Listener Asks, “Why Not Use Your MKH 416 on Your Podcast?”

Email from Danny Stern:

Hey Chris,

Hope your new year is “sounding great.”

I enjoyed your episode on the MKH 416. I’ve actually been sitting on one of my own for years that I’ve had for video use. And it only hit me earlier recently that I own a mic a lot of podcasters and VO folk aspire to get.

But while listening to your podcast I wondered why you have not chosen to use it for your own show (aside from your meditation vids) considering the quality and advantages such as great rejection from the sides and back. Does it just come down to the loss of proximity effect? Can it not be adjusted in post to get the tone you want? Any other downsides to using it as a primary mic in the studio?

I’ve been giving it a lot of thought myself to start using it instead of my SM7b. I’m very happy with the Shure for my voice. But like a lot of podcasters I’m in a mostly untreated room (blanket on a Cstand). And I was thinking the strong sound rejection of the 416 might be an overall improvement. For the past few months I’ve used the 416 for when I need to do VO work on the road as a way to deal with changing hotel room sound “qualities” and it’s been good.

As silly as it may be, one thing that has kept me from trying a switch is not being able to find a (good) scissors style boom arm that is not counterweighted for a much heavier mic. If you know of any that would work, I’d love to know. As well, I’m hoping you can share what that shock mount is that you are using.

Please keep up the great work you’re doing.

~Danny Stern, Producer and Host of the Art Dealer Show – http://artdealer.show/

My reply:

To shock mount my 416 I got the Rycote INV-7 HG MkIII. It’s really good.

Regarding a boom arm that would work well with the 416, I have no idea about that.

My main observations about my 416 so far:

• Because I sit close to a wall (just behind my computer), the 416 seems to be picking up some reflections from the wall and making the low-mids sound a bit wonky. After researching this a bit I learned that 416’s work best in big open spaces, and not as well in small spaces.
• Even though it has a tighter pickup pattern than most mic’s, it’s also a condenser and WAY more sensitive than the RE20 that I use for my podcast. The 416 picks up much more room reverb as well as my HVAC unit sound from across the house! Note: My “studio” (basement) is not acoustically treated very much.

Yes, the proximity effect of my RE20 is still a huge reason why it’s still my main podcasting mic, along with not picking up so much room reverb and noise, etc. And I like to get right up on the RE20 as well, like around 1″ to 1-1/2″ away.

Also, the windscreen that comes with the 416 is OK but if you get right up on the 416 like I do on my RE20, the plosives are out of control. So you either need to stay further away, or I guess I could get an additional pop filter or something.

Hope this helps.

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