Sennheiser launched the MKH 8018 shotgun microphone today, a new, compact stereo shotgun microphone designed for broadcasting and filming applications. The short gun mic completes Sennheiser’s MKH 8000 range of RF condenser microphones. The shotgun mic’s climate-proof ruggedness and natural sound capture with virtually no off-axis coloration.
Key features
- For Film, TV, Sports, Field Recording
- Three Switchable Stereo Modes
- Directional Stereo Shotgun Design
- 40 Hz to 20 kHz Frequency Range
- Low Self-Noise for Detailed Audio
- Low-Cut Filter Reduces Rumble
- -10 dB Pad for Loud Sources
- Moisture-Resistant RF Condenser
- Balanced Output Minimizes Noise
- Compact and Lightweight Build
The compact and lightweight MKH 8018 features three switchable stereo modes: MS stereo, wide XY stereo, and narrow XY stereo. The MS mode allows the engineer 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 shogun mic has an aluminium housing that reduces the weight on a camera or boom pole. Also, unlike most of the other mics in the 8000 series, the microphone is non-modular. It has a fixed XLR-5M output and integrated -10 dB pad against overdriving, filters for tailoring the frequency response, and an additional switchable -3 dB low-cut filter at 70 Hz.
Sennheiser states the MKH 8018 impresses with its homogeneous sound image, and 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 emphasizes 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.
Technical Data
- Microphone type: RF condenser microphone
- Pick-up pattern: stereo shotgun
- Frequency response: 40 – 20,000 Hz
- Low-cut filter (switchable): -3dB at 70 Hz
- Attenuation (switchable): -10 dB
Sensitivity:
- M channel: 56 mV/Pa; -25 dB ref (1V/Pa)
- S channel: 25 mV/Pa; -32 dB ref (1V/Pa)
- XY narrow: 50 mV/Pa; -26 dB ref (1V/Pa)
- XY wide: 32 mV/Pa; -30 dB ref (1V/Pa)
Equivalent noise level:
- M channel: 12 dB A-weighted; 24 dB CCIR-weighted
- S channel: 14.5 dB A-weighted; 25 dB CCIR-weighted
- XY narrow: 12 dB A-weighted; 24 dB CCIR-weighted
- XY wide: 13 dB A-weighted; 25 dB CCIR-weighted
- Nominal impedance at 1 kHz: 430 ohms
- Mi. load impedance: 4.7 kilo-ohms
- Power supply: P48 phantom powering (IEC 61938)
- Current consumption: 2 x 3.4 mA
- Max. SPL: > 126 dB
- Connector: XLR-5M
- Weight: 115 g
- Diameter: 22 mm
- Length: approx. 230 mm
- 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
Polar Patterns
Pricing and Availability
The Sennheiser MKH 8018 stereo shotgun microphone retails for $1,999 USD and is available today.
