I love my new Sennheiser 8060

[ProSound]

I use a 50 indoors and outdoors when I can. Bpert sums up everything I love about the 50. I use my CMIT outside almost all the time. The 416 comes out in the rain or during gunfire.

On Doc and Bag work I use the CMIT for everything

[RadoStefanov]

MKH8060's noise is less then MKH60 "on paper" and I have not noticed it to be any different.

Also IMHO the low cut filter is just fine and the MKH8060 is totally USABLE without it.

The mic cuts off at 50hz and has very low handling noise.

I am sure that something was wrong eather with your signal chain or with the mkh8060 when you tried it.

As an owner and heavy user of a dozen MKHs I again state my lack of love for the 8060. Noisier than the 60, not useable without the MZF filter (poorly designed and overpriced filter). May as well use the 416.

Is there a reason that the 60 is still $500 more expensive ?

BTW the tiny size and feather weight of the 8050 trumps any slight sonic richness that the 50 has.

[RadoStefanov]

WHen I owned the 60 I always had the low cut engaged.

I say from experience of using the Senn triplets on a 10 month soap that it was very easy to get the 50 & the 70 to match. OTOH I could never get either to match with the 60 or the other way around if that makes any sense. The 60 always seemed to have (if you'll pardon the expression) a floppy bottom regardless of how much eq I dialed in or out to try to correct the problem. I have no experience with any of the 80xx mics from Sennheiser.

Eric

[Eric Berzins]

After owning the sanken cs3e for a couple years, I worked on a show with a mixer who used exclusively 416s. After ABing them, I liked how the sennheiser did a better job of bringing out the dialog specific frequencies vs the cs3.

While I love my CS-3, I have to agree that it doesn't quite 'bring out' the dialogue in quite the same way as a 416, but it's such a huge problem-solver, especially if you work frequently in less-than-ideal situations, that I couldn't imagine not having one. I suppose one could say that the 416 is better at 'bringing out the dialogue' while the CS-3 is better at 'bringing down the environment'. Also, I don't have any reservations using the CS-3 in any number of indoor locations: can't say the same about a 416. I suppose it comes down to what kind of sound you want as well - the CS-3 has more clarity and detail while a 416 has more punch and presence. My 2-cents.

[does]

...hope there is no cell phone action around the CS-3. They pick up the signal very fast....

[Rasmus Wedin]

So, are you guys using the 8060 with or without the low cut filter module? Kind of wondering if you could go without it and just cut bass on the mixer. The shorter/lighter mic the better. Or maybe its needed?

[Jaymz]

So, are you guys using the 8060 with or without the low cut filter module? Kind of wondering if you could go without it and just cut bass on the mixer. The shorter/lighter mic the better. Or maybe its needed?

Use it without, 552 lo-cut at around 9'oclock does it for me. The 8060 doesn't go down anywhere near as low as the 8040 or 8050 do, I do have to keep a light touch with the 8040.

[Tom Visser]

Finally used my 8060. I seem to use less gain than with my 60, so seems to be higher output. I did notice some noise, not sure what the source is quite yet without further scientific testing. The 60 is the quietest SDC mic I've ever used, and given its sensitive, perhaps one of the quietest mics all around. If the 8060 beats that, then it is quite a feat. The 8060 seemed to have a similar pickup pattern and ability to pull in stuff as I recall from using 416s. Unit operated great in harsh environments. I didn't bother with the filter module, just used the filters on board my preamp. No unusual handling noise issues here. No complaints, in fact, can say that I love my 8060 too.

[RadoStefanov]

Welcome back Tom. How was south America?

I find the MKH8060 to have a little wider pick up pattern then my old trusty mkh416t.

Were you amazed how well it matched your MKH8050?

And also how cool it is to have such a small boom mic package???

Finally used my 8060. I seem to use less gain than with my 60, so seems to be higher output. I did notice some noise, not sure what the source is quite yet without further scientific testing. The 60 is the quietest SDC mic I've ever used, and given its sensitive, perhaps one of the quietest mics all around. If the 8060 beats that, then it is quite a feat. The 8060 seemed to have a similar pickup pattern and ability to pull in stuff as I recall from using 416s. Unit operated great in harsh environments. I didn't bother with the filter module, just used the filters on board my preamp. No unusual handling noise issues here. No complaints, in fact, can say that I love my 8060 too.

[Boomboom]

I've been shooting into tight places for the last gigs I got and reading all the above makes me think I could definitely use one of those.

Eric, your whole comparison, I did exaclty the same with same conclusions but with a CS3e and a CMIT5U :-)

[superdiscount]

Hi can anyone confirm whether they have successfully integrated an 8060 with a STANDARD rycote 2 windshield? Not the rycote 2 windshield with mzl connbox?

Many Thanks

[RadoStefanov]

I am using regular stock mkh8060 - capsule and xlr barrel with WS2. there is plenty of space. Will take pictures when I find time.

