Schoeps vs. Sennheiser: The Battle of the Professional Microphones!

Many beginners purchasing microphone without having any prior knowledge of recording techniques or microphone patterns. Spending money on things you don't need or never wanted is the worst thing you can do. Research is necessary, and we want you to listen to our favorite recording setups! DMS VS ORTF
Using two Sennheiser MKH 8040 microphones inside the Cinela Albert, the ORTF is a phenomenal two microphone stereo setup. With the Schoeps DMS we can produce stereo and surround sounds for atmos. This 3 microphone setup is housed inside a Rycote Cyclone.
Use your headphones and let us know what recording technique is your favorite.
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Thanks,
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[@FreeToUseSounds]

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[@cryptotrader2779]

Great video. The way Libby filmed and edited it, plus the music, made it look just like your own little film. Thanks for the comparison. Both are great as you would expect, but if I could I'd still get the Schoepps setup. I'm always super impressed by the quality and clarity of that. Thanks Marcel. And Libby.

[@tedted2138]

Yes Marcel is blessed to have a master cinematographer and editor like her, like dang I'm jealous

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you so much! Busan is such an amazing city. Wherever you go it has this 80s synth vibe. If you ever go to Korea you have to visit. We have clippys here with a dummy head and this is for our next video. So come along with us. :)

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@FreeToUseSounds Definitely. I'll be there.

[@NomadicAmbience]

Good comparison. I love the sound of the DMS!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Kyler! We only have trouble with the picture quality right now. After exporting and uploading we have lots of noise in dark spots. Big bummer :(

[@benjaminbong]

@@FreeToUseSounds I didn't not notice the noise watching from my phone. I thought it looked great!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@benjaminbong Thanks Ben!

[@NomadicAmbience]

@@FreeToUseSounds Maybe the compression on KZbin’s end? I’ve been dealing with a lot of banding lately.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@NomadicAmbience Yeah that is the issue :(. We had it almost taken down again.

[@ElDapperCaballo]

I love how wide the sound of the dms setup is. And it's great that it's so adjustable in terms of what you can concentrate on, reminds me a lot of MS recording. Though for the metal bridge, I love the ORTF version, it really focuses in on only the bridge without all the surrounding ambience. The DMS version does sound a bit fuller and more aggressive so I guess it really depends on the use case and needs of the audio.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you! Oh yes the DMS is MS just with the extra rear mic. We love this setup.

[@fd1053]

Schoeps are in their own league imo. Thank you for your content! I really enjoy it every time.

[@tv510]

Thanks so much for the info. It will help me as I improve my sound recording. BTW, I watched all your sponsors ads, (rather than skipping them). Take care!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

THank you Terry! We know you asked for the comparison and thank you for your support!

[@Contracrostics]

Listening on Mackie HR824s and again on Sennheiser HD600s, I strongly prefer the Shoeps here. I specifically wanted these mics compared for my own purposes so thank you for doing this. So cool how you caught that amazing metal friction sound at 14:00!

[@sebastian_trzaska]

What an excellent comparison! And I love that you take us viewers on these little adventures. To my ears, listening on headphones, the ORTF setup created a sense of the sounds coming from outside of my head. With the DMS setup I got the more typical headphone experience, where it seems like all the sound is coming from inside my head. But I understand DMS is more versatile.

[@heythere1968]

the ortf sounded much more natural huh? the dms almost hurt my ears the ortf was pleasent to me like i should be hearing i think

[@FPVHans]

Not everything going as planned is one of the things Why i Love your Channel so much 😊 Great work!!!! You btw Made me Order a Recording setup. Can’t wait for it to arrive!!!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Hans! I hope you got something nice :)

[@florianmertl]

Hans, we are curious what did you buy :)

[@FPVHans]

@@florianmertl nothing too Special i guess. A Zoom f3 and the lewitt lct 040 match Set. A pair of headphones and some mounting Stuff and windshields. Sadly the f3 is out of Stock at the Moment But will be available on monday. Can’t Wait to Go out and explore Düsseldorfs soundscapes. I allready have some places to start with in mind:)

[@florianmertl]

@@FPVHans what an awesome and tiny 32 bit setup! Have fun with it! Schöne Grüße aus dem Süden!

[@FPVHans]

@@florianmertl ich kann’s auch echt nichts erwarten 🖖

[@magicdave93]

I really love this one Marcel. Brilliant sounds and Libby what Beautiful colourful moody video!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you David!!

