Sennheiser launches MKH 8018 stereo shotgun microphone

[igomarsound]

This might be what i was always waiting for, a mkh8060 with a mkh8030 all in one body. 

sennheiser 8018

 

[Derek H]

Looks great! I recorded a parade recently with my AT BP4029 and that turned out pretty cool but I could have used that -10dB pad! So loud I had the channel on my 633 just about switched off. 
 

Someone should do a few comparison recordings with some of the other single point stereo standards.. (RSM191, 418, Pearl, Sanken etc) no easy task though I realize. 

 

 Other than Pearl I wonder why no one makes a single point cardioid/eight MS mic? 

[PMC]

Ugh, 

"Sennheiser engineers have given it an aluminium housing to have less weight."

 

Big mistake. 

[resonate]

41 minutes ago, PMC said:

Ugh, 

"Sennheiser engineers have given it an aluminium housing to have less weight."

 

Big mistake. 

Why? What would be the best alternative?

 

 

 

For me, as a RSM 191A user, this mic seems a worthy alternative.  I was bit by RF and moisture in the past :-)

 

edit: Mid-Side demo at 4:47 seems to be mixed to mono ;-) 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

Very nice.  Would love to hear an A/B vs. a discrete 8030/8060 setup.

[PMC]

Aluminum housing has little RF rejection. Brass housing all the way. Every day. For me.

 

I get into environments where the CMITs are bombarded with RF from fluorescent and HMI ballasts. My old CMC4/MK41 and Senny's, with brass housings have no problem. 

[resonate]

53 minutes ago, PMC said:

Aluminum housing has little RF rejection. Brass housing all the way. Every day. For me.

 

I get into environments where the CMITs are bombarded with RF from fluorescent and HMI ballasts. My old CMC4/MK41 and Senny's, with brass housings have no problem. 

Understood. But aren't those 8000 series mics supposed to be RF resistant just like the 416?

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

1 hour ago, resonate said:

Understood. But aren't those 8000 series mics supposed to be RF resistant just like the 416?

 

There are supposed to be.  And there have been a few revisions to make them better.  But I keep running into anecdotes from 80xx owners with RF issues, and I've never had those issues with the previous MKH series (I have yet to make the change personally).  The one time I boomed with an 8050, I ran into RF issues from a nearby cellphone ... haven't used one since.

[DHB]

"..Other than Pearl I wonder why no one makes a single point cardioid/eight MS mic?.."

 

Shure VP-88 ..though it's not a shotgun.

Zoom SSH ..M/S stereo mic ..works well on an F8 with the Zoom extension cord.

But that RSM191 is a killer, though.

[Derek H]

I know plenty of people who have had RF/EMI issues with MKH50s on set, myself included. Nothing’s fool proof. 

[axel]

8 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

But I keep running into anecdotes from 80xx owners with RF issues, and I've never had those issues with the previous MKH series (I have yet to make the change personally).

I've been relying on 8060s for the last 13 years as my workhorses for scripted work. Some of them developed problems, especially from the first batch. But never any RF issue.

11 hours ago, resonate said:

For me, as a RSM 191A user, this mic seems a worthy alternative. 

lets hear how it sounds. I love my 8060s, but doubt it will match the transparency and the spatial image of the RSM 191 in any way. From the sound on the video this is more like the 418. Would be interesting to compare those.

edit: Mid-Side demo at 4:47 seems to be mixed to mono 😉 always right to trust your ears and not the specs

 

[petersont]

9 hours ago, DHB said:

"..Other than Pearl I wonder why no one makes a single point cardioid/eight MS mic?.."

 

Shure VP-88 ..though it's not a shotgun.

Zoom SSH ..M/S stereo mic ..works well on an F8 with the Zoom extension cord.

But that RSM191 is a killer, though.

 Sanken CMS-50   - 60 Hz to 20 kHz, 138dB max SPL, 18 dB SPL (A-weighted)