field recording mics

[Drongoloid]

hi.
I do a bit of location recording using a mixpre 3 and a couple of omni Sennheisers (ME62s). I am keen to try some cardioids in ORTF and am thinking about which mics to go for. I have the Rode TF5s, Neumann KM184s and the Sennheiser MKH 8040s in mind. The latter are clearly more expensive and crop up in many field recordists lists of gear but I am interested in people's views on any obvious pros and cons with respect to these 3.
many thanks

[Hugh Robjohns]

Much easier to fit ORTF 8040s into a decent windshield than any of the others -- and that makes the choice a no-brainer, surely?

Added to which the 8040s are virtually immune to changing humidity which is important when working outdoors.

They are expensive, but they will keep theiring term value better than any of the others. My MKH 20/30/40s are now worth more second hand than I paid for them 10-20 years ago!

And the quality of the 8040s does justice to the mixpre recorder, too.

https://rycote.com/microphone-windshiel ... -kit-ortf/

[MOF]

I don’t know of a large enough windshield to house an ORTF setup using microphones such as the KM184 (don’t underestimate the amount of wind noise you encounter outdoors). You could maybe put knuckle joints in microphones with detachable capsules and orientate the whole system 90 degrees so that they’re pointing left and right.
I have the MKH 30 and 60 mid/side system stacked one above the other, though you’d probably want to replace the 60 with a 50 or 40.

[Arpangel]

Does the OP actually have the mic's he mentions? I think he’s considering them.
If he’s starting from scratch, the 8040's and the Rycote Hugh mentions would probably be the cheaper option, maybe, than an MKH30/40 combo and the Rycote shield for those.

[Drongoloid]

Does the OP actually have the mic's he mentions? I think he’s considering them.
If he’s starting from scratch, the 8040's and the Rycote Hugh mentions would probably be the cheaper option, maybe, than an MKH30/40 combo and the Rycote shield for those.

hi, no I don't have any of them at present

[MOF]

the 8040's and the Rycote Hugh mentions would probably be the cheaper option, maybe, than an MKH30/40 combo and the Rycote shield for those.

I thought the 8040s were more expensive, maybe at one time they were, but I see you’re right.

[forumuser840717]

My MKH 20/30/40s are now worth more second hand than I paid for them 10-20 years ago!

I didn't realise they were giving them away 10-20 years ago

[Hugh Robjohns]

[Arpangel]

I’d go for the 8040 Rycote combo, those mics look very good indeed as a small ORTF rig.
Not sure how they sound against a pair of 40’s, that’s what we all want to know.

[Bob Bickerton]

I use MKH 8040s often for field recording in ORTF or Gerzon arrays and I believe they’re just about the best for this application.

All this talk of field microphones has got me thinking about using my MKH 8020s in the field. If I’m travelling light I’ll take a pair of Rode miniature omni mics wired up to a Zoom F1 and whilst they’re a little noisy, I do like their spacious imagery. Could be interesting to try the 8020s and not have the noise penalty.

Bob

[Arpangel]

I use MKH 8040s often for field recording in ORTF or Gerzon arrays and I believe they’re just about the best for this application.

All this talk of field microphones has got me thinking about using my MKH 8020s in the field. If I’m travelling light I’ll take a pair of Rode miniature omni mics wired up to a Zoom F1 and whilst they’re a little noisy, I do like their spacious imagery. Could be interesting to try the 8020s and not have the noise penalty.

Bob

I always say to people, try and get the best mic you can afford, or just the best!
Some mic's may be good enough for rock-n-roll, but if you’re trying to capture quiet sounds "in the field" there’s nothing more distracting than a bit of unwanted noise
This is what you’re paying for in a good mic, good tone, and low noise.
I’m lucky to have bought my MKH's when I did, I’m sure, that if I hadn’t, I’d be on here regularly asking about better mic's, as they say, buy right first time, and then all you have to do is get on with it, you’re not constantly worrying about a weak link.

[Guest]

Very expensive but well worth it and most convenient for this kind of application:
https://schoeps.de/en/products/ccm/ccm- ... ccm-4.html

Very compact, and no, they don’t just get used indoors to record classical music.

[Arpangel]

Very expensive but well worth it and most convenient for this kind of application:
https://schoeps.de/en/products/ccm/ccm- ... ccm-4.html

Very compact, and no, they don’t just get used indoors to record classical music.

I use these for recording storms, rain hail etc, very rarely classical music! I have them on a stereo bar in our conservatory, different sound to the MKH's.

[John Willett]

hi.
I do a bit of location recording using a mixpre 3 and a couple of omni Sennheisers (ME62s). I am keen to try some cardioids in ORTF and am thinking about which mics to go for. I have the Rode TF5s, Neumann KM184s and the Sennheiser MKH 8040s in mind. The latter are clearly more expensive and crop up in many field recordists lists of gear but I am interested in people's views on any obvious pros and cons with respect to these 3.
many thanks

You should add the Gefell M 300 to your list, these are affordable and (uniquely) have a ceramic capsule that will not expand and contract due to temterature changes and so keeps the diaphragm at a constant tension.

Though, as Hugh says, the MKH 8040 are RF condensers and have a far better resistance to moisture than a normal AF condenser mic. Remove the head from the XLR module and use an extension cable and they become very small and you can fit an ORTF pair inside a Rycote windshield - but the cost is over double that of the Neumann or Gefell option; but windshielding normal cardioids is more awkward with the only practical option being foam windshields with small Rycote Windjammers over them.

Please note that many professional sound recordists do use AF condensers outside - but it is important that you keep the diaphragms clean as any deposits on the diaphragm can absorb moisture and cause 'crackles'. Schoeps used to recommend returning their microphones to them for cleaning if they were regularly used outside for the diaphragm to be cleaned.