As an automotive journalist and social media manager at Turbocharged Magazine, I often find myself shooting reels and videos at events, where ambient noise can be a significant challenge. This means I am always looking for solutions to improve my audio game, and this is where the Sennheiser MKE 400 Mobile Kit comes into the picture. It comes with a sturdy Manfrotto Pixi tripod, a solid metal phone clamp, and Sennheiser’s MKE 400 shotgun microphone. So, when Sennheiser sent over the kit, I swiped it before anyone could get their hands on it and had no plans to apologise for this skulduggery!
The kit includes my favourite Manfrotto Pixi Mini tripod, which I have used extensively and still keep handy during shoots (I can vouch for its build quality and compactness). There’s also a solid aluminium phone clamp, which allows for both horizontal and vertical mounting. The robust mechanism of the clamp can also be locked easily to keep the phone secured. It also features a cold shoe mount, where the star of the kit, the microphone, sits.
This microphone is renowned for its ability of capturing and delivering crisp, clear audio, thanks to its super-cardioid polar pattern, built-in windscreen, and shock mount, which also makes it work like a miniature blimp microphone. In my testing, the mic was able to pick up vocals clearly in a mildly noisy environment and on extra windy days, the supplied windscreen cut the ambient noises down further. The MKE 400 also comes with a low-cut filter and a three-step gain sensitivity switch, which is a boon in extra-noisy situations. The supplied TRS and TRRS cables also allow for swift switching between the phone and a proper camera. Additionally, the auto start-stop function enables the mic to start and stop recording automatically in sync with the attached camera. While it’s not cheap, you may be able to find it at lower prices online. Overall, the MKE 400 Mobile Kit is an absolute must for journalists, vlogging enthusiasts and content creators looking for a reliable audio solution in a compact and easy-to-use package.
₹21,999 | sennheiser.com/en.in
