This video was a life saver. I recently got a good deal on an early-ish 441 but the xlr jack was very loose. Using this video I popped the badge off and found that the set screw needed to be tightened the tiniest bit. Less than a quarter turn later and everything feels like brand new without needing to tear the whole mic apart. Thanks! Also, agreed this mic is really Excellent sounding.
Oh Dave. You have just killed me. Back in the day... 1983. We had 58's and Beyer M88. We also had one 441. It did ALL duties. We did a gig for a proper guy called Richie Havens. We put the 441 on his voc. His 'people' loved the vocal sound... and the whole rig. My brother and I were worried that 441's physical GRAVITAS would faze Richie. He did not give a toss. Thank you Dave for making my day. 😊❤️😊
Dave, very cool you were also at the US festival '83. It seems there was a rare pollen bloom during that weekend, up in the SoCal foothills, which caused a bunch of headaches and reactions - but otherwise a huge and diverse event with a range of new-age to straight up rock n' roll acts. All expertly brought to US by Apple Computer, and the two Steves. The concert's name was making a statement about the "ME" mentality which was getting fashionable around then.
I actually supplied the audio for the Lazer bubble tent in wozi land. Met Steve W when he came into check it out. Chatted for a bit as well, one of his words of wisdom was telling me that the name of my company Rat Sound was not a good idea and to change the name. I did not listed!
This is one of my all-time favorite mics. I’ve had 4 since I began my career in 1976 and they are in constant use. They sound beautiful, look beautiful and have the ideal polar pattern for just about any application. Vocal, drum, acoustic strings, bass, ek guitar, audience, any soloist. Really, a supermic.
I agree, it's an awesome mic and works well on just about anything. The only thing Ill say is there are def times I prefer a wider cardioid, but if your using it for live sound the supercardioid is probably preferable in most cases anyway! Im glad I own one, but wish I had another!
Wow, those helical springs are absolutely genius. Everything about that design screams alpine perfectionism. Have had one of the black ones (sometimes sold as MD541 "blackfire" but mine is just labelled 441U) but have been too afraid to take it apart. Thanks for sharing with us!
I love this mic for live jazz. Great rejection, can handle fast attacks, plus a great musical sound. Sax. Trumpet. Bone. Even upright bass. Has a tight pattern so best to be within 6-12 inches.
Drum Overheads in situations where heavy crosstalk is a concern and even miking guitar amps (Roland JC-120's....) when the usual SM-57 with its built-in compression doesn't cut it...
I got my first 441 last year, Its def gotta be just about my fave Dynamic mic. To me its almost like the 414/U87 of the Dynamic world. Seems like it sounds awesome on everything I throw at it. I love how flat/focused it is without being dull or boring. Still have yet to try it on Toms and Electric bass though! Also you totally reminded me about the HF Boost, I always forget to try it hah
Digging around, I read the MD441 mic was launched in 1971. My first mic was an Electro-Voice 635A broadcast mic from the 60's, I believe. Still works and makes as a pretty good hammer too.
635 is the Omni that is popular with reporters? If I recall correctly, the re55 is just a 635 with shell around it and if ya open the re55, there is an unfinished 635 inside
Hey Dave. Amazing video! I just bought a second hand 441 and it came with a nasty cigarette smoke smell. Any recommendation for trying to remove it? The mic works perfectly and there is no apparent influence on the sound, but I really would like to get rid of the smell.
@@Pablo Try putting the mic in a bag with baking soda for a few days. Baking soda worked on an area rug I inherited. I imagine you got the smell out by now since your post is 6 months old.... lol
Hmmm. If you have the soldering skills I would take the XLR off and open it up and lift out the entire capsule guts. Then take the outer shell and clean that with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth.. Focusing on all the grill and mesh stuff I wouldn't mess with the capsule foam or any of that as it might be delicate and deteriorate. Once the entire housing is clean if there's any smell on the inside it should have a hard time getting out. Then reassemble
I bought 6 of these from a radio station that closed back in the late 90s and all of them are in working order, I always used them as drum tom and snare mics in the studio but I never considered taking them out for live shows for vocals. I like them on drums because the rejection is insane and only rivaled by the 609 and 906 mics from Sennheiser, but the 609 & 906 don't have the clarity or fullness that the 441s do.
In these days of injection molded plastic and mass manufacturing, the 441 is a fine piece of design and assembly, justifying its serious expense. It even has upholstery! It took me quite a while to figure out how to get it apart to repair the rotary switch.
Thanks, a museum guidance with your huge experience. Olivia Rodrigo uses this. I looked for this mic why she has a condenser-like with it. Now understood. Thanks.
