Sennheiser 004515 E845 Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone — main product image

Sennheiser 004515 E845 Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone

Sennheiser

Sennheiser 004515 E845 Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone

Name: Sennheiser 004515 E845 Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone
Brand: Sennheiser
SKU: 004515

★★★★★4.6 (65 reviews)

Built for the stage and trusted in the studio, the Sennheiser E845 delivers tight supercardioid focus and dynamic punch that cuts through any mix.

$93.24*$93.99Save 0%

Check availability

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.

Notice a mistake? Let Us Know

Overview

The Sennheiser E845 is built for the front line of live performance — the loud stage, the dense mix, the vocal that needs to assert itself without the engineer reaching for the fader every song. Its supercardioid polar pattern is the defining characteristic here: tighter than a cardioid, it rejects sound arriving from the sides and rear with precision, which means more gain-before-feedback and more isolation from stage wash and monitor bleed. The frequency response — 40 to 16,000 Hz with a controlled presence lift — translates in practice to vocals that sit forward in a full-band mix with clarity and intelligibility intact. This is not a flat, clinical microphone. It has character, and that character is designed to flatter the human voice in high-energy acoustic environments.

Construction is entirely metal, and the E845 has the heft and confidence of a microphone built to survive touring. The internal shockmount absorbs handling noise effectively, and the connector-to-body junction shows no looseness even after extended use. At 350 ohm nominal impedance, it plays well with the full range of professional XLR infrastructure. No active electronics means no phantom power risk, no battery considerations, and a signal chain with one fewer variable. Whether it's riding the channels of a compact digital console at a club show or plugged into a broadcast preamp for live speech work, the E845 delivers consistent, predictable output that rewards good microphone technique and forgives a rough night on the road.

Key Features

Frequency response: 40 - 16,000 Hz

Open Circuit Sensitivity: 1.6 mV/Pa +- 1 dB (free sound field, no load, 1KHz)

Nominal Impedance: 350 Ohm

Super Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

Specifications

Type

Dynamic Supercardioid

Frequency Response

40 – 16,000 Hz

Polar Pattern

Supercardioid

Open Circuit Sensitivity

1.6 mV/Pa ±1 dB (free field, no load, 1 kHz)

Nominal Impedance

350 Ω

Connector

XLR

Phantom Power Required

Brand

Sennheiser

Model

004515 / E845

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

The supercardioid pattern provides noticeably tighter off-axis rejection than a cardioid, reducing bleed from stage monitors and neighboring sources without audible coloration at the capsule.
The E845's frequency response extends to 16 kHz with a presence lift that adds intelligibility and air to vocals — you hear consonants cut through a dense FOH mix without heavy EQ.
At 350 ohm nominal impedance, the E845 is forgiving across a wide range of preamp input impedances and maintains consistent tone whether plugged into a budget stagebox or a boutique console.
The rugged all-metal body withstands the physical demands of touring — drop tested, road proven, and resistant to the handling noise and vibration that plagues cheaper dynamic mics.
No phantom power dependency means zero risk of damage or noise artifacts when plugging into consoles or interfaces with phantom power engaged.

👎 Cons

The 40–16,000 Hz frequency ceiling means the E845 lacks the top-end extension of condenser alternatives — extended air above 16 kHz is simply not in its character, which can feel limiting on hi-hat or breath in critical studio tracking.
The supercardioid pattern requires more precise mic placement than a cardioid — small positional shifts by a vocalist dramatically change the proximity effect and tonal balance, which can be challenging for untrained performers.
At 350 ohms, the E845 will lose some level when driven through very long cable runs with low-quality, high-capacitance cable — worth noting for large-venue stage setups with 100+ foot snake runs.
The presence peak that aids live intelligibility can sound slightly harsh or forward in close-miked studio applications where you want a more neutral, flat capture to shape in post.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the E845 require phantom power to operate?

No — it's a dynamic microphone and operates entirely passively. No phantom power is needed, which makes it universally compatible with any XLR-equipped interface, console, or snake without worrying about phantom power state.

How does the supercardioid polar pattern affect gain-before-feedback on a live stage?

The supercardioid pattern offers tighter off-axis rejection than a standard cardioid, which translates directly to higher gain-before-feedback when monitors are placed at the rear null points. Position wedges at roughly 125–135 degrees off-axis from the capsule for best results.

What's the self-noise level, and does it matter for close-miked vocals?

As a dynamic microphone, the E845 has no active electronics and therefore no measurable self-noise in the traditional sense. At close vocal distances (2–6 inches), the signal-to-noise ratio is excellent — the floor is set by your preamp, not the mic.

How does the E845 handle high-SPL sources compared to its cardioid sibling, the E835?

The E845 shares robust SPL handling with the E835 but the supercardioid pattern makes it more directional, which means less bleed from adjacent sources in dense stage setups. For loud vocalists in loud bands, the tighter pickup means more isolation, not less headroom.

What preamp gain is typically needed to drive the E845 to a healthy signal level?

At 1.6 mV/Pa sensitivity, the E845 is in the normal range for dynamic mics. Expect to dial in 40–55 dB of clean gain on most console preamps for a vocalist at 6 inches. High-output preamps are not required, but low-noise designs will reward you with a cleaner floor.