QUICK NAVIGATION ::
• Oktava MCO-12
• AKG Blue Line
• AKG C480B ULS (ultra linear series)
• Sennheiser MKH50
• Schoeps MK41 vs. MKH60 (flat)
• Sennheiser MKH60 vs. Schoeps CMC6/MK
• Sennheiser ME66 vs. the MKH60
• Sanken CS-1
• Sanken CS-3
• Sennheiser MKH-416
• AKG C480B vrs. CK69
• Audio Technica 4073a

II’ve been wanting to come up with a collection of clips that would at least give those people interested, some idea of what each particular microphone sounded like. A series of comparisons, between the various mics would show the relative value of each microphone, as it pertains to digital video production. That means dialog mainly.

While shopping for new mic, I recorded some samples ar Glen Trews new audio center in Toronto. Glen and his Canadian partner Reynald Trudel have a full service, sales and rental facility that caters to film and video production. www.trewaudio.com.

I managed to record samples of the Sanken CS-1, CS-3e, MKH 416, MKH60 and even Sennheisers top hypercardoid small condenser, the MKH50. This past week I returned and recorded some sample of the AKG Blue Line and the C480b ULS system as well. I also own an MKH60, a Schoeps MK41 a Sennheiser K6 / ME66 and two Oktava MCO-12 kits.

Comparisons have been done singularly and with mics mounted in tandem directly in front of the speaker. Distances are between 12 and 24”. No effort was made to boom because of time and space constraints

Some files have been recorded using a Sound Devices Mix Pre or 302 fed at line level into a Marantz PMD670 flash recorder. The others were recorded directly into the marantz PMD670, using the onboard phantom and preamps.

It is recommended that the wav files be reviewed on a decent set of monitors or at the very least a pair of Sony 7506 headphones.

When you're done reading and listening, please participate in our shootout poll. tell us what your favourite mic was and why.

Don't forget, The Audio files and technical spec links links are blue, once you've been there thay turn light gray. The clips are uncompressed wav or mp3. Uncompressed is best. To get a clean result you may have to wait until the file is fully downloaded

I’ll start with some hypercardoid clips. The first in this group were done at Trew Audio in Toronto. The deep voice is me and the gentleman with the Southern Drawl is Glen Trew. Glen is a working mixer as well as running Trew Audio and Remote Audio. One of his recent projects was Jersey Girl. Glen and his Canadian partner Reynald have been very helpful.

I’ll build the piece slowly and keep the article pinned to the top of the thread. Please feel free to make comments. Give us your opinion on what mics you like and why. Glen's shop is very noisy and has bare walls and a tile floor. You can hear customers and staff in the background. The mics are set on shock mounts and placed in front of the speaker, they are not boomed. This first batch of recordings was made with a Marantz PMD670 flash recorder.

In all cases the original file is uncompressed 48hz PCM. A smaller mp3 accompanies the wav file for those with a slow connection. Links are shown in blue and light gray type.

It’s best to listen on decent monitors (not computer gamers speakers) or a reasonably good headphone. I use Yorkville monitors powered by a Quad Electrocoustical amp and preamp. My sound card is an M-Audio 2496. Headphones are either Sony 7506 (The industry standard) or AKG 271S’s.

Hypercardoids seem to be much better for interior dialog as you will hear when the shotguns are brought out. Some interesting reading on the Schoeps philosophy on directional microphones can be found at their site (click here)

I will include references to commonly used mics, models that most have listened to or own. The Sennheiser ME66 and Oktava MCO-12 will show up from time to time.

A good example of this mics value can be found here. The Oktava hypercardoid is put up against an $800 Neumann large diaphram. The oktava doesn't quite beat the Neumann but it comes very close. The Otava's quality control can be questionable and unless properly match, two mics may not sound the same.

If you read what's been posted on the various professional sites, you'll see some mention of the Oktava as a bargain hypercardoid, followed by the AKG Blue Line, the AT 4053a, the AKG480b ULS line and the supposed creme de la creme the Sennheiser MKH50 and the Schoeps MK41. The unit pricing pretty well follows the microphones place in the order of excellence. Towards the top end there is some room for discussion and personal preference.