@@DaveRat you're welcome!. You may have done one of these already but just in case, I'd like to see a video done on the calibration of the mixer, the amps, and the speakers. It's not anywhere as easy as people think ESPECIALLY the young bucks in the bizz!.
Wow!! I've used one for years singing live! Just bought myself a brand new one. Do you believe there's a difference in design between the new and the older version? Awesome video!! Thank you
I have not used the newer ones but I doubt they are as complexly or quality built as the old ones. Whether the design changes make the sound less desirable I don't know but I am confident there is at least some difference in sound.
Great video i appriciate the breakdown... i jus purchased a used one yesterday . And one side of the leather is missing .do u have a spare front panel with the leather?
Found one years ago in a pile of audio junk and 02r expansion card in a control room inside a small music school. It belonged to the audio engineer of the band that started the school and concert venue right across the street. I didn't know much at that time, it looked like a old trash mic like the 10 other legit trash mics I found. Imagine my suprise after looking it up online ! The high pass filter is broken (spins endlessly) thankfully not on the highest cut setting. Is it hard to change (regarding the tiny wires) ? I have used it and really liked it live on bass cab mainly and in recordings with bass, guitar electric and acoustics, and lots on vocals for metal and punk. Amazing mic, I just wish I had a damn mic clamp to use it properly. I opened it up one time and was mesmerized by the srping dampening system and how complicated it looked, compared to "regular" dynamic mics. And thank you very much for being on youtube Dave
Brilliant it’s an iconic mic and you are right in general all internal mic wires are so DELICATE. I’m too wobbly on the sausage fingers these days to attempt to repair internals of mics. Still have not had the pleasure of using a Neumann mic yet maybe one day.
Very interesting video ! The Beta58's top end sounds a bit harsh in comparison with the MD441. The Sennheiser has a "warmer" quality to it. You're right: it sounds almost like a condenser mic. I wonder if this has to do with the amount of compression from the capsule. I think condenser mics compress sound more than dynamic mics, resulting in a more pleasing sound. It would be interesting to compare the feedback sensitivity between both microphones. Microphones are fascinating works of engineering. I would love to see the same kind of video with the AKG D12.
Dynamic range is sort of like top speed, transient response is like acceptation. A dynamic mic tends to be more like a heavy car that can go faster and a condenser is like a lighter weight car that can accelerate and brake much faster. Condensers tend to be more accurate at capturing the sound. Dynamics tend to blur the sound and add more resonances but because they do not rely on electronics, many can handle sounds at higher levels. That said, both mic types will become more non linear with higher level sounds, but the higher level sounds areore likely to distort the electronics built into most condensers. That said, building a condenser that handles high level sounds is quite possible, like the beta98, but the cost is they tend to be noisier with low level sounds.
Love 441s. Or the cheaper but almost identical 541s. I use them on all kind of acoustic instruments that got no pick-up or low acoustic output, but need to be routed on monitor-wedges. They feedback like 3db later than a condenser would do.
Hi Dave, thanks for the great video. My name is Jeff from Australia and I have an old 441-U which is not working properly. It basically sounds thin and I'm sure it's not meant to. I inherited this from my brother in this state many years ago. Watching your video inspired me to take it apart and you're right the wires that connect from the main body to the part where the HP filter switch is....Well I needed to be a little more careful with it and I've broken them off. Anyways in doing this I've noticed there are only two thin wires connecting through to the part where the XLR plugs in, and I'm under the impression there needs to be three. Could you please clarify if this is the case and whether this would cause it to sound thin ?? TIA. PS I also need to know where the wires go back and given one is too short can I get that wire anywhere and try and splice???..Regards Jeff
@@DaveRat thanks so much that makes me happy as it's a step closer to fixing it in knowing that may have affected the sound. I'll need to try and work out if the third wire which wasn't connected is still there and if not then where on the switch it comes from. I remember you saying there is a blue, green, red and yellow coming into the switch so I'll also need to know which pole on the switch the third wire comes from and if it's not there I'll try and source some ultra thin wire. I noticed the first short screw you took out that holds it together in mine has been replaced and it goes all the way to the other side of the chassis so who ever has worked on it before may have lost the correct one and also disregarded the wire. Cheers again Dave 🤘
Hey there - Can you help me with the plastic (clear looking) between the top and the bottom just above the springy stuff - on mine is broken - should I super glue it - its rattling around inside the mic - I've taken it apart, thanks for sharing
@@DaveRat yes!! I’m sorry. 😉 I did not use it for the last 20 years. 😅 But the MD441/BF541 and the MD421/BF521 are easy to get secondhand in the Netherlands. I have a bunch of MD421’s (white and black) and I even a MD422 and 2 BF509’s. 🤘🏼
Excellent video! , I have an MD441 , but the treble filter does not work .. I checked it and the cables are all in good condition and connected, there is nothing cut or loose .. The low-frequency filters work perfectly! What could it be? can this be repaired?