[Chris McCallum]

mine uses the connbox which I have been very happy with. If I take it out of there I use the XLR barrel in a pistrol grip shock mount and a softie wind cover

[superdiscount]

Great thanks guys. i'll prob buy a standard no. 2 and see how I go. Can always add on an mzl box later if need be.

[superdiscount]

hmm have my 8060 and to my ears it has very little depth with no roll off. Worrying! Report back after first shoot tomorrow. Am slightly concerned that this mic has been sold at a price point for a reason!

[studiomprd]

" to my ears "

mic choices are always subjective...

[superdiscount]

An interesting mic for those who've been round for a while. This is closest to an mkh60 but is less refined. Out and about it hears a lot but has a supernatural top end. In an urban environment it cuts through no doubt. Very useful and really quite small amongst a load of other equipment. On headphones its a little sharp but on picture it works very well, editors will be happy. Let's face it it's a workhorse. Survives indoors and out, ridiculously wind proof, low noise, does not distort easily. More detailed than a 416, lacks a bit of bottom end but what the hell.

Verdict. Value for money!!

[Herbert Verdino]

If you use the MKH8060 with the wind foem, all the cool kicking sound is getting lost. Stronger than with any other mic, I know.

It is also very very sensible to wind noices.

Maybe that's the reason, why they have to pack such a strong wind foam, that kills the sound to.

[jonathan chiles]

Just used this mic on 2 jobs and am starting to like it. Its working very well in Rycote WS1 winshield with home made cut down 90 deg XLR. Mic has good reach and great detail and the pattern is slightly wider and softer edged than a 416.. all in all I like it and makes a goos addition to my package. Oh yes also surprisingly not bad on interiors even with hard surfaces.. But I'd still reach for the 50 for those situations given the choice,

my 2c

[Herbert Verdino]

An other problem we had with the MKH8060 was, that if we used it with an Lectrosonics plug on, you could here some disturbing noice. Like an radio frequency influence. After a frequency change the problem was solved for a while, but came back some houres later. This happened every day two or thre times on different locations. The problem disapeared if we used an MKH416!!! We also had a second MKH8060 but it was the same. We checked the whole radio mic system and also checked for Canatrans influences. We also had a second Lectro plug on, but there was the same. Unfortunately we could not try the mic with an Sennheier Plug on (SKP3000)... would be interesting.

Does any one has same experiances with MKH8060 and radio transmitter influences?

[chriswoolf]

There have been a number of reports about Lectro TXs and certain mics having interference problems under very specific conditions. These have included Schoeps CCMs, and sometimes involve Rycote Connboxes (which is why I was asked to explore the problem).

It looks as if the answer may be due to the need to use the cable screen as an antenna coupled with the ability to reject RF at the amp input. It also seems that there needs to be some point at which RF mixing can occur in the cabling - a disjuncture of some sort. I hasn't to add that this seems to be a design quirk rather than poor or inadequate design.

A cable that I made up to test the theory seems to work in several cases and might be worth trying. It consists of a Neutrik EMC connector at the mic end (female) and a standard male Neutrik at the TX end but with ferrite beads on both signal leads - I've used in-line soldered SMC beads and threaded thimbles successfully. The cable is merely a short 200mm stub indserted between the TX and the mic lead.

I'd be very interested to know if this cures the 8060 problem too.

Chris Woolf

[Richard Thomas]

I've been using mine with an SKP3000 without problems

[Herbert Verdino]

Thanks for the hint chriswoolf.

I will try and post it after Xmas.

Thank you also Richard, for your answear.

Best.

[Alistair Duff]

The 8060 was my choice as the first nice boom mic I've owned. It's really forgiving off axis and is super light and sounds great to my ears! For windy situations Ive got it in a totally over sized Rycote 4 but its still very lightweight and manageable.

Alistair

[Herbert Verdino]

We had an Rycote 3 and an Rycote 4. Most of the time, we used the Mic with the Nr. 3. But on realy windy days we had to use the Nr. 4.

The mic sounds great in an blimp. The problem is just, if you wana use it indoor, without an blimp. Than you should be awear of the fact, that with the foem you change the sound of the mic very rapidly. More than with any other mic+foam combination I have worked with (MKH416, MKH60 or Neumann KMR81) On the other hand if you use it just naked, you have to boom very carefuly and you can not make fast movements. I mean you have to move the MKH8060 realy realy slow to avoid wind noices!!! You have to move much more carefuly than with any of these other mices naked.

And the MKH8060 sounds great inside. We used it in many acoustical bad rooms (Kitchen, Bathroom....) and it performed graet!

So, If you have to follow an actor, while he is walking arround, or havo to swing between two or more actors and you don't wana use a blimp just the foem (indoors) you should know, that the mic is loosing a lot of its cool sound.