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The new Sennheiser MK-4

Awwww..you guys! Ya KILLIN' me here!

As it happens I have a client that produces live events with Sennheiser as a sponsor. I agreed to do some of the work for trade..so I just called my contact, and a sparkling new MK-4 is winging it's way here to our oppulant studio complex in the mountains of NC.

Review and audio coming...

and IF it sucks..I'll sell it right! If it's really a winner I will tell everyone but you guys that it SUCKS..and order two more..Looks a little different, but really Sennheiser and Neumann are the same company these days..this just might be a good one.
 
The MK-4 is in house. It appears VERY well constructed and solid..not a lightweight mic. VODood and I are going to do a few listener tests before I post any audio, but at first look..this is a winner. We did a very simple shootout between it and my prized Sennheiser 415-T and MKH416 shotguns..it sounds damn fine..just a little thick in the low-mid end..and not quite as "upper-midrange" as I usually like..but it seems very very nice! And I'm betting that with the right EQ curve tossed at it..it will shine!

Especially for under 300 clams!
 
Well here's some audio...link below.

TWO identical promos with the Sennheiser 415-T shotgun as the first read, and the new Sennheiser MK-4 as the second.

To taylor the sound I added just about 1.5db at upper midrange 6.5-7khz, and 1db at 10khz to air it up a little for my tastes..but that was it. The low end is round, and the midrange is present..

Overall..it's a really excellent mic for VO..Sennheiser has a MAJOR winner here IMHO

YMMV..your thoughts?

AUDIO HERE---> http://www.jefflaurence.com/audio/415-T_MK-4_SHOOTOUT.wav
 
Both sound very good. For your TV work I understand the EQ. I like the MK-4 better, though.
It has less mouth noise and warmer low/mid bass.

I'd like to hear a flat sample of the MK-4 with no EQ.

Thanks for posting, Jeff!
 
The barefoot MK-4 is really pretty good..although as has been stated for my purposes it needed a little goose. The 415-T is barefoot. The nature of that old shotgun mic seems to inject a little pseudo-compression on it's own. It also seems to be slightly colored in a way i like. So maybe I was trying to get the MK-4 to behave a little like it. You are right..the low end is a little more meaty on the new mic, but its not boomy like an RE20. Probably be a real winner for voice over people who would like a little more bottom end. I'll post a quick file of the MK-4 with nothing added tomorrow morning.
 
If you are going to spend that much, spend a few bucks more and get an electrovoice re-20 (pretty much the industry standard) or really drop some coin on a neuman....of course you'll allso need a nice dead room to. ;D
 
@roger22com

IMHO RE20s make better door stops. "Industry standard" for on air use based solely on the specs. I don't even like to use them on air. Only one I know who uses it for VO is Charlie Van Dyke (with a Symetrix 528E)... and needs a lot of EQ. I was spoiled years ago early on in my career in Cleveland where we used AKG 414's for on air. After that I never liked the RE20. If I *have* to use a RE mic I'll take the 27 over the 20. Brighter while retaining the low end.
 
Radio uses RE-20s because they sound decent on everyone, take abuse, and are forgiving of poor mic technique. Not a good choice for professional VO, though. IMHO

Bought the Sennheiser MK-4 and returned it. Very dull and neutral sounding. Might work well on a sibilant voice. Think Camry.

Bought a Neumann TLM-102 instead. Has a richness and smoothness I like. A nice counterpoint to my 416. The TLM-102 is probably not a good choice for imaging or hard sell. Think Lexus.
 
I like the 416 as it's an all around mic. Especially for hard sell. Handles nicely. Yet, great for promo and radio. Not best for all voices, certain timbres.
 
TLM-102 "Lexus"??? Haaa haaa..the Neumann badge has blinded me many times. Seriously now Neumann is MADE by Sennheiser these days..and for the money the crazy MK4 packs a lot of value insofar as it is completely moldable. You can EQ that mic to sound darn near any way you want. And surfdude is right..is is good for clamping down on transients..so it is good for sibilant VO people..the beauty of it (IMHO) is that it is SO neutral. If you want a great colored mic try an MXL or Oktavia mic. So many of the Asian mics are uber-colored. the current crop of AKG mics also seem to be grainy, and harsh..again to my aging ears. I have bought and returned several of each.

Certainly we are all entitled to our opinions, but I have never heard a mic quite SO neutral..therefore more adaptable...especially for a few hundred bucks. I'm keeping a couple on the shelf as backups.

The 416 is a terrific mic, and the Gefell UM70 continues to be a great go-to mic..but this MK4 is solid, and quiet, and plays well with processing.
 
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