The AKG Blue Line is one of the most reasonable and versatile modular mic systems. The C300B mic preamp and a CK93 can be bought for around $400. One of the key benefits is the bayonet mounted capsules and the availability of an active cable so that the capsule can be placed in very tight places. Available capsules include omni, cardoid, hypercardoid, figure 8 and shotgun. The C300B preamp is phantom powered and in my opinion superior to the Sennheiser K6 line.

All 3 clips are done at Glen Trew’s Toronto shop.

The first is a short comparison that I’ve split into 2 mono files. The ck63 will follow.
CK93 hypercardoid uncompressed
• CK93 mp3 version

The second is an axis response demo by me.
• CK93 axis response demo uncompressed
• Axis response demo mp3 version

The third an axis demo done by Glen Trew.
• Glen Trew CK93 uncompressed
• Glen Trew CK93 mp3

Next up is the quieter and more expensive AKG C480B ULS (ultra linear series) system. The preamp has a flat (0db) position as well a +6 db (double the output) or a -10db attenuation. There is also a switchable high pass with a 12 db/octave at 70 and 150 hz.. Noise is 11, 13 and 17. The 11db is at 0, 13 at =6 and 17 at -10db.

Do some reading, AKG does a good job publishing accurate specs.
<C480B ULS Specification

The first clip is the other half of the comparison that was done with the CK93 Blue Line hypercardoid. The clips were split into two mono files. This is a CK63 hypercardoid capsule. All files were done at Trew Audio, Toronto
Short CK63 uncompressed clip
• mp3 version

• A CK63 hypercardoid axis response demo done by me
• The shorter MP3 version

• Glen Trew demonstrating axis response of the C480/CK63
• AKG C480/CK63 axis response mp3 version

Sennheiser MKH50
Compare the AKG C480 with the CK63 hypercardoid capsule to the Sennheiser MKH50
Tell me what you think. How would you compare the sound of the MKH50 and CK63. The MKH50 is more than twice the price. Schoeps MK41 hypercardoid uncompressed
• MK41 mp3

Continuing my look at dialog mics we come to the fork in the road , where shotguns take over from the hypercardoid (or do they? Be sure to read the Schoeps philosophy at the link I previously supplied.

The natural bridge from hyper to shotgun would be the venerable Schoeps MK41 and the new whiz kid the Sanken CS1. I own a Schoeps MK41, a Sennheiser ME66, a Sennheiser ME66 and 2 Oktava MCO-12’s. For this reason as well, I’ll start the comparison of the Schoeps and the MKH60. Both are high end microphones but with obvious differences.

Schoeps MK41 vs MKH60 (flat)
The Schoeps MK41 is a hypercardoid capsule with amazing off axis response. It is paired with a CMC6 preamp The MK41 is tied with the MKH50 as the “dialog mic” to have. Listen to the clips and you’ll understand.

Don’t look for any discounting, the mic and preamp sell for $1360 at authorized dealers. You will also notice that non of the big box stores are authorized dealers

The Sennheiser MKH60 is a short shotgun with very low self noise and a switchable presence peak (mid range boost), 10db pad and a high pass filter. It sells for $1450 and you will not find it heavily discounted.

The demo clips have been recorded in my kitchen, with mics mounted side by side. The mics have been run through a sound Devices 302 mixer and input into the Marantz PMD670 recorder at line level. The stereo clips were then split into separate mono files. (uncompressed PCM and MP3 for those with a slow connection.

The CMC6/MK41 (with MKH60 with presence boost off)
• MP3 version

• The MKH60 with presence boost off (flat) (with MK41)
• mp3 version

Sennheiser MKH60 (with presence boost on) vs Schoeps CMC6/MK41 axis response demo

Not perfect but details what the off and on axis responses are. Recording done as in previous demo and in my kitchen. Wood cabinets and ceramic tile floor.

< MKH60 wav file
• MKH60, mp3 version

• MK41 wav file
• MK41, mp3 version

Now for a real eye opener, there is a $1000 difference between mics. The ME66 vs the MKH60

• For ME66 specs click here

First cut is with the MKH60 presence boost on, the ME66 doesn’t have any such animal.