Hi Dave, i cleaned the front tube and replaced the foam on mine. The blue wire broke off when i pulled out the 5 pos switch, soldered it back on. Next to it is the red wire, but i don't see any wire connecting to ground (btw 5 pos switch and hi boost switch) on mine. Is this normal?
Hi Dave, I got the BF541 and MD441U3, I when I slightly push it, I can feel the moving coil on the U3 but not the BF541, should I be worried about it ? The 541 still sound fine tho, it just I dont really feel the moving coil
@@DaveRat I meant I should be feeling something moving right, I am not sure if its suppose to be the diaphragm. Btw the build quality are a bit different for both.
That's a great question that I wish I had the answer to. If I recall correctly, it felt like it was silicon based. A search for high viscosity silicon damping fluid may get ya close
Help ...! ! I just purchased a Sennheiser SKM 4031 wireless and EM 2300 reciever ( gets input signal from the mic but no output sound ) that are of the late 80's vintage and am in need of a repair resource , parts availability may be an issue . Any leads are greatly appreciated , maybe turn it into a video .
Oh my, never worked with one of those. I'd start with making sure the mic works. Maybe removing the mic capsule and touching the conductors to see if you hear a buzz of click. If ya hear a buzz or clicks then maybe a bad capsule, if not, it gets more complex
Thanks for this thorough examination, Dave! I use this mic from time to time, but never really went thru its settings. I DO like its solid sound. You immediately feel how well it's made. German engineering, I guess. One of the reasons why Sennheiser has its reputation I guess. --- That backdrop is very nice! Btw, do you prefer the H3000 over the XL4 in regards of sound? I'd love to hear your opinion on those top-tier Midas consoles 🤓 Kind regards from Germany - Hans 🖖
With my clumsy hands I already ruined one mic trying to repair it.. so now I just leave it to pro-humans.. But... It's always nice to see one at work! Nice video, Dave, thanks!!!
The MD441 sounds to me like it adds distortion in the high frequency... surly i must be hearing this wrong. Nice to see the construction of an high end microphone like this!
Thanks Dave. Now I can leave 441s closed. Could you please make a similar video with an EV RE 20. That's also a nice dynamic. But has too much foam inside and after ten years or so...
Oooh, I believe the 408 is around a 1/4" or so. I would disassemble and measure it and buy a small sheet, also getting thin foam and using a couple of layers is ok too. As long as the foam is open cell where you can easily blow through it, you should be good
Nice work Mr...A while back my mate won an Auction that got him 5 of CAD M9 tube condenser mics previous owner a Radio station . they came with only 1 multicore 7 pin XLR lead and as it happened the pin end of the lead had a pin that had pushed back causing nonoperation , I repaired that and opened all mics up to clean all connectors and ended up all good , very good price....My payment was to keep one , this is where I hope you may be able to help out...I noticed after having all 5 in bits that the one I decided on has connections to both front and back of the capsule , would that make this one figure 8 style mike ? Can't see anything on CAD site. Any clues Cheers loving your posts Cheers
The polarity and phase or delay of the connections for front and back would determine the pattern. Opposite polarity would be fig 8, same polarity would be Omni. And by altering the delay and phase, cardioid, super cardioid and hyper are possible. So it depends on the electronics
@@DaveRat Absolutely, you should sell copies, I guess you could make it a NFT or put an water mark on the copies, limited run prints, print on different materials, all kinds of possibilities. Not sure if there are copy right issues?
Hi Dave, thank you so much for this awesome video which finally gave me the knowledge and confidence to open a very old 441 (with that enormous Tuchel connector from the early seventies) my father handed over to me some years ago. Although it still has some output it did not sound like a quality mic at all, so I never used it. Now I found out that the round foam pad on the front end was completely rotten and some of the debris covered the diaphragm. I have removed that crap with an air cleaning rubber ball for camera objectives but now have to replace the foam. Do you have a recommendation which foam I should use for that? Thanks in advance! Best regards Chris
Super cool! Happy hear that. Maybe the best or easiest way to get foam is to take it from another cheaper mic grill. Knockoff sm58 grills are cheap and easy to get, or from a another cheap broken mic
@@DaveRat Thank you so much, I should have had this idea myself. Quite a few SM58 grills lying around here - old and new. Will try it later, great plan for this rainy Saturday here in Germany.
