Sennheiser released the MKH 8018, the company’s latest addition to the MKH 8000 series, a new stereo shotgun microphone specifically engineered for professional broadcasting.

“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 at Sennheiser for the MKH series.

“It has extremely low self-noise and truly excellent sound, very clear and pure due to the mic’s great off-axis rejection. Moisture resistance, minimal non-linear 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.”

Built with a rugged and lightweight aluminum housing, the MKH 8018 is optimized for easy mounting on cameras or boom poles. Unlike other microphones in the 8000 series, this model features a non-modular design with a fixed XLR-5M output. It also incorporates a switchable -10 dB pad for handling high sound pressure levels and a -3 dB low-cut filter at 70 Hz to reduce low-frequency rumble. Additional filters are available to further tailor the frequency response as needed.

The microphone weighs 115 grams, measures approximately 230 mm in length and 22 mm in diameter, and functions in temperatures ranging from -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F), with storage capability between -20°C and 70°C (-4°F to 158°F), and relative humidity tolerance from 5% to 95% non-condensing.

As mentioned, the MKH 8018 operates on RF condenser microphone technology, which provides high moisture resistance, minimal non-linear distortion, and low self-noise. Its frequency range spans from 40 Hz to 20,000 Hz, designed to avoid interference from subsonic and ultrasonic frequencies.

The MKH 8018 has a nominal impedance of 430 ohms and a minimum load impedance of 4.7 kilo-ohms. It operates on P48 phantom power (IEC 61938 standard) and has a current consumption of 2 x 3.4 mA. The maximum sound pressure level exceeds 126 dB.

The microphone offers three switchable stereo modes: MS stereo, wide XY stereo (XY-w), and narrow XY stereo (XY-n). MS mode allows for flexible spatial imaging adjustment in post-production or on a mixing console, while the XY modes are premixed internally. The wide XY mode emphasizes ambient sounds, whereas the narrow XY mode offers more directionality, focusing on the central audio source.

The MKH 8018 comes equipped with a range of accessories, including the MZQ 100 microphone clip, MZW 8018 foam windshield, and a threaded plastic transport tube. It also includes the MZR 8000 camera adapter, which ensures a secure attachment to various camera systems and mic clips. Additional optional accessories include the MZS 20-1 suspension/pistol grip, the MZW 60-1 basket windshield, and the HZH 60-1 furry wind cover for outdoor use.