Topic: Is this Sennheiser MKH 60 OK? Or is capsule blown!?

[dude2010]

I do not have another one to switch, and A/B with - unfortunately!
But I recorded these two recs, waves and a lake overflow-pipe. The crispness/treble is.. kinda long gone, to my opinion. Is it the mic, or what could be wrong? The recorder Tascam HD-P2 with another mic, sounds super.
The MKH 60 is a 2nd hand ebay.

http://db.tt/QdBfczTz

[dude2010]

Here is a direct A/B with MKH 60 and ME 66. Somehow ME 66 has ALOT more gain, is that normal?
It shows pretty good in the recording here, MKH 60 is supposed to be dark sounding, but this much compared??

http://db.tt/3dWh8snE

[George2]

Sounded fine to me. Don't put a shotgun in a water pipe.

[dude2010]

Thanks! For my sake, then try it just once more - yes, there is sound alright! But the distinct sparkles of sound, water makes, I hear that as dead!?

I were so lucky, to find another MKH 60 so here is a full on A/B Left ch. is mine, Peter - Right: borrowed from Mitch. And again some running water, with Peters (mine) and the borrowed (Mitch) (And no, I didn't stick it in no water!:)

http://db.tt/bkZ1SpTj

[George2]

I have MKH 60 and it has a lot of gain, but haven't used the ME66. but hear that it has a lot of gain and is a bit hyped up in the highs.
MKH 60 has very natural sound. I can hear your mic in the water pipe, I can hear bad phasing because of this.

[dude2010]

I have MKH 60 and it has a lot of gain, but haven't used the ME66. but hear that it has a lot of gain and is a bit hyped up in the highs.
MKH 60 has very natural sound. I can hear your mic in the water pipe, I can hear bad phasing because of this.

Then try the last link, it is two MKH 60 - mine, and one I borrowed, recing a dude that doesn't know how metallica goes!

[George2]

The Mitch's  mic doesn't seem as bright, but I didn't think anything was wrong with it.
Tune the guitar please.

Why not return to Sennheiser, I'm sure they could tune it.. it's an RF mic.

[dude2010]

The Mitch's  mic doesn't seem as bright, but I didn't think anything was wrong with it.
Tune the guitar please.

Why not return to Sennheiser, I'm sure they could tune it.. it's an RF mic.

I bourght it on eBay.. So Sennheiser properly do not care -But tuning it and RF mic!? What do you mean??

[George2]

I'm sure Senheiser would be happy to help you.

Know what you buy.

RF condenser microphones use a comparatively low RF voltage, generated by a low-noise oscillator. The oscillator may either be frequency modulated by the capacitance changes produced by the sound waves moving the capsule diaphragm, or the capsule may be part of a resonant circuit that modulates the amplitude of the fixed-frequency oscillator signal. Demodulation yields a low-noise audio frequency signal with a very low source impedance. This technique permits the use of a diaphragm with looser tension, which may be used to achieve better low-frequency response. The RF biasing process results in a lower electrical impedance capsule, a useful byproduct of which is that RF condenser microphones can be operated in damp weather conditions which would effectively short out a DC-biased microphone. The Sennheiser “MKH” series of microphones use the RF biasing technique.

[John Willett]

RF mic!? What do you mean??

There are two main principles of condenser microphones: AF and RF

This explains the differences:-

Basically, AF capacitor microphones use the capsule as a capacitor to store charge. With one fixed plate and the other free to vibrate in sympathy with the sound, the capacitance varies, and the charge moves in or out of the capsule accordingly. This is measured by the head preamplifier and an audio signal results. All well and good, but the capsule is inherently in a high impedance circuit (over 1GigaΩ) – it has to sit there with stored charge until the diaphragm moves and any changes in the charge are perceived as audio. In a humid atmosphere the stored charge finds it easier to escape on water molecules in the air rather than through the input of the preamplifier, hence noisy and reduced output, and misery all round. The high biasing voltage also attracts dust particles to the diaphragm, reducing its efficiency and linearity.

