NEUMANN KMR 81 I

The KMR 81 i 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 81 i offers high sensitivity with low power consumption and is lightweight for easy handling.

The KMR 81 i 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 81 i can also be used to obtain a clear and focused sound in noisy environments.

Technically speaking, the KMR 81 i 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 81 i’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 81 i 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 81 i 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 81 i 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.

The KMR 81 i 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 81 i is excellently suited for on-location work. Thanks to its natural sound and excellent off-axis behavior, the KMR 81 i can also be used as a problem solver in critical recording situations, e.g. to pick up a soloist in front of an orchestra.

• 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