[@zootook3422]

The ORTF sounded to me more natural on the open ambience recordings. The MS sounded slightly phasey even (in near field speakers). For the closer bridge the MS gave more presence. Very interesting to hear the difference. But there is no best - it's really up to the application.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi! Oh yes, you asked as well. So glad we made this video :) Great question! I don't have a special excuse to carry one set over the other when I go out. It all depends on my mood and how I feel. But, as I think about it now, one of the most important reasons is safety. When I know I'm heading to more risky areas at night or during the day, I carry the least costly gear and leave the pricey kit at home. However, this may mean that I only bring a portable recorder and a pair of DPA 4060 that I put on the side of my bag. If I feel it is safe, I return to record with the other equipment. :)

[@timgreen5235]

Many thanks for taking the time to compile this comparison. Very useful.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Glad you enjoyed it!:)

[@florianmertl]

Aaaah thats so inspiring, I build an ORTF with Austrian Audio CC8, which i really love :) It was nice hanging out with you again!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Florian! These AA CC8 looking really nice! I know they make great headphones and I bet these microphones are great too.

[@totoroutes5389]

That Schoeps DMS kit, do all three mics go to one channel? In post with the Schoeps software can the audio of each mic be controlled as surround sound?

[@natural_healing]

Hi!, just wanted to stop by and THANK YOU for all the content you're putting out, for us as a newly created channel, this is a real treasure. I find myself coming back to your channel for knowledge and inspiration as well. A warm ¡hola! and ¡Pura Vida!, from Costa Rica ;)

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for the kind message!

[@soundimaginary]

I'm always watching your channel. Thank you for the very useful information and the actual sound on the spot. I am using a combination of SCOEPS CCM41 (Super Cardioid) and CCM8 to get more contoured and clear center component. But I also found the natural stereo image of your cardioid CCM4 and 8 combo to be great:) In addition, Duble MS, I felt that the whole ambient was covered more! I'm looking forward to your next post, thank you.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you!! Schoeps has some of the best microphones for sure. Next video is already up :)

[@joequintal-c1t]

Hello I think your audio/video is wonderful. I am trying to learn how to use DMS but I have the Sennheiser MKH30 and MKH8040 with the same Rycote blimp. Do you have a method to adjust the front to back cardiod position to the side figure 8. Is the ORTF with windscreen also a Rycote? I was thinking of getting the CMC621 pair for ORTF (do you have a preference of cardiod or wide cardiod)? Would you like a sample of a DMS community orchestra recording? I have made some. Thank you Joe Quintal

[@Joshuapkelly11]

This is brilliant, thank you so much for this. Are you using a ‘matched pair’ of the 8040s? I’m really interested in this set up, but I’m finding it difficult to find any availability for matched stereo sets in the UK, as there seem to be backlogs in the manufacturing pcorsss. However, it is possible to find individual 8040s, which then could be used together. I’ve read in a few places that these mics don’t need to be a ‘matched pair’ as quality control is so good with Sennheiser. I wonder if you had any thoughts on that? Thanks again for the beautiful videos.

[@CamsCampbell]

This was so great. I only just asked for this comparison in the comments of your last video and you delivered right away! Thank you so much. It would be super useful to have some info on when you would choose one set up over the other and why? For me, listening on AirPods on my phone, the DMS rig seemed to pick up more of the scene.

[@852foodie]

I also feel the DMS set up picks up more ambient sound compare to ORTF set up.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi! Oh yes, you asked as well. So glad we made this video :) Great question! I don't have a special excuse to carry one set over the other when I go out. It all depends on my mood and how I feel. But, as I think about it now, one of the most important reasons is safety. When I know I'm heading to more risky areas at night or during the day, I carry the least costly gear and leave the pricey kit at home. However, this may mean that I only bring a portable recorder and a pair of DPA 4060 that I put on the side of my bag. If I feel it is safe, I return to record with the other equipment. :)

[@852foodie]

Thanks again for sharing Marcel. I also remember asking you difference between DMS and ORTF and this video really highlights the differences. Good work on the video as always Libby. 👍🏻 I like the lighting in this video. How did you manage to shoot with so little light on the streets? Btw, I don’t notice any noise in this video maybe because I am watching it on my iPhone and the screen is too small to spot the noise.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Yes you did ask as well and we're happy that we could make this video. Ah yes on the mobile phone it looks good but if you watch on tv or computer you will notice the banding. :(

[@StanislavAbraham]

it is little bit off topic...but I also like music in the introduction part of the video...very well chosen for atmosphere! Beauty!

[@christiannikodemus]

Thanks! I loved the music in combination with the scenery at night, a new way to explore new places!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the SUPER THANKS!

