Sennheiser MD421 Kompakt

Great video! Great comparison! Thank you for measuring the size of the mic for us! It seems like the Kompakt sounds a little more modern… whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is probably personal preference, but I personally have never heard a 421 that I wanted to use on anything ever, so this might be a big improvement for my applications.

Love this! Answers the questions i had about this mic. Great job! It definitely sounds different, but also not bad at all!

I'm definitely hanging on to my MD-421-U mics, but might also pick up some of the new Kompakts. Love the new (standard) mic mount.

The 421 is a very old design and it's time Sennheiser went back to the drawing board and introduce a completely new model.

That slightly darker tone was exactly what I was hoping for, 'shaving off' the excess of the II model (Just ordered one!). Thanks for the awesome review!

Glad they finally dumped that worthless mic clip. No more duct tape on the mic! But, is the new short one any good? This idea of the inbuilt European adapter bugs me.

Almost everything I dislike about a 421-II now removed, but the sound now I like even less, sounds dull, never loved 421's anyway and nothing changed. For $300 (maybe $200) I think CAD M179 is a better deal for similar applications. For live music you go ATM's or e604's and get the full pack for the same $.

WOOOOOOO

Great video as usual

Hey, great job on this video. This is how comparison videos should be. Perfect.

thanks for that! I'll pass.. but it's a step in the right direction. I'd drill some holes in that case... open it up a bit (but then you mentioned the 5k deal and I backtracked lol-agree with you on why it's so 'muffled'). That old one is fine for me... lots of sonic details. I'm of a mind that the more frequency information you can bring in.. the easier it is to mold it to what you want. IDK if I'm right (prolly not) LOL. Cheers from Bugtustle!

Good effort from Sennheiser. Marked improvement over the MD421-II sound. On floor tom that initial transient "thwack" is much more less pokey. The balance on the original U-4 is simply perfection though, and the U-4 sounds much more "open" in the sustain. The Kompakt seems to have a little bit more muddy low end, which you can see in the louder sub-bass on the graph. I guess that probably comes from the bass tube adding some resonance in the low end without the same air volume.

To my ears it doesn't quite touch the U-4 for toms, but sounds great on guitar and bass. The improved top end makes it night and day better than the 421-II. I don't know that I would use it on metal guitars where that bite and hair is essential to the tone, but on bright strats and warm overdrives it's an easy win.

Listening back to this it doesnt sound like a 421 but a repackaged e609 🤔. Its lost those upper mid thing 421s typically have. On that get a 609 and make it easier to mic in the process.

Very cool review.

For the most I like the MK II better thant the others (on guitar especially and for its rejection of bleeding instruments).

The fact that the new compact is darker add a new color in the products line but it laks in frequencys that I usally boost in the mix in about every instrument that you tryed, so not the best for me.

Not feeling it. Crazy how different they are. E904 sounds more like a mini 421 to me… this thing is way too muddy and the rest of the mic just sounds meh… makes the MK II sound way better than I thought.

I love my U5 for toms. But also have an Old N that’s amazing even on vocals. My how these are all different.

Thanks for jumping on this!

My vote for MK2. Most natural tonality

Tense AND hard
Been there

Wow, I didn't expect them to sound that different. Unfortunately I actually dislike how the kompkt sounds, U4 is the best one, mkII is ok

Interesting, I heard it that way too, it's a darker tone, that to me comes across as the mic sounding smoother, deeper and a bit cleaner. I hear it as more similar sounding to the U4/U5 than the II, but it doesn't sound exactly either of them. I actually prefer the Kompakt to the II, for floor tom or bass guitar, and probably even electric guitar. As to my favourite 421, based on sound rather than convenience, I'd choose the happy middleground option a U4/U5, which has slightly more definition than the Kompakt. But, I would be totally happy to use a 421 kompakt, and maybe EQ back in some 4-5k definition, to taste. As for more affordable Royer R121 alternatives, I love my Beyerdynamic M160s, and they are good for drum recording too, on overheads, or as stereo room mics. For guitars, the Cascade Fatheads are worth searching out, if you can find good ones.

Was hoping they sounded identical to the 421 II, I will stick with the 4 I currently have...

.chin mullet

Thanks for posting. It’s helping me decide on new mics for drums. I’m thinking the MD421 Kompakts on rack toms and an EV ND46 on floor. I like my RE20 in the kick and an AT 4060 at the end of blanket tunnel outside the kick. Right now I have a pair of AKG 391’s for overhead but think I may get a pair of 414’s. Depending on the snare being used, I will use SM57 or an AKG shotgun mic on top and a 57 or AT2020 on the bottom. Thank again, I just hit the Subscribe button ! - Joe