Throwback

Indeed, as I mentioned a few posts previously David! As I also said then, to coincide with NAB 2024 Sennheiser has issued more info, including the full specs w frequency response and polar pattern graphs, which are now available via the website: https://www.sennheiser.com/en-gb/catalog/products/microphones/mkh-8030/mkh-8030-700251 Cheers, Roland

Yes, a poor preamp may see HF response reduce at high gain and a FetHead would help in this case, but, if so this seems covered by my '...unless you have an extremely anaemic...preamp...'. I have no idea if the Portacapture X8 is that bad, though, evidently, it is rather poorer than the preamp/recorders used by those in professional production sound. Adding huge gain (36dB) to Schoeps MiniCMIT or 18dB to a VP-88 via an in-line preamp still seems like the wrong approach: a good preamp/recorder and very low-noise mics are the pre-requisites of good recordings of very quiet sources, coupled, needless to say, with decent mic placement.

I can't think of any circumstance where I would want to run a FetHead with a condenser mic, unless wanting to up the signal at the mic for an extremely long cable run to the preamp. Putting the aside the question of impedance by using two FetHeads in series, I can't imagine why you would want to add 36dB gain to your Schoeps MiniCMIT, unless you have an extremely anaemic and noisy preamp: what are you using? The Schoeps MiniCMIT is a very respectable mic, but even with 14dBA self-noise an extra (nominal) 36dB gain over and above what any decent preamp/recorder can provide is going to make this very evident. There are significantly lower self-noise shotgun mics, but I suspect it's placement that will be the problem. As for a pair of FetHeads to give the Shure VP-88 another 18dB for recording quiet sounds such as birds, then again gain isn't your problem, but mic self-noise is all the more the issue: the VP-88 has a whopping 24dBA self-noise and is unsuited to the job. Cheers, Roland

Well I've overlaid it on the MKH 30 polar pattern in Photoshop and they are almost identical, although, of course, the MKH 8030 graph includes the rather different 32kHz polar pattern: I think most would be happy that it matches the earlier fig 8 so closely. Cheers, Roland

And to add, Sennheiser have given me the thumbs up to use the polar pattern now (the specs sheet will be published in conjunction with the mic appearing at NAB 2024 (13-17 April), so I have updated my original blog post on the mic accordingly: https://drbadphil.com/sennheisers-new-fig-8-the-mkh-8030 Cheers, Roland

Haha! Not seeking admiration (or, conversely, any comments about acoustic shadowing) of the odd cluster of mics for testing, but just trying to keep thread on topic. Received the draft (and probably final) spec sheet today, with the only significant addition being the polar pattern graph: I have assumed that I can't share this until publication (at launch), but have asked for clarification. In the meantime, suffice it to say that it looks just as you would hope: very much as per the MKH 30 (i.e. symmetrical, deep nulls, and with a consistent pattern across the audible frequency range). Cheers, Roland

Not quite sure why this MKH 8030 thread has wandered into discussion of the VP-88, but, in an attempt to bring it back on subject, here's a photo of my mid-side test rig (not, I must stress, a regular set-up) for the MKH 8030 with the MKH 8020, MKH 8040 and MKH 8050 mics! Cheers, Roland

Hmm, while decent ribbon mics offer something different to the MKH 8030, I'd certainly far rather use the latter plus other MKH 8000 series mics for MS than a VP-88, which I have heard: not knocking the Shure, but the Sennheisers are a significant step up (which isn't surprising, given price difference).

Thanks Fred. Yes, I've given some thought to whether I should do an MKH30 comparison, but, for practical applications for many, this would mean mid-side MKH30 + MKH 20/40/50, even a second MHK 30 for fig 8 mid-side and Blumlein, and all the variations started to seem complex: I may get around to this in due course (it will involve me getting hold of an MKH 30). And, also, these tests are - somewhat inevitably - influenced by the mics in which I am interested in using: with the MKH 8030 appearing after so long, I am not that interested in the earlier and larger MKH mics, despite their excellent sound. As for ribbon mics, yes that is something I would like to explore more for music. I only have one at present, but, of all the ones I've heard, I really fancy an AEA R88A. The M160 hypercardioid ribbon is an interesting mic though, as you say: I must try and hear one (or, rather, one paired with an M130) in action. Cheers, Roland Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I like the recording of ordinary things: I sometimes wonder about mic tests with exotica in far-flung locations!

And now I have just added part 3 of my MKH 8030 tests, probably a little more relevant here than part 2: in this case it is a series of MS tests with the MKH 8020, MKH 8040 and MKH 8050 - all field recordings/ambiences, not music. Cheers, Roland https://drbadphil.com/sennheiser-mkh-8030-part-3-mid-side-field-recordings

OK, have just added part two of my MKH 8030 tests: recording a bluegrass band in mid-side may not be entirely relevant here, but perhaps something might translate, I hope, and be useful to one or two! Cheers, Roland https://drbadphil.com/sennheiser-mkh-8030-part-2-mid-side-recording

Thanks David! Cheers, Roland

And here are a few close-up photos that I took of the MKH 8030 capsule: a couple in the blog post and a couple not. Not easy trying to get clear photos through the basket: I wasn't brave enough to pull the mic apart! Cheers, Roland

I've had a pre-production copy for a few weeks now, and have been testing it, and have written one of my usual blog post write ups, with plenty of embedded audio files. Doubtless it won't quite address everything you want to know about the mic, but I hope there is the odd bit there that might interest one or two of you. Cheers, Roland https://drbadphil.com/sennheisers-new-fig-8-the-mkh-8030

Hi Derek, I did some testing of the RAD-1 and RAD-2 shock mounts, which you might find of interest: https://drbadphil.com/radius-windshields-rad-1-and-rad-2-shock-mounts Like you, I'm interested in seeing what their full windshield is like. And, also, whether the form of the hoops will allow development of a two-mic clip for MS. Cheers, Roland