Help! Problem with Sennheisser ME66 (1 Viewer)

[Birdingcraft]

I have a Sennheisser ME66 microphone with K power module that I have used successfully with an L10 Olympus digital recorder. The set up was working fine until today when I tried to record a Blue and White Swallow in my backyard. The recording was "filled"with interference or static and hardly recorded at all.

Here is what I did to troubleshoot:

1. Replaced the battery in the power module- problem was still there.
2. Tried recording with the LS10 without the Sennheisser mic.- worked fine without the external mic.
3. Tried recording with the mic. hooked up to my computer.- same static problem or worse.

I didnt change the batteries in the recorder because the indicator for battery power was at full charge.

So, I suspect that there is an issue with connectivity in the power module.

Any ideas or experience with a similar problem as well as fixing it?

 

[HarryJ]

Hi,
I guess you have checked that the behaviour is repeatable at another location. A strong local electric field could cause interference, eg. a radio station emitter close to the recording site. Cables (including at least some XLR cables) can act as strong antennas. The electric field they pick up could show up as broad band interference. This may not show up when using internal mics.

A faulty XLR cable is another option. Try another cable. This is my most common source of interference! Check also that the contacts are clean and dry.

Regards
Harry J

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Must admit that I've had what sounds like exactly the same problem with my ME66 (used with a Fostex FR2 LE). I've still not fully resolved what the problem was, although it became less prevalent (but didn't go away entirely) when I got a new XLR cable.

 

[bombycilla]

Tetra masts used by emergency services here in UK have played havoc with my Sennheiser and Telinga gear - they cause specific pulse (micro) wave form interference at arould 17 to 20 kHz. They are all over the place in towns and unfortunately even in the middle of nowhere !

LC

 

[Birdingcraft]

Yes, I have tested it at more than one site. I strongly suspect that it has something to do with the XLR cables as it was working very fine for some years and then interference suddenly became a problem this morning.

Any ideas on fixing those or I wonder if it would be easier to just buy another power module?

 

[fmhill]

Yes, I have tested it at more than one site. I strongly suspect that it has something to do with the XLR cables as it was working very fine for some years and then interference suddenly became a problem this morning.

Any ideas on fixing those or I wonder if it would be easier to just buy another power module?

I would expect the cable is the culprit and would get a new cable before considering purchasing a new power module.

Mic cables are prone to fail with age due to the amount of flexing and abuse they get.

 

[Birdingcraft]

I would expect the cable is the culprit and would get a new cable before considering purchasing a new power module.

Mic cables are prone to fail with age due to the amount of flexing and abuse they get.

Thank you all for your help! I hope to do that as soon as possible as high time for recording birds in Costa Rica is fast approaching!

 

[Ficedula]

I have had the same problem, had my ME66/K6 checked out and they are fine. am told it is the xlr cable.

I have a query of my own. I will be using my Sennheisser with an Olympus L-11.

i see Wildsounds sell this xle cable
"LR female to Right-angled stereo minijack -This cable has a mono input wired to stereo output, for use with either mono or stereo recorders. This results in sound being laid down on both tracks"

but i have read that with the ME66/K6 and L-11 set up a Pre-amplifier is advisable, also available at Wildsounds

"Pre-amplifier
For use with Sennheiser K6/ME66 systems and recordable minidisc systems. Provides 20dB gain in signal-to-noise ratio. This is high-quality gain with ultra low white noise."

Is this much more expensive option worth the money?

 

[fmhill]

Yes, that mic cable is what you want. But NO to the preamp!!!

The ME66/K6 is a high output microphone with its own preamp/driver in the K6 module and the LS-11 Recorder has low noise high gain mic preamps built into it, adding another preamp would get you way too much signal and probably not work right at all...

Emphatically, NO to an additional preamp...

 

[ermine]

I second the no to an additional preamp the ME66 has more than enough grunt to drive my Oly LS10 to full-scale Avoid. That's part of what you're paying for with the ME66!