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Specs The frequency response of the MK 4 is listed as 20 Hz–20 kHz, with a slight rolloff at 50 Hz. It has a typical modern 1–2 kHz rise followed by a slightly more pronounced high-end rise between 4–10 kHz, but it is fairly even in these areas and nowhere near as spiky as most Asian models of this price point. With a maximum SPL rating of 140 dB it is suited for anything from voices to loud amps and drums, and with a selfnoise of 10 dBA it is equally at home on quiet string instruments and more. In the studio The MK 4, as expected at this price point, is designed to be a project studio workhorse. It is voiced for clarity and neutrality rather than vibe or color. It did well on male

It is also a very nice and controlled choice for voiceover work, for two reasons. First, it has a very nice proximity effect that is full and chesty but not boomy. Second, it handles plosives very well, so this is a mic that you can get right up on and it sounds great. To clarify, yes, like all condensers it is susceptible to the popping of Ps, but it actually fared better than many other mics in my collection in this area. About the only source I would not recommend this mic on would be heavy electric guitar cabinet, not so much due to any problems with the top end but more because of its relative lack of midrange weight. Mics at this price point often face criticism of harshness and stridency, and I can tell you, while this is a bright modern mic, it is neither harsh nor strident. Clear

Sennheiser MK 4
A respected mic builder enters a new arena with an affordable workhorse
Sennheiser has been famous for its dynamic mics and high-end small-diaphragm condensers for a very long time—think of the omnipresent MD421 and the world-beating MKH 8000 series, for example. It’s exciting, then, to see Sennheiser do something entirely new, namely its very first side-address largediaphragm condenser mic. Let’s take a look at the affordable, all-German-made MK 4 and see how it performs. What it is The MK 4 is aimed squarely at the home and project studio and as such is of the neutral “one size fits all” variety, intended to be a workhorse on many different sources rather than excelling with one particular instrument due to a specific vibe. Built to take a beating on stage or in the studio, it is of robust all-metal construction and has a very stylized modern look, a nickel finish with a large black double-mesh grille. The capsule of the transformerless MK 4 has a 1” gold-sputtered diaphragm—the mic is a true condenser (as opposed to an electret condenser). It comes as part of a simple package with a cloth, drawstring pouch, and a standard microphone mount. An additional shock mount is available separately for $99.
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lead vocals, acoustic guitar, djembe, doumbek, choral backing vocals, room mic, shakers and tambourines. In each instance it captured the source honestly, with a respectable non-hyped low-end and an open modern top. It features a nicely balanced off-axis response, its overall upper midrange and above remain tonally consistent, while the low end drops off quickly. While I had no drum sessions booked at my studio at this time, I took the MK 4 and used it on overhead duties in a live setting, again with similar results: clear and neutral and just shy of “cutting”.

without biting, big without sloppiness... and this is what pleased me the most about the MK 4. Conclusions For Sennheiser’s first large-diaphragm condenser this is a very respectable showing, especially considering the nearly oversaturated budget-mic market. So how and why should you consider the MK 4 among all the others out there? My best answer has more to do with what it is not, rather than what it is, and that is—cheap. Frankly, at this price point many of the Asian-sourced mic choices on the market look, feel, and most importantly sound cheap, while the MK 4 simply does not. It’s built incredibly well, it has an even neutral sound, and when was the last time you bought a largediaphragm microphone made in Germany for around three bills? Kudos to Sennheiser on this solid and well-rounded entry into the budget microphone market. More, please! Price: $299.95 More from: Sennheiser, www.sennheiserusa.com
http://www.sennheiserusa.com
Recording - June 2012

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