@@DaveRat Unfortunately this did not really work out. Still I have to crank up my 1073 to +80 to have a very thin output without any mids or lows. Looks like the capsule is damaged. I will try to check the wiring with a multimeter next weekend, but I don‘t expect a miracle. Maybe I will find another one with mechanical damage and a good capsule.
Those hair thin wires to the voice coil are easy to break. A magnifying glass may show a break that you can get to and carefully resolder but odds are not.
My 441 was modified prior to my ownership and the high boost switch was wired to turn the mic signal off/on. I'd love to have that switch wired back to normal. Does anyone know of a schematic for that little PCB board so I can figure out how to wire it back to stock? Thanks!
Great video!! Maybe you can answer Question for me, im in the market to buy a used analog board. I have a few small formats ( A&H , mackie ) but want a large format, preferably used. What would you recommend ? Thanks for the videos Dave
Take your pick, the market is flooded with big old live boards for pennies on the dollar. If you're willing to do some tech work you can find almost anything.
@@DaveRat Yeah, that was Fleetwood Mac at the 1982 US festival! At the 1983 festival she needed a more "modern" looking mike. ua-cam.com/video/-TBRegTK4Ck/v-deo.html
This video was a life saver. I recently got a good deal on an early-ish 441 but the xlr jack was very loose. Using this video I popped the badge off and found that the set screw needed to be tightened the tiniest bit. Less than a quarter turn later and everything feels like brand new without needing to tear the whole mic apart. Thanks! Also, agreed this mic is really
Excellent sounding.
🤙👍🤙 so cool
28 years working in broadcast radio, when these mics where kings. This is porn ! Tks Dave!
👍👍👍
Oh Dave. You have just killed me. Back in the day... 1983. We had 58's and Beyer M88. We also had one 441. It did ALL duties. We did a gig for a proper guy called Richie Havens. We put the 441 on his voc. His 'people' loved the vocal sound... and the whole rig. My brother and I were worried that 441's physical GRAVITAS would faze Richie. He did not give a toss. Thank you Dave for making my day. 😊❤️😊
Super cool!
Dave, very cool you were also at the US festival '83. It seems there was a rare pollen bloom
during that weekend, up in the SoCal foothills, which caused a bunch of headaches and reactions - but otherwise a huge
and diverse event with a range of new-age to straight up rock n' roll acts. All expertly brought to US by Apple Computer,
and the two Steves. The concert's name was making a statement about the "ME" mentality which was getting fashionable
around then.
I actually supplied the audio for the Lazer bubble tent in wozi land. Met Steve W when he came into check it out. Chatted for a bit as well, one of his words of wisdom was telling me that the name of my company Rat Sound was not a good idea and to change the name. I did not listed!
May be the best dynamic mic ever.
👍👍👍
This is one of my all-time favorite mics. I’ve had 4 since I began my career in 1976 and they are in constant use. They sound beautiful, look beautiful and have the ideal polar pattern for just about any application. Vocal, drum, acoustic strings, bass, ek guitar, audience, any soloist. Really, a supermic.
👍👍👍
I agree, it's an awesome mic and works well on just about anything. The only thing Ill say is there are def times I prefer a wider cardioid, but if your using it for live sound the supercardioid is probably preferable in most cases anyway! Im glad I own one, but wish I had another!
🤙👍🤙
Wow, those helical springs are absolutely genius. Everything about that design screams alpine perfectionism. Have had one of the black ones (sometimes sold as MD541 "blackfire" but mine is just labelled 441U) but have been too afraid to take it apart. Thanks for sharing with us!
🤙🤙🤙
When I did sound we had 4 421s and 4 441s in the mic case. 441s were used mainly on brass and horns, beautiful sounding Mike. One of the very best.
👍👍👍
I love this mic for live jazz. Great rejection, can handle fast attacks, plus a great musical sound. Sax. Trumpet. Bone. Even upright bass. Has a tight pattern so best to be within 6-12 inches.
Drum Overheads in situations where heavy crosstalk is a concern and even miking guitar amps (Roland JC-120's....) when the usual SM-57 with its built-in compression doesn't cut it...
@@stefanguels definitely. I mike bass amps with it.
👍👍👍
I got my first 441 last year, Its def gotta be just about my fave Dynamic mic. To me its almost like the 414/U87 of the Dynamic world. Seems like it sounds awesome on everything I throw at it. I love how flat/focused it is without being dull or boring. Still have yet to try it on Toms and Electric bass though! Also you totally reminded me about the HF Boost, I always forget to try it hah
Agreed
Awesome, love when you do these types of videos. Thanx Dave
Thank you Russ!
