Neumann KMR 81i Short Shotgun Microphone - Matte Black

The Neumann KMR 81i is a shotgun microphone for medium distances, e.g. for film dialogue with a clear and focused sound while the microphone is placed outside the picture. Off-axis coloration is minimized to avoid sound change when actors are moving. The KMR 81i offers high sensitivity with low power consumption and is lightweight for easy handling.

A PROBLEM SOLVER WITH A TOUCH OF CLASS

The KMR 81i is a shotgun microphone with a high directivity for situations that require the microphone to be kept at a distance from the source. This is often the case in electronic news gathering (ENG) and film dialogue recording, where the microphone must remain invisible. The KMR 81i can also be used to obtain a clear and focused sound in noisy environments.

Technically speaking, the KMR 81i combines a pressure gradient condenser capsule with a medium-length interference tube to achieve a narrow acceptance angle of 90˚ and excellent rejection of unwanted sound. Unlike many other shotgun microphones, the Neumann KMR 81i’s lobe shaped pickup pattern is frequency-independent. In other words, off-axis sound is picked up at reduced level but without unwanted coloration. This makes it easy to correct a misaligned microphone in postproduction.

Compared to other shotgun microphones, the Neumann KMR 81i offers a more natural sound image. Its frequency response is highly linear up to 2 kHz while a broad treble lift compensates for high frequency losses that occur when recording at greater distances. The KMR 81i offers very low self-noise of only 12 dB-A and a high sensitivity of 18 mV/Pa, which can be reduced by 10 dB to protect the microphone input from overload. The KMR 81i can handle high SPLs of up to 128 dB without audible distortion (138 dB SPL with the preattenuation switch engaged). A second switch activates a 200 Hz low cut to compensate for the proximity effect when the KMR 81 i is use at short distances.

APPLICATIONS

The KMR 81i is primarily designed for film and broadcast applications. It is an excellent microphone for movie dialogue both in the studio and on location. The KMR 81 i is very lightweight and has a balanced center of gravity, making it a pleasure to use, even after several hours. Due to its low power consumption and its low sensitivity to wind and handling noise, the KMR 81i is excellently suited for on-location work. Thanks to its natural sound and excellent off-axis behavior, the KMR 81i can also be used as a problem solver in critical recording situations, e.g. to pick up a soloist in front of an orchestra.

Features:

• High directivity with 90° recording angle
• Excellent rejection of unwanted sound
• Natural sound without off-axis coloration
• Low cut and pad switches
• Lightweight (145 g)
• Low power consumption