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Long Shotguns - Still in use?


Ty Ford

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I own an MKH70 and use it in certain special situations. When a camera person insists on shooting everything wide. 

I also sometimes use it on sports shoots where we aren't allowed to mic players. It just gives that little bit of extra reach 

I need to get usable sound. Have used it on both MLB and PGA shoot with success. I would always like to have it available 

for use on a job, just in case.

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I never found my 82i to be really any more reachy than the CS3e, and not as directional as an 816 or 70 for sure.  I keep it as a 2nd mic for exteriors, mostly because and 816 is just too much for a lot of soundies too deal with anymore, length, weight, wind resistance and the need to be really "on" mic with it.  I'm going to get a 70 one of these days if I find a deal.

 

philp

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First time I tried out my newly bought used MKH816, I was on the front lawn and a guy almost a block away was getting into his car. I cranked up the gain and heard his car keys tinkle. As impressed as I was, a car then came up the street and passed between us. It was so loud I had to eject my headphones.

 

Other times with shotguns outside, mid and LF seem to creep in from off-axis. I begin to wonder if the term "reach" as applied to shotgun mics wasn't a word that marketing came up with. Sure the HF directionality is there with a shotgun, but if you're in any kind of street scene with cars, truck and busses, don't the off-axis LF they hear pretty much clobber what you're getting on-axis?

 

I've used a CMC641 pretty effectively outside from 4-5 feet. (A surprise interview with a congressman on the west steps of the Capitol in DC. No shotgun in my back pocket that day, e.g. Famous last words: Just leave the shotgun in the truck, you won't need it today.") To my surprise, the CMC641 did just fine from 4-5 feet. 

 

Your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

 

Ty

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" Sure the HF directionality is there with a shotgun,... with shotguns outside, mid and LF seem to creep in from off-axis.... Your thoughts?"

the longer the tube, the lower the frequency the mic can remain directional ...

some of today's interference tube mic's use acoustical magic to put a longer (acoustically) tube into a shorter (linear) mic...

"reach" is seeming (aka apparently) increased because of side/rear rejection

Edited by studiomprd
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The 816 has always sounded like Sennheiser did something to the high mids and HFs to crank them a little more, one of the reasons the mic can sound pretty bad in some situations (like close).  I never liked the sound of the thing, or any really long shotgun, they've just been tools to reach for in somewhat desperate moments.

 

philp

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Philip,

 

Thanks for that. I was thinking in those moments where "quiet on the set" actually means the set is quiet (as in low ambient noise), then fine. But I really wonder about the quality of the "reach" issue when there's any off-axis noise; especially LF and MF noise. Like any typical downtown city street with cars, trucks, busses and industrial HVAC noises.

 

I also wonder about sidelines or arena top placement for sports. A lot of that crowd noise is off-axis. Does it all smear into a sound field that our ears "buy" as crowd noise? Is there a better way to capture details from the sidelines and crowd walla from the rim?

 

Regards,

 

Ty Ford

www.tyford.com

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