Sennheiser Pro Audio Professional MD 421-II Cardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphone

What can I say, it's an incredible microphone for guitar amplifiers and drums, which is what I mainly use it for in my recording studio.

Love that German quality and performance! Perfect for skindrums!

This mic has been around forever for a reason. It is an extremely versatile microphone that can be applied in many roles. A big part of the versatility is a relatively high output level, large diaphragm and the really well engineered variable high pass filter ring. The high pass filter selector takes this from a very powerful bottom end response for capturing bass cabinets and toms to being able to thin it out to use for things like an overhead mic for drums or communications grade speech recording. For voicover or singing work you will need to manage plosives with pop filters or application of compressors. It has a great articulate quality for voice with the emphasis on the upper mid-range frequency response. Once managed it performs very well across many types of voices. I have a lot of low frequency energy in my voice and run these at the mid-point selection of the high pass filter selector. Works great. The cardioid pattern has a nice forgiving sweet spot to it allowing for some freedom of movement with a predictable and manageable proximity effect. With practice you can get some great dynamic speech results as well as vocal effects while singing. If you are strictly doing voiceover work and don't have appropriate outboard processing gear or experience with processing, other mic designs like the EV RE series, the Rode or the Heil PR40 may make it easier for you, but this microphone has broader applications.

Received as described. No doubt a good Sennheiser product.

The size does matter. This fits perfect on all three of my Toms. Switched the full size for these. No sound difference but they are out of the way.

This is the best dynamic mic ever, in my humble opinion. Although I do respect the versatility of others dynamics I have and use in specific occasions, such as the SM57 and the e906, the MD421 is at a higher level and too much better for recording drums (snare, toms and kick), bass and guitar amps. I do recommend this mic and will acquire more of it in the future.

We used these every day, for 25-years while I was in radio. Very nice mic - versatile and well built!

Compact design and like it. What can you write about the 421 that not been written. It's standard in studio and stages the world over.