"It looks just like a Telefunken U-47."
"You'll love it."
"With leather?"
🤙🤙🤙
Great video. I've used 441's many times, but never had occasion to take one apart. Interesting!
👍👍👍
Digging around, I read the MD441 mic was launched in 1971. My first mic was an Electro-Voice 635A broadcast mic from the 60's, I believe. Still works and makes as a pretty good hammer too.
635 is the Omni that is popular with reporters? If I recall correctly, the re55 is just a 635 with shell around it and if ya open the re55, there is an unfinished 635 inside
635A is a pretty nice mic on guitar amps!
👍👍👍
How gentle and beautiful you treat this equipment.
👍👍👍
Great video again. Very underrated and under used mic. Great on drum toms and snare. Loving the heritage background.
👍👍👍
Really educational teardown! Love this stuff.
👍👍👍
Hey Dave. Amazing video! I just bought a second hand 441 and it came with a nasty cigarette smoke smell. Any recommendation for trying to remove it? The mic works perfectly and there is no apparent influence on the sound, but I really would like to get rid of the smell.
@@Pablo Try putting the mic in a bag with baking soda for a few days. Baking soda worked on an area rug I inherited. I imagine you got the smell out by now since your post is 6 months old.... lol
Hmmm. If you have the soldering skills I would take the XLR off and open it up and lift out the entire capsule guts. Then take the outer shell and clean that with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth..
Focusing on all the grill and mesh stuff
I wouldn't mess with the capsule foam or any of that as it might be delicate and deteriorate.
Once the entire housing is clean if there's any smell on the inside it should have a hard time getting out.
Then reassemble
Great soundman!! Thanks for your review. The microphone sound is very soft.. 👍👍
That was really cool. Thanks for the detailed tour & sound comparison of this mic!
Awesome Russell!
Love your backdrop Dave ! I loved mixing on that desk.
Yessss!
Thanks Dave, thoroughly informative and enjoyable.
amazing mic. pa company i used to work for had one, wed use it on kick drums. and sometimes vocals
👍👍👍
I bought 6 of these from a radio station that closed back in the late 90s and all of them are in working order, I always used them as drum tom and snare mics in the studio but I never considered taking them out for live shows for vocals. I like them on drums because the rejection is insane and only rivaled by the 609 and 906 mics from Sennheiser, but the 609 & 906 don't have the clarity or fullness that the 441s do.
The great 441. I used many of them. Lovely mic. We used to call it the Dynamic-Condenser
🤙🤙🤙
In these days of injection molded plastic and mass manufacturing, the 441 is a fine piece of design and assembly, justifying its serious expense. It even has upholstery! It took me quite a while to figure out how to get it apart to repair the rotary switch.
!!! 🤙
Thanks, a museum guidance with your huge experience. Olivia Rodrigo uses this. I looked for this mic why she has a condenser-like with it. Now understood. Thanks.
I really like your videos. Thank you for this service! 😊
🤙👍🤙
It's the background for me!
👍👍
Great all round mic, the 431 has a similar character but not as flat. Luckily we have a couple of both off them
🤙👍🤙
Thank you so much Dave, I really love this mic 🎤
I do too!
Thanks Dave!. Another great video. Love the background. One of the best FOH mixers ever! 😎
Thank you thank you Ron!
@@DaveRat you're welcome!. You may have done one of these already but just in case, I'd like to see a video done on the calibration of the mixer, the amps, and the speakers. It's not anywhere as easy as people think ESPECIALLY the young bucks in the bizz!.
Wow!! I've used one for years singing live! Just bought myself a brand new one. Do you believe there's a difference in design between the new and the older version?
Awesome video!! Thank you
I have not used the newer ones but I doubt they are as complexly or quality built as the old ones.
Whether the design changes make the sound less desirable I don't know but I am confident there is at least some difference in sound.
@@DaveRat Thank you
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Great video i appriciate the breakdown... i jus purchased a used one yesterday . And one side of the leather is missing .do u have a spare front panel with the leather?
I actually do have spare I can spare. Contact me through the soundtools.com warranty or tech help address and will sort something
@Dave Rat wow thats great thank u for the response
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Dave thank u so much for this part i jus received it today ... im very greatful
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I appreciate that. What an amazing, intricate design. Nice sound. Thank you
Thank you!!
Awesome backdrop, saw it on shorts while printing.
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The MD441, for many years, was the favorite live vocal mic of Elton John. I love it on snare.
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Czy MD 441 potrzebuje napięcia phantom +48V? Czy włączenie takiego napięcia na interfejsie powoduje coś złego?
