Sennheiser MKE 400: One MAJOR flaw in an otherwise perfect vlogging mic
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- DISCLAIMER: Sennheiser sent me this mic for review, but otherwise had no input. -- The Sennheiser MKE 400 is an on-camera shotgun mic that sounds incredible, with the best form factor for vlogging. But it has one huge design flaw: the self-noise. In this review we examine the self-noise problem and discover whether it's a dealbreaker for you. Plus, an overview of its features!
CHAPTER LINKS
0:00 Intro
0:50 Self-noise
4:25 Signal to noise test
6:30 Deal-breaker?
7:40 Features w voiceover demo
8:50 Form factor
10:30 Cable 3.5mm jack placement
11:00 Integrated pop filter & dead cat
11:50 Tone / Sound quality
12:50 Supercardioid pickup pattern
14:40 My opinion
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DISCLAIMER: Sennheiser sent me this mic for review, but otherwise had no input.
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Damn he really flamed Sennheiser telling them to sound better or get good🤯💯💥
Just received this as a gift and was looking through reviews. This is by far the most well produced and most detailed one I've seen. And I appreciate you using that mic for the whole video, super nice touch.
Amazing review! You said everything needs to say in a mic review! I’ve always loved that you brought the problem right at the beginning! For real good job!
I got this microphone six months ago to use along with my Movo camera top mics and I love it. I haven't noticed any self noise from it honestly but I don't think I've ever changed the switch from Base mode. I think I'll just keep it there.
YES, why do have good timing with the videos in my life. Can’t wait to show people what I can do with this quality. Also Completely agree about the form factor of the mic it’s so discreet and I love it. Thanks again boss.
This is the same issue I’m having with my MKE 440. I have it plugged into a go pro. Cause I’m sitting in some tight spaces and I can’t figure out my setting to minimize it. Glad to know its not just a faulty unit. This vid has adjusted my expectations
Thank you so much for this video. Actually I was disappointed with MKE400 as for at 1m distance the base setting wasn't good enough for a good quality audio, and the boost option didn't sound any better. But now I see that maybe it'e because of my type of voice. Thanks to you, I got my confidence back, and I will use this mic for my outdoor vlog style videos with boost option.
Thanks for the great overview and review. I got mine early this 2022 and noticed the self-noise a few months into using the MKE400. It was never never (never!) mentioned in any review videos I've watched prior. Eeeeekk!! Still my fave for mobile vlogging :)
Great information and beautifully shot. Thank you!
this mic sounded great even on the studio.. I think the noice is manageable . but I really like the small form factor .. im getting this
Thanks, this was so helpful, I've looking at this mic but wasn't sure if I should buy it. But a number of things you mentioned really helped me make a decision. The 10ft distance is really helpful if I haven't time to lav someone up and I need to record 2-3 people fast at an event. The sound of your wife sounded great. Plus the size does matter, I know if I take time or have big equipment it can intimidate people.
Incredibly informative presentation. Thank you very much for this.
Nice job. I've used a first generation MKE 400 model for nearly eight years and it has been a reliable work horse on stories for the Republican-American newspaper in CT (and recently for my "RIDE-CT - Classic Cars" channel). The only problems have been the rubber "shock absorbers" that have twice failed due to operator aggressiveness in shooting action footage of classic cars and the fact the dead cat occasionally falls off. You've convinced me to get a second generation and retire the first generation to backup status. Never hurts to have two of everything when out shooting. Thanks.
Great video. I just switched from the Rode Videomic NTG to the MKE 400 for my vlogs as well.
Excellent, thank you! However, I AM using a Lumix G85 in a "studio".., not for vlogging outside. What do you think I should be using instead then?
What a great video, extremely thorough. TY!.
Many thanks for explaining clearly the information about DB on the mic and your video examples. I have one of these MKE 400 mics which I use in harsh windy conditions. Being the nature of my job running a paragliding school. Which audio for content creators would you recommend please ? Regards Rob
Excellent, exactly what I needed, even though I didn't know it :
- I'd been sort of looking for a deal for the NTG for quite some time (as I don't need it immediately yet), & was curious about the competition for that kind of mics
- Came across this Sennh, while not knowing exactly how it would perform & what the form factor looked like.
