Sennheiser 6042 Receiver review for Broadcast Pro Middle East
Sennheiser 6042 Receiver review
Sennheiser Middle East gave me the opportunity to test out their latest dual channel ‘slot in’ audio receiver, the EK 6042. This receiver is predominantly designed to be fitted into the audio slot of broadcast cameras (Panasonic, Sony, Ikegami etc) and also the Super Slot in the Sound devices SL6. I had heard about it a while ago and though it was interesting so it was great to get the opportunity to test it out.
One of the first things you notice when you take the EK 6042 out of the box is the build quality, it’s excellent, just as you would expect from a top of the range product from Sennheiser. There is a good weight to it, but it’s certainly not heavy. The top of the unit, the part that will be in view, is quite tall and sticks out slightly more than the WisyCom units that I use. The antennas that are supplied are pretty large with solid plastic and metal SMA connectors at the base and a flexible rubber whip. They do seem very well made and feel like they will survive a lot of abuse in daily use. The slightly larger size of the receiver and the heavy duty antennas indicate to me that this is aimed primarily at broadcast camera operators as opposed to sound recordists.
One of the main selling points of this receiver is it’s flexibility, the EK 6042 is able to receive from digital and analogue transmitters simultaneously. So whether you are using transmitters from Sennehiser’s range topping Digital 9000 series or the ever popular G3 series you are covered. You are also able to receive from transmitters made by other manufacturers as well. I tested it out with my WisyCom transmitters and it worked flawlessly.
The top of the EK 6042 has 4 buttons, 2 SMA antenna sockets, OLED display panel, TA5 Aux output socket and status LED’s for the 2 channels. The OLED display is excellent and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. There is enough information at a glance and you can make most adjustments from the unit itself, but as with most dual channel receivers it can be a little fiddly to do. Sennheiser have added USB web server functionality so you can connect to the unit using a laptop, tablet, or phone and make adjustments. As a sound recordist I would have liked to have seen display options that let you have the display stay on all the time or dim after a certain period of time, when working with receivers in a soundbag, being able to see information at a glance without having to press anything is essential. This is obviously not an issue if the receiver is in a camera. The side of the receiver has an infrared port for synchronisation with transmitters and a micro USB port for connecting a computer for configuration via a web browser.
The basic package comes with the EK 6042 receiver, 2 antennas, USB cable, transport case and the printed manual. To be able to use the EK 6042 in cameras or audio equipment you require a D-Sub adapter for the type of kit you are using. The 25pin D-sub adapter is used for cameras and audio equipment with the UniSlot/SuperSlot interface and the 15pin D-sub adapter is for Sony cameras. If using the EK 6042 in a UniSlot/SuperSlot interface both the audio channels are sent to the camera through the connector, however Sony cameras may only accept audio from channel 1 through the connector. To receive both channels you will have to utilise the 5pin XLR socket at the top of the receiver and use a Y-adapter to send the audio to the camera.
There are a number of optional accessories that are available for the EK 6042, and some are essential. As mentioned above you have the options of D-sub adapters, but, if you want to use the EK 6042 on it’s own then you require some, if not all of the optional accessories. Firstly, you need the Backpanel adapter (GA 6042 BP) which is a metal sled than you slot the receiver into, this has 2 Mini XLR (TA5) outputs (Main output, either analogue or digital AES3, and AUX output), HIROSE power socket, headphone socket and battery pack connections. I found this adapter made the EK 6042 too large, it was hard to fit into my soundbag, and the connectors were resting on the bottom of the bag. I do have quite a compact setup with a small bag so if you are using a larger bag then you may not find the same issues I faced, however it’s still much larger than similar devices from other manufacturers. I feel that there are potential fixes for this but at the time of writing this article there is nothing available from Sennheiser. The other accessory which is available is the Accupack adapter (GA 6042 BA), this adds space for 2 rechargeable Li-ion batteries (BA 61) to the backpanel adapter. This is a very neat add-on, and works very well, it certainly makes the unit even larger and heavier but for standalone situations where you have no other power supply it’s a very neat solution. The batteries have to be purchased separately and do not come with the adapter, they will give you approximately 4 hours of use so probably having at least 4 batteries is advisable if using in standalone setup. These are not standard batteries so a dedicated charger (L 60) is required.
