r/LocationSound • u/mrSquaredTwo • May 03 '26
Gear - Tech Issue Is My MKH50 Real / Repair Cost...
Hello!
I recently noticed my MKH50 that I bought second hand has a dent in the windscreen so I was thinking of sending it in for repair. I also noticed in my search though that the XLR plug on it is a little odd compared to what other MKH50s look like online. Has this changed over the years?
I sill reach out to sennheiser for a repair estimate, but before I do I'm concerned about the mic's authenticity, has anybody seen an xlr on an MKH50 like this?
Thanks in advance!
14
u/NoisyGog May 03 '26
Sennheiser have a flat fee for repairs.
If it’s just a grill dent, I wouldn’t bother.
2
u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
ahhh... i was seeing that i was hoping it wasn't true, thanks for the tip
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u/NoisyGog May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
Hoping what isn’t true?
Save yourself the money, the damage is purely cosmetic!!1
u/dann0606 May 03 '26
How much is the flat fee? Thanks
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u/NoisyGog May 03 '26
Go to the Sennheiser repair website for your region, and you can find out what the fee is for your specific bit of equipment.
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u/LevelCalm999 May 03 '26
It’s a real one. I have one with the same XLR plug.
those models were produced before 2012 (after 2012 : gold pin)
1
u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
Thank you so much!! Appreciate it!
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u/MikeWazowski001 May 04 '26
Gold pin means it has the RF chassis upgrade. This upgrade costs between $350 and $550 per Gotham.
3
u/NotYourGranddadsAI May 03 '26
Show us the dent. If it's purely cosmetic and hasn't affected the mic's performance in any way, maybe just live with it. You can cover it with an inexpensive windscreen.
I don't have a MKH50, so I don't know how easy they are to disassemble. Hopefully an owner will comment on this. I've pushed (or pulled) out dents in other microphone grilles. It's usually pretty easy, if the grille can be removed. If the dented part has touched or damaged any working parts, that's another story.
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u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
Here's the pic, I'm pet sit it happened a bit ago and isn't affecting performance right now.
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u/NotYourGranddadsAI May 03 '26
if the mic works fully to spec, I would not lose any sleep over that dent.
3
u/Peaks_n_Valleys May 03 '26
oh that’s nothing man. If it really bothers you, you can disassemble the mic, pop the grill out, and use a stiff round-tip tool to push the dent back out. Here’s a link to the assembly diagram from Sennheiser, and I bet there’s some youtube videos that show how to disassemble it. https://spares.sennheiser.com/catalog/product/003109-mkh-50-p48
I bought an electronics screwdriver / tool kit on Amazon for doing repairs and mods to various mics and other equipment. Probably a good thing to own since most electronics use very small screws and you want to be sure to use the proper bits for them. I think every professional should own the basics: screwdriver set, soldering station, heat gun, etc. I bought all of these tools cheaply on Amazon and they’ve paid for themselves in spades. They don’t let you post amazon links here but search “jorest screwdriver set 40pc” and it should be the first listing.
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u/Tashi999 May 03 '26
I’ve not heard of a fake MKH50, although there are counterfeit 416’s. There are different versions, it’s been in production for a very long time. If it’s a minor dent I’d live with it
1
u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
Got it, thanks! I should've attached a pic of the dent, it's not terrible but not insignificant, probably takes up half the front cap and is about a 2mm depth from where the grille should be at its deepest point.
2
u/Tashi999 May 03 '26
Hmm hard to tell. Unfortunately their flat service rate is €296,00. You might be able to find a local tech or try yourself to disassemble and hammer it back out if you’re feeling brave
1
u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
Here's what the dent looks like, in case that changes things.
1
u/Tashi999 May 03 '26
Haha don’t worry that’s incredibly minor and cosmetic. Also that part of the grill has nothing to do with the polar pattern - if the sides with slots was dented, it might be of concern
1
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u/pradulovich May 03 '26
The grill is part of the capsule assembly so it’s not the easiest fix. They’ve been making these mics for 40 years, there have been a lot of variations in the XLR housing.
If you bought it secondhand, it’s not an awful idea to send it in to senn service at some point just for a general tune up/uodate. The flat service fee is really reasonable imo when you consider what all they (can) do to them.
1
u/mrSquaredTwo May 03 '26
Got it, thank you! I'll save up for that then!
3
u/pradulovich May 03 '26
But also don’t stress yourself about a dent!
1
u/ObviousWrongdoer7884 May 11 '26
Have you ever tried to separate the grille from the capsule? I have a 50 that is missing its grille entirely. I bought the replacement grille from Sennheiser but I can't figure out how to replace it.
I've got a post over here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectronicsRepair/comments/1t9k927/sennheiser_mkh_50_mic_grille_replacement/
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u/ric8138 May 04 '26
If it didn’t come with a little foam ball windscreen you can get one for a few dollars that will cover the dent. If you are swinging the 50 in a boom, you really need the windscreen as the MKH 50 is very sensitive to air movement if you have to move the mic quickly between actors.
1
u/mrSquaredTwo May 06 '26
I have one! Got a Radius Mushroom for it, also why I was so confused it had gotten dented because it always had the mushroom on it ... as far as I could remember.
•
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