The top five Sennheiser products for musicians these holidays
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02.12.2020

The top five Sennheiser products for musicians these holidays

Words by Will Brewster

Gear up for the silly season with these gift ideas.

It’s hard to believe, but once again, the festive season has snuck right up on all of us, giving us the perfect chance to give back to our friends and family with a whole swag of fun gifts. If you’re hunting for the perfect present to give to a musician these holidays, Sennheiser have well and truly got you covered, with their wide range of headphones and microphones suiting all kinds of musicians, producers and listeners.

To help refine your shopping list, we’ve teamed up with Sennheiser to spotlight five of the best gifts to keep your eyes peeled for this Christmas.

Sennheiser MK 4 Microphone 

A high-quality cardioid condenser microphone should be a mandatory item for all musicians and producers, regardless of whether they’re operating in a DIY home studio or a fully-kitted professional recording room. 

Constructed in Germany, Sennheiser’s MK 4 seeks to fill that niche by providing a condenser microphone with shimmering sound quality and an affordable price-tag, making it a no-brainer for audio professionals of all backgrounds. 

With its sturdy 24-carat gold-plated diaphragm, metal housing and large 1” capsule, the MK 4 is rugged yet incredibly lightweight, selling it as a suitable solution for use both onstage and in the studio. 

A frequency range of 20 Hz – 20 kHz and maximum SPL of 140dB means that the MK 4 will handle everything from acoustic guitars and speaker cabinets through to sung and spoken vocals with ease, delivering a rich, full sound across a range of sources.

Meanwhile, the MK 4’s internal shockmount and low inherent self-noise helps to make your recorded tracks sound cleaner than ever before, which could come in handy for any budding podcasters or content creators out there. 

Coming bundled up with a storage pouch and MZQ 4 clip to mount onto a microphone stand, you’d be hard pressed to find a better bang-for-buck condenser microphone than the MK 4. 

Expect to pay: $419

Find out more.

Sennheiser e 835 / e 835 S

In the market for a high-quality vocal mic for live performance and use in the studio this Christmas? Don’t overlook the e 835: Sennheiser’s acclaimed take on the tried-and-true dynamic cardioid microphone, a killer choice for scenarios where clear sound and high volumes are a priority. 

Built with a tough metal chassis, the e 835 is surprisingly sleek and featherweight, catering for all kinds of microphone grips and mounted applications. A frequency range of 40 – 16000 Hz guarantees consistent results for both booming bass vocals and squeaky falsettos alike, avoiding the trappings of the muffled midrange found all-too-often in dynamic microphones in this price range. 

The e 835’s ability to withstand feedback even at extremely loud volumes makes it a perfect pick for live vocalists – particularly those competing against over-eager bandmates – while the cleverly designed capsule makes sure that vocals will retain clarity and presence from far distances. Should you need, there’s even the e 835 S, which features an additional on/off switch for quick muting onstage.

Whether you’re a singer in a brutal metalcore group or a public speaker seeking to cut through the noise at your upcoming festive function, the Sennheiser e 835 has got you covered on all fronts. 

Expect to Pay: $149

More details here.

Sennheiser e 935

If you’re a fan of the looks and sound of the e 835 but need something with a little bit more output and versatility, the Sennheiser e 935 is bound to tick your boxes. 

A world famous mic for live vocals, the e 935 is renowned for its strikingly natural tonality, with a sensational transient response allowing for a smooth sound with plenty of detail and nuance. A frequency range of 40-18,000 Hz means that it’ll endure super shrill treble and ultra low bass with ease, making it a slightly more versatile option for live vocalists.

Despite being crafted from 100% metal and weighing a little more, the e 935 is actually slightly smaller than the e 835, which should be seen as a big plus for those who like to sing or speak while roaming around the stage, while its cardioid pickup pattern delivers a ever-reliable response between off-axis and on-axis placement.

The e 935’s internal shock-mounted capsule and hum compensating coil minimises harsh noise and unwanted pops, while its high output – a massive drawcard for this particular microphone – makes sure your voice will be heard with detail and clarity, even amid the most cluttered of mixes.

Expect to pay: $229

Check the specs.

Sennheiser HD 200 PRO

You can’t ever go wrong with a pair of headphones for a last-minute gift idea – especially with a bargain as good as this one. Until the end of the year, Sennheiser’s HD 200 PRO headphones are being offered at a special price of $99 AUD, making the brand’s legendary audio quality more affordable than ever before. 

With their closed-back and around ear construction, the HD 200 PRO headphones are an ideal pick for musicians seeking a set of cans for silent practice, recording demos or even just for casual listening. Utilising Sennheiser’s proprietary transducers, the headphones promise mind-blowing sound quality with gorgeous stereo sound reproduction, with a particularly punchy low-end making them perfect for hip-hop and EDM producers.

A padded headband and pair of super soft ear pads makes for a comfortable listening experience over extended periods of use, while the HD 200 Pro’s ambient noise attenuation blocks out background noise and ensures that you stay focused on the task at hand. Their tough two-metre long cable allows you to move freely without getting snagged or coming unplugged, while an included 1/4” stereo jack adapter lets you use the HD 200 PRO headphones with a myriad of devices. 

Expect to pay: $149

Find out more.

Sennheiser HD 25

If you’re hunting for gift ideas for a budding DJ, there’s no better option in the headphone department than the iconic Sennheiser HD 25s. Heralded as an industry standard in the booth since being introduced to the market in 1988, the HD 25 headphones are simple, tough and – most importantly – sound sensational.

DJing can tend to be quite a noisy profession, which makes it important to have a set of cans that can not only withstand loud environments, but thrive in them. The HD 25’s ability to handle ludicrous sound pressure levels guarantees unbeatable performance even in the loudest of booths, while their aluminium voice coils deliver high sensitivity to make for an exceptional monitoring experience.

One of the big draw cards of the Sennheiser HD 25s is their unparalleled flexibility, with their rotatable capsule facilitating simple single-ear monitoring to help DJs transition between tracks with ease. Their breezy weight and robust build also allows for easy transportation and storage, while a foam-padded headband and ear cups lets you mix away for hours without any ear fatigue. 

Of course, the HD 25s are world-renowned as DJ headphones, but that doesn’t limit them to use in the booth. Whether you’re podcasting, recording or even just casually listening, there’s not many headphones on the market that can trump the quality of Sennheiser’s HD 25 headphones.

Expect to pay: $239.95 (usually 349.95)

Check them out.

Head to Sennheiser’s website to check out their full product range.