Sennheiser MKE 200 Review and Comparison to the Rode VideoMicro, Boya BY-MM1, and Deity D4 Mini

[@PatrickChannonInPost]

Have to say this is the most impressed I've been with a review - LOVE how comprehensive you are

[@nethervoicevideos]

One of the best video microphone comparisons on the web. Your "wind tunnel test" was especially revealing.

[@davetaylor5501]

Great review It's nice to see how the MKE200 compares to other microphones, I've actually just bought one and can't wait to try it out both indoors and outdoors

[@DamianBrown]

Hey Mark, what a great coincidence. For some reason I was looking at these mics and voila, it's you!

[@markwiemels]

Haha. Might be because I commented on your videos. YT seems to love to do this, hit me up if you have any mic questions, I have like 40+ on camera mics, so I have a pretty good feel for them. Nice to hear from you.

[@duncanwallace7760]

Superb review, especially the wind test at the end, which is why I was thinking about getting the MIC.

[@faspete2nd]

Great job Mark! Loving the new vibe of the videos. MKE sounds good, but for me I think it could use a little more base.

[@markwiemels]

Thanks. Yes, I think that is the biggest issue with this microphone. Bass boost in editing would really bring out the best in this Mic. The MKE 400, which I will review shortly, addresses this and might just be the best Mic under $200.

[@globalmolecule]

Yes I noticed this, very tinny.

[@bartgr9008]

@@markwiemels Fabulous clip, very helpful.

[@freecloud1155]

@@markwiemels Just saw this from a year ago. Thanks for your patience replying to my similar comment just now..

[@AbelVlogsRD]

Nice video. I was thinking about buying the MKE but it sounds exactly like de Boya. So i'm gonna buy the Rode one

[@markwiemels]

Well that's the point of the video!

[@alexjudo2868]

This channel is amazing! Great, informative content presented thoroughly and in a way that's easy to understand. You should have hundreds of thousands of followers. Keep up the amazing work it's appreciated!

[@markwiemels]

Thanks! Hopefully it will have that many followers some day, and we can say you were right.

[@JeffSibelius]

This is a tough call. I like the sound of the RodeMicro better, but something that is small and doesn't show up in my wide angle view like the Sennheiser is really appealing.

[@AlfredYap]

Thanks. great info. most likely i would go with Deity D4 mini to start with since i am new to this. will only upgrade to Sennheiser MKE 200 when i am able to maximize my video recording skill. thanks again

[@markwiemels]

The D4 Mini is a great mic, don’t think there is any need change from it. The D3 might be the natural upgrade path, unless you really want the super small form, then the MKE 200 would be the choice.

[@AlfredYap]

@@markwiemels like the compact small form of MKE 200 but it is a bit over my budget as a beginner. BTW how does the Deity D4 Mini sound like when we speak from the rear of the mic? does it able to record our voice clearly about 2 palm away although it might be slightly muffled.

[@helloeveryone5111]

your content is so enjoyable man! I like how you comment on them as if it was a football match, but also using the fan for testing them. that's cool!

[@markwiemels]

Thank you so much!

[@MaintenanceManNarratives]

That's a good looking microphone!! Good video too!

[@markwiemels]

Thanks! yes, its a pretty cool Mic, I really dig it.

[@mjmsource]

Great review. Loved the wind test you did. Nice work

[@annekedebruyn7797]

I liked the sound of the VideoMicro more as it's a bit fuller. But overal, I would go for the MKE200.

[@elijahmant2855]

Excellent video, Man. To the point, detailed. Thanks

[@markwiemels]

Thank you so much!

[@sheepsforjesus]

Mics are so hard to find!!! Thank you for this video !!

[@markwiemels]

You are most welcome!

[@mexmax1657]

Exactly the video I was searching for, thanks a lot. :)

[@badhabit714]

Is it though….😅

[@TomGimmel]

Great video! Thanks for helping me choose.

[@GmanfromTexas]

Awesome review thanks. I wish the MKE 200 had a extra input for adding a lav in some cases.

[@PROWATCHES]

Great comparison, just purchased the MKE 200

[@markwiemels]

It’s a great mic. If you edit the audio, use an eq to bump up the 100-250hz range, and it makes the mic sound very pro.

[@PROWATCHES]

@@markwiemels Thank you, we'll try these techniques. We're looking for the easiest audio, primarily for indoor interviews and watch reviews. If the quality is not good enough, is the MKE 400 the next best choice?