No phantom needed for a 441
Found one years ago in a pile of audio junk and 02r expansion card in a control room inside a small music school. It belonged to the audio engineer of the band that started the school and concert venue right across the street. I didn't know much at that time, it looked like a old trash mic like the 10 other legit trash mics I found. Imagine my suprise after looking it up online !
The high pass filter is broken (spins endlessly) thankfully not on the highest cut setting. Is it hard to change (regarding the tiny wires) ? I have used it and really liked it live on bass cab mainly and in recordings with bass, guitar electric and acoustics, and lots on vocals for metal and punk. Amazing mic, I just wish I had a damn mic clamp to use it properly. I opened it up one time and was mesmerized by the srping dampening system and how complicated it looked, compared to "regular" dynamic mics.
And thank you very much for being on youtube Dave
Awesome find!
The back drop ROCKS!
Thank you!!
Brilliant it’s an iconic mic and you are right in general all internal mic wires are so DELICATE. I’m too wobbly on the sausage fingers these days to attempt to repair internals of mics. Still have not had the pleasure of using a Neumann mic yet maybe one day.
Cool cool Jose!
Dave you use that little Behringer mixer so much, to me it says a lot about it’s quality.
Hmmm, it's just convinient and does not introduce any major issues. Would not say it's exceptional, it's just small and easy
Thanks For taking the time to do this Rat Man! Very cool!
Cool cool thank you Bobby!
I need to clean the grill on mine, do those snap off without opening up frame as you did at the beginning?
These were heavily used in the TV stations behind the "Iron curtain".
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Very interesting video ! The Beta58's top end sounds a bit harsh in comparison with the MD441. The Sennheiser has a "warmer" quality to it. You're right: it sounds almost like a condenser mic. I wonder if this has to do with the amount of compression from the capsule. I think condenser mics compress sound more than dynamic mics, resulting in a more pleasing sound. It would be interesting to compare the feedback sensitivity between both microphones.
Microphones are fascinating works of engineering. I would love to see the same kind of video with the AKG D12.
Hmmm, the typically lighter weight diaphragm of condenser mics usually result's in more transients. So a less "compressed" ish signal
@@DaveRat But since dynamic mics usually handle higher SPL, wouldn't that mean the opposite (=more dynamic range) ?
Dynamic range is sort of like top speed, transient response is like acceptation.
A dynamic mic tends to be more like a heavy car that can go faster and a condenser is like a lighter weight car that can accelerate and brake much faster.
Condensers tend to be more accurate at capturing the sound. Dynamics tend to blur the sound and add more resonances but because they do not rely on electronics, many can handle sounds at higher levels. That said, both mic types will become more non linear with higher level sounds, but the higher level sounds areore likely to distort the electronics built into most condensers.
That said, building a condenser that handles high level sounds is quite possible, like the beta98, but the cost is they tend to be noisier with low level sounds.
Love 441s. Or the cheaper but almost identical 541s. I use them on all kind of acoustic instruments that got no pick-up or low acoustic output, but need to be routed on monitor-wedges. They feedback like 3db later than a condenser would do.
Very cool and yes they do seem to be more stable than condensers I'm curious as to why that is
the backdrop is dope - greets from Germany :-)
Thank you Martin!
Hi Dave, thanks for the great video. My name is Jeff from Australia and I have an old 441-U which is not working properly. It basically sounds thin and I'm sure it's not meant to. I inherited this from my brother in this state many years ago. Watching your video inspired me to take it apart and you're right the wires that connect from the main body to the part where the HP filter switch is....Well I needed to be a little more careful with it and I've broken them off. Anyways in doing this I've noticed there are only two thin wires connecting through to the part where the XLR plugs in, and I'm under the impression there needs to be three. Could you please clarify if this is the case and whether this would cause it to sound thin ?? TIA. PS I also need to know where the wires go back and given one is too short can I get that wire anywhere and try and splice???..Regards Jeff
Oh my, I don't have plans to open one in the near future. Is it possible to pause the vid and zoom in and see the wires?
@@DaveRat no worries Dave will do. Do you recall if it has 3 wires though?
