. It is has got such a nice natural sound. I agree with your comments concerning the 416 though I do use it for outdoor work in difficult situations. The Schoeps MK5 is a bit of specialty mic in my view.

The Schoeps are expensive and if you cant go in this direction Oktavas are terrific. You can get an Octava modified by Michael Jolly which contains the preamp, and three capsules (hypercardiod, cardiod and omni) for about one third of the cost of the Schoeps. These were never intended for outdoor work but can certainly be used in a blimp with a good suspension. Again, superior sound.

The absolute best cheapest shotgun out there is the Rode NTG-1 and its battery powered equivalent (the NTG-2?) which is unbelievable value and which certainly give you broadcast quality sound.