Schoeps Mk 8 Pure Pressure-Gradient Transducer

Mk 8 Pure Pressure-Gradient Transducer description:

The Schoeps MK8 is part of the Colette series of modular capsules designed for use with the CMC preamplifiers.This microphone type is a true dipole transducer, operating with a single diaphragm. The main axis of its bidirectional pickup lies at right angles to its cylindrical axis, and is marked at 0 and 180 with a red and a black dot respectively. When M/S stereo recordings are made, the 0 axis faces to the left, as viewed from behind the microphone setup. The 8 engraved on the top of the housing should be aligned on its side so as to appear horizontal, at a precise right angle to the Mid capsule. The microphone should be placed directly above or beneath the micro-phone for the M channel.

The inherent qualities of a pure pressure-gradient transducer are readily observed in this microphone type. The sound quality of the MK8 is clear and neutral. For the sake of a polar pattern that remains largely independent of frequency, the response at and above 16 kHz is intentionally limited.

When an MK8 or is used as a spot microphone, care must be taken to avoid picking up early reflections or unwanted direct sound from its rear, since sound arriving from the back is picked up with full intensity but reversed in polarity. This could result in partial cancellation of the intended sound, which can lead to comb-filter effects at higher frequencies.

A typical and interesting application of the MK8, for which it is ideally suited, is as the S channel of an M/S stereophonic system. (As an X/Y pair, two of them crossed at 90 are also ideal in the Blumlein stereo arrangement.)

Features:

• Pure pressure- gradient transducer with figure-8 pattern
• Directional pickup nearly independent of frequency
• Main axis: radial (pickup perpendicular to the microphone body)
• Its sensitivity decreases at low frequencies
• The directional characteristic and the random energy efficiency are extra-ordinarily independent of frequency
• Proximity effect is present

Specifications:

• Mic Type: Condenser
• Polar Pattern(s): Figure 8
• Freq Response: 40 - 16,000
• Noise Level: 10 dB-A
• Sensitivity: 10 mV/Pa
• Power Required: CMC Power Module Required