Sennheiser MKH 416

The MKH 416 is legendary for its ability to isolate dialogue in noisy environments while maintaining a natural, articulate sound. Its combination of high directivity, low self-noise, and extreme reliability in harsh weather conditions has made it the go-to choice for location sound mixers for decades.

Yes, the MKH 416 is a condenser microphone and requires 48V phantom power to function. Ensure your audio interface, mixer, or field recorder can provide this power via an XLR connection.

Unlike traditional condenser microphones, which can be sensitive to moisture and humidity, the RF condenser design is highly resistant to these elements. This makes the MKH 416 exceptionally reliable when shooting in humid, rainy, or foggy exterior locations where other mics might fail.

Absolutely. While it is famous for location sound, the MKH 416 is a staple in professional voice-over studios because of its crisp, focused sound and excellent off-axis rejection. It captures a very clean, present vocal track that sits well in a mix.

The MKH 416 uses a short interference tube to achieve a lobar pattern at higher frequencies, which provides a very tight, narrow pickup angle for maximum isolation. At lower frequencies, it behaves more like a supercardioid, capturing a slightly wider area while still rejecting sound from the sides and rear.

The package includes the MKH 416 microphone itself, an MZW 415 foam windshield to help reduce wind noise, and an MZQ 100 microphone clamp for mounting on a stand.