[@markwiemels]

@@PROWATCHES watch this video. If you can, booming a mke-600 will get you audio quality good enough to be part of a Netflix documentary.

[@PROWATCHES]

@@markwiemels thank you, will see how the MKE 200 works with the Canon RF and L glass and go from there

[@markwiemels]

@@PROWATCHES sorry forgot to link the video, here ii is. Follow these tips kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJelYomLgs6jbpI

[@JohnSpringateMusic]

What a really great review so in-depth! Many thanks 👍

[@markwiemels]

Thank you so much!

[@Gman4MF]

Great item, very good explained. Subscribed. PS: the mke200 seems less wind-sensitive because it obviously has some kind of low frequency roll off sensitivity/equalisation in my opinion, around 100/120hz or so (have been using sennheisers for over 35 years, with good reason).

[@luisandradevideo]

I have videomicro, its better mke200?

[@jaco_oosthuizen]

I have 3 or 4 Boya microphones and so far I have been very satisfied. Boya fits in my budget...

[@markwiemels]

They are really good for the price!

[@justadddirt]

I’ve just bought the MKE 200 to use with my iPhone 15 pro, so far I’ve found the design spot on, super cool and low profile. But I’ve found the sound coming from the mic very weak, maybe input gain is low, although I’ve got it cranked to max in the black magic camera app. Maybe I’ll need to do something in post

[@cn92]

Great Video! I just got the MKE 200 secondhand for 50€

[@lukaslenk6662]

I've got the MKE 200 for my GoPro 11 and tested it a bit: + convenient shape + looks good + clear audio + low wind-sensitivity - for perfekt audio it needs post processing (more bass, less mids in my opinion) - you can hear handling noise conclusion: For my purpose of use the cons are acceptable. I made a EQ Preset in Davinci Resolve for this mic and apply it every time. So the audio becomes perfect with one klick. Also the handling sounds are no problem for me because my cam is almost always static.

[@markwiemels]

This is inline with my assessment as well. The size factor is really good, I use it all the time just for that fact.

[@Travel_Stache]

can you share the preset somehow?

[@Travel_Stache]

grad gesehen, dass du österreicher bist 😂 geile videos!

[@lukaslenk6662]

@@Travel_Stache Danke! 😂 Ich glaube, das kann ich schon irgendwie senden. Wenn ich wieder Zuhause bin, kann ich mal schauen, ob ich ein Video dazu finde. Dann melde ich mich hier wieder.

[@TipToeMonkey]

Impressed with Boya sound and the price 👍🏽

[@sammatthews6290]

Great video! :) Might have to pick one up!

[@markwiemels]

Thanks, yes it's a super cool mic.

[@juka.parfum]

Great video. Sennheiser MKE 200 can be used on an action camera while motovlogging with a deadcat/windmuff? Would that be smart for getting clean audio?

[@Thunspeed]

Great video with lots of info. Thanks

[@markwiemels]

My pleasure!

[@maddarena]

Are these mics good for recording wedding ceremony and party with canon R7? I just want to upgrade from the camera's built-in mic.

[@MsCankersore]

How can you mount a diety mic on top of a phone? I see there a way to screw it on a camera but how is this possible on a phone??

[@ericBcreator]

I really wanted to like the Sennheiser - as I like nearly all of its other qualities - but after watching a lot of sound comparisons, IMO it lacks in sound quality. To me, It sounds hollow, lacking lows and some mids, has emphasized highs and almost sounds shrill. I can edit that in post but I think the source material should be best to start with.

[@EduardAlexogiannopoulos]

Such a great review video!

[@dylan-nguyen]

i literally just got the MKE 200 refurb for $50 on amazon got the 4yr drop protection warranty from amazon for another $8

[@borist.]

I've seen that you used a fujifilm camera for the wind test. I vlog with a fujifilm camera and the problem is that if there's too much wind,doesn't matter what dead cat you have,it produce the same noise i can hear in your test without the dead cats. Do you think that with a sennheiser the situation would be different?

[@markwiemels]

Dead cats can only do so much, some mics and dead cats work better than other, but in the highest winds none of them will cope.

[@borist.]

@@markwiemels yeah I knew but never happened to me with other cameras to get that noisy sounds like a disturbed radio. It's so annoying and frustrating sometimes. I know that it's a fuji problem so i thought maybe with a sennheiser there wouldn't be that problem considering that is builded differently. Gonna buy it on Amazon maybe, test it and see how it go. Thanks for the reply👊🏻

[@markwiemels]

@@borist. interesting, I will have to try a wind test comparing my other cameras to the Fuji’s. I wonder if is the shape of the camera or something. In theory the camera is just hearing what the mic is putting out, regardless of brand.

