Sennheiser MKE 200 Directional Camera Microphone Review – From Blogging To Vlogging

Pros — Good sensitivity and background noise elimination; crystal clear sound; reacts well to processing; no detectable self noise; ease of use; complete accessories; appealing design; works with both phones and cameras.

Cons — Raw sound can be a bit cool; could be a bit more sensitive towards the lower frequencies.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Sennheiser MKE 200 is a directional, sensitive, affordable on-camera microphone that creates a wide, neutral (“uncoloured”) sonic signature with a good sparkle. The raw sound can be easily processed to fit one’s preference. The MKE 200 worked for me well indoors and outside, even at high winds and temperatures at around -10 °C.

INTRODUCTION

Vlogging (video logging) has become a very important source of (mis-) information with the rise of YouTube. Everybody can now expose their videos to a wide audience. This goes hand in had with much improved intelligent video processing in normal smartphones and the ability for traditional cameras to record high-quality moving pictures. But these devices deliver traditionally poor sound not living up to their image quality (you know this from your TV and purchased a “soundbar”, right?) so that vloggers started using external microphones. And since many watch YouTube videos on their phone, that is small screens, and with earphones/headphones, sound has overtaken images in importance. As a side effect, these camera-mounted microphones typically look impressive.

German company Sennheiser, established 1945, is one of the market leaders of microphones for professional applications. Many of my favourite sports clubs (press conferences) and even the German parliament use Sennheiser audio equipment. Sennheiser combine audio quality with practical design. Their products are sleek, inconspicuous, and functional. And they work!

The company has recently discovered the market for budget on-camera microphones – and released the MKE 200 which is price wise far behind their professional lines and therefore appealing to and affordable by the rest of us.

SPECIFICATIONS

Tested at: $99
Product Page: https://en-ca.sennheiser.com/mke-200
Quick Guide: Download

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

In the is everything one needs – the complete set: the actual microphone, storage bag, wind muff and two audio cables (the TRS-TRS for cameras and the TRRS-TRS for smartphones).

The microphone (enclosure) is made of hard polycarbonate. Its cylindrical shape is reminiscent of the classic minimalistic industrial Bauhaus design: “form follows function”…which makes it distinct and appealing to people like me.

Traditional microphones typically have a foam cover to minimize “popping” sounds as well as as a visible shock mount to minimize resonance and vibrations (‘handling’ noise”) entering the recording. The Sennheiser MKE 200 has both inside the enclosure. And I can take it away, this works well, and the wind muff does, too.

The microphone is intended to be used with one’s camera or cellphone-video rig: it is mounted by a standard cold shoe or standard thread. It can be pointed backwards to the camera operator (“narrator”) or to the front. But I also used it successfully with a standard microphone stand.

HOW THE SENNHEISER MKE 200 WORKS

You know these stage microphones with that round knob made of metal mesh on top. These rely on a dynamic principle that convert an electrical signal into sound by means of electromagnetism. The MKE 200 is a different kind: it is a condenser (= capacitor) microphone that converts acoustic energy into sound.

The Sennheiser MKE200 microphone is highly directional and has a super-cardioid pattern. This means it picks up the strongest signal along a line right ahead of it, the signal becomes weaker laterally “off axis”, that is towards the sides away from this corridor. This pattern has the shape of a heart (kardiá, Greek: heart). The “super” added to cardioid refers to that little tail behind the microphone that offer some extra sound intake from sources behind the microphone….for example useful when vlogging a crowd in front and commenting from behind the camera.

OPERATION

…is very simple. The Sennheiser MKE 200 is mounted on a camera or a video rig by a standard cold shoe. There are two cables provided. The TRS to TRS cable is used to connect the MKE 200 to a camera, and the TRS to TRRS connects the mic to a phone (or computer). The cables are attached firmly to the mic by a screw-on thread. There is no battery required.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

Equipment used: Sennheiser MKE 200 microphone, iPhone SE (first generation, 2016), Ulanzi video rig, amazon basic boom microphone stand with adapter.

The sound can be described as uncoloured neutral with a near-flat frequency response from the midrange to lower treble that rolls off rather early at the low end – but it is well extended towards the top frequencies.

When reviewing headphones, the analyst has to convey in words what he/she hears. In the case of a microphone, the reviewer can produce sound samples…which I did in this video. Note that I left the sound unprocessed.

In detail, the raw sound is crystal clear with a nice sparkle through that well extended treble. Voices have a lean weight and are rather on the cool side (as opposed to being fat, warm and rounded as on talk radio) with great presence, clarity, and transparency….and a good attack (“bite”) without being harsh or aggressive. The decreased sensitivity towards the lower frequencies has the advantage that the Sennheiser MKE 200 picks up little ambient low-frequency noise such as handling noise, traffic, air conditioning, or other environmental rumble, and that is creates a wide soundstage. My recording/playback experience/playback experience is essentially what I read out of the frequency response graphs, which I annotated accordingly.

Compared to my other microphones, the Sennheiser is more vivid, has more attack, and the sonic image is wider, but also a bit flatter and leaner.

The raw sound recorded with the Sennheiser MKE 200, because of its neutral signature, can be easily amped and processed with audio software such as “Audacity” or video software such as iMovie. For example, the simple iMovie program allows to add “body” by boosting the bass with the integrated equalizer – and the volume can be increased easily, too. It is always best to start processing from a flat signature. A microphone producing a coloured raw sound may be problematic.

Sensitivity of the Sennheiser MKE 200 is very good. I picked up screaming school kids from a good 100 m away. You find this and the sound attenuation within 2 m from the microphone and also behind the microphone in the accompanying video.

You will also notice that the Sennheiser MKE 200 does not pick up handling noise because of its intelligent internal suspension (“shock mount”), and no pop sounds or sibilance because of its internal “wind protection”. You will also see that the included furry muff filtered wind noises out effectively. And there is no audible self noise either.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Sennheiser MKE 200 is a well-designed, well-engineered, and easy to use plug’n’play on-camera microphone from one of the world’s most competent audio product manufacturers, at a competitive price. It creates a solid neutral, clear, transparent sound that can be used as is, but that is also “customizable” in editing softwares. My only criticism is that the low-end sensitivity appears to roll off a bit early at above the standard A (440 Hz). Sure, you will not get that rich “talk radio sound” out of the MKE 200, but such microphones cost 10-30 times as much. I don’t have to be a wisecrack to see that Sennheiser has the youthful vlogging market in mind – and the MKE 200 will do well. I really enjoy using it.

Until next time…keep on listening!

DISCLAIMER

I received a loaner of the Sennheiser MKE 200 upon my request from Sennheiser Canada. And I thank them for that.

Our generic standard disclaimer.