Yes, 3 wires, the black one is very short and sometimes bunches up into the switch
@@DaveRat thanks so much that makes me happy as it's a step closer to fixing it in knowing that may have affected the sound. I'll need to try and work out if the third wire which wasn't connected is still there and if not then where on the switch it comes from. I remember you saying there is a blue, green, red and yellow coming into the switch so I'll also need to know which pole on the switch the third wire comes from and if it's not there I'll try and source some ultra thin wire. I noticed the first short screw you took out that holds it together in mine has been replaced and it goes all the way to the other side of the chassis so who ever has worked on it before may have lost the correct one and also disregarded the wire. Cheers again Dave 🤘
Good luck and keep me updated
Hey there - Can you help me with the plastic (clear looking) between the top and the bottom just above the springy stuff - on mine is broken - should I super glue it - its rattling around inside the mic - I've taken it apart, thanks for sharing
Sei un grande!!! ❤
The black one is a Blackfire 441 (BF441). I bought one new as a surplus in a local music store in the early nineties. I should use it more!
BF541?
@@DaveRat yes!! I’m sorry. 😉 I did not use it for the last 20 years. 😅 But the MD441/BF541 and the MD421/BF521 are easy to get secondhand in the Netherlands. I have a bunch of MD421’s (white and black) and I even a MD422 and 2 BF509’s. 🤘🏼
Cool stuff! Yes, the BF versions are great and also a good source of parts to repair the md
My favorite microphone is the Sennheiser MKH
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Excellent video! , I have an MD441 , but the treble filter does not work .. I checked it and the cables are all in good condition and connected, there is nothing cut or loose .. The low-frequency filters work perfectly!
What could it be? can this be repaired?
Hmmm, there is more circuitry inside the aluminum tube.
@@DaveRat Yes I saw it in your video! .. but it looks very difficult to open that inside the tube, right?
I think there are two black dots where the end cap shows through. Should be able to sliver the end of but yes, precarious.
May be best left as is
Beautiful mic...i ve rented one a few times..never dissapoints
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Excellent timing, Dave - somebody just brought one in for repair! Any idea where I can find a schematic or wiring diagram?
Oooh, that I don't know. I just open a working one and copy it when I encounter a wiring question
Hi Dave, i cleaned the front tube and replaced the foam on mine. The blue wire broke off when i pulled out the 5 pos switch, soldered it back on. Next to it is the red wire, but i don't see any wire connecting to ground (btw 5 pos switch and hi boost switch) on mine. Is this normal?
Hi Dave, I got the BF541 and MD441U3, I when I slightly push it, I can feel the moving coil on the U3 but not the BF541, should I be worried about it ? The 541 still sound fine tho, it just I dont really feel the moving coil
When you push on the diaphragm?
@@DaveRat I meant I should be feeling something moving right, I am not sure if its suppose to be the diaphragm. Btw the build quality are a bit different for both.
@@DaveRat sorry for my English, I meant when I gently hit on the mic
Where can I get the correct damping gel and the foam? Preferably in Europe...
That's a great question that I wish I had the answer to. If I recall correctly, it felt like it was silicon based.
A search for high viscosity silicon damping fluid may get ya close
Help ...! ! I just purchased a Sennheiser SKM 4031 wireless and EM 2300 reciever ( gets input signal from the mic but no output sound ) that are of the late 80's vintage and am in need of a repair resource , parts availability may be an issue . Any leads are greatly appreciated , maybe turn it into a video .
Oh my, never worked with one of those. I'd start with making sure the mic works. Maybe removing the mic capsule and touching the conductors to see if you hear a buzz of click. If ya hear a buzz or clicks then maybe a bad capsule, if not, it gets more complex
Great video. 😃👍♥️
Thank you
@@DaveRat Your welcome. 😃👍♥️
Thanks for this thorough examination, Dave! I use this mic from time to time, but never really went thru its settings. I DO like its solid sound. You immediately feel how well it's made. German engineering, I guess. One of the reasons why Sennheiser has its reputation I guess.
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That backdrop is very nice! Btw, do you prefer the H3000 over the XL4 in regards of sound? I'd love to hear your opinion on those top-tier Midas consoles 🤓
Kind regards from Germany - Hans 🖖
Very cool! I do like both but the 24 subgroups on the h3000 with the ability to rotary level send is something I prefer.
With my clumsy hands I already ruined one mic trying to repair it.. so now I just leave it to pro-humans..
But... It's always nice to see one at work! Nice video, Dave, thanks!!!
The MD441 sounds to me like it adds distortion in the high frequency... surly i must be hearing this wrong.
Nice to see the construction of an high end microphone like this!
Interesting
Thanks Dave. Now I can leave 441s closed. Could you please make a similar video with an EV RE 20. That's also a nice dynamic. But has too much foam inside and after ten years or so...
I hate opening re20s! Especially old ones yuck. And yes I will do that
Reminds me of dismanteling my MD21’s. Built like a tank.
Yes, I have a vision 421s coming
Hi Dave I have 2 409 the foam needs to be replaced….is there a particular size foam I need? Thank you….
