Sennheiser ME66 K6 level problem

[Wayne Avanson]

I have two identical ME66s and two identical leads. The two K6 units are delivering significantly different volume levels.

The labels inside the K6s battery compartments are different. One has a label in that says -IVE +IVE and the quieter one says K6 CL /-18db. How can I get matched levels? Thanks!

I have swapped mics with the power units, swapped leads and Zoom inputs and narrowed it down to the K6s.

Both mics produce that nice bright responsive Sennheiser sound when set at a good level, but the problem is, one good level is about 35 and the other is about 75. That's a hell of a difference.

Any pointers most welcome.
Avey

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Wayne Avanson

I have two identical ME66s and two identical leads. The two K6 units are delivering significantly different volume levels.

The labels inside the K6s battery compartments are different. One has a label in that says -IVE +IVE and the quieter one says K6 CL /-18db. How can I get matched levels? Thanks!

I have swapped mics with the power units, swapped leads and Zoom inputs and narrowed it down to the K6s.

Both mics produce that nice bright responsive Sennheiser sound when set at a good level, but the problem is, one good level is about 35 and the other is about 75. That's a hell of a difference.

Any pointers most welcome.
Avey

This is because you have two different K6 versions.

The CL version has a -18dB pad and was designed for camcorders that could easily be overloaded by the high output level of the standard version.

You will have to decide which version you want and send the other one back to the Sennheiser distributor in your country to be modified.

[Wayne Avanson]

Thanks John, Didn't realise there were two different ones.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Wayne Avanson

Thanks John, Didn't realise there were two different ones.

There were more than two different ones - you could actually specify the level of the attenuation.

The attenuated versions were for Sony and other cameras that had the level control after the first level of amplification and it was easy to overload this first section before the signal got to the level control.

[John Nantz]

Originally Posted by John Willett

There were more than two different ones - you could actually specify the level of the attenuation.

How can one tell what type or version the K6 is? Is there a code built into the serial number or must I contact Sennheiser? While I'm not the original owner of the K6, I do think I might have the box for it.

Also, my kit has a ME-64 and a ME-66. Do you know if there are any variations on these as with the K6 that one might want to know about?

John - Thanks for the great information in your post. This is the first time I've ever heard that there were different K6s. The more I know about my gear the better.

For info: Windshield for the 66: The Digital Video Information Network
Both the 64 and the 66 have their own Rycote softies.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by John Nantz

How can one tell what type or version the K6 is? Is there a code built into the serial number or must I contact Sennheiser? While I'm not the original owner of the K6, I do think I might have the box for it.

Also, my kit has a ME-64 and a ME-66. Do you know if there are any variations on these as with the K6 that one might want to know about?

John - Thanks for the great information in your post. This is the first time I've ever heard that there were different K6s. The more I know about my gear the better.

The ME capsules are all the same and there are no differences.

The K6 was sold in a retail box as normal and also as a "CL" version in a simple cardboard box.

The padded down version was only sold as a "CL" in a cardboard box.

Though Sennheiser distributors (certainly Sennheiser UK did) did do the padded down modification on request to a standard version.

[John Nantz]

Thanks for all that great knowledge, John. It appears that my K6 is the standard one because that's what the box was. It's really good to know these things.