Product Suggestions by Brad Balfour
Whenever I receive notice of a new Sennheiser product, I have a visceral reaction: “I want that.”
Founded in 1945, Sennheiser celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. The independent family company, managed by third-generation family members Dr. Andreas Sennheiser and Daniel Sennheiser, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, loudspeakers, microphones and wireless transmission systems. In 2019, the Sennheiser Group generated turnover totaling €756.7 million.
And though their products are reasonably priced, sturdy and of excellent quality, I can neither afford them all or really can use everyone of them. In this day and age, my concerns are no longer getting equipment that served me as a deejay but instead, I look for stuff that might help me in my efforts of personal documentation. That is, doing podcasts, vlogs and content that serves social media.
Whereas in my past, I needed tough-as-steel microphones that could handle the abuse meted it through live deejaying or for use doing in-person events such as panels and talks, that’s hardly needed in this age of lockdown. A solid directional microphone that can be coupled with a digital camera such as a Canon or Sony A series mirrorless camera is what’s needed.
To serve that effort, I got my hands on Sennheiser’s new MKE 200 microphone. The biggest problem in using digital cameras as the recording tool is the lack of a quality audio recorder. And this mic solves that conundrum. Quality video is easy to come by these days, but that isn’t always the case when it comes to quality audio. Even the phone in your pocket has the ability to shoot video in crisp 4K resolution, so why shouldn’t it sound as good as it looks? This is where an external microphone such as the MKE 200 comes in.
Rugged and sleek enough for DSLRs, DSLMs or phones, the MKE 200 is an ideal take-anywhere audio upgrade. This directional mic with its natural stereo sound brings presence to your voice and is perfect for stepping up your vlogging game with a built-in wind screen and integrated shock mount so that recordings will sound cleaner than ever before. In addition, it comes complete with furry windshield, TRS cable for cameras and TRRS cable for smartphones, plus a storage bag.
Now as for playback, I also got my hands on the high-fidelity Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i Bluetooth speaker which uses your WiFi network and can be set up in minutes right out of the box. It’s basically like an compact, almost 6″ x 12” high box that can sit on any desktop or cabinet. You can have one or a linked set of several placed in various rooms.
Once the BluOS Controller app is opened, the software walks you through the set-up process step-by-step. The speaker’s name can be customized; give it a room, adjust audio settings, and program up to five presets that let you quickly listen to your favorite radio stations, music services and playlists with a simple tap. Once the Pulse Flex 2i is online connectivity stays solid thanks to a new dual band Wi-Fi engine that ensures zero skips or delays while listening to music.
The Bluesound player can easily connect through the corresponding app to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, so you can enjoy hands-free voice control of personal music libraries, streaming services or your own playlist. Select a track, play your favorite set, pause or skip a song, and even say which room you want to listen to music in. Voice control brings you a whole new way to experience music at home.
Included in my speaker set was also the battery pack and custom cover called Flex Skin for Pulse Flex, but generally they are sold separately.
Either, or both, of these state-of-the art, affordable tech tools make for ideal gifts to be given to your beloved, kids or — ideally — yourself, whether it be for Valentine’s Day, Father or Mother’s Day. Or hell, at any time.