[@zephyrkhambatta]

What's the microphone you're using to make this video though? Is it the Sennheiser Profile you reviewed in the other video?

[@adventuresinAI1982]

Any chance of doing a video on lens bags and/or cases for the M50 (Mark II in my case)? A lot of people watching your videos are new and there are a million options on amazon and it's hard to know just what's of reasonable quality and fits a slimmer camera like the M50 and it's lenses.

[@markwiemels]

I have been meaning to make that video, I have to do the research and testing first, thanks for putting it on my radar.

[@jaimetan]

Yay!! Was looking forward to your review of this one and you didn’t disappoint! Love how portable the MKE200 is - I have one too, but to be honest the sound quality is a little thin - but with some post processing it sounds OK. I recently got the MKE400 (I got FOMO) and it’s slightly bigger than the 200 but the sound quality is MUCH better and sounds great as it is. I’m right now switching between both to figure out if the size versus sound quality is going to be what does it for me. They’re both great though! 👍

[@markwiemels]

Thanks! Yes, I agree the MKE 200 is a cool little mic, but does benefit from some bass boost in editing. I have the MKE 400 and will be reviewing it shortly, it's an excellent microphone.

[@jaimetan]

@@markwiemels it is! The only thing I’ve found with both is when used with a decoupler/ dummy battery (third party), I get a low humming in the sound. It’s more pronounced with the 200 than 400, and short of buying the original Canon decoupler to test, I can’t seem to fix this issue! (Also not such a big deal coz these mics are meant to be my on-the-go/ vlog mics, but it’s always nice to know you have options if I want to use this while tethered to a power point).

[@gosman949]

So Jaime after 1 year, are you still using the 200 or have you migrated exclusively to the 400? I can buy the 200 from a friend for $50, worth it?

[@jaimetan]

@@gosman949400 😬 I’m travelling soon and was deciding between bringing 200 or 400 but based on sound quality alone I’m bringing the 400 (as well as my Rode wireless Go). But I have to preface that I record meditations too so the sound quality is particularly important to me. So just in case I want to record a meditation on the go, at least I’ll have the 400. (At my desk I usually record on a shure mv7). I’m thinking of selling the 200 too but it’s just too small/ cute and I’m always thinking that “one day” that’ll come in handy. That day hasn’t come yet 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@CameraRay]

I tested both the MKE 200 and the Deity D4 Mini in a lot of conditions. The Deity D4 Mini just always sounds better with or without processing. Also in very windy conditions (I live on the SC coast) I found the MKE 200 unusable whereas the Deity D4 Mini worked okay with the provided deadcat. The only time I would use the MKE 200 would be with no wind and I need the least visible setup. The MKE 400 is worth saving up for as is is worth the double the price of the 200. 🔈🔉🔊📢

[@mc256]

interesting because it goes against what is said for peotection against the wind. Do you have a favorite mini mic?

[@CameraRay]

@@mc256 I am not a fan of the MKE 200's sound in general. I find using any of the top rated small shotgun mics sound better when using a foam cover with a deadcat over that. The MKE 200 takes a lot of processing to sound just fair to me.

[@neilfpv]

I was somewhat upset with the audio recording from a concert I attended last week. You can check it out. The audio recording from my Samsung S23 wasn't good. I'll be attending another concert in November. Do you think the Sennheiser MKE 200 will do a better audio recording? Thank you! I'll continue watching your video now.

[@YamesiJapan]

hi, im interested in the mke200.. i have some questions. how does it work without battery? will it work if i use it on my PC?

[@mc256]

I like the design of the MKE 200 a lot for a compact and discreet mini microphone, but the opinions on the sound are often very critical (shrill, metallic, etc). At the end, this microphone is exploitable or to avoid?...

[@professorsharp1]

i like that u did the distraction free comparison

[@BayAreaDrone]

It's true, when I'm just walking around with my Fujifilm camera nobody looks at me. But as soon as I put on my RODE mic on top of it people start to think it's either fancy camera or I'm a creep stalking them or something. Drawing less attention is a good consideration for shotgun mics and I wish they made these smaller like this Sennheiser MKE 200.

[@BayAreaDrone]

And great review, thank you Mark. Subscribed from now on!

[@markwiemels]

Yeh, it’s strange, I find the same.

