Vanwege zijn kenmerken en uitrusting behoort de MD 431 II tot de beste kwaliteit Sennheiser-microfoons en is hij geschikt voor zang- en stemoverdracht op alle gebieden van de geluidstransmissietechnologie.
Sennheiser has a peerless level of expertise in the field of dynamic microphones, and the Sennheiser MD431II is one of the high-end manufacturer's top-of-the-line microphones. This vocal microphone has had a stellar reputation among professional technicians and musicians for years, impressing singers and listeners alike with its excellent sound performance and great resistance to feedback. Thanks to its spring-loaded microphone capsule, it also boasts extremely low structural noise transmission, reducing handling artifacts of any kind to a minimum, while its low weight means it also handles well in general.
The Sennheiser MD431II is a moving-coil microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern and an astonishingly wide frequency range of 40Hz to 18kHz. Although the Sennheiser MD431II is a traditional dynamic microphone, its response is exceptionally good, with levels we might otherwise only expect from condenser microphones. When used at close range, it offers a pronounced proximity effect that lends voices a special intimacy and richness. Singing at a greater distance from the microphone capsule will mean losing some of that tender, intimate sound, which is however more than made up for by the mic's clear, bright response at this distance, with articulate and finely detailed mids and highs.
For anyone looking for a high-quality dynamic microphone for capturing either singing or speaking, the Sennheiser MD431II is the right choice. With its balanced sound, highly directional supercardioid polar pattern, and low mechanical noise, it possesses everything a vocal microphone needs. Particularly noteworthy is the mic's desirable proximity effect, which gives both male and female voices a pleasant intimacy and assertiveness – without being overpowering. Another useful feature is the reed switch, which makes it possible to switch the mic on and off in with barely a click.
In June 1945, Prof. Fritz Sennheiser founded the Wennebostel Laboratory, which initially produced measuring equipment. Commissioned by Siemens in 1945, the young company developed the MD-1 microphone, which was launched in 1946. After the development of further microphones, the company was renamed Sennheiser Electronic in 1958. Two years later, Sennheiser introduced the MD 421 dynamic microphone, which is still in production today and still held in high esteem by many sound engineers. Further groundbreaking developments, such as the HD 414 headphones and the classic MD 441 microphone, hugely enhanced the company's international reputation, eventually making Sennheiser one of the leading manufacturers of microphone and headphone systems in the world.
The Sennheiser MD431II cuts a fine figure whatever the venue. Thanks to its fairly consistent supercardioid pattern, it isolates the singer's voice while reliably rejecting off-axis, lateral sound. Stage monitors are thus best set up in the angle of greatest cancellation, i.e. between 120° and 135°. The spring-loaded capsule bearing also reduces handling noise to a high degree, so the Sennheiser MD431II can be freely carried around the stage during a performance without any interference; this is made even easier by its low weight of just 250g.