- I'd have believed the NTG would be + compact/discrete, eventually by not using the included mount system, but as usual, doing my own sauce gets exhaustive sometimes. So here, realizing the MKE 400 actually has a + interesting & discrete form factor, is refreshing
The only alternative I'm still considering (& already tested anyway), is using good & compact XLR mics such as the Oktawa MK12 (cheap & great) or the K6 + Me64 capsule (cardioid pattern, but so much + compact, & still quite usable outside in not too noisy environnement), with an extrnl preamp such as the Saramonic Smartrig II, that I fix to the tripod below the camera/smartphone, & the resulting quality / bulk is quite pleasant. Don't know if you've ever experienced that kind of set-up?
Learned something new today thanks for sharing!
great review. thank you very much!!!
Hello, I really like your channel. I have a question hope you can help me. Wich mic would be better for dslr? Rode videomic ntg or sennheiser? Like mk400
I like most of all the warm sound of the voice.
I currently use a Rode Videomicro, which is horrible. I recently upgraded my Zoom F2 companion lavalier mic to a Sennheiser MKE2 Gold, ex-theatre from eBay, and THE CLARITY, for such a tiny mic, it's amazing. However, I find that it also has a lot of noise too... yes it's extremely high impedance and low sensitivity compared to the LMF-2 by Zoom, and most voice recordings appear at -55dB. I think it's somewhat due to the frequency response to the higher frequencies. But I'm ok with that, a few dB of noise reduction cleans it just fine. For voiceover I use a 14 years old Shure SM-58 through a tiny Behringer mixer. It's such a full-bodied sound, being a moving coil mic, unlike 90% of piezoelectric capsule mics, sounds a lot different.
I really like the sound of Sennheiser mics. Used a MKE 600 a few years back, borrowed, and it sounded amazing... again, a lot of background noise from that one too, but it was mighty clear.
When i use my Panasonic S5 on a mains power plug it picks up a loud hum. I don't get this when using the Sennheiser MKE 400 mk1 mic. Any ideas?
so how do you deal with the noise issue in post? specifically?
Great video, you answered a lot my questions and provided lots of useful info. Do you have any videos or recommendations on optimizing this mic through an iPhone 14? Thanks
Bro please share camera preamp setting for this particular recording you made...I literally just bought mke 400 and i got a7iv too...
What would be the reason for you to choose the MKE 400 over the VideoMic NTG?
thanks for this great review , I just got myself a MKE400 yesterday haha .
I had a question ,
when I attach the mic to my Lumix GH6 ,
and set the camera gain level down to -12db, ( while the mke400 is at standard ,not +20 or -20 )
the record sound is pretty low , reaches only about -25db ~ -18db ( mic was 3ft away)
any thought ? I’ve seen most reviews with other mics with the same camera setting, and the record sound is around -6db ~ -12db 😕 how come mine’s came out with such low volume?
did I did something wrong or any suggestions? thanks mate👍🏼
great review.
Nice review buddy
Awesome Video.
Man I would love to see your take on the Zoom M3.
New subscriber here, thanks for making this review. I have the older MKE400, and it has been, and still is a great microphone.
I need a good on camera microphone for event work while using a gimbal. The older version has a flexible shock mount at the base, that's not really good for being mounted on a gimbal because it can have a bit of a bounce. This new model looks like it's base is a fixed hot-shoe, with internal shock mounts. This will probably work better for use with a gimbal due to reduced movement of the microphone weight. Old one, the whole mic shakes, the new one will only have the lightweight internal mounted mic move which weights much less than the old one as a whole.
Thank you for your honest review!
I currently own this mic and I’m having fun with it. I also own the little brother of this one the mke200, they are just fun to have and for my purpose I go out and just use the mke 200 on top of my GoPro (which I did last year when I went vacation to Philippines) it’s perfect for its size and form factor.
