I've got a number of Rode mics as well as a number of others from other manufacturers (Shure, Sennheiser, Marantz and others). In general, the Rodes are a great mic, although some of the technical refinements built into the sennheiser are not as well developed in the Rodes. But then, I payed 5x time price for the Sennheiser, which I dont regret. Where the Sennheiser 8070 stands out is its telescope like pick-up and isolation of sound at very long distances coupled with high tolerance to all sorts of climatic conditions - eg storms. In any but those extreme conditions, the Rodes would be my go-to choice. In other words, the price-performance balance of the Rode is extremely attractive.