Sennheiser has launched the MKH 8018 compact stereo shotgun microphone for broadcast and film applications. The high-class short gun mic completes the company’s MKH 8000 range of RF condenser microphones, which excel in the field due to their climate-proof ruggedness and natural sound capture with virtually no off-axis colouration. P
The compact and lightweight MKH 8018 features three switchable stereo modes: MS stereo, wide XY stereo and narrow XY stereo. The MS mode allows engineers to adjust the spatial imaging steplessly on the mixing desk, while the XY modes are premixed in the MKH 8018, with settings fine-tuned in many tests.
To make the MKH 8018 as easy to handle as possible, the Sennheiser has given it an aluminium housing to have less weight on a camera or boom pole. Also, the microphone is – unlike most of the other mics in the 8000 series – non-modular with a fixed XLR-5M output and integrated -10dB pad against overdriving, filters for tailoring the frequency response, and an additional switchable -3dB low-cut filter at 70Hz.
As the mic has been designed for broadcast and film, the usual extremely wide frequency response of the MKH mics has been limited to 40Hz-20kHzHz. This avoids any overloading of the mixing console with inaudible distortion below 40Hz and above 20kHz, where ultrasonic camera lens measurement systems are active.
The MKH 8018 can output MS stereo for further processing in the studio or on a mixer, or – via an internal matrix – XY stereo in a wide or narrow mode without the need for an external mixer. In XY-w, the mic emphasises the side signal to a greater extent, thus capturing more ambience. In XY-n, the focus is more on the mid signal, giving the sound engineer more directionality.
The MKH 8018 is delivered complete with an MZQ 100 microphone clip, MZW 8018 foam windshield and a threaded plastic transport tube. The MZR 8000 camera adapter wraps around the microphone body and ensures a secure fit with other mic clips and on cameras.
Key specifications:
- Microphone type: RF condenser microphone.
- Pick-up pattern: stereo shotgun.
- Frequency response: 40Hz-20kHz.
- Low-cut filter (switchable): -3dB at 70Hz.
- Attenuation (switchable): -10dB.
- Nominal impedance at 1 kHz: 430Ω.
- Min. load impedance: 4.7kΩ.
- P48 phantom powering (IEC 61938).
- Current consumption: 2 x 3.4mA.
- Max. SPL: >126dB.
- Connector: XLR-5M.
- Weight: 115g.
- Diameter: 22mm.
- Length: approx. 230mm.
- Operating temperature: -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F).
- Storage temperature: -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F).
- Relative humidity: 5% to 95%, non-condensing.
‘The MKH 8018 is a high-class shotgun model that rounds off our MKH portfolio at the top end,’ says Kai Lange, Senior Product Manager for the MKH series. ‘It has extremely low self-noise and truly excellent sound, very clear and pure due to the mic’s off-axis rejection. Moisture resistance, minimal non-linar distortion, and a balanced audio signal at the transformerless, fully floating output are further benefits of the RF condenser technology, which Sennheiser has been perfecting for more than 60 years.’
Optional accessories for the mic are the MZS 20-1 suspension/pistol grip, the MZW 60-1 basket windshield and the MZH 60-1 hairy cover for outdoor use of the MKH 8018.
More: www.sennheiser.com
