PROBLEM WITH Sennheiser MKH416 P48

[Olanrewaju Olakunle]

An update, I just spoke with an assiatnce from B&H here is the transcript of the chat!

You have been connected to Kevin C.
Olanrewaju Olakunle : I have problem with a sennheiser MKH 416P48 I recently bought from B&H. It randomly fails on Sony ex1r and my mixer. I bought as part of a kit Sennheiser Deluxe Shotgun Microphone Kit – Includes: MKH-416 Shotgun Microphone
Kevin C: Hello Olanrewaju Olakunle. My name is Kevin. How can I help you ?
Olanrewaju Olakunle: I have problem with a sennheiser MKH 416P48 I recently bought from B&H. It randomly fails on Sony ex1r and my mixer. I bought as part of a kit Sennheiser Deluxe Shotgun Microphone Kit – Includes: MKH-416 Shotgun Microphone
Kevin C: One moment, please.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: what can I do I am from Nigeria
Kevin C: When did you buy this mic?
Olanrewaju Olakunle: from B&H
Olanrewaju Olakunle: June this year
Kevin C: I’m sorry, our return period has passed. This is a warranty issue, for which you should contact Sennheiser
Kevin C: Web:
https://www.sennheiserusa.com/

Phone:
860-434-9190
Olanrewaju Olakunle: Wow !! I tried contacting them but I have not gotten a reply
Kevin C: That is unfortunate.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: Is there any other option available for me
Kevin C: Not that I know of.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: And If I may ask are aware of any issue that I may need to know concerning phantom power for MKH 416
Kevin C: It requires 48 volt phantom power.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: yes I know but the phantom power seems not to be working on this particular one
Kevin C: What are you using to provide the power?
Olanrewaju Olakunle: sony ex1r and sometimes my mixer and same thing happens on both
Kevin C: Then you have a defective mic.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: well ok thanks I will after to go through the option of sending to sennheiser, though it will be very expensive from nigeria
Kevin C: Sorry your mic went bad.
Olanrewaju Olakunle: thanks for your time

Spirit

[Ty Ford]

Hello Olanrewaju and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Try the 416 on another phantom powered input than your camera and use another cable. See if you can deduce whether the problem is the mic, camera or cable.

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Brian Reynolds]

It sounds ike a phantom power has “Low” volts… the 416 is VERY critical of the need of 48v +/- 4v.
I have previously built phantom power supplies using 5 x 9v batteries giving 45v. Often the mic sound goes “thin” when the batteries drop only a little or using cable with old connectors
Check the O/P volts on the XLR of the camera, I suspect when your camera battery drops down a bit the phantom power volts do the same.

The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is… Knowledge is the knowing of facts…. Wisdom is the sensible application of good quality knowledge…

[Olanrewaju Olakunle]

But I have tried it with mixer with the same result and for your information I usually have lots battery power when this happen

Spirit

[Brian Reynolds]

What sort of mixer?
Have you actually checked the volts on the XLR of the camera?
Measure with a volt meter betweens pin 2 and pin 1 as well as between pin 3 and pin 1, (pin 1 being the negative connection)

.

The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is… Knowledge is the knowing of facts…. Wisdom is the sensible application of good quality knowledge…

[Olanrewaju Olakunle]

I have used it with my behringer mixer EURORACK UB16622FX-PRO with the same result and sony pmw ex1r. I have used other mic sucessfully on the two with no problem uptodate. While I have not measure it I have no reason to doubt thier work.

Spirit

[Ty Ford]

Same cable?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar

[Brian Reynolds]

Some mixers from Behringer the phantom supply volts are very different… (mine are)
As the fault is common to both using the 416p measuring the volts is where I would start.
Many other mics have a VERY wide phantom voltage tolerance and not have any problem with either the mixer or camera.

The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is… Knowledge is the knowing of facts…. Wisdom is the sensible application of good quality knowledge…

[Olanrewaju Olakunle]

Well just for the sake of testing I will look for a place to check the volt around

Spirit