Topic: Quick 8040 comparison

[wbrisette]

I was helping do some VO work this weekend and decided to do a quick test since I had things setup. I have not processed either of these samples. I tend to use the AudioTechnica 4040 for recording voice overs, but was very impressed by the Sennheiser 8040. Now I just have to find the right opportunity to use it in the field.

MP3 files:

http://homepage.mac.com/wayneb/SEN8040.mp3
http://homepage.mac.com/wayneb/AT4040.mp3

Raw Broadcast WAV files:

http://homepage.mac.com/wayneb/SEN8040.WAV
http://homepage.mac.com/wayneb/AT4040.WAV

Wayne

[rokpunk]

the 8040 track sounds more "in your face"...like she is standing right next to me.
it's amazing that both of these mics will translate into spanish like they did     

[John Willett]

The one thing you should notice with the MKH 8040 (and any other symmetrical capsule mic.) is the naturalness of the voice.

Back in 1985 when I first listened to the old MKH 40 demo CD I was struck how "real" the voice sounded when recorded with the MKH 40 compared to the other mics - which just sounded "wrong".

This was not mentioned in the CD at all as they were talking about self-noise at the time - it was just something I noticed.  So much so, that other mics sound distorted in comparison.

It was this that started me in my MKH mic. collection (I have 8 now, with another 4 on order).

I'm not sure if it will be clear with an MP3 as this distorts sound pretty horribly - but you should notice it in the original wav files.

[wbrisette]

the 8040 track sounds more "in your face"...like she is standing right next to me.
it's amazing that both of these mics will translate into spanish like they did     

Every test I've done with the 8040 has me more in the camp that this could be the mic that really helps boost Sennheiser in the ENG community. The biggest challenge right now is finding a good shockmount for it. I have a Sennheiser model on order. In April when I'm at NAB, I'm going to look at the Rycote version and see what I think of it. For now, I'm using a KTEK K-SSM, which seems to work well when it's on a stand like it was for this test, but still transfers a lot of handling noise to the mic when on a boom.

But like you, I was amazed at the translation skills of these mics. Next thing know it will wash my dishes and take out the trash.  

Wayne

[keith]

Was she the same distance from both mics?  It sounds as though she is farther from the AT4040, but that may just be the different characteristics of the mics.

I detect a little bit of popping with the Sennheiser, which adds to this perception.

[wbrisette]

I was able to place the pop screen a bit closer to the mic, so she may have been a wee bit closer to the 8040.

Wayne

[grider]

thanks to all who have been sharing their taping results with these mics with the rest of us, member Shawn Smith and I are considering buying a set of cards together, since he likes to tape jazz and I like transparent sounding mics, and since these mics offer a nice transparent sound, remote cables, and interchangeable caps, they might be the final mics we own, so far between us we have covered 480's, 460's, C4's, 391's, 393's, mk41's, A51TL's, and mk4v's, V3, MiniMe, UA5, R4, and JK Labs custom preamp, I think we're both looking for the final solution to our taping needs, we'll see if Sennheiser's are the keepers soon