recordinghacks

Sennheiser Electronics Corporation MD 46

Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

Built for field reporting / ENG use, the MD46 is a rugged Cardioid dynamic in a handheld form factor.

The mic is longer that it might appear: nearly 10 inches (250mm) total. Its all-metal body is designed for reliability in unfavorable and challenging locations.

It was initially developed at the request of NBC, for use at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Anthony Buzzeo, Sennheiser USA

Bob Dixon of NBC Olympics told [Sennheiser executives] Rolf Meyer and Scott Schumer that the network was interested in a Sennheiser cardioid interview microphone and that he would buy 170 mics for the Sydney Summer Olympics if they could develop one quickly.

The mic’s pickup pattern is nominally Cardioid; like most unidirectional microphones, the MD 46 becomes increasingly omnidirectional below 1kHz, and more narrowly Cardioid at high frequencies.

The published frequency-response graph shows a rolloff below 100Hz, and a relatively strong presence peak (+8dB) at 4–5kHz, with a secondary peak at 12kHz, followed by a steep HF rolloff above 12kHz.

The MD 46 ships in a padded hard-shell travel case.

RadioWorld, 2002

The tendency for a unidirectional mic to emphasize plosives convinces some people not to use them in the field. [But] even without the optional windscreen, the MD 46 was able to highlight the desired sound and do so without many plosives…

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Specifications

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
CHART Cardioid (2 mV/Pa; 40 - 18,000 Hz)

Coil Diameter	Impedance	SPL/Noise
n/a	350 Ohms (Low)	SPL n/a

Weight	Length	Max Diameter	Interface(s)
360g (12.70oz)	250mm (9.84'')	49mm (1.93'')	3-pin XLR male (1)

Power Specifications

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