Topic: Sennheiser Active Setup - MKH 8000 Part II

[grider]

think you are right, I was expecting a cable like the DPA cable which has the three pronged XLR male outs at the end of this cable, but alas this is not the case, this Senn cable appears to just connect the cap and body like Schoeps does for example

[John Kelly]

do I understand from those pics Crumbo that Senn bodies are connected to one end of the extension cables in a female format and Senn connectors are also connected at the other end of the cables in a male format which then has a typical XLR connector so that interconnects of some type are required to plug into a preamp or all in one box?  it appears that there are equally long Senn brand connectors at each end of the extension cables in those pics

If your mic could fit in the XLR inputs of your recorder then you probably wouldn't need interconnects, but I wouldn't recommend it. 

It's basically like any other active setup - caps on one end, bodies on the other.  Only difference is that the body in this case is really only an XLR adapter - there's no circuitry in it at all.

Edit - Whoops, didn't notice there was another page.  I think Crumbo and I both got the 5m custom cables, which is why they took so long to get here.

[John Willett]

do I understand from those pics Crumbo that Senn bodies are connected to one end of the extension cables in a female format and Senn connectors are also connected at the other end of the cables in a male format which then has a typical XLR connector so that interconnects of some type are required to plug into a preamp or all in one box?  it appears that there are equally long Senn brand connectors at each end of the extension cables in those pics

The MKH 8000 series microphones screw in half - the top end is the microphone and the bottom end is the XLR connector.

You then separate the two halves and insert the remote cable in-between.

The picture shows the microphone at one end and the XLR at the other with the remote cable in the middle.

You then just plug the XLR end into a standard XLR lead to the pre-amp.

[John Willett]

Oops - I missed the extra page too, in replying.

However - to add to it all.....

Later this year Sennheiser will launch the MZD 8000 - this is an AES42 digital body that is used with the microphone in place of the XLR module.

So - in theory - you could put this at the other end of the remote cable and plug into a digital input.  So this may help explain why the remote cable is as it is.

[John Kelly]

Nifty.

[Crumbo]

do I understand from those pics Crumbo that Senn bodies are connected to one end of the extension cables in a female format and Senn connectors are also connected at the other end of the cables in a male format which then has a typical XLR connector so that interconnects of some type are required to plug into a preamp or all in one box?  it appears that there are equally long Senn brand connectors at each end of the extension cables in those pics

If your mic could fit in the XLR inputs of your recorder then you probably wouldn't need interconnects, but I wouldn't recommend it. 

It's basically like any other active setup - caps on one end, bodies on the other.  Only difference is that the body in this case is really only an XLR adapter - there's no circuitry in it at all.

Edit - Whoops, didn't notice there was another page.  I think Crumbo and I both got the 5m custom cables, which is why they took so long to get here.

yep

these *almost* fit into a schoeps kwon bar

John, you still hitting the DMB NC shows?

[John Kelly]

do I understand from those pics Crumbo that Senn bodies are connected to one end of the extension cables in a female format and Senn connectors are also connected at the other end of the cables in a male format which then has a typical XLR connector so that interconnects of some type are required to plug into a preamp or all in one box?  it appears that there are equally long Senn brand connectors at each end of the extension cables in those pics

If your mic could fit in the XLR inputs of your recorder then you probably wouldn't need interconnects, but I wouldn't recommend it. 

It's basically like any other active setup - caps on one end, bodies on the other.  Only difference is that the body in this case is really only an XLR adapter - there's no circuitry in it at all.

Edit - Whoops, didn't notice there was another page.  I think Crumbo and I both got the 5m custom cables, which is why they took so long to get here.

yep

these *almost* fit into a schoeps kwon bar

John, you still hitting the DMB NC shows?

Too loose?  Too tight?

And no I won't be at DMB in NC - have a business trip that negated that plan.   Still will be at VA Beach and the Gorge, though.