This time I have the mke400 and again I like the way it looks on top of the go pro and currently the GoPro 10 has a blue logo and the cable of both the senheiser mke 200 and 400 is “kinda in the same” color coding😅.
Again, thank you for your honest review.
Peace ✌️
Edit: I even tried two (2) mke 400 and use the rode sc15 (splitter /stereo cable) and I experimented and mimic the mke 440😅 the stereo mic of senheiser (which I don’t own) . Mke 440 looks like a stealth plane.
It works😄 I’m not a pro but again, it’s fun!
I've got the 200 here to test as well but haven't yet!
@@AudioforContentCreators
Nice! peace to you.
great video does the unit protrude past the eye piece on the rear of the camera. as i use eye piece alot.
hello , how are you ? where is the rode videomic ntg ? what's your opinion between those 2 mics ? tx a lot
Oh interesting... I'm stuck between choosing mke 400 and mke 600 on camera mic setup for my cooking channel... Have you tried out the mke 600?
First time watcher. Nice video. What are your thoughts on the MKE 440 compared to the 400?
What about the noise issue if I try to use this mic with an iPhone?
Great review. Do you ever record loud bar bands? It seems like no one looks at how camera mics handle high SPL's. Voice recordings are usually handled well by many mics out there, but which ones handle loud sound sources with minimal distortion? Thank you for spending the time to evaluate the MKE 400. It appears that the 'minus' setting might work great for a loud bar band recording. Your thoughts?
Wish we got a reply. It's exactly why i am considering this one.
what you think about new Godox mic? Rode videomic NTG analog*
An awesome review video as per usual, Brian! 😄👍👍 as ever, I appreciate you for going into such a high level of detail and thoroughness. 🙂👌
Just out of curiosity, if you don’t mind my asking what’s the brand/name of the 2 LED light panels behind you above your desk? 💡💡
Cheers to you, my man! 🥃🥃
Those are the Dazzne 50 panels.
I’ve heard so much about the MKE 400 that I bought one. I do almost everything in a very quiet Studio. I often use a Lavalier microphone. And now seeing this video and hearing that self noise… Wow. Back it goes.
The problem with reviews paid/arranged by the manufacturers is that it makes most reviewers be quiet about any real issues.
I also bought this mic because it was praised by everybody. I have many mics and this is probably one of the worst in terms of self-noise. However, it's really the form factor I wanted from this one. For me it's for those situations where any mic is better than no mic at all and where a big mic and external recorder wouldn't work.
Torn between this and MKE600. On its own, which on is better overall if plugged into the camera? Thanks 😊
Amazing review, thank you! I got the same mic a few weeks ago. It’s paired with my Fujifilm X100V. I am brand new to video & audio production but excited to grow and learn some new skills. Is it possible to clean up the self-noise in LumaFusion, or would I need a different app? Thanks again.
I'm not sure what that is. An app? I have never edited anything on mobile so I don't have any good suggestions.
Im heartbroken, thats a terrible noise floor even on the +20db and low pre amp setting. Thanks for the vid.
I had the same thought. Amazing mic but my ears are just way too sensitive for the high noise floor.
You are the only one who pointed out the self noise. I havent come across any other review so far. Appreciate your honest review 🙏 one small request, can you suggest me a substitute for this mic for dslr vlogging?
Hard to believe your voice in this video wasn't processed. And that's all into a MKE 400? Liked, subscribed, hit the notification bell. Going to go see if you've done a review or instruction on the Sony XLR-H1. I have the A7R5 and want to find some good microphones to record my brother playing his acoustic guitar and singing.
Can be used for asmr video?
Rode videomic Go 2 and Sennheiser mke 400. Which of these two microphones is better to use for ASMR videos? Some bloggers claim that the Sennheiser mke 400 microphone has relatively strong 'self noise', is that true?
Just starting a channel and my biggest issue has been audio once I’m at the desk editing. I think of all the aspects audio is the one thing viewers will judge harshest and exit a video early.
