Sennheiser have shrunk down their classic 421 — but have they retained everything that made it so popular?
If we’re comfortable using the term ‘legendary’ to describe a microphone, then I think it’s fair to include the Sennheiser MD 421 in that category. With over half a million sold since its introduction in 1960, the 421 is a microphone most engineers will be familiar with, and one that can be found in the mic lockers of most commercial recording studios. I don’t like using the term ‘industry standard’, but if you ask any engineer to name the most commonly used mic for recording toms on a drum kit, I expect most to name this well‑known dynamic mic. It’s not just toms, though: the 421’s ability to capture a ‘full’ sound in high‑SPL settings has made it a long‑established choice for close miking guitar and bass cabinets, brass and vocals — and in any role where a reliable, unfussy dynamic mic is a good option.
What’s New
I asked a few fellow engineers what they might like to improve about the 421, and we all without hesitation said “The clip!” In part because of the angles it ends up in when used around a drum kit, you only have to lightly press the release switch on the original 421 clip and gravity will fire the mic forwards — often spilling onto the tom below and perhaps then bouncing off onto the floor. It’s a testament to how rugged these mics are that they can handle this abuse, but both of the 421s in my collection now have electrical tape permanently holding them to their clips. It’s great, then, to see that the new 421 Kompakt now features a self‑contained clip, which means this mic isn’t going anywhere!
The clue to the other significant practical improvement is in the name: this new Kompakt version is just over half the length of the original model, making it ideal for getting into position around a busy drum kit. Embracing the application it has become most widely known for, the Kompakt comes with an optional clip, the MZH, for attaching the mic directly to the edge of a drum. This worked nicely in the studio and would, I imagine, be even more useful for live engineers.
It appears that Sennheiser have been careful to retain the sound of the original — a relatively ‘full range’ dynamic mic, with a frequency response of 30Hz‑17kHz. The low‑end response is achieved in part by an internal ‘bass tube’ port, which the designers claim to have retained in this more diminutive new version. Before I report on how the Kompakt compared with the two 421s I have in my studio, the only other difference that I can tell, apart from the price, is that the Kompakt omits the larger version’s bass roll‑off control, which allows users to counter excessive proximity effect when using the mic up close. Like many, I suspect, I have never touched this control in well over a decade of using my 421s, so all in all the Kompakt seems like a sensibly repackaged 421 for studio and live engineers — providing it sounds the same...
The 421 Kompakt is only 122mm long (left), compared to the original’s 215mm.
In Use
It had to be toms as a first test for this new release, especially as I was also keen to see how I got on with the MZH drum rim mount. Studio engineers can be a bit suspicious of clip‑on mics on drums, with concerns about the mic not being isolated from the drum itself. I found no issue in that regard, and when I retired to the control room for a listen, I was impressed with the clear, full‑sounding rack tom being reproduced through my monitors. The clip gives you just enough control over the mic’s angle but you can, of course, use a stand if you prefer.
I used the 421 Kompakt on several drum recording sessions during the review period and I’m happy to report it sounded indistinguishable from my original 421s...
The smaller size of the Kompakt is a significant benefit when multi‑miking a busy drum kit, and the ability to easily get the mic into position on a floor tom whilst avoiding an overhanging ride cymbal was much appreciated. I used the 421 Kompakt on several drum recording sessions during the review period and I’m happy to report it sounded indistinguishable from my original 421s on both rack and floor tom recordings.
One thing that has always made the 421 a double‑edged sword on drums is how it handles sources with a lot of upper‑midrange information. There’s a pretty substantial presence peak at around 4‑5kHz; this can bring out clarity on toms, and alongside its extended low‑frequency response, is what has made the 421 the go‑to tom mic for generations of engineers. However, the flip side of this midrange peak is that cymbal bleed into the tom mics can sometimes be very unpleasant‑sounding. The Kompakt is just like the original in all of these respects.
Moving on from tom miking, the 421 Kompakt did an excellent job when used for close‑miking a saxophone player in a live session, handling what can be a surprisingly loud instrument with ease. It also fared well in front of a guitar cabinet (many engineers like the way the presence peak can present guitars), and it sounded full and satisfying in front of a very loud bass cab. Thanks to its compact size, I also found this new mic to be an excellent alternative to an Shure SM57 or beyerdynamic M201 for close snare miking.
Summing Up
There’s nothing groundbreaking about the Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt, but the practical changes the designers have made are significant and well thought‑out. There’s an awful lot of choice on offer when buying a dynamic mic in this price range, especially if you also consider the second‑hand market, though I’ve learned the hard way to be cautious about buying ‘vintage’ models in particular. The capsules in dynamic mics can lose their ability to reproduce low frequencies over time, and it’s often the case that they are unrepairable, or at least not cost‑effective to repait. I mention this as the new MD 421 Kompakt comes in at a similar price to many vintage Sennheiser 421s I’ve seen for sale — but with this new model, you can be confident you’re getting a mic that works perfectly. It’s also significantly cheaper than a brand‑new ‘full size’ MD 421, and if you’re a studio or live engineer who specifically wants a 421, I struggle to see what you would miss compared to the original.
Summary
The MD 421 Kompakt is a streamlined, smaller and more affordable version of Sennheiser’s classic dymamic mic. It’s cheaper than both new and used originals, its smaller size makes miking drums easier, it sounds identical to the full‑size version — and they fixed the clip!
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