Sennheiser e914 cardioid polar mics problem!

S

Steven Jamella

New member
Hi everyone,

I'm new here and I'm asking for help with an issue with a couple of sennheiser e914 that I've recently bought and as far as I know they are very excellent mics.

I'm using them to record a drumset as overheads. Actually, I'm just a drummer and not a sound engineer, but I'm trying to do some decent home recordings.

I'm having trouble with their signals. I'm connecting them to a presonus firestudio project audio interface with a XLR cable on a phantom-powered input.

The microphone sensitivity is set to its default which is 0 (I can also use -10db and -20db attenuation) and the bass filter is set to bass (other settings are roll off and cut off).

When I connect the cable and run the phantom power with those settings in a few seconds the signal goes in overload and I can hear a helicopter-effect in the output.

This effect is better when I switch the attenuation or I switch the bass filter to roll-off or cut-off, but when I'm recording, the audio sounds distorted. The input signal is healthy, but seems like the sound is clipping. I've already tried every kind of mic positiong all around the room and in different rooms, same result.

Has anybody come across anything that might cause this?

Thanks in advance.
 
They both do it? I would suspect the interface. Can you try the mics on another device, perhaps borrow a mixer or ask a music store to let you try them on something there?

---------- Update ----------

Or try some other mics on the same interface.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
They both do it? I would suspect the interface. Can you try the mics on another device, perhaps borrow a mixer or ask a music store to let you try them on something there?

---------- Update ----------

Or try some other mics on the same interface.
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for your answer.

Both mics do the same thing also with a different interface :-( I tested on every single input of my interface but nothing, I can only do an attenuation from the gain, but the issue is there.

I'm using the same interface with different mics and i have no problem with them.

I also checked the cables. no way, it's so weird.
 
What other interface? It just sounds more like it's something external to the mics, like a phantom power problem. Do you have other phantom powered mics that work? Then again, not all mics require the full 48 volts so some could work while others don't.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
What other interface? It just sounds more like it's something external to the mics, like a phantom power problem. Do you have other phantom powered mics that work? Then again, not all mics require the full 48 volts so some could work while others don't.
Click to expand...

I tested them on a small alesis iO4, same phantom, but on the presonus I have different condenser mics. I've got 2x sennheiser e614 and a e901 and they work fine . I only have problems with e914. Is it possible that I damaged those mics in someway? However, I have the problem with both, how could I damage both. Doh, this thing is driving me crazy
 
Steven Jamella said:
Hi everyone,

I'm new here and I'm asking for help with an issue with a couple of sennheiser e914 that I've recently bought and as far as I know they are very excellent mics.

I'm using them to record a drumset as overheads. Actually, I'm just a drummer and not a sound engineer, but I'm trying to do some decent home recordings.

I'm having trouble with their signals. I'm connecting them to a presonus firestudio project audio interface with a XLR cable on a phantom-powered input.

The microphone sensitivity is set to its default which is 0 (I can also use -10db and -20db attenuation) and the bass filter is set to bass (other settings are roll off and cut off).

When I connect the cable and run the phantom power with those settings in a few seconds the signal goes in overload and I can hear a helicopter-effect in the output.

This effect is better when I switch the attenuation or I switch the bass filter to roll-off or cut-off, but when I'm recording, the audio sounds distorted. The input signal is healthy, but seems like the sound is clipping. I've already tried every kind of mic positiong all around the room and in different rooms, same result.

Has anybody come across anything that might cause this?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If you have doub;e-checked wverything (the instruction manual is HERE) then ask the Sennheiser Distributor in your country direct.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top