I just got the mke 400 with hd25 headphones can't wate to hear the clarity ;)
Little CZcams review, you have the quality of a 200k+ subscriber CZcamsr but with 12.1k subscribers (at the time of this comment) Your channel is gonna grow for sure. Great video and helped me make a decision!
Thanks for this awesome review, I've been considering this mic for some time (& waiting/wishing for the prices to fall 😉). Which mic (type of mic &/or a specific model) would you recommend for doing video calls/ video conferencing?
For most folks, a USB dynamic mic like the Audio Technica 2100x or Shure MV7.
@@AudioforContentCreators I'm currently using the Fifine M-K036 dynamic wireless mic setup, with the receiver's analogue output going directly into my laptop's combo jack (via a mic/ headphone splitter).
Will I see a significant improvement in quality by switching to a USB mic (or an XLR mic going into an audio interface)? Thanks.
I just bought mke 400.
I have xiaomi 12 so i used an adaptor but the sound is terrible. You hear some noices .why is this happening? Does anyone know?
Maybe very cheap adaptor??
What about recording a Band with live music?
I will replace my Rode NTG with this one! Mostly for the form factor and replaceable batteries. But I feel like they could've added a low cut filter that is like 80-100hz. 200hz seems a lot for only one option.
Why the hell would you replace that with this?
@@jcap8391 It has better sound and form factor. You can always denoise sound 😀
Did you use this mic with an I phone
Using my computer with Zoom ZHP-2 Headphones I could hear the noise .Microphone would work for me.Background noise in my studio runs between 19,and 29db.
I got this to record my videos with my normal camera, but it is too long for recording my gopro, it can see when it attachment. Thinking to have my gopro mic MKE 200. Does it be good?
Are they going to fix this?
Great video. Turn between this one and the Videomic NTG 🤔
I’m planning to boom it overhead for talking head videos, zoom calls etc. Any thoughts or opinions??
Videomic NTG allllll the way. As the presenter said, the Sennheiser is for outdoor vlogging. I myself am using the NTG for both vlogging and inhouse zoom calls and am very happy.
@@KarolyKrausz ended up going with the MKE 600 and I’m really happy with it.
@@DirkWerning that's a fantastic microphone!! I believe you that you're happy with that!!
@@KarolyKrausz thanks. I use it for zoom and my livestreams on my channel.
Hello, i found it to be really quiet at the plus setting. To me it sounds better than the Rode videomic NTG which i also own. With the NTG i keep getting static noise even after i upgraded firmware. I have used different cables but the static noise still present. Rode claims 15db of Equivalent Noise Level which seems great until put in practice. With the MKE 400 it sounds clean with my EOS R and not even at the minimun sound level on the camera settings. Like them both though. Great review. I got the 400 recently.
My NTG is whisper quiet no matter what I plug it into. Very strange.
@@AudioforContentCreators my Sennheiser is quiet, i knew about its specs not being as quiet as the NTG but as i said i was surprised. The 100 hour battery and been able to change it is a plus. Maybe i need to try more cables with my NTG to see if the ones i got are faulty. Thanks and have a good day.
@@AudioforContentCreators funny I had a terrible static issue with a VideoMic ntg as well and thought maybe it was my camera
@@liceafilms Are you using wifi or bluetooth on your camera while using the mic? That could be causing interference.
you need to update the firmware on the ntg. I had the same problem, and after firmware update, the ntg is clear.
Is the self noise there with all recorders?
The self noise is produced by the mic, not the recorder. A better recorder with cleaner preamps will allow you to turn down the mic gain and produce cleaner results. But you'd need a ton of transparent gain to operate this mic on the -20 setting with 16 db of self noise. And of course, it's designed to be on-camera. If you want to run a mic into a proper audio recorder, I wouldn't choose this mic, or really any 3.5mm consumer camera mic.
Just bought it, and Izotope RX really gets rid of the self-noise!
Heck yeah!
@@AudioforContentCreators Though I do wonder if there’s a way to get preamps into low-powered mics (not 48v ones). That CZcams video doesn’t exist yet and would love to see that!
