MKH416T and AD261

[Jonathan Morrow]

Hi all, I am having aproblem wiring up a cable to connect a sennhesier MKH416T to an AD261. The AD261 has T power so I assumed it would be easy, but it isn't. I found a wiring diagram for the MKH but it appears that there are 2 version (MK416T and MKH416T-U) with different pinouts. I certainly have the same earth pin as the T-U version (pin 1), but there is no "U" marked on the body. Also, I am not sure exactly which pin should go high and which should go low, i.e how the other 2 pins should be connected. The manual says that pin 1 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T, so I am assuming that pin 2 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T-U.

So my questions are:

1. Should I see a "U" stamped somewhere on the MKH416T if it is infact the T-U version.
2. Which way round should I connect the 2 remaining pins?
3. Are there any known issues with the AD261 to MKH416T?
4. Might it be that my mic is bust? I know the phantom power on the channel I am testing is good, but I have never tested the T power (it does produce +11V on pin 2)

Cheers

Jon

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Morrow

Hi all, I am having aproblem wiring up a cable to connect a sennhesier MKH416T to an AD261. The AD261 has T power so I assumed it would be easy, but it isn't. I found a wiring diagram for the MKH but it appears that there are 2 version (MK416T and MKH416T-U) with different pinouts. I certainly have the same earth pin as the T-U version (pin 1), but there is no "U" marked on the body. Also, I am not sure exactly which pin should go high and which should go low, i.e how the other 2 pins should be connected. The manual says that pin 1 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T, so I am assuming that pin 2 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T-U.

So my questions are:

1. Should I see a "U" stamped somewhere on the MKH416T if it is infact the T-U version.
2. Which way round should I connect the 2 remaining pins?
3. Are there any known issues with the AD261 to MKH416T?
4. Might it be that my mic is bust? I know the phantom power on the channel I am testing is good, but I have never tested the T power (it does produce +11V on pin 2)

Cheers

Jon

I would strongly suggest you send an email to Sennheiser's service department, including your mic's serial number, and get definitive word directly from the horse's mouth.

[Jonathan Morrow]

Clearly a very sensible approach, I do sometimes find myself looking so closely at the detail that I miss the obvious stuff. I have just popped an e-mail off to them now. Cheers. Jon

[Jonathan Morrow]

No reply yet from the Senn...

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Morrow

Hi all, I am having a problem wiring up a cable to connect a Sennhesier MKH416T to an AD261. The AD261 has T power so I assumed it would be easy, but it isn't. I found a wiring diagram for the MKH but it appears that there are 2 version (MK416T and MKH416T-U) with different pinouts. I certainly have the same earth pin as the T-U version (pin 1), but there is no "U" marked on the body. Also, I am not sure exactly which pin should go high and which should go low, i.e how the other 2 pins should be connected. The manual says that pin 1 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T, so I am assuming that pin 2 goes positive wrt pin 3 for the MKH416T-U.

So my questions are:

1. Should I see a "U" stamped somewhere on the MKH416T if it is in fact the T-U version.
2. Which way round should I connect the 2 remaining pins?
3. Are there any known issues with the AD261 to MKH416T?
4. Might it be that my mic is bust? I know the phantom power on the channel I am testing is good, but I have never tested the T power (it does produce +11V on pin 2)

To answer your questions:-

1) The 416T has a Tuchel (screw-lock DIN) connector and the 416T-U has an XLR connector - so it should be clear which is which.

2) The two connectors are connected very differently!

XLR
Pin 1 = screen
Pin 2 = +ve
Pin 3 = -ve

Tuchel (DIN)
Pin 1 = +ve
Pin 2 (the middle one) = screen
Pin 3 = -ve

3) No known issues at all.

4) If you tried to put 48V phantom into a T powered microphone you may have damaged it.

I hope this helps.

[Jonathan Morrow]

Hi John

Thanks for that technically precise reply. I definitely have the 416T-U version then, and connecting straight through from my AD261 pins 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 should see me getting sound. But I don't. So I guess I bought a dud mic. I'll have to start looking around for a servicing company, unless these could be serviced at home? I phoned up my local hire co in Liverpool, but they can't even cover their own gear at the moment. So, if I don't hear anything from cyber space I shall have a pop and open her up.... I guess Sennheiser is the only place for spares?

PS I followed your link, and it looks very interesting. I do think though that the text regarding the BARC could do with a once over by a politically-correct filter - the word commencing "hand" is no longer in common usage. I accept that it has been a few years since tape gave way to digital media...

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Morrow

Thanks for that technically precise reply. I definitely have the 416T-U version then, and connecting straight through from my AD261 pins 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 should see me getting sound. But I don't. So I guess I bought a dud mic. I'll have to start looking around for a servicing company, unless these could be serviced at home? I phoned up my local hire co in Liverpool, but they can't even cover their own gear at the moment. So, if I don't hear anything from cyber space I shall have a pop and open her up.... I guess Sennheiser is the only place for spares?

Are you using T-power? It won't work from phantom.

If it's faulty ring Sennheiser UK for a returns number (assuming you are in the UK).

Originally Posted by Jonathan Morrow

PS I followed your link, and it looks very interesting. I do think though that the text regarding the BARC could do with a once over by a politically-correct filter - the word commencing "hand" is no longer in common usage. I accept that it has been a few years since tape gave way to digital media...

Thanks for that - one of those things written years ago and copy/pasted without being fully read. I have asked the webmaster to change it - thanks.

[Jonathan Morrow]

Originally Posted by John Willett

Are you using T-power? It won't work from phantom.

Yes, I have been trying it on T-power. I tested the pinouts from the AD261 and I get +11V on pin 2 and continuity on pin 1 to the chassis, I wasn't sure how to check pin 3. But I know the phantom power side of the same channel works fine...

Originally Posted by John Willett

If it's faulty ring Sennheiser UK for a returns number (assuming you are in the UK).

I guess I shall have to do that.

Originally Posted by John Willett

Thanks for that - one of those things written years ago and copy/pasted without being fully read. I have asked the webmaster to change it - thanks.

No worries.