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Re: New Sennheiser mic and frogs

Subject: Re: New Sennheiser mic and frogs
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 12:11:52 -0500
From: Geoff Sample <>

>>It also has another purpose in that I'd choose it where I have a small
>>group of animals close together. I view it both as something for greater
>>distance and for narrower fields.
>
>
> Point taken.

The friday night recordings are of this sort of category. Small group of
American Toads in the middle of the field. When they call they dominate
the real soundfield.

>>There is also that the 60 simply has a better sound than the 40 to my
>>ear. Probably some combo of it's greater sensitivity and lower self
>>noise.
>
>
> Yes, I have a friend whose mic of choice is the 416 (the short gun that w=
as
> the predecessor of the MKH60).

He'd probably love the MKH60, more sensitivity, more even polar pattern,
and less noise.

>>In comparison I consider the MKH-40 M/S to be about half a circle, and
>>the SASS to be about 3/4 of a circle. The MKH-50 must lie somewhere in
>>between, maybe 1/3 circle?
>
>
> The 50/30 combination actually gives you more like 3/4 of a circle - it's=
 a
> hypercardioid, with a wider frontal pick-up than the 40 AND a rear lobe
> pick-up. There are 2 narrow dead areas rear half back left and the same
> right (if that makes any sense??). The rear lobe is out of phase with the
> front, so you get a strange effect from something flying diagonally over =
the
> mics - it comes and goes from the same direction. Despite these anomalies=
, I
> just like the sound of this set-up.

I guess that would be true, the polar pattern of the 40 is wider, but
with the back lobe of the 50 combined with the pickup of the 30 it would
appear wider. What you say makes sense. I should investigate M/S with
the 80 pair with the mid set on hypercardioid and see what it's like.
I've done that pattern, but only briefly. In describing width of a M/S
its a little tricky as the side mic provides a wide cover to the side. I
more look at what the mid is providing, when it's contribution falls off
I declare that the coverage even though the side continues on.

The SASS has a even field that wide, no dead areas I've noticed. In
fact, hand held it's hard to find enough dead area in the back to
breathe in. The mic sensitivity is enough to pick up my breathing.

All of this is why I cringe slightly when someone asks me to suggest a
mic and then runs out and buys it. Each of us has likes and dislikes.
All I can do is describe what I like and try to relate that to what I
think they like.

Walt




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