Hands-on review: Sennheiser MKE 200 Microphone

We live in the perfect age of video creation. The quality of video taken with cameras these days are amazing. Companies like Canon and Sony are releasing great consumer-based cameras every year. Mobile companies are also competing to make sure they have top quality cameras on their phones.

But with all these excellent picture qualities on offer, we are often disappointed by the sound — this where the Sennheiser MKE 200 fills a gap in the market.

What's in the box

The MKE 200 comes in a small compact box that contains the microphone, a furry windshield, two locking connection cables for DSLRs or mirrorless cameras (3.5 mm TRS cable) and mobile devices (3.5 mm TRRS cable) as well as a drawstring pouch for storage.

Design

The MKE 200 is so small and light, it almost feels like a high-quality toy. I did not expect such a good performance out of it at first. The lightness of the mic is genius. It makes it really easy for it to be mounted to phones or cameras without having to make the setup much heavier.

The microphone itself is pretty straightforward and almost idiot-proof. It has a base mount at the bottom that allows users to mount it to cameras or to tripods. And it has a place for users to plug and screw in one of the two provided cables. That is it. You just plug it in, and you are ready to go.

Features

This small microphone is packed with useful features that make it a great option. Its plug and go design means that it doesn't need any batteries. You just plug it in, trust that it is doing its job and focus on your filming.

The MKE 200 is cleverly designed to amplify the sound coming from in front of the camera while simultaneously decreasing sounds coming from behind it. When comparing it to the camera mic, the difference is like night and day. The camera picks up all the background noise and is unable to focus on the important sounds in front of it.

The MKE 200 also has built-in wind protection that does a great job at removing the sharp sound of the wind. You can even blow at the mic directly, and you will not get that ear-piercing noise that sudden gusts of wind causes. It also has an internal suspension mount. This helps the mic remove any handling noises from the camera or the phone.

Verdict

If you film a lot on your phone or a portable camera, then the MKE200 is a great choice. It has great qualities, it is compact and will not add weight to your setup, it is reasonably priced, and it is easy to use.