With the MI pro-audio market still on fire, it’s time to check out two microphone launches from Sennheiser: the MD 435 and MD 445.
Sennheiser concurrently announced two microphone launches: the MD 435 and MD 445. Let’s start with the MD 435, with information about the MD 445 to follow.
Sennheiser’s MD 435 large-diaphragm microphone brings accentuated presence, sparkle and pleasant detail to every voice, stated the company. “With the MD 435 cardioid high-end microphone, even soft voices will effortlessly assert themselves,” said Kai Lange, senior product manager with Sennheiser. “Singers will not
only cut through the mix; their voices will also retain that natural quality and detail that the MD 9235 is so famous for.”
The MD 435’s lightweight aluminum-copper voice coil ensures fast transient response, resulting in a detailed, nuanced and transparent sound, especially in the treble. The largediaphragm microphone features very wide dynamics of 146dB(A) and can handle sound pressure levels of up to 163dB/1kHz. The outstanding acoustics come with a mechanical design created to take on the rigors of life on tour: The MD 435 features a metal casing and has a shock-mounted capsule to protect it from structure-borne noise. A hum-compensating coil protects the microphone against electromagnetic interference.
The cardioid MD 435 features a pleasant proximity effect, and the microphone is tolerant of sound hitting the capsule at different angles, stated Sennheiser. It reproduces vocals clearly and confidently, even in loud live settings. For use with Sennheiser’s wireless transmitters, the capsule of the MD 435 is also available as the MM 435 microphone head. Benefitting from an improved production process, it will soon replace the existing MD 9235 capsule. The MM 435 features Sennheiser’s standard capsule interface, ready for use with Sennheiser wireless series ranging from the evolution wireless G4 and 2000 series to Digital 6000 and Digital 9000.
Technical aspects of the MD 435 include: dynamic transducer principle; frequency response of 40 to 20,000Hz; cardioid pickup pattern; diaphragm diameter of 25.4 mm/1 inch; sensitivity (free field, at 1kHz) of 1.8 mV/ Pa; -54.9dBV/Pa; Max. SPL (at 1kHz) of 163dB; equivalent noise level of 17dB(A); dynamic range of 146dB(A); nominal impedance (at 1kHz) of 245Ω; minimum terminating impedance of 1kΩ; an XLR-3M connector; dimensions of 47.5mm (diameter) x 181mm; and weight of 350g.
Beauty and the Beast
As for the MD 445, the large-diaphragm, dynamic stage microphone combines a direct, head-on sound with a tight super-cardioid pick pattern, providing not only maximum isolation from other onstage sound sources but also an extremely high level of feedback resistance. With the high-rejection MD 445, vocalists can effortlessly assert their presence even in the loudest of environments, stated the company.
“The MD 445 is the most powerful microphone in our MD range,” said Lange. “If its sister model, the MD 435, is the beauty, the MD 445 certainly is the beast. It effortlessly cuts through loud stage sound and establishes an audibly greater proximity to the vocals. Its direct, high-resolution sound gives vocals a totally new richness, intensity and assertiveness.”
The acoustics of the MD 445 have been tailored to modern stage setups with B stages and runways in front of the PA. At the core of the acoustic design is a newly developed voice coil made of lightweight aluminum-copper. Its fast transient response ensures a detailed, nuanced and transparent sound that is complemented by rich mid-range and bass, stated the company.
Thanks to its high-rejection, super-cardioid pickup pattern, the MD 445 has enormous gain before feedback. Dynamics are wide at 146dB(A), and the microphone can handle sound pressure levels of up to 163dB/1kHz. The MD 445 also features a metal casing and has a shock-mounted capsule to protect it from structure-borne noise. A
hum-compensating coil protects the microphone against electromagnetic interference.
For use with Sennheiser’s wireless transmitters, the capsule of the MD 445 is also available as the MM 445 microphone head. Fitted with Sennheiser’s standard capsule interface, the MM 445 can be used with Sennheiser wireless series ranging from the evolution wireless G4 and 2000 series to Digital 6000 and Digital 9000.
Here is a look at the technical aspects of the MD 445: dynamic transducer principle; frequency response of 40 to 20,000Hz; high-rejection, super-cardioid pickup pattern; sensitivity (free field, at 1kHz) of 1.6mV/Pa; -55.9dBV/ Pa; maximum SPL (at 1kHz) of 163dB; equivalent noise level of 18dB(A); dynamic range of 145dB(A); nominal impedance (at 1kHz) of 245Ω; minimum terminating impedance of 1 kΩ; an XLR-3M connector; dimensions of 47.5mm (diameter) x 174mm; and weight of 329g.
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