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Is my MKH 416 fake or just (too) old?


JavierCarles

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Hi folks,

 

I think there's a few topics like this but since every mic is different, I'd like to open this and see what are your thoughts about this 

MKH 416 P48 that I've just bought.

 

First of all; yes, I emailed Sennheiser with details and I hope they'll answer soon, but I'm sure it'll take a while.

Also, I have seen the blogs of comparing fake MKH416 with real ones, but there's also well-done fake ones !

 

Now, this mic sounds good, but feels odd.. basically it has a rattle when moving it, quite present, and I believe

it comes from the xlr connector. The paint name, the letters, looks fatter, compared to others MKH 416, although the 

screw is black and the xlr pins silver (as it should be). The serial number is 14768 -- I hope to find out how old it can be. I've emailed

Sennh asking it and the ebay buyer (a guy from Manchester who replied telling me it's not fake and that Sennheiser has been

changing manufacturers and stuff during the years, so it might just be that).

 

Also, I managed to take out the tip (top of the mic) quite easily, and found this foam. Is that normal? Never seen the top

of the mic opened so can't tell if that's how this mic should look, with white foam ... (pictures attached) and also 

in this link --> https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aRsuWuJNSoVzGv1X5oHCLUiQYNrmUKBK 

 

(Can't open the mic completely 'cause not owning a Phillips screw). And can't check with the case 'cause it came without it.

 

What do you guys think about it?

 

Cheers

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55 minutes ago, Jim Rillie said:

The tip should be sort of a flat concave shape, maybe it's just the angle of the photo.

It's sort flat concave; the angle of the photo doesn't help but it looks as it should be. Is not completely flat.

9 minutes ago, Erob said:

I have a 416 that rattles sometimes, there a screw on the back toward the xor connector that I've found comes a little loose sometimes and needs tightening (I believe it holds the xlr connector on). Once tight rattle goes away. 

right, that might be it really. I want to open that black screw -- do you know what screwdriver do I need? Just an universal phillips or what is it?

 

Thanks both!

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52 minutes ago, Erob said:

The screw on mine is just a small flathead screw. Its on the outside also, so shouldn't need to open anything up to get to it

 

Yeah I'm sure is the one that is 2.5inches from the xlr connector and underneath the paint of MKH 416 P48, right? 

I mean the one and only visible screw in the mic really.

 

I might want to unscrewed it, open it and see if it's real and also tight up that screw.

 

just standard phillips screw I guess it'll work (?)

 

from inside it looks like this (pictures attached)

 

a bit different from others I've seen (they normally don't have two of those round things at the end, just one,

bit it might the year of fabrication? Sorry for my ignorance).  

 

but I guess is legit?

 

I tighten the screw but the rattle stills there. It was there with the mic disassembled actually

87456075_573019786635609_2017754332623011840_n.jpg

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I have a couple from the '80's that have serial numbers in the 28000, so if they are consecutive in any way, yours could be fairly old. (not sure how the serial numbering works for 416's)  Mine has 3 of the round things on the circuit board, so 2 shouldn't be unusual.  The "messiness" of the circuit board looks similar to mine, though mine has a significantly different layout. (Mine is also a T power to 48 PH convert, so all circuit layout bets are off anyway)  Mine has the white fibre stuffed in the end.  The machining looks similar to mine.  My nose piece is way more concave, yours looks quite flat.

I can't really say yeah or nay on it...

 

Cheers,

Brent Calkin

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Thats the old pcb layout, not serviced/repaired by sennheiser anymore. the white foam is

normal...

Check all connections/screws for your rattle problem, there should be a ring at the xlr connector too, if its not there it maybe that the kabel mic connection is rattling...

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2 hours ago, Niels said:

Just for the fun of it. This is my acient 416T, if anyone ever wondered how that one looks inside. It is P48 modified at at the factory at some point. Serial no. 01812.

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Very nice, Niels! they actually look alike.

How old is it? And it has never had any rattle/noise inside?

 

 

Btw, Sennheiser confirmed me that of course my 416 is legit

 

But when I asked for the age, they said it's not possible to know the exact date but it should be 

3-4 years old .... which is not possible at all since the previous owner bought it from a friend in 2014 ..

so don't know if they didn't bother at all to look at it properly, or they just don't really know.. a bit disappointing here.

 

Anyways, I sent it to Mike Harris (sells/repairs sound gear outside London) for the rattle and it should come back

in great working order.

 

 

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24 minutes ago, JavierCarles said:

 

Very nice, Niels! they actually look alike.

How old is it? And it has never had any rattle/noise inside?

 

This is very old. I bought it from an amateur recordist, who in turn bought it used from a religious film production company in the early 80's (I have the receipt).

I read somewhere that the 416 T-powered version was only produced a short period after the the 416 replaced the MKH 415 - I think the 415 were all T powered  - although many were converted to p48 later.

There was a lot of T recording equipment in circulation back in the 70's thus still a demand for T powered mics when the 416 was introduced.

I don't know when it was converted to P48, but it was done before it came into possession of the previous owner - So my guess is late 70's. The mic actually included the parts required to reverse the mic to T power again.

It still sounds sweet, and there has never been any rattle or noise that I have been aware of.

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  • 4 months later...
On 2/27/2020 at 4:04 AM, JavierCarles said:

 

Yeah I'm sure is the one that is 2.5inches from the xlr connector and underneath the paint of MKH 416 P48, right? 

I mean the one and only visible screw in the mic really.

 

I might want to unscrewed it, open it and see if it's real and also tight up that screw.

 

just standard phillips screw I guess it'll work (?)

 

from inside it looks like this (pictures attached)

 

a bit different from others I've seen (they normally don't have two of those round things at the end, just one,

bit it might the year of fabrication? Sorry for my ignorance).  

 

but I guess is legit?

 

I tighten the screw but the rattle stills there. It was there with the mic disassembled actually

87456075_573019786635609_2017754332623011840_n.jpg

Hi I have just open up my MKH416 to fix a loosen part on the connection. There is a white plastic tubing which connects to the microphone module (KS16) with some foam on the tip like shown in the original post, the plastic part later got stuck in the mic tube casing during reassembly and now I have a damaged mic tube when I tried to force it in. 
I couldn't find any photos online regarding the plastic tube that attaches on the KS16 module with some adhesive. Any idea if I can source for the part or the name of that part? 

Also the tip of my mic tube can't be open for some reason too.

 

*Bought it secondhand from a veteran location sound recordist.

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