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Re: Fake Sennheiser e845?

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TimPerry

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Jan 9, 2007, 9:14:11 PM1/9/07
to
BillHart,KarenPierce wrote:
> I've been wanting to have a Sennheiser vocal mic in the collection as
> an alternative, so I bought one on ebay.
>
> I avoided the sellers from China, picking a US seller who had decent
> feedback and a list of items that looked like he might be connected
> to a
> small music store. His story was that the mic had been ordered but
> they misunderstood what model the customer wanted so he was unloading
> it.
>
> I got it and am pretty sure I fell for a counterfeit. Here's what I
> think I know.
> -No pouch or clip, which Sennheiser site lists as included.
>
> -It hums badly, which is probably due to the fact that both pins 1
> and 3
> are connected to the shell. (This would be bad on phantom power
> whereas
> most dynamics are ok with it).
>
> -Handling noise is worse than other models of mic I have.
>
> -Shape of the grill is subtly different from the Sennheiser site's
> picture. This one has a tapered ring between the two parts of the
> grill
> and the back end of the grill is smaller diameter. The Sennheiser
> picture shows the ring as cylindrical and both parts of the grill same
> diameter.
>
> -If you unscrew the windscreen grill the capsule assembly says
> BAILINER
> in white on black, and DYNAMIC MICROPHONE in white on blue, and closer
> to the end UNI-DIRECTIONAL DYNAMIC MICROPHONE Impedance 600 (omega).
> Does a real one say Sennheiser inside?

my e835 mics have black capsules with no markings. stamped in the plastic
capsule in tiny tiny letters is PA66 80 and PA12 80. on opposite sides of
the 3 leads that go to the coil. only the left 2 are connected. I purchased
my mics used and separately.

when the Phillips screw is removed the XLR pins are so tight (or glued) that
they will not budge even with considerable tugging with pliers.

>
> Has anybody else had experience with these? Any other tips on how to
> tell them apart?
>
>
>
> BH
>
>
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Phil Allison

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Jan 9, 2007, 9:20:53 PM1/9/07
to

"BillHart,KarenPierce"


> -It hums badly, which is probably due to the fact that both pins 1 and 3
> are connected to the shell.


** A genuine e845 has a hum bucking coil - bet this one does not.

Linking 1 & 3 will not cause a mic to hum.

> -If you unscrew the windscreen grill the capsule assembly says BAILINER in
> white on black, and DYNAMIC MICROPHONE in white on blue, and closer to the
> end UNI-DIRECTIONAL DYNAMIC MICROPHONE Impedance 600 (omega).


** Genuine e845s are 350 ohms and supercardiod.

Ebay bites again.


........ Phil

BillHart,KarenPierce

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Jan 9, 2007, 8:07:42 PM1/9/07
to

I've been wanting to have a Sennheiser vocal mic in the collection as an
alternative, so I bought one on ebay.

I avoided the sellers from China, picking a US seller who had decent
feedback and a list of items that looked like he might be connected to a
small music store. His story was that the mic had been ordered but they
misunderstood what model the customer wanted so he was unloading it.

I got it and am pretty sure I fell for a counterfeit. Here's what I
think I know.
-No pouch or clip, which Sennheiser site lists as included.

-It hums badly, which is probably due to the fact that both pins 1 and 3

are connected to the shell. (This would be bad on phantom power whereas
most dynamics are ok with it).

-Handling noise is worse than other models of mic I have.

-Shape of the grill is subtly different from the Sennheiser site's
picture. This one has a tapered ring between the two parts of the grill
and the back end of the grill is smaller diameter. The Sennheiser
picture shows the ring as cylindrical and both parts of the grill same
diameter.

-If you unscrew the windscreen grill the capsule assembly says BAILINER

in white on black, and DYNAMIC MICROPHONE in white on blue, and closer
to the end UNI-DIRECTIONAL DYNAMIC MICROPHONE Impedance 600 (omega).

Does a real one say Sennheiser inside?

Has anybody else had experience with these? Any other tips on how to

BOB Urz

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Jan 9, 2007, 9:44:54 PM1/9/07
to

"BillHart,KarenPierce" wrote:

I just got done reading an article on microphone makers in China.
statistics:

70% of global mike output
400 makers in mainland china
produced 135 million mikes in 2005
(dealerscope.com november 2006)

No wonder there are phonies out there.
Even the legit guys building mikes with OEM partners
probably have product going out the back door.

I was reading a article on cisco routers that were counterfeit
awhile back. They would make counterfeit Phil Allisons if
there was profit in it....... ;)

Bob

BillHart,KarenPierce

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Jan 9, 2007, 10:41:47 PM1/9/07
to

Phil Allison wrote:
> ** A genuine e845 has a hum bucking coil - bet this one does not.
> Linking 1 & 3 will not cause a mic to hum.

There are two ways a dynamic mic can get hum. One is magnetic field on
the coil and a humbucker helps that. Magnetic hum depends on the
direction you turn the coil. Turning this one had no effect.

The other way is through grounding problems. The setup I was using did
not have ideal grounding. It was just a mixer and headphones to listen
to the mics. But an SM57 or OM-5 did not hum and this mic did. I
pulled the braid off pin 1 of the mic cord to break the pin 1 to 3
connection (without altering the mic that am trying to send back). I
had to ground my body to the mixer chassis to avoid higher frequency
buzz harmonics, but in this situation none of the mics had a bad hum.

Conclusion: Connecting pin 3 to the shell made the mic more susceptible
to imperfect grounding in the system.

Phil Allison

unread,
Jan 9, 2007, 11:02:50 PM1/9/07
to

"BillHart,KarenPierce" <

> Phil Allison wrote:
>
>> ** A genuine e845 has a hum bucking coil - bet this one does not.
>>
>> Linking 1 & 3 will not cause a mic to hum.
>
>
> There are two ways a dynamic mic can get hum. One is magnetic field on
> the coil and a humbucker helps that. Magnetic hum depends on the
> direction you turn the coil. Turning this one had no effect.


** So it actually has a hum bucking coil ?

Or maybe you simply failed to put it near a strong AC hum field.

Nearly any AC supply transformer will do the job.

> The other way is through grounding problems.


** No common ground ( ie earth loop) exist with a dynamic mic on the end of
a lead.


> The setup I was using did
> not have ideal grounding. It was just a mixer and headphones to listen to
> the mics. But an SM57 or OM-5 did not hum and this mic did.


** Sounds like a faulty or badly designed mixer - connecting pin 3 to pin
1 should NOT cause hum.

Or maybe you left the phantom power on ???


....... Phil


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