• ME66 wav file
• mp3 version

• MKH60 with the presence peak on
• mp3 version

Second clip is an axis response demo and with the MKH60 flat

• ME66 Axis wav file
• ME66 Axis mp3 file

• MKH60, flat, Axis wav file
• The mp3 file for those with a slow connection

The Schoeps really shone. When I listened I knew I had made a wise decision. These are mp3 files but in the Schoeps cut you can hear the detail in everything even though it is attenuated. The Schoeps cuts right through the sh!t.

Schoep mk41 in the warehouse
• CS-1 in the warehouse
• CS-3e in the warehouse

I will admit, I had a poor opinion of the CS1 and the CS3 until I had a chance to try them again at Trew Audio’s Toronto shop.

More shotguns at Trew Audio

As it turns out the Sanken CS-1 is a phenomenal microphone. It's also the shortest shotgun available at 7 inches, making it ideal as a camera mounted microphone. It’s a very high quality electret condenser and operates only on 48 volt phantom. It has amazing off axis rejection and doesn’t really have much of a rear lobe. It’s more of a hypercardoid than it is a shotgun (In the schoeps sense of the word)

For a complete spec click here

The off axis is excellent at all frequencies as the following clips will show.

• Glen Trew discusses the Sanken CS-1
• mp3 version
• More CS-1at Trew Audio
• mp3 version of more CS-1

The Sanken CS3's unique design includes 3 separate diaphrams. The mic holds a very tight pattern through all frequencies. For more information click here.

This mic shares the top level of short shotguns with the Sennheiser MKH60 and 416, the Neumann KMR81. Prices for this level of microphone are not usually discounted and run$1000 to $1450. The CS-3e is aproximately $1300

•  Glen Trew demonstrates the CS-3e's axis response at his toronto shop
• And for those with a slow connection, try the mp3 version of the CS-3e demo

The Sennheiser MKH-416 is very similar to the MKH60 but without the high pass filter, presence boost or -10 db attenuation..The MKH60 was brought out to replace the 416 but demand kept the 416 in production. The MKH416 has 13db self noise while the MKH60 has 6db(flat). Many still prefer the 416 over the MKH60. I don’t, but that’s my opinion.

Click here for Sennheiser MKH416 spec PDF

• The MKH 416
• The mp3 version of the 416

• The MKH60 demo with Glen Trew
• The mp3 version of Glen’s MKH60 demo

For a more coplete comparison go back and revisit the many examples of the MKH60, both with and without the mid range presence boost. This example was recorded flat with no mid range boost.

The AKG C480B ULS low noise system has a two piece shotgun kit. The CK69 is both a long and short shotgun. It’s better to read the AKG spec and to listen to the examples. Bear in mind that the long gun won’t sound it’s best in the close confines of Trew Audio’s shop. AKG claims a reach of 20-24ft with the long gun extension installed.

Click here for the AKG CK69 spec PDF

• CK69 short shotgun wav file
• CK69 short shotgun mp3 version

• AKG CK69 Long Shotgun wav file
• Long Gun mp3 version

We’re missing some AT and Neumann shotgun clips. I’ll see what we can do about that and some outdoor comparisons.

Matt has recently put some of his files on his web page. We’d have them here as well but this server can’t handle the WMA file format.

Matt has a fairly comprehensive study on the Audio Technica vs the Oktava, Sennheiser K6/ME66 and MKH416. The AT 4073a has tremendous bang for the buck as you’ll hear. The ME66 is $400, the AT4073a is $530 and the Sennheiser MKH416 is $1000. There certainly is more than $80 difference in quality between the ME66 and the 4073a and the only reason I can see for putting the ME66 first is it’s battery operation. The AT 4073 is reliant on 12 to 48 volt phantom operation.

Audio Technica 4073a short shotgun spec. Specs for the other models have been linked in the previous article.

The first clip demo’s the On and off axis response of the AT4073 vs the MKH416. The mics are demo’d in the order mentioned in the title.

Another comparison of the AT4073a vs the Sennheiser MKH416 Again, the mics are in order mentioned in title.

Proof positive that the ATis a better deal. The ME66 vs the AT 4073a

An Excellent comparison with the Panasonic internal mic vs the Oktava MCO-12 cardoid vs Oktava MC)-12 hypercardoid vs the Sennheiser MKH416.