All user reviews of 5/5 for the Sennheiser MD 421-II

It is always exciting to review a legendary microphone, because I can just talk about the microphone, without comparing it to other microphones (although I will mention one at the end).

The Sennheiser MD 421 II is a fantastic dynamic microphone that is legendary for broadcast work, but is equally vaunted as a do all microphone in the studio. The Sennheiser MD 421 II is loved more than most microphones when it comes to mic'ing tom drums. However, it has been known to be fantastically suited for guitar amps, especially the ones that are very saturated in the low end and need the punch that the MD 421 II brings to the table.

The Sennheiser MD 421 II is a dynamic microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern. It has a rather nice frequency response from 30-17,000 Hz. Its great ability to mic up drums and guitar amps speaks tons about its ability to handle high SPL's.

The microphone itself is very well built, although the mounting system is just about the worst I have ever seen implemented in a microphone. Sennheiser even sells a shockmount that is supposed to mitigate that, but in my little experience, does little to help. The issue with the clip is that is simply is not secured to the microphone very well due to design. It slides, and if the microphone is tilted the wrong way, it tends to slid out of the clip. There have been stories of people simply gluing the microphone into place on the clip, which is what my friend did. I am thus only relaying what I have heard about this, because my friend's MD 421 II did not suffer from this problem on account of his gluing it to the clip.

OVERALL OPINION

The MD 421 II is a fantastic microphone for most applications, and if I had to compare it to anything, which I do, even though the MD 421 II itself sets a standard, I could say (in a dangerous broad sweep of a statement) that it is a rich man's Shure SM57.

One more interesting fact is that it CAN be used for vocals, although it would not be my first choice the same way the SM57 wouldn't be. However, because I see it as a rich man's 57, it also lends a pleasing tone to some voices, considering that it is used as a mainstay in broadcast, and the SM578 is not. If you have the cash, I highly recommend giving the Sennheiser MD 421 II a shot!

This dynamic mic is mainly used in the studio, as far as I know. Traditionally they have been known for being great tom mics. They are also known for having five different roll-off selections. I had heard that it works pretty well as a live mic when necessary, and when my band was playing a basement show we tried it for lead vocals and it definitely worked great as far as the band and I were concerned. There are definitely better vocal mics out there for live setting but if you are looking for a good mic to multitask this might be a good choice (if you're on a budget like I am, it's highly recommended).

OVERALL OPINION

I have used mine for about a year. I like using it on toms the best. It picks up the low end that toms give without being overwhelmed. It gives a nice clear sound for them that most mics can't capture. It also has worked well for me on guitar amps, especially ones with heavy low end that really need the extra power. The roll-off that they provide also helps a lot. There are five positions, with the extremes being for speech or music. It helps one really get a wide variety of sounds and timbres from the mic. I haven't had to record spoken word since owning these mics so I can't comment on that, but I've heard they work well enough. Just testing my own voice, the results were good for a dynamic mic. I don't like using them on singers as much as some of my other mics (vocal mics in the studio, as far as I'm concerned, are usually condenser mics, though I won't rule out anything at this point.) For the price, these are totally worth it. They're invaluable to any collection and are one of a kind. I would buy them again if I had to.

I've used my Sennhesier MD 421 II only in the studio and mostly on tom drums and guitars. These are classic dynamic mics and I've seen very few studios without them. Although I have only used them in the studio myself, I have heard they are also great in a live setting on any application that a dynamic is traditionally used on, especially on vocals (as seen in the Concert of Bangladesh).

OVERALL OPINION

I've had my 421 for about a year, the thing I like most about it is its versatility. I have one of them and I always use it on the the floor tom as they capture the low end of that really well I feel. I also always use these on guitar amps, they are my mic of choice for that, along with an SM57/ I love having the roll off knob to adjust between musical and speech applications. To me, its one of the best dynamic mics out there and although it is a bit pricey for a dynamic mic, no serious studio should be without one. If I were to lose or break mine, I would certainly purchase another.