Skip to main content

i have this mic: http://www.skokiemusic.com/dynamic/slides/Sennheiser%20MD%20431.jpg

except the foam on the inside of the mic grille is missing. where can i get replacement foam? or... can anyone think of a clever way to fix it?

i dont care if it's back to 100% factory specs, but i want to make the thing work with a little bit of wind protection.

Comments

RemyRAD Wed, 02/09/2011 - 23:10

Not knowing your location, most any music store will have generic foam pop filters. I recommend using those even on microphones that already still have their internal foam intact. In fact, I also use them on Shure SM58/Beta 58's all the time even though those microphones are not supposed to pop but they do.

I'm curious how you figured out that the internal foam had deteriorated? You're not supposed to open the microphone up. All foam deteriorates over time and so, you don't necessarily want to play with the foam. It generally only falls apart when you've played with it in these kinds of microphones. Generally, it's generally impractical to try and replace the internal foam since they are all specially molded foams. Gluing little foam pieces together rarely works well. And you can't just stuff foam in there as you have already discovered.

You could also try your low-cut switch on your microphone, microphone preamp or software, instead
Mx. Remy Ann David

rockstardave Thu, 02/10/2011 - 06:11

remy-

i work at a major music retailer. i definitely want the internal foam. unscrewing the head is never a problem. i dont know why you think it's not ok to take the grille out?

the mic is OLD (decades if i'm not mistaken) so the foam naturally wears out. your statements contradict themselves.

i have a bunch of beta87s, beta58s, sm58s, etc etc etc and i've always wanted to have this mic at my disposal, but i dont want to use it without interior foam. and half the reason i want to use this mic is for the appearance - so putting a windscreen on the outside is not the solution.

thanks for the input everyone. keep it coming if you got it!

RemyRAD Thu, 02/10/2011 - 14:42

I'm sorry Dave. You might work for a music store but you're only finding this out now? All of these internal foams deteriorate on all microphones within approximately 10 years. That's why you're not supposed to unscrew the head and play with the foam. Your question was a bit like "what's the best microphone to buy", or, " where do I plug my guitar into my computer", etc..

Sure, anybody can unscrew the head of the microphone. I assume you've also disassembled a U87 fully? Right down to popping off the capsule, removing the screen, etc.? You see Dave, I generally don't recommend this to many of our entry-level enthusiasts here. Obviously, your best bet then would just to be ordering a new windscreen head directly from Sennheiser. It's a custom molded piece of foam and if you can't get the foam directly from them, you're just gunna' have to think out of the box yourself. My God man, you're working for a music store where you have pop filters. So purchase a couple of pop filters and start cutting it up, shaving it down, etc.. What are you asking here? Not to come down hard buddy but?

I'm an underachiever and proud of it! (Bart Simpson in the 20th century)
Mx. Remy Ann David

RemyRAD Fri, 02/11/2011 - 12:30

I think I provided some useful professional information. This is what any other professional would do. Explaining to you that, should you want to re-create the internal foam pop filter, you would best be served by another stock pop filter that has been modified to retrofit the existing microphone head screen. And that's useless information to your inquiry? And you're supposed to be able to sell someone a piece of equipment you know nothing about? I'm going to rush right over Dave and find out what you don't know what you want to sell me on. Come on buddy, we've known each other for a long time now. You know my posts & suggestions are slightly better than useless. They're real world. A professional who's been thinking outside the microphone head screen for over 40 years. My God... 40 years +. Authorized service tech for Ampex, Scully, MCI/Sony, 3M multitrack machines & consoles. Quality control manager, final test technician for Scully. Maintenance, design, construction, operations for NBC-TV for 20 years where one might be required to improvise, modify, retrofit whatever it takes to do the job. And I offer up useless information. But it's the useless information that you need! It's the useless information all professionals need to know. Now you know it too. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings but in this line of work, you got to think out of the retail box.

Anybody else need some useless answers to simple problems?
Mx. Remy Ann David

x

User login