Sennheiser MKH 50 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone Reviews
The super-cardioid Sennhesier MKH 50 was designed primarily for use as a soloist's microphone or for any application that requires a high degree of side sound muting and lateral feedback rejection. As a super-cardioid, the MKH 50 offers a higher attenuation of diffusefield and lateral sound than Sennheiser's studio cardioid, the MKH 40. The MKH 50 can also compensate for proximity effects of approximately .5m using its switchable roll-off filter. On-board symmetrical transducer technology also ensures that the MKH 50 has etremely low inherent self-noise. Housed in its slim, black anodised metal body, the MKH 50 comes with a fitted shock mount and windshield.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Untreated room w/reverb but still need to capture dialogue? Your new solution!
I've had an enlightening experience as a result of my sales engineer Khaleed Matmati. I wanted something that could work well in the studio which has mild acoustic treatment but wanted to cover an untreated room during dialogue. The MKH 416 is an impressive shotgun microphone and proved itself in the 10-15 mph winds during testing. However, when I relocated back into an untreated open (and long) tiled floor room, the difference was quite noticeable. However Sennheiser figured out to make this 416 perform under those conditions, I now know I have the solution for outdoors and windy environments as well as in a treated studio.
Khaleed told me if main dialogue capture was the focus, go with this MKH 50. After trying it in various untreated rooms, I found it to be very capable of controlling and minimizing the room reverb nicely! The 400Hz low cut filter really works with the already strong lateral rejection to create a cleaner natural sound free of wild artifacts. He was correct as usual! So now I know I'll get the MKH 416 for my outdoor uncontrolled scenarios otherwise it's the MKH 50 as my "go to" everywhere else. I also appreciate the low self noise. At one point during testing I chose not push the gain too much (55dB) which saw my input coming in around -18. This microphone was run directly into the Sound Devices MixPre-6 II. During post, increasing the volume did not create the dreaded additional noise. It was very smooth and confidence building! There are many audio interfaces at our disposal these days, but I chose the very portable MixPre II series. This is a winning combination and I so excited to know there is a solution that allows it to be the universally ready and proven microphone!
Thank you Sweetwater and Khaleed Matmati!
No regrets and I highly recommend.
One of the best interior mics ever made
I've been slowly upgrading my audio equipment in preparation for a few documentary passion projects, and wanted a more forgiving interview mic than the (also legendary) 416. While working on a documentary series, I befriended an audio mixer and asked him about his kit. He happily sang the virtues of the MKH-50 and said "this is basically all you'll ever need for interviews, just get one." So I did.
Quite simply, it is an incredible mic. The off-axis rejection is much more forgiving than the 416 as desired, and the tone is quintessential Sennheiser. Flat response, very easy to mix, matches perfectly with the 416. Just as robust construction, feels weighty and solid. Takes phantom power with virtually no self-noise. I've pumped the track by 20db+ in post after recording to a MixPre 6 II and it's like noise doesn't even exist in this ecosystem. Just phenomenal.
Yes, it requires a much bigger setup than a lav mic, necessitating a c-stand and boom pole, but the results are staggeringly better. No concern of wireless dropouts, and the tone is remarkably natural instead of that horrible compressed lav sound. I exclusively use it for doc shooting but would assume it is similarly perfect for interior narrative shoots. Just send up a boom pole and it's fit to print.
There's such a wide range of price and features on mics, I genuinely think the pro-level Sennheiser's are the perfect compromise of price and performance. 416 for exteriors with wind or weather issues, 50 for interiors, G4 512's + MKE2's when you need lavs. It will drastically improve your sound for years. Sound tech doesn't go out of style.
Amazing Sound
Great Video Mic for dialog, Just put it on the boom stand in the middle of the conversation. Its like magic, best indoor Mic
