The Sennheiser e 904 is a tried-and-tested dynamic microphone for all types of percussion instruments, but one especially suitable for miking snare drums and toms. With a weight of just 125g, its compact design, and the integrated rim clamp, it's ideal for mounting on a drum's hoop, where it can be positioned flexibly and easily. Despite its low weight, the Sennheiser e 904 is well protected by its robust metal casing and wire mesh guard, making it practically impervious to the accidental "misfires" that can happen to even the very best drummers.
The Sennheiser e 904 is a dynamic instrument microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and a uniform frequency response that delivers a neutral, transparent, and cleanly balanced sound. These transmission characteristics allow musicians and technicians alike to express a high degree of creativity in their individual sonic concepts, providing a broad scope for different sound designs and musical styles, whether live or in the studio. In every situation, thanks to its fast pickup, the Sennheiser e 904 offers flawless transient response for a precise attack.
The Sennheiser e 904 is primarily conceived for miking drums and percussion, and is particularly suitable for snare drums and toms. Thanks to its excellent transmission performance – with a precise attack and voluminous overall spatial characteristics – it generates an appealing, well-balanced sound. Many users have also had great success using the Sennheiser e 904 to mike wind instruments – its qualities make it an attractive proposition for trumpets, saxophones, or trombones, not just for percussion instruments. As such, the Sennheiser e 904 is something of an all-rounder when it comes to recording musical instruments, and will provide reliable service in a great vareity of situations.
In June 1945, Prof. Fritz Sennheiser founded the Wennebostel Laboratory, which initially produced measuring equipment. Commissioned by Siemens in 1945, the young company developed the MD-1 microphone, which was launched in 1946. After the development of further microphones, the company was renamed Sennheiser Electronic in 1958. Two years later, Sennheiser introduced the MD 421 dynamic microphone, which is still in production today and still held in high esteem by many sound engineers. Further groundbreaking developments, such as the HD 414 headphones and the MD 441 microphone classic, hugely enhanced the company’s international reputation, eventually making Sennheiser one of the leading manufacturers of microphone and headphone systems in the world.
The Sennheiser e 904 is best mounted directly on the rim of the drum being recorded live, using the integrated rim clamp. The special design of the clamp makes installation simple, quick, and effortlessly reliable. However, when used on a drum without a rim, the Sennheiser e 904 can also be attached to a stand, or even other clamps, thanks to its integrated stand bracket; this makes an additional microphone stand unnecessary and ensures uncomplicated pick-up for hoopless drums and other instruments.