The RF system (as used in Sennheiser MKH microphones) uses the capsule (a low impedance capsule) in a completely different way: as a tuning capacitor for an RF oscillator – which inherently employs it in a low impedance circuit where a high frequency signal is being passed through the capacitor all the time. Changes in capacitance (caused by sound moving the diaphragm) alter the resonant frequency of the circuit (circa 8MHz) and so its frequency becomes proportional to the audio signal. A simple RF demodulator restores the output to a conventional audio signal. More complex and sophisticated (but still very rugged), this system is highly immune to the effects of humidity and is thus the preferred design to be used out of doors (or when moving from outside to inside on a cold day!).

[dude2010]

RF mic!? What do you mean??

There are two main principles of condenser microphones: AF and RF

This explains the differences:-

Basically, AF capacitor microphones use the capsule as a capacitor to store charge. With one fixed plate and the other free to vibrate in sympathy with the sound, the capacitance varies, and the charge moves in or out of the capsule accordingly. This is measured by the head preamplifier and an audio signal results. All well and good, but the capsule is inherently in a high impedance circuit (over 1GigaΩ) – it has to sit there with stored charge until the diaphragm moves and any changes in the charge are perceived as audio. In a humid atmosphere the stored charge finds it easier to escape on water molecules in the air rather than through the input of the preamplifier, hence noisy and reduced output, and misery all round. The high biasing voltage also attracts dust particles to the diaphragm, reducing its efficiency and linearity.

The RF system (as used in Sennheiser MKH microphones) uses the capsule (a low impedance capsule) in a completely different way: as a tuning capacitor for an RF oscillator – which inherently employs it in a low impedance circuit where a high frequency signal is being passed through the capacitor all the time. Changes in capacitance (caused by sound moving the diaphragm) alter the resonant frequency of the circuit (circa 8MHz) and so its frequency becomes proportional to the audio signal. A simple RF demodulator restores the output to a conventional audio signal. More complex and sophisticated (but still very rugged), this system is highly immune to the effects of humidity and is thus the preferred design to be used out of doors (or when moving from outside to inside on a cold day!).

Oh. .great! Thanks.
Sennheiser says it is with 90% certaincy the capsule, that is fucked... Where do I go to find a working capsule, that does not cost more, then I paid for the whole mic!??

[John Willett]

RF mic!? What do you mean??

There are two main principles of condenser microphones: AF and RF

This explains the differences:-

Basically, AF capacitor microphones use the capsule as a capacitor to store charge. With one fixed plate and the other free to vibrate in sympathy with the sound, the capacitance varies, and the charge moves in or out of the capsule accordingly. This is measured by the head preamplifier and an audio signal results. All well and good, but the capsule is inherently in a high impedance circuit (over 1GigaΩ) – it has to sit there with stored charge until the diaphragm moves and any changes in the charge are perceived as audio. In a humid atmosphere the stored charge finds it easier to escape on water molecules in the air rather than through the input of the preamplifier, hence noisy and reduced output, and misery all round. The high biasing voltage also attracts dust particles to the diaphragm, reducing its efficiency and linearity.

The RF system (as used in Sennheiser MKH microphones) uses the capsule (a low impedance capsule) in a completely different way: as a tuning capacitor for an RF oscillator – which inherently employs it in a low impedance circuit where a high frequency signal is being passed through the capacitor all the time. Changes in capacitance (caused by sound moving the diaphragm) alter the resonant frequency of the circuit (circa 8MHz) and so its frequency becomes proportional to the audio signal. A simple RF demodulator restores the output to a conventional audio signal. More complex and sophisticated (but still very rugged), this system is highly immune to the effects of humidity and is thus the preferred design to be used out of doors (or when moving from outside to inside on a cold day!).

Oh. .great! Thanks.
Sennheiser says it is with 90% certaincy the capsule, that is fucked... Where do I go to find a working capsule, that does not cost more, then I paid for the whole mic!??

The mic. has to go to Sennheiser for servicing.

If it is the capsule it has to be replaced by a Sennheiser engineer (the UK and USA both have excellent service departments on-site).

As the mic. is an RF condenser the capsule has to be tuned and matched to the electronics - this is a specialised job that has to be done by a specialist.