As well as the EK 6042 I was also given Sennheiser’s SK 9000 bodypack and SKM 9000 handheld transmitters to test out. I won’t talk about them much but they are worth mentioning. Both the bodypack and handled transmitters from the 9000 series are digital and sync very quickly with the EK 6042. In fact it only takes 5 seconds. Both are very well made and have a decidedly premium feel about them. They are unquestionably made to last a long time.
The bodypack is about the size of a pack of playing cards and a similar weight, the display is small and gives basic status information, you can change some functionality on the unit itself but it’s recommended to make the changes on the receiver and synchronise to the transmitter. There are 2 battery options, the BA 61 rechargeable accupacks which are the same as I mentioned earlier and also the B 61 battery pack which takes 3 standard AA batteries. The antenna socket is a LEMO connection but this is standard with other high end Sennheiser bodypacks. The microphone connector is a 3 pin LEMO connector, these are small and robust but are certainly more expensive than connectors used by other brands. Most makes of lavalier microphones offer the option for this connector or an adapter.
The handheld has a great feel to it, with a perfect weight. The display is the same as on the bodypack and has the same menu and functionality. There are many microphone capsules you can get, both dynamic and condensers are available in various pickup patterns. There are also 2 Neumann heads in cardioid and super-cardioid patterns. As with the bodypack there are 2 power options, the BA 60 accupack rechargeable battery and the B 60 battery pack which takes 2 standard AA batteries.
If using the B 61 or B 60 battery packs you should only use alkaline or lithium batteries as rechargeable batteries will give an incorrect value in the status display.
After a short time with the EK 6042, I feel that it’s definitely designed for broadcast cameras and the Sound Devices SL6 SuperSlot. Having to buy lot’s of other accessories to make it work in a soundbag without the SL6 makes it prohibitively expensive and way too large to be practical. I believe there may be ways alleviate these concerns in the future, but for now slot in use is the only practical application.
PROS
Flexible options
Excellent build quality
Easy operation
Fast syncing between devices
Web server configuration
CONS
Very large when in backpack adapter
Expensive batteries
Lack of display visibility option
Review - Sennheiser HD6mix Headphones
Sennheiser Middle East very kindly loaned me a set of the HD6 Mix headphones to test out.
As a long time user of the Sony MDR-7506 headphones I have been wanting to try something new for a while. I have never liked the Sennheiser HD-25's or the new HD-26's, don't get me wrong, they sound great but the "on ear" design just doesn't work for me.
First impressions of the HD6’s are good, they have a professional quality feel to them, feel very well made and have a good weight. In the box you get a very hardy cary case, 2 sets of earpads, a plastic one and one in a lovely velour material. My personal preference is the velour fabric one as the plastic earpads always seem to disintegrate quickly. You also get straight and coily cables, I’ll get on them in a bit.
One other thing I dislike about the HD-25's is that the cable comes from the right, I like it to come from the left. The HD6's have an option for both sides, you just plug the cable in which ever side you want.
Most components can be easily replaced by the user, cables, earpads, headband padding, even the logo panels on the sides can be replaced.
One of the things that I'm not that impressed with is the cable. It's rather stiff and doesn't fall straight, both the straight and the coily option are made out of the same cable material so both have the same issues. I hope the cable will soften in time. The 2.5mm connector to the headphones has a bayonet function so they lock in place and will not fall out. The build quality of the cables is excellent and should last the abuses of set life, if they soften.
Coming from the Sony's which have an incredibly flat frequency response the HD6's have a slightly more coloured sound, as they are from the DJ product line there is a slight boost in the lower end. They do sound amazing and slightly coloured sound is not bad in any way, it's just something different which I would have to get used to.
