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I've seen some people say that you shouldn't mix brands when dealing with midside, but I've also seen people say it doesn't matter.

I just bought an MKH30 and am looking to pick up a hyper/super cardioid for the mid.

Logic would say to get the Senn 8050, but the Schoeps CMC641 is such a standard for booming (I also want to use the it for dialogue), that I'd love to pick it up and use it with the MKH30.

The 8050 is even a bit different from the MKH50, so would it really be that much worse of an idea to go for the CMC641.

I rented both the 8050 and the CMC641, and liked both equally, but people rave about the Schoeps sound... and I could stomach the 500 dollars difference if it would sound great with the MKH30.

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Thanks for the responses, everyone. I think I'll go with the 8050 and hope for and 8030 to replace my MKH30. I did like the Schoeps, but the price difference is too much, and, like I said and has been pointed out, the Senns sounds great, too! So many great options right now in sound, too many! –  cocteau Jan 4 '11 at 13:55
I talked to a Sennheiser rep at AES this year and there are no current plans to release an 8030. I encourage you and everyone on this list to write them directly and request that they release one. I for one would buy one to match my 8050 the day they release it. –  Justin P Jan 4 '11 at 18:52
Yep, I actually already did that. Maybe I should pop my head in every couple of months so they'll do it just to get me to stop bugging them! –  cocteau Jan 4 '11 at 19:42
FYI, if you go with the 8050 you'll need to pick up the low cut filter for that mic if you want to record hand-held. The extended frequency response is great, but it puts out a lot of subharmonic low end even in a rycote. The addition price of the filter almost puts that mic at the cost of an MK41, which is a super sweet sounding mic. –  Justin P Jan 5 '11 at 1:14
Yeah, that's pretty much the problem. I figure the price difference isn't too big between the two mics when all's said and done, but I already have a MKH30. I was hoping I could use the MK41 with the MKH30, but it sounds to be a bit of a longshot. –  cocteau Jan 5 '11 at 16:33
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3 Answers

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On paper, I'd think that the frequency responses must be about the same in order for a mismatched-brand MS rig to work, but really, it's gotta be all in the ears. Ryan is right: Try it with rentals, on material with widely different frequencies and transients, and see what sounds right. (FWIW, Sennheiser has won't commit to making an 8000-series fig-8, AFAIK. Too bad!)

I think that most would qualify the Schoeps as more natural and transparent, while the Sennheisers are quieter and therefore are more often used for quiet natural ambiences. (I, too, love the punch of the MKH50. It's like the action hero to the Schoeps' stage actor.)

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@noisejockey who are you calling a stage actor!? –  sepulchra Jan 4 '11 at 3:54
@sepulchra tsk, you Schoepspians are soo sensitive. :-D –  NoiseJockey Jan 4 '11 at 4:40
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Testing everything out is extremely important. I often use the MK4 instead of the Mk41 because I am looking for something a little more natural and open. The MKH 50 and the MK41 are great respectively, but I find the cardiod to just sound more natural when it comes to ambiences -- that goes for the schoeps and the sennheiser models.

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high five A fellow Schoeps fanatic like me! –  Utopia Jan 4 '11 at 7:20
Would there be any cases where you'd go with a hypercardiod instead? For closer hard effects and the like? I can see where a more open pattern would be better for ambiences. –  cocteau Jan 5 '11 at 1:04
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I'd rent every suitable mic for a single session, test them indoors as well as outdoors with quiet as well as loud sources. You will find greater consistency sticking to the Sennheiser but you will get a lot more punch from the Schoeps.

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This is sort of a question of pure curiosity, but why are Schoeps the go-to Hollywood interior mic whereas, from what I have gathered, the Senns are the preferred interior mic in European cinema? It just seems like a strange thing. –  cocteau Jan 5 '11 at 19:22
It is just a matter of taste, the Sennheisers to my ears are a bit more smooth, whereas the Schoeps are a bit punchier, which makes them clearer, but not quite as natural. I tend to be a bit more conservative in mic choice, I know that I prefer to use the same gear until I absolutely have to change, as I really like to know how it will handle in all situations. I will endlessly test everything before I start to trust it. –  Iain McGregor Jan 5 '11 at 22:04
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