[@halfa6621]

Hello, is the Boya BY-MM1 still valid in 2023 or has it had a successor? Is the price difference (from simple to double) with the rode videomic justified? Thanks in advance...

[@carlosacostag]

Hi There, I think it's a good option the Boya MM1+, because of the monitoring feature

[@JoeCastellon]

Awesome, detailed comparison.

[@markwiemels]

Thanks!

[@JosephActivate]

Thank you for this!

[@markwiemels]

You are most welcome.

[@mico7292]

You have apparently gathered the best mini microphones (except the little Movo vxr10 perhaps) and it is very difficult to decide. The more I watch your video the harder it is to choose. 😄I go from one to the other constantly. Initially I wanted the MKE 200 because of its compactness and ease of use, but the sound of the DEITY D4 mini is apparently better without editing and it also has the possibility of a second microphone. Dilemma. The price will decide.

[@markwiemels]

Thanks for sharing

[@MyHomeFarm]

Terrific review - considering the MKE200. On that note, would you recommend any of these mics to help reduce reverb when logging around the house?

[@markwiemels]

It's a hard one, best bet is to get a good plug-in for your video editor that takes that out. I use voice isolation in finalcut pro.

[@shashwatrastogi3703]

Hi can someone suggest me a mic on tight budget for wildlife video..

[@satyambhardwaj2806]

Hello sir i want to know is there any shotgun mic which connects directly with camera or smartphone and doesn't pic background noise my budget is 150 dollars.i just don't want mic into my video frame.plz reply if i buy one of these mics how can I remove background noise completely without using nvidia broadcast or something

[@fernandagunsanchannel]

can u EQ the Sennheiser bass? will it sound at least competitive with the rode bass?

[@markwiemels]

Good question. I just went into the video and checked that out, giving a boost around 180 and back to about 100, gives it the same bass as the Micro, I did them side by side, the frequencies are there, they just need to be boosted.

[@astanisystems]

Where I live both Røde and Sennheiser cost the same, with Røde sometimes being more expensive, so I will definitely go with Sennheiser as it is something different, stealthy and not ugly looking. I love the all black design, and as you said it really blends with the camera.

[@stephanelarocque77]

Great review, thanks!

[@markwiemels]

Thank you so much!

[@MrNoone-fl1lu]

Great content. Very helpful

[@markwiemels]

Thanks!

[@MKIVD]

If you want a do-it-all microphone in which a simple EQ adjustment can remedy the flat sound without breaking the bank at all, the BOYA BY-MM1 is your answer. I even use this for gaming and vocals on my music.

[@sense0fpurpose]

How does the Sennheiser one compare with Rode VideoMic Go II? Are they the same category as they cost the same?

[@markwiemels]

The Sennheiser is super small, and convenient, but the Rode sounds better. I have a video on the channel about the go ii, and I compare them.

[@quartzimaging]

differences in audio seem negligible to me (using desktop pc speakers)

[@thomascollier24]

Great review

[@markwiemels]

Thanks!

[@globalmolecule]

I think its a good comparison and I have a good ear and listening on expensive headphones. To be honest the Rode sounded the best even thought I love sennheiser singing mics (dynamic mics). One thing I think you really should have done is talked a little less so we can hear the noisefloor or just do a silent test all mics back to back to hear the background noise. To me it sounds like the sennheiser fails on this one but hard to tell with your thousand words a minute youtube style monologue coming at us. Dont get me wrong you talk great but some silence is needed to hear the dynamics and background noise.

[@markwiemels]

it's a good idea. I would have to think about how to implement that so it's helpful, as the background hiss you will hear is from the camera, not the mic, so every camera will be different. What we really after here is how strong is the gain from the mic into the camera, that will make that noise from the camera pre-amps as low as possible. It's a good idea, I will try and think of a way to use this in future videos. I really like this suggestion.

[@adventuresinAI1982]

Well damn, I almost regret picking up the boya. But hey, it was cheap. When I"m ready to upgrade it'll be the sennheiser.

[@markwiemels]

The Boya is a great mic for the money, that's money well spent and I think the Boya sounds pretty good.

[@UraFlight]

Which picture profile are you using here ? I just watched your other video

[@markwiemels]

Neutral Profile, but the side camera was actually a Fuji Camera, the main one was Canon.

[@UraFlight]

@@markwiemels Thank you for your reply

[@freecloud1155]

VERY helpful review! Thank you! The MKE 200 sounds pretty "thin" to me compared to the Deity and especially the Rode. I think if you were recording music, the MKE 200 would need a pretty big boost at low frequencies with an equalizer to sound as good as the others. Do you agree with that?