So, after spending a few days on set with these, I don’t think I will be getting a pair, at least not for on set mixing. The sound is great but just doesn’t give me the sound I like when mixing. However, the main reason is the cable, its just way too stiff and you can hear all the rubbing and knocks that the cable gets. Again, they are from the DJ line so they are built for those situations. My other concern is the build, they are very well built, however they may not do well in the field. The headband is chunkier and is prone to knocks, being solid plastic this could get scuffed and damaged pretty quickly. The earcups do not fold in any way at all, this is something I love about the MDR-7506’s, I can attach them to my sound bag and fold the earcups in and they sit nicely on the side, without dragging on the ground or wherever surface I’ve placed the bag. The HD6’s will not sit well on the side of the the bag which means I would need to store and carry them separately, not very convenient.
To sum up: The Sennheiser HD6’s are amazing headphones and at a reasonable price (approx $150, at the time of writing). They sound great if you are listening to music, but not for critical listening situations.
The search continues for a replacement for my Sony MDR-7506’s.
Shahrukh Khan in Dubai
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to work with the Indian megastar Shahrukh Khan, when he was in Dubai for a Dubai Tourism commercial.
It was a great project to work on and the end result is pretty good. There was no time to get him back for ADR so we recorded the lines live and also wild tracks when we had the opportunity. The parts with the 'public' were recorded live with either plant mics or hidden on the participants. They knew they were being filmed, they just didn't know what to expect so the reactions are very real.
Recorded on Sound Devices 633 with WisyCom radios, Sanken & DPA lavs and Sennheiser MKH8060
Virgin Holidays Live Commercial
Over the last two days I have been involved with and interesting project, the first live commercial from 18 locations around the world.
There were 3 units in Dubai, one in the desert, one at Atlantis The Palm and I was in the unit out on a boat overlooking Dubai Marina.
I had a very simple setup, just my Pearl MSH10 M/S mic into Sound Devices 552 and out to the camera. The camera signal was sent to a LiveU satellite link unit which broadcast the HD signal to the gallery in London.
We spent a few hours out on the water each night which was fun, although a little hot and sticky, it's still mid 30c and high humidity at this time of year.
A simple sound job for me, but a nice project to be involved with.
Pearl MSH10 MS Stereo Microphone - Review
A couple of weeks ago I finally received the Pearl MSH10 MS stereo microphone. They are handmade, so the lead time on them can take a while.
The microphone came in a lovely wooden box engraved with the Pearl logo and the model. The mic was in a silk pouch and also in the box was a Rycote InVision shockmount, and a test sheet signed by an engineer. The Rycote was a great surprise, and will definitely be utilised.
I also ordered a Rycote Kit 2 windjammer system, ConBox and a Duo Lyre system (required as the mic is pretty thick). The fantastic guys at Pinknoise Systems put this all together for me so I didn’t even need to set anything up.
The build quality is excellent and really has a quality, handmade feel to it. The coating is black with silver mesh. It is slightly longer than my MKH-8060 but the diameter at 28mm is quite a bit larger and definitely warrants the Rycote Duo Lyre’s I ordered.
I wanted to do a sound test as soon as possible so got my Sound Devices 744 out and put the mic on the balcony of my apartment. The sound quality is fantastic, really gave me a good stereo image of the traffic outside and was picking up all sorts of subtle sounds, from car horns to babies crying in other apartments. I then took it back inside and was pleasantly surprised at the very low self-noise.
I arranged to meet another sound recordist and we took a trip to a local beach to test it out there. He was also very impressed with the mic. The sounds of the waves were really clear, but there was so much other sound around it was impossible to get a clean recording. We also tested it out on some trees with birds and the clarity was stunning.
I have since used the mic on a job that took me up into the mountains of Fujairah, in the north of the UAE. We were filming up a mountain at 5am, so managed to get some great early morning sounds, roosters were in abundance! I also managed to get some night time ambience, but as it’s the summer here now, it’s very warm so there are less creatures about. I’ll have to go back and try again when it’s cooler.
I’m incredibly happy with the Pearl and paired with my Sound Devices 744 it’s definitely my go-to stereo recording system.
