Sennheiser launches MKH 8018 compact stereo shotgun mic

Sennheiser's MKH 8018 stereo shotgun mic offers versatile stereo modes, lightweight design, and tailored frequency response for broadcast and film applications.

Designed specifically for broadcast and film, 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. 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.

It has been designed with an aluminium housing to have less weight on a camera or boom pole (115 grams, 4 oz). Also, unlike most of the other mics in the 8000 series, the mic is non-modular with 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.

As the MKH 8018 has been designed for broadcasting and filming applications, the usual extremely wide frequency response of the MKH mics has been limited to 40 – 20,000 Hz. This avoids any overloading of the mixing console with unhearable distortion below 40 Hz and above 20 kHz, where ultrasonic camera lens measurement systems are active.

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. 

Pricing is $1799 or $1999 with current tariffs added.