Oooh, I believe the 408 is around a 1/4" or so. I would disassemble and measure it and buy a small sheet, also getting thin foam and using a couple of layers is ok too. As long as the foam is open cell where you can easily blow through it, you should be good
Nice work Mr...A while back my mate won an Auction that got him 5 of CAD M9 tube condenser mics previous owner a Radio station . they came with only 1 multicore 7 pin XLR lead and as it happened the pin end of the lead had a pin that had pushed back causing nonoperation , I repaired that and opened all mics up to clean all connectors and ended up all good , very good price....My payment was to keep one , this is where I hope you may be able to help out...I noticed after having all 5 in bits that the one I decided on has connections to both front and back of the capsule , would that make this one figure 8 style mike ? Can't see anything on CAD site. Any clues Cheers loving your posts Cheers
The polarity and phase or delay of the connections for front and back would determine the pattern. Opposite polarity would be fig 8, same polarity would be Omni. And by altering the delay and phase, cardioid, super cardioid and hyper are possible.
So it depends on the electronics
Love the back drop, are selling copies?
Ha! Should I?
@@DaveRat Absolutely, you should sell copies, I guess you could make it a NFT or put an water mark on the copies, limited run prints, print on different materials, all kinds of possibilities. Not sure if there are copy right issues?
Hi Dave, thank you so much for this awesome video which finally gave me the knowledge and confidence to open a very old 441 (with that enormous Tuchel connector from the early seventies) my father handed over to me some years ago. Although it still has some output it did not sound like a quality mic at all, so I never used it. Now I found out that the round foam pad on the front end was completely rotten and some of the debris covered the diaphragm. I have removed that crap with an air cleaning rubber ball for camera objectives but now have to replace the foam. Do you have a recommendation which foam I should use for that? Thanks in advance!
Best regards
Chris
Super cool! Happy hear that. Maybe the best or easiest way to get foam is to take it from another cheaper mic grill. Knockoff sm58 grills are cheap and easy to get, or from a another cheap broken mic
@@DaveRat Thank you so much, I should have had this idea myself. Quite a few SM58 grills lying around here - old and new. Will try it later, great plan for this rainy Saturday here in Germany.
Awesome and let me know how it works out
@@DaveRat Unfortunately this did not really work out. Still I have to crank up my 1073 to +80 to have a very thin output without any mids or lows. Looks like the capsule is damaged. I will try to check the wiring with a multimeter next weekend, but I don‘t expect a miracle. Maybe I will find another one with mechanical damage and a good capsule.
Those hair thin wires to the voice coil are easy to break. A magnifying glass may show a break that you can get to and carefully resolder but odds are not.
My 441 was modified prior to my ownership and the high boost switch was wired to turn the mic signal off/on. I'd love to have that switch wired back to normal. Does anyone know of a schematic for that little PCB board so I can figure out how to wire it back to stock? Thanks!
Hmmm, if you follow posts here and when I get some time, I will snap some pics of the wiring
@@DaveRat Thanks Dave!
@breakburrito Cool cool thank you!
Great video!! Maybe you can answer Question for me, im in the market to buy a used analog board. I have a few small formats ( A&H , mackie ) but want a large format, preferably used. What would you recommend ? Thanks for the videos Dave
Take your pick, the market is flooded with big old live boards for pennies on the dollar. If you're willing to do some tech work you can find almost anything.
@@Scodiddly you're definitely right, I have seen so many different boards that it's hard to decide 😆.
Buy the best as they will hold their value better and are more fun to own
Great vid!
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Nice! -like the 441 on HiHat Bell
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@@DaveRat plz keep on turning! ++REP
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thank you!
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I’ve got a broken 441 with a dead capsule. Has anyone figured out a cool alternative rather than spending $500+ on another capsule??
That is a tough one, maybe buying one that works but has broken wires and housing on ebay
This mic is also a puzzle box! LOL
Yes!!!
You're the cooliest
Thank you!!
Er... I think Stevie Nicks used a MD431 at the 1983 US festival. But some say it's the same capsule inside so...
Hmmm, the photo in the video at 00:49 is a photo of Stevie Nicks taken at the US Festival.
@@DaveRat Yeah, that was Fleetwood Mac at the 1982 US festival!
At the 1983 festival she needed a more "modern" looking mike.
ua-cam.com/video/-TBRegTK4Ck/v-deo.html
Find yourself someone who talks about you like Dave talks about a 441.
Dress like a 441!
Hey Dave, do you have a private contact or email?
Drat@aol.com
@@DaveRat Thanks brother!