[@coachphilj]

I'm intrigued by all of the setups you're using. I would have liked to hear a comparison between the DMS and the Ambisonic. Love everything you two are doing.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Phil! This is a great idea as well and we can do that for sure. It would make sense because we could export in surround and use the four capsules from the Rode. Lets do this :)

[@IljaMichalic]

For me, the ORTF sound definitely better! ORTF has more consistent stereo base and it has not only a left-right space (stereo base), but it has a clear and deep front-rear (deep) space. You can hear it clearly on the scratchy sounds of the ship caissons in the middle of the video. You can clearly determine the distance of the scratchy pontoon 🙂 ORTF is a clear winner of this comparssion for me and this stereo technique I use for more than 20 ears on all my recordings of accoustic music 🙂

[@EduardoBarba6]

Hello guys, always glad to see you. Your content always interesting and authentic, is a plus for me everytime i see your videos! From Panama with love to where ever you guys are! ❤️🤗

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Eduardo! Sending you the best wishes from Korea! Next stop for us is Malaysia!

[@EduardoBarba6]

@@FreeToUseSounds awesome!! Can't wait to see your next video in Malasya

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@EduardoBarba6 We have a couple more coming up from Korea :)

[@coconatti]

I really love these sound scapes you are capturing. Its something most people are unaware of. The character of a place.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Jason!!

[@coconatti]

Just a question as to 3 mic schoeps setup vs the 2 mic sennheiser - the greater focus and separation of the sound elements is the result of your post production or the capture pattern of the three mic combination? Can u get a similar level of clarity with the RODE NT-SF1? or are they different beasts entirely?

[@alercottle]

Great video!!! Thanks!!! Question. Have you ever encountered a humidity problem with the schoeps? All the best and keep with your great sound adventures!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

If you're looking for expert advice on humidity and Schoeps microphones, I'd suggest reaching out to Schoeps directly with the specific microphone you're interested in. They'll give you all the infos on the humidity percentage that the mic can handle. As for me, I haven't run into any humidity issues with the microphones I use so far, but it's always good to know what they can handle just in case.

[@alercottle]

@@FreeToUseSounds Thanks! good to know, you guys are travelling the world!! All the best

[@VOByRobbins]

Marcel and Libby, phenomenal video! can't go wrong with either set up, but the Sennheiser has a more focused "beefier" and rich sound with better low end--- but the Schoeps is more open-- just fascinating hearing the differences--- Love that you include the lost cable debacle --- Libby, the low light captures were gorgeous-- what did you use to capture this? the Sony? -- Leica? --- looks amazing and truly cinematic!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Michael! We're actually really disappointed ( see nomadic ambience comment) with the low light :(. Its not the camera (Sony A74) but after exporting and uploading it creates banding. But we're glad you enjoyed the new video as well. The next video is about the Clippys inside a dummy head. :)

[@hyyyyl7903]

Thanks for the test. When I work with ambiences/backgrounds on movies I tend to prefer ORTF stereo recordings, but the DMS sounded interesting as well tho. It picked up more of the things closer in proximity but less of the air. The ortf is a bit darker as well. Even tho the surround potential is cool I still think I would use the ortf recording 8/10 times. when the audio is so unspecific i rather just have the ortf.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@hyyyyl7903]

@@FreeToUseSounds oh, no problem. I love this channel and all the videos as well as the libraries so much. I use it all the time. And since I forgot to mention it. In the harbor the DMS surround sounded super fun and I see the value for it in sounds like that as well as for the creaks and croaks your recorded of that old boat. When it comes to more washy stuff, AMBAir as well as wind, tree rustle and stuff like that I still prefer ORTF.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

So glad to hear that! Working on a new library right now and later we're out in about to film a new video with a dummy head and a pair of clippys. :)

[@tedted2138]

Another great! Lol you're like me always forgetting gear on sets. You guys worked hard that night. Did you go out again the next night?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Ted! Not that night but we took the ferry ride to Jeju and recorded sounds. On KZbin we show a little bit of what we're actually doing every single day but we can't film all the time because otherwise, I couldn't focus on just recording.

[@lens7]

Awesome as usual !:)) But I have a question:) where is your new Shure headphones? 😂

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Im using them for editing and the AT out in the field. Just as I mentioned it in the headphone video.

[@nosecondlost]

The Schoeps system is unbelievable! I love the Sennheiser set-up but in direct comparison they cannot compare with the Schoeps.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Its an amazing microphone for sure. :)

[@chaisondiaz]

I love how the sennheiser ortf setup greatly reduced undesirable back ground noise. I wish the schoeps had the ability to reduce the background noise and focus simply on the most poignant sounds.

