New Rycote for the Sennheiser 8040/8050

A new suspension and windscreen for the Sennheiser MKH-8000 microphones

 

 

Rycote is a respected and innovative manufacturer of high quality microphone windscreens and suspension systems. So when they saw the Sennheiser MKH-8000 compact microphone series and its potential for film and video use, they developed a system that not only isolates the microphone from wind and boompole handling noise, but also makes the microphone even smaller and lighter.

The challenge is the Sennheiser 8000’s extended low frequency response that goes to the very bottom, which also makes them sensitive to rumble as low as 10Hz and even lower. The transformer inputs on the mic preamps of some older console designs might effectively muffle this sub-rumble, but the transformerless inputs typical of more modern designs transfer these low frequencies in all of their glory. To assist in controlling issues associated with ultra-low frequencies, Sennheiser offers a small filter model called the MZF-8000 that screws on between the capsule
and the XLR connector. (More about this filter module below.)

Using the MZF-8000 filter

When the MZF-8000 filter is installed between the mic and the cable, and with the filter switch in the OFF position, the low frequencies are cut sharply below 20Hz. There is very little audible difference with the switch in the OFF position, but it can be noticed that artifacts caused by subsonic overload are significantly reduced. Using the filter in the OFF position is sufficient to eliminate internal resonance of the fully enclosed windscreen. When the filter switch is in the ON position, the low frequencies are reduced, more gradually (about 12dB/oct), from 200Hz. In the ON position, the low cut seem identical to the low-cut position of the larger MKH-50 and MKH-40. Using the filter in the ON position might be recommended when used outdoors to further reduce the affects of wind, and also if using the microphone closely, to reduce the added bass of proximity affect. But for interior use, I would normally use the filter in the OFF position. The MZF-8000 filter also has a 10dB pad that can be switched in to increase microphone’s maximum SPL ability (I’ve sometimes had to do this with the MKH-40 to prevent the mic from distorting when dialog levels got very high).

 

 

The Rycote System

Rycote’s system (Mono Extended Ball Gag MZL Suspension)for the Sennheiser 8000 microphones starts with their “Lyre” suspension, which does a great job isolating the microphone from handling rumble. For interior use, I’ve found that the Rycote Invision Lyre suspension alone isolates these ultra low frequencies very well when other traditional suspensions cannot. However, for exterior use (when enclosed wind protection is required) the Sennheiser MZF-8000 low cut filter module is absolutely required to keep rumble under control, due to the extremely low resonate frequencies of a fully enclosed windscreen. Adding this filter would normally make this compact microphone and windscreen system larger, so Rycote teamed up with Sennheiser and incorporated a low profile extension/jumper cable that replaces the microphone’s body and relocates the XLR connector outside the windscreen. The cable reduces the combined length of the microphone and cable connector from 6-1/4 inches to only 4 inches, which allows this very high performance microphone to be used in a fully enclosed blimp windscreen (Mono Extended Ball Gag Windshield) that is a total of only 7 inches long. (The additional 3-inches are for the required “dead air” space surrounding the microphone.)

It is important to note that this cable extension is not a traditional “active” cable such as the type other manufacturers have used between their mic capsules and amplifier/bodies. The difference is that the Sennheiser 8000 series microphone “capsules” are actually fully contained microphones, complete with internal amplifier and a low impedance balanced output. There are two reasons that this is an important distinction: 1. Traditional active cables between a capsule and amplifier/body are a high impedance circuit that is susceptible to induced noise, and require an amplifier/body module at the other end of the cable. 2. The Sennheiser 8000 series extension cable is effectively only adapting the microphone capsule to an XLR connector. Thus, it is simply a small microphone at one end and an XLR connector at the other–simple, balanced, and economical.

Making this new Rycote system even more attractive is its ability for very quick changes from interior to exterior setups, and back again, without having to remove the microphone. This is because the suspension inside the windscreen uses Rycote’s compact InVision Lyre system, which also happens to be an ideal choice for interior setups. To change from in an interior location to an exterior location (where more wind protection is needed), just loosen the knob under the suspension, slide on the windscreen, tighten the knob, then put on the back cap and furry Windjammer.

An important part of this windscreen and suspension system is what Rycote refers to as the “Connbox”. The Connbox is a small cable junction attached to the suspension that isolates the microphone connecting cable and locates the XLR connection outside the windscreen. This allows the microphone and suspension system to be disconnected from a boom pole without ever having to open the windscreen.

As manufacturing technology improves, smaller and lighter-weight tools for sound become the norm. This trend continues with the new Sennheiser MKH8000 series microphones, made possible for boom use by new designs from Rycote, working together to make yesterday’s favorites seem oddly large while keeping sound quality high.

Just what you would expect from the leaders.