Sennheiser MD46 Microphone

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Dynamic Reporter Microphone

Special interview and reporter's microphone
Dynamic cardioid with long handle
Dimensions: length 250 mm, diameter 49 mm
Polar pattern: cardioid
Frequency range: 40 - 18,000 Hz
Sensitivity (free field, no load) 1 kHz: 2.0 mV/Pa + -2.5 dB
Nominal impedance at 1kHz: 350 Ohm
Min. terminating impedance: 1000 Ω
Optional clamp MZQ 800,
Optional windshield MZW4032ANT

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3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since February 2002
Item number 152879
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)

208 €

All prices incl. VAT

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in Reporter Microphones

Special microphone for journalists

The Sennheiser MD 46 is a specially fine-tuned dynamic microphone designed for routine radio and TV reporting, producing sound that ensures high speech intelligibility. To this end, its design minimises background noise, making the MD 46 suitable even in suboptimal conditions. These qualities not only enhance audio clarity but also contribute to easy handling. With high-quality workmanship, a robust metal housing, and a rigid wire mesh, the microphone offers long-lasting durability and reliable protection for the capsule against mechanical damage.

Prevents background noise

Thanks to its cardioid polar pattern, the Sennheiser MD 46 delivers high speech intelligibility even in noisy environments, while the double mesh - consisting of a coarse outer layer and a fine inner layer - helps make the microphone relatively insensitive to wind and pop noises. The microphone capsule, mounted with a free-floating suspension, further reduces the transmission of structure-borne noise caused by hand contact or movement, ensuring that background noise remains minimal in most situations. Although these features are highly effective, there are occasional extremes – such as intense wind or exceptionally loud environments – where their capabilities may reach their limits.

Ideal for speech

The Sennheiser MD 46 is an ideal choice for recording speech , thanks to its specially tuned microphone design and sound characteristics that deliver high speech intelligibility, even in noisy environments – making this microphone perfect for reports, interviews, live coverage, or podcasts. Its long handle allows users to position the microphone closer to the interview partner in challenging situations, further enhancing recording quality and clarity of dialogue. One important note, however, is that the Sennheiser MD 46 does not include an on/off switch.

Sennheiser journalist microphone housing

About Sennheiser

In June 1945, Prof. Fritz Sennheiser founded the Wennebostel Laboratory, which initially produced measuring equipment. Commissioned by Siemens in 1945, the young company developed the MD-1 microphone, which was launched in 1946. After the development of further microphones, the company was renamed Sennheiser Electronic in 1958. Two years later, Sennheiser introduced the MD 421 dynamic microphone, which is still in production today and still held in high esteem by many sound engineers. Further groundbreaking developments, such as the HD 414 headphones and the classic MD 441 microphone, hugely enhanced the company's international reputation, eventually making Sennheiser one of the leading manufacturers of microphone and headphone systems in the world.

Enough amplification for high levels

As a dynamic microphone, the Sennheiser MD 46 requires strong amplification from a powerful microphone preamp to achieve an adequate output level and deliver acceptable sound quality, making professional handheld or camera-mounted audio recorders the ideal choice for reliable use in mobile applications. On the topic of levels, it's worth noting that due to its design, the MD 46 exhibits a pronounced proximity effect, so maintaining a consistent distance from the mouth is essential to avoid noticeable variations in volume.

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26 Customer ratings

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4.7 / 5

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17 Reviews

Solid performer. Good for noisier locations.

Edward5103 30.06.2015

This is a solid dynamic reporter microphone, great for capturing dialogue in a relatively noisy environment.

BUILD QUALITY

Build quality is solid, all metal, and reassuring. It's not too heavy either. The XLR connector is good quality and solid too.

The handle of the microphone is smooth and long enough to slot a 'microphone flag' onto the handle, leaving enough room to hold the handle.

IN THE FIELD

I've been testing this in some challenging situations, like a coffee shop, with lots of background noise, clattering, talking, etc. For these situations its cardiod dynamic response is a great choice. This allows you to capture dialogue clearly, by placing the microphone quite close to the person speaking. The cardiod response will still pick up background noise, but to a lesser extent than an omnidirectional mic.

There is some noise handling if you excessively move/drag your fingers over the smooth microphone handle. However, if you're using it normally and not deliberately trying to create handling noise, it's fine. The handling noise is predominantly low frequency and you may reduce much of it with a high pass filter in your recording. This may be a consideration if you're passing the microphone to a person unfamiliar proper handling.

As is standard for this type of dynamic cardiod microphone, there's a pronounced 'proximity/bass response' as the microphone is brought closer to a person's mouth. This increases output levels too. This is a point to note when interviewing others especially if they try to push their mouth very close to the microphone.

If you're trying to capture the ambient sounds of a location, this is probably not the microphone to use. For that, an omnidirectional microphone may be more suitable.

You'll need to buy a foam/pop cover for this microphone, to prevent P and B plosive sounds from spoiling your recording.

FEATURES

It's a cardiod dynamic microphone, so doesn't need phantom power. Just make sure your recorder/system can provide sufficient gain for its output level (check the technical specs to be sure).

Note: it doesn't have an 'on/off' switch on the microphone body, so that's one consideration if this is important for your application.

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Exactly what I needed

MMetsoja 16.01.2019

Really professtional looking microphone. Using it for radio vox populi and interviews on the street. Comfrotable in the hand etc.

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Good interview mic

Anonymous 27.07.2016

Good sound even in loud enviroments. Well build!

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Sehr gutes Interview Mikrofon

deadbenwalking 11.10.2009

Das MD 46 ist ein sehr gutes Interviewmikrofon, dass sich bei mir mittlerweile schon oft in verschiedensten Situationen bewährt hat. Die Verarbeitung ist tadellos. Schon beim ersten in die Hand nehmen merkt man die gewohnte Sennheiser Qualität.

Sprache wird mit sehr gutem Sound und in vollem Frequenzbereich übertragen. Egal ob eher schüchterne Stimmchen, oder Basslastige Reibeisenstimmen - alles kommt sehr naturgetreu rüber, ohne dass gewisse Bereiche zu stark gepusht bzw beschnitten sind.

Wirklich das einzige, was ich ein klein wenig bemängeln würde und was auch den Sternabzug verursacht hat, ist die Tatsache, dass Griffgeräusche etwas stärker übertragen werden, als ich das ursprünglich aufgrund der Produktbeschreibung vermutet oder gehofft hatte. Bei sehr nervösen Interviewpartnern, die ihre Finger viel bewegen, kann das schonmal stören, aber trotzdem würde ich das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis als absolut einwandfrei bewerten!

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Sennheiser MD46 Microphone

Dynamic Reporter Microphone