Nice catch. If we clean up the noise with Izotope does it clean up, and if so, are we negating the benefits of the mke 400 vs the 200?
MKE 400 is a totally different beast than 200, which I've been testing recently (review & comparison forthcoming). 400 is deeper, fuller, better reach. I'd choose it every time. Izotope would clean up the noise to a certain degree. I can demo that in the next video as well.
@@AudioforContentCreators Cool. I have the 200 on the way and am debating just grabbing the 400, instead. I just received the VideoMic Go 2, but once I saw the features of the 200 I immediately decided to order it and will be returning the videomic go 2. The Rode is okay, but once you add on the cost of the filter (wtf) and its total size it seemed like a no brainer to grab the Sennheiser. The Rode is just ... stupid. No other way to put it. The Boya MM1 (videomicro look-a-like) looks better made. The Rode apps are also cringe fests.
@@Callmedstone Would you use that go 2 for indoor voice? Disregard the size would it be a good option for indoor voice? I like the USB c setting it has
Couple of tweaks will help any noise issue with this mic. First of all if you can make sure you use the included cable. It has a really nice locking ground connection that really helps any grounding noise. That is the source of many complaints on the noise. The self noise is a compromise on the high gain setting. It puts the dynamic range in the sweet spot for non- high performance preamps (the kind on many cameras). For a studio application use the mic pre on your audio interface and use the middle setting. This should help achieve the best gain range.
@@tedbahas already purchased wireless go 2. I'm happy with it
Wowsa. I like it! Good review but...that deck. Be careful!
No kidding!
I could hear no noise listing on my cell phone speaker with volume at 90%. I will check out the video on my computer using Zoom headphones and let you know in a day or two. Microphone sounds great on my phone.
Get good headphones bro. All phone speakers are sht compared to anything good. I heard it with my cheap ass earbuds
@@jcap8391 Yeah , ear buds seem to add there own noise. Speakers in my cell phone is what I listen to most You Tube videos with. I tested with my computer and headphones the results where posted in this comment line 2 months ago.
@@PaulCapps I didn't see your previous findings. I listened to my studio headphones too. It was bad. I just meant it was also noticable on my cheap earbuds ✌️
@@jcap8391 Understand.
I'm new and don't know what I'm doing :D Can anyone tell me... if you want to record visuals with iPhone and audio separately (not plugged into iPhone) with the MKE 400, which audio receiver/recorder should I use to be able to adjust the pre-amps? Heeeelp
I think it gives character
Do you still use this mic as your vlogger mic?
There is an even more serious flaw of this mic. I tried two pieces, and have just returned one after communicating with Sennheiser. It looks to be a design issue, not an individual fault. There always is a hum, sometimes just noticeable, sometimes very loud when the recording device is plugged into a device any way connected to the mains. I tested it with my smartphone, two different Zoom sound recorders, my Canon M50 camera... Hum goes away when you earth the shield of the jack cable with your hand. Otherwise it is pretty unuseable unless you are powering your recorder/camera from batteries. Build quality also leaves a bit to be desired, too plasticky to my liking, but that's not a dealbreaker. This ground hum is. I tested the same recorders with other mics (Videomic NTG, Videomicro, Sennheiser MKE600 and others: no problem.) The MKE400 is nice and compact, sounds great, but not being able to shoot when powering the camera from the mains is nonsense.
Most likely that is a ground issue with your USB charger
@@harryniedecken5321 actually, since then I have tried with a lot of different cameras, recorders, smartphones, all sorts of USB chargers, a lot of different power supplies. Same issue on all.
@@ww1www Thank you for that information. So I wonder if this indicates that the problem is in the voltage booster? (Battery to 48 volt phantom power)
so ... no amator USB power, no problem
Cheers for this comment. I am looking for a shotgun mic and the first thing in my wish list is MKE600 (since my pocket is too shallow for MKH416). Among all the mics you mentioned above, which one is the best for studio garage setting. I’ve sound treated it but the noise coming from cars and helicopters could still be heard.
I will be plugging it into Zoom H6 then to my Sony a6400.