[@markwiemels]

I boost the low frequencies when I used the mic. It responds well to eq.

[@creativegreatsvisuals]

how to you boost low frequencies on this mic ?@@markwiemels

[@michaelfrymus]

Is the Sennheiser MKE 200 still one of the smallest cold shoe mics?

[@madeiraislander]

Sony has a smaller one i think.

[@michaelfrymus]

@@madeiraislander I couldnt find anything. I ended up getting the 200

[@madeiraislander]

@@michaelfrymus it's called Sony ECM-G1, i remembered lol. Do you like the 200? I have it too, use it with a Gopro but i'm disappointed :/

[@michaelfrymus]

@@madeiraislander I just got it. Havent used it yet

[@madeiraislander]

@@michaelfrymus Ah alright :)

[@TylerSmith_WX]

In windy conditions the semester beats every other mix. I have used the video micro 2 and love the audio quality, but only in controlled environments with no wind. In even a slightly windy environment this mix goes to hell with so much wind popping

[@dranek]

Good review but the background music is very distracting

[@Ro_zar_ka]

Hi, can you connect this microfon to laptop? Or just camera and mobile?

[@markwiemels]

Yea, the cable for the phone also works with the computer.

[@cicada3312]

4:10 that! that right there is the reason ill get the mke 200

[@dansharp8042]

What is the working distance on these???

[@markwiemels]

All on camera mics sound best if you are with 3 feet or 1 meter, regardless of price or quality.

[@dansharp8042]

Thank you, I'm going on vacation and will have a tour guide what would be a good mic. I'm guessing maybe 10 to 15 feet.

[@markwiemels]

The mke 400 is great at isolating background sounds, the Rode videomic ntg is also very good.

[@healthtechfries]

Very cool Video… i like the Design of the sennheiser but the Sound is not mine. ( but nothing you can Not fix in Post) For me the out of the Box Sound from the Rhode is the best.

[@markwiemels]

Thanks. Yes, this mic does benefit from some boosting of the lows in editing. I agree that the Micros sounds great right out of the box, maybe the best, but I also really like the Deity D4 Mini.

[@GreenPhoebee]

After all, I am only curious about the mic in front of your mouth in the studio...

[@markwiemels]

Preosnus PD70

[@darkexpose5153]

What do you think about Deity D4 Duo that has tow directions for the sound, Front and back.

[@markwiemels]

It's a really great sounding microphone, and the extra mic and input port really add to the versatility. I have seen some reviews say that there are issue with wind noise. I have the mic and hope to have a review up in the next month or so.

[@darkexpose5153]

@@markwiemels I would love to see how is wind issue, Because I’m confused, Some of reviews say it’s an issue and others didn’t even mentioned it

[@neilwheel]

Great review! Sold! (But I'm non saying which one 😄)

[@BBXFX]

Top notch review and great information. Thank you. also, I had to kick the likes over from 666 to 667. Especially since Halloween just passed by

[@carleydunning865]

I just bought the MKE200 because of this review and I must admit I am extremely disappointed in how you sugar coated the handling noise received while using it. I cannot even switch the camera from one hand to the other without booms from the handling. You should have said that you only use when stagnant and not while actually moving around with it.

[@mex5341]

Boya is a winner here

[@NitsanArt]

Your content is AWESOME! but the music in your video is TOO STRONG and this is unpleasant to the ears

[@DansEarway]

👏👏👏

[@markwiemels]

Thanks.

[@WillNewcomb]

While I'm definitely no audiophile, the Rode had the best frequency response of all.

[@frankluo230]

MKE600 is the way to go less than 2x price of MKE200. Or stick with Rode video micro everyone has one by now.

[@EricYoung-m6g]

wow, the rode is by far the best

[@BillyBlaze7]

im disappointed with the sennheiser audio quality, its very tinny sounding

[@ryanthomas9306]

Rhode micro is the best by far

[@watchfan6180]

The 200 still needs a furry wind cat muff when windy

[@PaulsMedia2024]

The Rode just destroys all the others on sound quality, IMHO.

[@JaywalkingTheWorld]

Lose the second camera. I don't want to watch you talking to another camera. It's serves no purpose.

[@MrParmski]

Too much repetition! I didn't really care for the fact that it is less obvious without a dead cat but lost interest after this was repeated a few times.