Item: SENMD421II
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customer reviews
24 People rated this product :
8 out of 10
4 People wrote reviews
10 out of 10
Sound:
I have used the Sennheiser 421 for 35 years in my broadcasting career. It is used extensively in radio stations and in recording studios as a voice mic. I know it is usually billed as an instrument microphone but it is equally as good for voice work. It has a full rich sound and is extremely sensitive and natural sounding and it won't even begin to break up even with announcers who scream into it. The 421 is the best choice for anyone doing voice overs from a home studio. It'll make you sound big-league and for the price it is a far better deal than a Neumann which can run up to US$11,000. I suggest you run it through a digital interface like the PreSonus Firebox rather than through a sound card and you will be amazed by the sesitivity and clarity of this microphone.
Don't get the shock-mount though. It doesn't lock properly and the mic can fall off too easily. Use a mic-stand with a boom-arm and the standard screw mount.
Submitted: 8/28/2008
1 out of 10
"Md421II - Why does everyone like this mic, I hate it!"
Feature:
Worst Mic I ever owned or used on stage. Yep, I know famous guys use them, that's why I bought one too. However if I ever get famous, if I ever see a 421 on my stage, the sound guy is fired. Anything but Sennheiser from now on.
Quality:
The mic is solid except the mic clip. And it's a special clip so when the little spring wears out or it breaks, it's a special order item, no other mic in the world attaches likes this or comes off so easy, which is why so many are for sale on ebay.
Value:
I'll give it a 3 cuz it does actually pick up sound, but it's very dead and unnatural sounding to me. I have used sm57 and no-name mics that sounded better.
Desirability:
It's cool looking until you use it.
Sound:
I don't get the guys saying this thing sounds good. I gave it a 5 instead of a 1 because it does sound better than some standard computer mics. But I don;t think this mic is at all natural sounding. Cheap AT and Shure's sound better to me than this thing.
The sound is muddy. The 5-position roll-off? There is S on one end of the scale and M on the other. I guess S is speak and M is music, the manual xuS so don't bother to read it. On M, you will feedback like a champion on a loud stage, on S you will be tinny and bright sounding. In the middle works , but I think the sm57 sounds way better and less muddy than this over priced disappointment.
Ease of Use:
First, let me tell you this, the clip it ships with is typical weird g3r4man engineering, looks fancy, but breaks down often. If you so much as touch the little button under the mic, it slides right of the clip onto the floor. I play sax so the mic is tilted down all the time for me. Remember they bill this as an instrument mic! I have it rigged so it won't hit the ground, but I got tired of hovering over it every item a guest goes to adjust it or help tear down. I can't hover over it protecting it all night from the guy that's gonna set it free to bomb the carpet. So function is garbage. It's hard to rip it up and give the audience their show when you are worried about your gear falling apart on you.
Just try to adjust that roll-of with a sax or guitar strapped to you, it's tapered and stiff so it's hard to twist live on stage with an arm full of tenor sax, but if you grab this thing it slides off the under-engineered mic clip and augers in every time. Crazy glue?? Duct Tape?? Shouldn't have to at this price!
Fix this junk Senn! No other manufacturer does it like this for good reason, it's a poor design. For $350 clams, you should have made a better mic clip.
Support:
Didn't use support, sold the mic before I had any more problems.
Overall:
Had it, used it sold it. I now use an AT wireless with a mini condenser that cost LESS than that crummy MD421II. I am very happy now and it's the BEST mic I ever used, so natural sounding. Now I have not used that many large diaphragms or ribbons, but my new rig makes me sound like me sound great, natural, no coloring of my sound
Submitted: 1/25/2008
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Personal use items that are used at your mouth or in your ear cannot be returned once opened due to health laws. This includes all microphones, guitar talk boxes, ear plugs, and in-ear earphones. 