Would you recommend things such un Cloudlifter X?
Hope you notice. Thanks.
The best review probably, especially because you focus on the major flaw that is self noise. Hard to find other reviews who even touch on this. Bought this and the self noise is quite loud on +20 setting, but the form factor and auto on/off is just too good compared to the alternatives.
why not recording with the minus setting and lowest in camera and then normalize it to -23 lufs or -14 lufs? so no input from he cam and 16 db self noise.
Whats the beat settings for outdoor music concerts extremely loud ? Thanks 😊
It would be nice if it had an 80 hz, 120 hz, as well as the 200hz low cut . I agree 200hz is steep.
I find the 200hz low cut useless which is why I didn't even think to talk about it. But the mic itself rolls off around 100hz, so having 75 wouldn't help.
@@AudioforContentCreators good to know. Thanks for the reply. Nice review of a cool little mic.
Davinci Resolve's voice isolator will take out the self noise.
I have an old MKE 400. Very good on Pentax, but worse on Sony, means worse than the Mic inside the A7R5 ...
To some extent, seems like a Sony problem but I do understand your viewpoint. Why give Sony a pass for a crappy quality pre Amp, it's not like they are cheap.
but why A7 internal mic so good with that "bad preamp" ? Why it is not cable for example? Ony problem you need to craft some windshield to internal mic.
@@AABB-px8lc I am not a pro of any kind but the lumix G9 that I use has very decent pre amps. This allows use of the lower setting.
Here I am one year later, still undecided . I’m beginning to think that this is all a delicate game of compromises . 😅
Shit found this too late bought it already …
FFS ... I watched this video some time ago ... and said to myself ... damn I'm not buying this mic ... and I forgot about it ... and I bought it ... this white noise level is really hideous ... I think I'm going to send it back.
You can power wash the deck lol
Have you found a shotgun mic with the lowest self-noise out of the box that doesn’t require post-processing?
I tried to look at the mic on the S website, but it required me to accept a crazy amount of cookies so I just can't do business like that.
Fair enough. That eliminates a good portion of the Internet, though.
@@AudioforContentCreators I am very familiar with web sites requiring accepting or declining various amounts of cookies and tracking, but never have experienced anything as heavy handed as the Sen web site. It makes Facebook and Google seem benign.
Sony pre amps are good and worst of many cameras
17 min video to talk about 1 flaw?
Unnecessary to make videos like this one.
Clickbait! If it WAS a major flaw, you wouldn't use this microphone. The fact that you do proves that it isn't really a problem. Otherwise a good video.
Hi! I am a twenty-three-year-old college student majoring in film in Korea. Although I can't use English very well, I watched some of your CZcams videos and found them very informative, so I subscribed. I want to thank you for being a professional and providing good information, but I have a question for you. I'm in an extremely bad financial situation for a movie I'm making, so I'm not able to do simultaneous recording, so I'm going to do it with an MKE400 that I recently got from a friend. The camera is my BMPCC4K, I know it's ridiculous, but we don't have a sound professional on the team, we don't have the money, and we're pressed for time: the shoot will take place in just five days, and we have about six hours. We have to shoot 79 shots in that time. The location we're shooting at is inside a building on the outskirts of the city, and there's traffic right next to the building. We're shooting on the second floor of the building, and the last time I was there, the noise wasn't too bad. I've only ever been involved in shooting and directing, so I've never worked with sound before, and I don't have any basic knowledge. When I've shot with BMPCC4k, I've usually worked with a simultaneous recording team, but that's not an option this time. The movie doesn't have a lot of dialog, but it will be shot mostly indoors, and I haven't even done any on-set acoustic testing.
To summarize,
1. BMPCC4K - MKE400 I need to shoot a 5 minute movie with these two devices.
2. the shooting location is not a very noisy environment.
3. I don't have access to a sound test. I don't have time to check the acoustics on location.
In this situation, I would like to ask you how to set the BMPCC4K's Power Amp setting and the MKE400's setting to ensure the safest sound recording. I would be very grateful if you could answer this question. Have a nice day.