Inexpensive ms shockmount options for Sennheiser mkh 30 40

[Lo-Fi]

Hi

I've searched the forum but couldn't find anything specific to my situation. Just acquired a sennheiser mkh 30 to go with the mkh 40 I already had and I've been trying to find a less expensive way to mount these two mics for mid side. The Sennheiser mounts seem terribly expensive for what is essentially a few bits of plastic

Any suggestions welcome

Thanks in advance

[Continental]

Rycote InVision make very good universal shockmounts
i have one for my neumann, im very happy with the price & build quality

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Lo-Fi

Hi

I've searched the forum but couldn't find anything specific to my situation. Just acquired a sennheiser mkh 30 to go with the mkh 40 I already had and I've been trying to find a less expensive way to mount these two mics for mid side. The Sennheiser mounts seem terribly expensive for what is essentially a few bits of plastic

Any suggestions welcome

Thanks in advance

You need a special mount that I don't think Rycote don't do at the moment.

I did my own by taking an INV-7 and swapping over the supplied Lyres for the Video Lyre.

Use that with a couple of Rycote's dual clips and you have the perfect MS mount for the MKH 30/40.

The Sennheiser mounts are expensive and nowhere near as good as the Rycote.

Personally I would also use a couple of the S-series flexible XLR tails to decouple the mic. from the main cables.

I actually did this first with my own stereo basket windshield kit and Rycote liked my idea so much that my design is now their standard stereo kit (I should have charged them ). I then did the same thing by converting my INV-7 and I think Rycote may be doing the same thing and do an INV-MS.

The picture shows the version for the basket windshield - but the same thing can be done as an INV at a lower cost. Although the picture shows a Schoeps MS kit, I did originally design it for my own MKH 30/40 kit, so it works perfectly for what you want.

Just tell Rycote you have spoken to me and they will know what you mean. If you have difficulty send me a PM.

[hbphotoav]

Beautiful, elegant solution, John!

[Lo-Fi]

Originally Posted by John Willett

You need a special mount that I don't think Rycote don't do at the moment.

I did my own by taking an INV-7 and swapping over the supplied Lyres for the Video Lyre.

Use that with a couple of Rycote's dual clips and you have the perfect MS mount for the MKH 30/40.

The Sennheiser mounts are expensive and nowhere near as good as the Rycote.

Personally I would also use a couple of the S-series flexible XLR tails to decouple the mic. from the main cables.

I actually did this first with my own stereo basket windshield kit and Rycote liked my idea so much that my design is now their standard stereo kit (I should have charged them ). I then did the same thing by converting my INV-7 and I think Rycote may be doing the same thing and do an INV-MS.

The picture shows the version for the basket windshield - but the same thing can be done as an INV at a lower cost. Although the picture shows a Schoeps MS kit, I did originally design it for my own MKH 30/40 kit, so it works perfectly for what you want.

Just tell Rycote you have spoken to me and they will know what you mean. If you have difficulty send me a PM.

Thanks John, I couldn't have hoped for a better answer, I'll certainly look into this and contact Rycote.

[John Willett]

I have found out that Rycote do now do my INV-MS design as standard.

It's called the INV-7 HG Mk.II and retails at £30 +VAT in the UK.

The dual clips are extra at the moment, but still very reasonable - and - I would certainly use a pair of the S-series flexible XLR tails to decouple the mics. These are just £15+VAT each in the UK.

Here is a picture of it with the MKH 30/40 combination:-

[Jaymz]

Very cool to know it's your design, John. Been wanting their M/S kit for months. I'm hoping to be a proud owner by the end of the summer!

It's what comes with this right? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...hield_Kit.html

Hoping for an 8050/30 setup in there.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Jaymz

Very cool to know it's your design, John. Been wanting their M/S kit for months. I'm hoping to be a proud owner by the end of the summer!

It's what comes with this right? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...hield_Kit.html

Hoping for an 8050/30 setup in there.

Yes - this is the windshield version.

I changed my original elastic suspension to this by exchanging the hoops and o-rings for the video mount lyres.

When I showed the result to Rycote they liked it so much that they put it into production as their standard stereo mount (and it's cheaper then the original).

It will take any mic. from 19mm to 25mm so is good for virtually any MS combination.


Posted via the Gearslutz iPhone app

[Jaymz]

bumping this thread to give a big thanks to you, Mr.Willet. I'm now running an MKH8060+30 M/S setup on the mount system you designed. Very intuitive, quick to setup and does it's job very well.

Here's a pic, (as you can see, I don't need the rings for the 8060 since it's so skinny)

[Matti]

In theory that rig is incorrect for optimal MS. The capsules should be aligned,
in the 8060 the capsule is at the back where the slots interrupt, or what the word...

Matti

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Matti

In theory that rig is incorrect for optimal MS. The capsules should be aligned,
in the 8060 the capsule is at the back where the slots interrupt, or what the word...

Correct - the capsule centres are where I have put the blue marks on the photo.

These should line up, one above the other, for correct MS operation.

If you have difficulty with mounting the MKH 8060, either get the MZS 8000 filter module, or get an XLR extender for the end.

[Jaymz]

Ah of course, that's what I get for having never utilized this as mid before, so used to a 40 or something similar going right on-top....good thing I got the heads up before recording anything. Kind of confusing since the 416 has the capsule half-way I believe? I swear I've seen other ones too, must vary.

Originally Posted by John Willett

either get the MZS 8000 filter module, or get an XLR extender for the end.

I'll most likely be getting the cut 1 when I get the chance, but for now I should be able to align it correctly as shown.

[Matti]

416 has the capsule in a similar way, maybe a bit more forward, look against light ( or open it and measure, easy )

Matti

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Jaymz

Ah of course, that's what I get for having never utilized this as mid before, so used to a 40 or something similar going right on-top....good thing I got the heads up before recording anything. Kind of confusing since the 416 has the capsule half-way I believe? I swear I've seen other ones too, must vary.



I'll most likely be getting the cut 1 when I get the chance, but for now I should be able to align it correctly as shown.

The MKH 40 doesn't just go on top.

It also has to be accurately aligned.

The correct alignment is when the "shoulders" of the 30 and 40 are lined up.


Posted via the Gearslutz iPhone app

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Matti

416 has the capsule in a similar way, maybe a bit more forward, look against light ( or open it and measure, easy )

Matti

The capsule of the 416 is about half way along the interference tube.

I have posted the picture that shows this elsewhere here.


Posted via the Gearslutz iPhone app

[John Willett]

Here's the picture that shows where the MKH 416 capsule is:-

[Matti]

I remembered wrong, thanks -been years

Matti

[Jaymz]

Just did a few test runs with the proper capsule alignment, sounding very good. I've worked with a recordist who had an 8040/30 combo before and would have preferred that for most scenarios, but I needed a decent shotgun for production work anyway. An 8040 will definitely be my next stop, both for this and for indoor booming.

Originally Posted by John Willett

The MKH 40 doesn't just go on top.

Speaking comparatively I should have said. The pics you posted earlier are how I would mount it.