Sennheiser launches MKH 8018 stereo shotgun microphone

Sennheiser has introduced the MKH 8018, a high-end stereo shotgun microphone designed for broadcasting and filming. It’s the latest addition to the MKH 8000 series, known for their clear, natural sound and tough performance in any climate. What makes the MKH 8018 stand out is its three switchable stereo modes—MS, wide XY, and narrow XY—offering flexibility for audio professionals to tailor spatial imaging either during or after recording. It also comes with a rugged yet lightweight aluminum build, making it easy to handle on a camera or boom pole.

Packed with smart features, the MKH 8018 includes a fixed XLR-5M output, an integrated -10 dB pad, and filters to shape the sound profile as needed. Its refined frequency response (40 Hz–20 kHz) avoids unnecessary distortion from ultrasonic sources. With extremely low self-noise, solid moisture resistance, and a clean, transformerless output, this mic is built for top-tier sound performance. It ships with essential accessories and works seamlessly with Sennheiser’s existing lineup, making it a powerful new tool for content creators and audio engineers alike.

Sennheiser has launched a new, compact stereo shotgun microphone today, the MKH 8018 for broadcasting and filming applications. The high-class short gun mic completes the company’s MKH 8000 range of RF condenser microphones, which excel in the field due to their climate-proof ruggedness and natural sound capture with virtually no off-axis coloration. Providing flexibility to the audio engineer, 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. The microphone will be on display at NAB, at the Sennheiser Group’s booth N1428.

“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 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-linar 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.”

Lightweight, non-modular, and with a tailored frequency response

To make the MKH 8018 as easy to handle as possible, the Sennheiser engineers have given it an aluminium housing to have less weight on a camera or boom pole. Also, the microphone is – unlike most of the other mics in the 8000 series – 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.

Matrix inside

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 (pictured below on the right) wraps around the microphone body and ensures a secure fit with other mic clips and on cameras.

Optional accessories for the mic are the MZS 20-1 suspension/pistol grip, the MZW 60-1 basket windshield and the MZH 60-1 hairy cover for outdoor use of the MKH 8018.

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
​Min. 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