[@keinpodcast4053]

Das war eines der schönsten Videos von euch (to Libby: beautiful pictures, perfect editing, great music, I love it). Der Unterschied zwischen DMS und ORTF ist natürlich heftig. Und ja, man hört die Natürlichkeit der Schoeps Mikros sehr deutlich. Ich bin sehr gespannt auf die Clippys im Kunstkopf. Da wäre ein Vergleich mit dem DMS-Rig auch super interessant. Gerade was den Raumeindruck betrifft. Danke für dieses geniale Video. Da war alles drin: Entspannungsmusik, Information, ASMR und Urlaubsfeeling :) Viele Grüße - Til. P.S.: du brauchst nachleuchtende Kabel in Signalfarben :)

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Til! Danke Dir :)) Gestern als wir am Strand waren haben wir schon einen Teil mit dem Kunstkopf gefilmt. Ich habe ebenfalls schon die DPA 4560 bestellt. Die sind dann richtig im Gehörkanal. :)

[@Gael_AG]

Wow the ortf has so much character I love it

[@foproduction6581]

Very interesting video except that you change the recording device. we know very well that there is a difference in recording quality between the F6 zoom and the mixpre 10 sound device. why not use just one on different microphones

[@nagchumpalot]

Lovely as usual.. May I ask what music was used? Good night time soundtrack for the video. Both Mic combos are impressive the Sennheiser seemed a bit darker and less defined but would you say this is also due to the difference in preamps on the Sound devices unit compared to the Zoom F6?.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you so much! We're always using Epidemic Sound. They are getting better music over the last years and we stick with it. I don't experienced an audible difference with the F6 vs the SD but we could try making a video and take a deeper listen with individual microphones.

[@nagchumpalot]

@@FreeToUseSounds Cheers for the reply. I think it would be a great video to compare Preamps, us audio nerds would love it and maybe a fun test for You to try out. I´m studying sound design hard this year and also out traveling often so this channel has inspired me to record in the field much more Thanks. I´m from New Zealand, hope you make it there one day.. It has a very colourful world of sound to record!

[@emersonsea73]

Hi Marcel and Libby. I'm a fan of your work. I want to ask a question if you can help me. What would be the best setup to record external sounds for use in a podcast? Thanks for the beautiful and educational videos. Hugs

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hello Emerson! Im not sure if I understand your question correctly. Do you just want to record ambience and use this for a podcast or do you actually want to record a podcast outdoors?

[@emersonsea73]

​@@FreeToUseSounds When I want to record ambience and use this for a podcast

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@emersonsea73 Well, the equipment we're using in this video is one of the best sets you can get for ambience recordings that you can use for your podcasts but I don't know how much you like to spend on gear. Its important to know what is the best gear for your budget.

[@emersonsea73]

@@FreeToUseSounds Thank you very much. I'm following you on instagram

[@raphaelmalfliet]

So all the DMS recordings were exported in surround right? I'm wondering if you or anyone else here have experience with a Schoeps ORTF set?

[@benjaminbong]

Very interesting way of visiting a place!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

For sure! :)

[@solarbroom2282]

thanks for these comparisons! im planning to do the albert/8040 setup, i think - can you point me towards the breakout cable that is necessary for the config? i cant seem to get an email response from cinela lately

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi! Oh really? I just talked with him 3 days ago on Facebook. Try to send him a message there and say hello from Marcel. I hope he responds quickly.

[@슬래쉬-b4p]

1 - ground 2 - left + 3 - left - 4 - right + 5 - right -

[@schoepsms]

Big fan of both techniques.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Both are amazing. I had a dream last night about the Schoeps 3D ORTF :)

[@rahoolsyam9538]

so where do u like to use ortf the most when u got out recording what kinda scenarios

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Like the scenarios you just saw in this video Rahool.

[@rahoolsyam9538]

@@FreeToUseSounds :))

[@iswiu2bl]

Thanks!

[@franklingenao7418]

Those Sennheisers sound great!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Nice microphones for sure!

[@emersonsea73]

Valeu!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you!!

[@ruisearts]

I wonder what’s the sub 1000€ of this set up is.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Do you mind explaining what you mean? The only item in this video under $1000 is the F6. You may get the Cyclone for under $1000 but not the mics.

[@ruisearts]

@@FreeToUseSounds Hey! So I went into a rabbit hole till 5 in the morning learning about ORTF, and I am now trying to put together a 1000-1500€ set up with an F3. I was thinking a pair of Oktava Mk-012, a rode ORTF stand, and short cables?

[@ruisearts]

So basically a sub 1500€ ORTF set up?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@ruisearts Wow! That happened to us too. :) Have you considered wind protection too? If you want something cheaper but already with an ORTF angle, search for Superlux S502MKII.

[@ruisearts]

@@FreeToUseSounds the Superlux popped up on google, it looks like a Chinese copy of the Schoeps MSTC. I’m still researching wind protection in a portable package, any recommendations?

[@nathanksimpson]

South Korea, especially Seoul is one of the safest countries when it comes to theft.

[@luismagno34]

I Missed Korea

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Glad we could show you around.

[@byungsin-a-haha]

젠하이저는 먹먹한 소리. Schoeps는 훨씬 맑은 소리. I have pair of schoeps mk4 and nagra7 for recording ambience sound on ortf

[@FreeToUseSounds]

They don’t suck at all :))