Any budget friendly Super/Hyper Cardioid SDC microphone?

[elskardio]

Hi guys,

I recently helped a client who built 2 new studios for small project ADR sessions. Currently, they use a Sennheiser MKH 50, which is a really nice super-cardioid microphone. They are looking for a cheaper microphone alternative since they don't have the same budget for the new rooms.

The requirements for the microphone are as follows:
- Super cardioid or hyper cardioid polar pattern
- LOW self-noise
- FLAT frequency response curve

I suggested the Gefell M310 as it seems to be a good candidate and costs around $800 USD. However, I'm wondering if there's a microphone out there that could deliver good performance at an even lower price point.

Any suggestion are welcome

Cheers

 

[rogs]

The Rode NTG5 might be a suitable contender? ..... Same RF principle as the Sennheiser, supercardiod pattern, low noise.

When you say flat response, does that include the extreme LF end of the spectrum? ...The NTG5 has a slight LF roll off (-3dB @80Hz).

If that's not a critical factor (and for recording speech it may well not be?) then it might worth a look . Lot less money than the Sennheiser!

EDIT: Here's a link to Curtis Judd's review of the NTG5 :

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

What exactly are you looking for in regards to "low self noise"? Because even the venerable U87 had similar self noise to the cheaper stuff on the market today.

Also if they're doing ADR in a room they can treat, why does it need to be a supercardioid? I'd be looking at AT4053Bs myself, but in an ADR scenario you can use just about anything (you wouldn't have to worry about Okatava MK-012 handling noise, you could use a cardioid or omni, etc).
Maybe look at the

The Rode NTG5 might be a suitable contender? ..... Same RF principle as the Sennheiser, supercardiod pattern, low noise.

When you say flat response, does that include the extreme LF end of the spectrum? ...The NTG5 has a slight LF roll off (-3dB @80Hz).

If that's not a critical factor (and for recording speech it may well not be?) then it might worth a look . Lot less money than the Sennheiser!

EDIT: Here's a link to Curtis Judd's review of the NTG5 :

This is probably their best best. The NTG5 has a high shelf boost similar to the MKH 416 and MKH 50, so I'd say it's worth considering.

 

[mrgrooves666]

Oktava MK-012 with hyper cap makes a very fine mic for this. Its considered also a good, poor man's boom mic for interiors for good reason. I've also done a fair share of foley recordings with a modded one.

 

[elskardio]

The Rode NTG5 might be a suitable contender?

Yes! The studio ordered one last Friday
But they want to test other candidates.

A colleague suggested the AT4053b which is apparently already used in many post facilities. At $699 USD, the studio can get 2 for the price of one MKH 50.

Oktava MK-012 with hyper cap makes a very fine mic for this

Absolutely!
Heard it many times on short film. It needs a little more work at the mixing stage but for the price it’s a great combo.

 

[k brown]

Oktava MK-012 with hyper cap makes a very fine mic for this. Its considered also a good, poor man's boom mic for interiors for good reason. I've also done a fair share of foley recordings with a modded one.

It has the flattest response of all the '012 capsules, and has flatter off-axis response of most directional mics, regardless of price; no big scoop in the mids at 180 degrees.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

It has the flattest response of all the '012 capsules, and has flatter off-axis response of most directional mics, regardless of price; no big scoop in the mids at 180 degrees.

Yeah, it's a shame it doesn't get recommended more, but a lot of people who buy cheap mics don't want to spend on a quality shock mount, then you've got location audio recordists over on places like Gearspace saying "it doesn't have enough reach" and claiming they have to get too close for it to be usable.

 

[k brown]

Yeah, it's a shame it doesn't get recommended more, but a lot of people who buy cheap mics don't want to spend on a quality shock mount, then you've got location audio recordists over on places like Gearspace saying "it doesn't have enough reach" and claiming they have to get too close for it to be usable.

Yes, it does have a more open pattern that most hypers, as does the cardioid, which is almost a subcardioid.

I attribute the hyper's smooth response largely to the more open pattern. I have to say, though, that in actual use it sounds much tighter than the published pattern would have you expect. I once recorded a huge oratorio in a 100'x100' sactuary (with a domed ceiling!), with large choir behind the orchestra and soloists in front. All I used was a pair of '012 hypers aimed high at the back of the choir, and got a surprising good solosts/orch/choir balance.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Yes, it does have a more open pattern that most hypers, as does the cardioid, which is almost a subcardioid.

I attribute the hyper's smooth response largely to the more open pattern. I have to say, though, that in actual use it sounds much tighter than the published pattern would have you expect. I once recorded a huge oratorio in a 100'x100' sactuary (with a domed ceiling!), with large choir behind the orchestra and soloists in front. All I used was a pair of '012 hypers aimed high at the back of the choir, and got a surprising good solosts/orch/choir balance.

I find the MKH 8050 is similar, on paper it seems like it should pick up a lot more than it does, but the off-axis rejection is good with the mic still being really smooth (up until 20K anyway).

Anyway I hate terms like reach because it suggests that there's a certain amount the mic can zoom in on or pull sound rather than reject off axis sound. So many videographers online actually seem to believe this, thinking a shotgun mic can magically work from further away because of this intangible principle rather than the off axis sounds being rejected and modern shotgun mics generally being much hotter than an instrument mic.

 

[k brown]

Oh, I don't know - the term reach has never bothered me; in an interior space, if a mic picks up fewer room reflections, it indeed does sound like it's been moved closer to the source.

 

[solowiej]

Take a look at 3U's Warbler 127: http://www.3uaudio.com/cp.asp?id=694

We recently had a group buy for their capsules, maybe someone else here can provide samples

edit: lots of nice info on these if you search the fora, plus some recorded samples in this thread: https://groupdiy.com/threads/km84-project-build.76836/

 

[snigglepit]

Beyer MC950 would be another option.