10.05.2004 - Wedemark

MD 21 - A Microphone Legend is 50 Years Old

For half a century now, this microphone has been a faithful companion for artists and journalists, and played a vital role in the early years of TV and radio history: the MD 21, without doubt one of the world?s longest serving microphones and still much sought after in the product range of audio specialist Sennheiser.

Company founder Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser had a clear concept of what he wanted the MD 21 to be: "A dynamic microphone that has an omnidirectional pick-up pattern and a balanced frequency response combined with absolute toughness, setting it apart from all previous microphones." Based on these specifications, Sennheiser's development engineers got to work and created a microphone with excellent acoustic properties that made it ideally suited for both music and voice recording.  Its unusual cross-section was a departure from the standard round design, while its die cast housing and hammer tone finish made it absolutely tough.  Indeed, the aim was to achieve sturdy quality because, as Fritz Sennheiser remembers, "at that time, plastic microphones were considered to be second-rate microphones."

The indestructible design of the new microphone was impressively demonstrated at the Industrial Fair in Hanover in 1954. "We set up a round wooden board, about 5 feet in diameter, on which we had fitted ramps at regular intervals. An MD 21 suspended on a short cable was placed on the board, which was then rotated quite fast. The microphone was dragged up each ramp and could be seen crashing down onto the board again and again," said Fritz Sennheiser describing the unusual demonstration. "It was sensational - at that time, microphones were delicate objects and had to be handled carefully." And even today, the extremely low percentage of repairs for the MD 21 - 0.4% - speaks for itself.

But even Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser never expected the MD 21 to be such a bestseller for so long.  "We started with a completely normal "edition", with production at that time in batches of 500." In the course of its long life, the microphone has undergone only minor modifications, including a change from the gray hammer tone to a black finish. "We also improved the transducer system in accordance with the state of the art, basically involving improvements to the diaphragm.  The main issue was - and still is - eliminating partial oscillation in the diaphragm."

To celebrate the birthday of this exceptional microphone, Sennheiser electronic is issuing a limited edition in a light-gray hammer tone design with the signature of Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser.  The birthday edition is limited to just 100, and the first three of these, in a special presentation package, will be auctioned off for a good cause.  These first three microphones of the series will come with an elegant wooden case and a certificate signed by Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser, and will be auctioned at www.sennheiser.com/md21 . The proceeds will go to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, to support its valuable work on an international level in training young sound engineers and artists.

Details of the auction can be found at: www.sennheiser.com/md21

Minimum bid: € 150

• The first auction (serial number 001) will be held from 08.05.04, 12:00 CET until 18.05.04, 12:00 CET.
• The second auction (serial number 002) will be held from 21.05.04, 12:00 CET until 01.06.04, 12:00 CET.
• The third auction (serial number 003) will be held from 04.06.04, 12:00 CET until 14.06.04, 12:00 CET.

As one of the world's leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems, the Sennheiser Group with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, had total sales of over €229 million in 2002, with exports accounting for 80%. Sennheiser has a total workforce of approx. 1,500, of whom 800 are employed in Germany. Sennheiser is active worldwide and, in addition to other partnerships, has its own sales subsidiaries in France, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and the USA.

For further information about Sennheiser just visit our website / or contact:

Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG  
Pressereferat - Edelgard Marquardt  
Am Labor 1 - 30900 Wedemark   
Fon: +49 (5130) 600-329   
Fax: +49 (5130) 600-295   
e-Mail: marquare@sennheiser.com  

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