Either the online reviews got bad mics or they're trying to use it in the wrong situation. But in my experience, this is an awesome upgrade to the ol' 416. Clients love the sound that comes out of this thing! It sounds so much fuller than the venerable 416 and seems to be equally as rugged.
Read moreIn all honesty, I haven't used it for 40 years so I can't really vouch for it's lifespan, but I did use it in a helluva rainstorm in a humid climate and the 60 took it like a champ. This is not an all-rounder mic. I'm sure it sucks in a bouncy, hard room. Therefore I only use this outdoors and in a blimp. It's very good at rejecting unwanted sound, but still has a more forgiving pattern than the 416. Combined with the rolloff and pad switches, I think this is a great, an under appreciated mic from Sennheiser.