MM-HLSC-3or1 Battery Box necessary?

[bipton]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

[darktrain]

they can but only with the 4.7k mod

[Dede2002]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

Hello,

As far as I'm concerned they can handle really loud rock concerts, no mods, no issues. I've been taping loud to very loud concerts but always using a regular BB with my R-09HR Line In (MM sells a really small bb, same size as a Zippo lighter). No distortion at all. Great mics all around.
Take care 

[Liquid Drum]

I must have had a duff pair 'cos my HLSC's couldn't handle anything loud, even balcony taping. That was until Church modded them and then they worked well.

There's no way they can handle 138spl.

[Dede2002]

I must have had a duff pair 'cos my HLSC's couldn't handle anything loud, even balcony taping. That was until Church modded them and then they worked well.

There's no way they can handle 138spl.

100% agreed on the 138spl.

[Church-Audio]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

Hello,

As far as I'm concerned they can handle really loud rock concerts, no mods, no issues. I've been taping loud to very loud concerts but always using a regular BB with my R-09HR Line In (MM sells a really small bb, same size as a Zippo lighter). No distortion at all. Great mics all around.
Take care 

My measurements at 1k at 114 db unmodified indicate a distortion of almost 8% Now that's at 1k at lower frequencies I suspect that percentage would increase dramatically. They dont need a mod for some things.. But if you are in a loud concert they should be modified and never run with out a battery box. And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

[Dede2002]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

Hello,

As far as I'm concerned they can handle really loud rock concerts, no mods, no issues. I've been taping loud to very loud concerts but always using a regular BB with my R-09HR Line In (MM sells a really small bb, same size as a Zippo lighter). No distortion at all. Great mics all around.
Take care 

My measurements at 1k at 114 db unmodified indicate a distortion of almost 8% Now that's at 1k at lower frequencies I suspect that percentage would increase dramatically. They dont need a mod for some things.. But if you are in a loud concert they should be modified and never run with out a battery box. And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

I might be a very lucky guy. I've never had any problems with my pair. Even at very loud concerts. You're correct about the foam protection. 

[Church-Audio]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

Hello,

As far as I'm concerned they can handle really loud rock concerts, no mods, no issues. I've been taping loud to very loud concerts but always using a regular BB with my R-09HR Line In (MM sells a really small bb, same size as a Zippo lighter). No distortion at all. Great mics all around.
Take care 

My measurements at 1k at 114 db unmodified indicate a distortion of almost 8% Now that's at 1k at lower frequencies I suspect that percentage would increase dramatically. They dont need a mod for some things.. But if you are in a loud concert they should be modified and never run with out a battery box. And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

I might be a very lucky guy. I've never had any problems with my pair. Even at very loud concerts. You're correct about the foam protection. 

Unless you measure db levels at the shows you go to with a calibrated db meter you might not be in as loud of a show as you think you are.

Chris

[itook2much]

And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

Canadian slang for dust? 

[Sunday Driver]

Didn't Sennheiser manufacture the mke 40 with a pop filter? Wouldn't that be sufficient to protect it from dust and debris?

As for the thread starter, do not believe for a second the 138 db rating quoted on MM's site.

[Dede2002]

I saw that theses sennheisers can handle 138db SPL without a battery box.....Is a battery box necessary since they can handle such high levels by themselves? Anyone have experience?

Hello,

As far as I'm concerned they can handle really loud rock concerts, no mods, no issues. I've been taping loud to very loud concerts but always using a regular BB with my R-09HR Line In (MM sells a really small bb, same size as a Zippo lighter). No distortion at all. Great mics all around.
Take care 

My measurements at 1k at 114 db unmodified indicate a distortion of almost 8% Now that's at 1k at lower frequencies I suspect that percentage would increase dramatically. They dont need a mod for some things.. But if you are in a loud concert they should be modified and never run with out a battery box. And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

I might be a very lucky guy. I've never had any problems with my pair. Even at very loud concerts. You're correct about the foam protection. 

Unless you measure db levels at the shows you go to with a calibrated db meter you might not be in as loud of a show as you think you are.

Chris

Well, Chris, I've been to terribly loud concerts for decades.
My ears are a very good tool to measure loudness. As longs as my recordings sound fine, I'm OK.
You might be right about the meter, but if a particular show starts to hurt my ears, well, I don't care about my mics or distortion, I care about my ears. In that case, I should not be there in the first place.
Take care

[bipton]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Chris, what is the theory behind your 4.7k mod?

[Church-Audio]

And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

Canadian slang for dust? 

No dust is not really an issue.. Its more like metal particles or hair that can be a real problem for a capsule.

[SparkE!]

And besides that you will want to always use a foam in front of the capsule as there is no proper protection for fine Derbies from entering the front of the capsule and depositing them selves on the diaphragm or worse damaging the diaphragm part of my mod I put a fine brass mesh in front of the capsule so that the diaphragm is protected and RF shielded.

Canadian slang for dust? 

No dust is not really an issue.. Its more like metal particles or hair that can be a real problem for a capsule.

This, gentlemen, is a fine Derby.  And let me tell you, she's hell on mics.