Sennheiser Mic Review
A big reason for liking the e604's is their sound, but I like their size and rugged build quality. Many drummers today do not have the
available space for large mics between toms and cymbals. Many church and concert stages require clean, compact, TV/Video friendly
aesthetics. Sennheiser provided a flexible, easy-to-position mount. Most drummers will appreciate these plastic mounts. These
mounts may be disposable, but they are cheaper to replace than rims for a drum kit. The mics stay in place. While recording, I noticed
no conductive transmission of sound through the clips to the mics. The mount is more reliable than a MD421's clip after 10 years of
use. I had one of the 421's slip free during the test and nose-dive to the floor.
The e614's are Sennheiser's new low-profile "pencil" condenser microphones. They sound great. In comparison to my Audio Technica
AT4041's they are smoother on the top end, and less jangly in the upper mids. They are not at all bitey like a Shure SM81. I used two
for overheads, and one on the hi-hat on drums. I was very happy with the sound and the sensitivity of these mics. I tried them on a
grand piano, egg shakers, etc. Acoustic guitar and piano also sounded fine in a live setting. I think that this will be one of the
condenser mics to beat this year, in this price range.
The new e903 is a very versatile mic. It is a handheld mic. I have seen it marketed as a vocal mic and a drum mic. It may be used in
general purpose applications much like a Shure SM57. I used it as the top snare mic on a copper sided "black beauty", and on the
stock wood shell DW. The mic captured the full body and attack of the snare. I was very happy. In comparison, I would say that it is
much smoother sounding on the high end (3KHz to 10kHz) than the Shure Beta57, which it is designed to compete with. Some
application-designed mics do not allow for making EQ adjustments. Generally, the mic is so hyped that you have to make drastic
boosts or cuts to hear a result. Not so with this mic. I like it, right behind the MD431 on snare.
The e903 was placed in front of the guitar cabs mentioned above, as well as a Marshall MG100DFX solid state combo amp. The mic
can take the high SPL's. In a worship service, I tried it on female and male vocals. On stage, the mic had similar output level and lesszippy
high-end than the Shure Beta87. Aside from it being more sensitive to plosives (those popping "p" type sounds), I think that this
mic would be a great alternative to the Shure Beta86. The e903 sounds thick. It captures the breathiness vocalists. It is not as beefy
as the Neumann KMS105 in the low-end, but it is close enough for a savings of $500+/-. It had great off-axis rejection, much better than
the Beta87. This would make a great general purpose mic for a church/bands to have a multiples of.
The e614 is the newest member to the line. This small condenser mic is great for overheads, hi-hat, snare, piano, guitar, etc. It's sound
is pretty smooth. It doesn't sound hyped or splatty like the cheapo Chinese mics do. It has a realistic, usable sound. In live situations, I
prefered it over the Shure SM81 and AKG C451TL/BULS, and especially the Audio Technica AT4031.
I have always followed the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule. There are just some applications where change has been non-negotiable
for me. When I record traditional drums with dynamic mics, I use Sennheiser MD421's, period. When I record snare, I almost always
start with a Sennheiser MD431 or Shure SM57 on top. While working in LA in the 80's, I got a hint from Greg Bisonette's drum tech,
and started trying the Sennheiser MD441's on the kick. When a company comes out with a drum mic line, I get interested at first, and
then eventually find myself going back the stand-byes. This time I didn't mind a change.
Microphone tests are very subjective. What may be usable for one may not be good for all. I was fortunate enough to have great
instruments, great players and acoustics. Whatever the application, you will find that the Sennheiser Evolution (e series) will yield
great results for various styles of music. These great sounding tools won't break the bank. You should try them if you are considering
the various drum packages from other manufacturers, regardless of price.
One minor gripe. The stand size adapters are plastic. These are traditionally metal. I like metal. The ends don't strip when someone
uses the wrong tool to remove them. You may not use them at all. Just throw them in the spare mic bag with the other dudads you are
collecting.
Special thanks go to the people at Sennheiser USA for the extended use of the mics.
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.