[Crumbo]

do I understand from those pics Crumbo that Senn bodies are connected to one end of the extension cables in a female format and Senn connectors are also connected at the other end of the cables in a male format which then has a typical XLR connector so that interconnects of some type are required to plug into a preamp or all in one box?  it appears that there are equally long Senn brand connectors at each end of the extension cables in those pics

If your mic could fit in the XLR inputs of your recorder then you probably wouldn't need interconnects, but I wouldn't recommend it. 

It's basically like any other active setup - caps on one end, bodies on the other.  Only difference is that the body in this case is really only an XLR adapter - there's no circuitry in it at all.

Edit - Whoops, didn't notice there was another page.  I think Crumbo and I both got the 5m custom cables, which is why they took so long to get here.

yep

these *almost* fit into a schoeps kwon bar

John, you still hitting the DMB NC shows?

Too loose?  Too tight?

And no I won't be at DMB in NC - have a business trip that negated that plan.   Still will be at VA Beach and the Gorge, though.

a tad too tight

since the cable is rubbery you could probably jam it in there but I don't really want to try

I can send you a kwon bar if you want to try it out

bummer about DMB, we could have done a nice comp 

[John Kelly]

a tad too tight

since the cable is rubbery you could probably jam it in there but I don't really want to try

I can send you a kwon bar if you want to try it out

bummer about DMB, we could have done a nice comp 

Hmm...Well I wonder if I could bore out a Schoeps bar a little bit.  Robert Kwon had actually gotten with me about making some bars for this set, but I haven't been able to get back in touch with him since then...  I'm going to try an MBHO bar and see if they fit in there at all.

[ArchivalAudio]

John Kelly
thanx for the great pics of those sweet
"active" cables
I am so itching to try these out
and hopefully get some soon... may be next year?

thanx again
peace
-- ian

[JasonSobel]

If the "mic body" on the other end of the active cable is basically just an XLR adaptor (with no active circuitry, as is mentioned several times in this thread), why can't Senn just make an active cable that connects to the caps on one end, and then a standard XLR plug on the other?

[CQBert]

John -

If Robert is into the project let me know... I would be interested in at least a Din and ORTF...

+T for getting this rolling..

Thanks -

CQBErt

+T for Toad - sounds real nice

[grider]

If the "mic body" on the other end of the active cable is basically just an XLR adaptor (with no active circuitry, as is mentioned several times in this thread), why can't Senn just make an active cable that connects to the caps on one end, and then a standard XLR plug on the other?

as is the case with DPA mics?  my guess is the DPA's are specifically engineered to be body-less microphones witht the cap using the cable you describe, whereas from the appearance of the Senns they were not engineered to be used without the bodies, thus the cable you refer to would not work

[John Kelly]

John -

If Robert is into the project let me know... I would be interested in at least a Din and ORTF...

+T for getting this rolling..

Thanks -

CQBErt

+T for Toad - sounds real nice

I will as soon as I hear from him.  Until then I'm pursuing having a local machine shop make them for me with a supplied CAD drawing.

[John Willett]

If the "mic body" on the other end of the active cable is basically just an XLR adaptor (with no active circuitry, as is mentioned several times in this thread), why can't Senn just make an active cable that connects to the caps on one end, and then a standard XLR plug on the other?

Because it reduces the flexibility of the system.

Also - the cables are all stereo capable.

At the moment the cable can have one or two mics going down it (Y-cable coming) - at the other end can be the XLR-3 module, XLR-5 module (coming - I hope), MZD 8000 AES42 digital module, etc.

As it is now you can plug one extension into another to make a longer one - or have two heads on a catenery one on a 3m cable the other on a y-cable, the end of the 3m is connected into the other half of the y-cable and the output of the y-cable connected to a 10m cable, etc....... (for example).

A very flexible system.

For XLR they would have to do cables in all lengths with both XLR-3 and XLR-5 options.

They may come eventually - but if you need an XLR version, just cut off one end and solder on an XLR.

I hope this is clear.