Sennheiser MKH 8050

The Sennheiser MKH 8050 is a microphone designed with soloists in mind. While it is very similar in design to the cardioid Sennheiser MKH 8040, this uses a super-cardioid pick-up pattern to focus narrowly on the subject and gives higher attenuation of sounds from off to the side.

This makes it appropriate for recording an individual instrument, even when it is playing with others. Like the MKH 8040, the symmetrical transducer uses 2 backplates for the lowest possible distortion to the signal. Frequency response ranges from 30 Hz to 50 Khz, and a maximum sound pressure level of 142 dB allows for powerful sound sources. The high SPL combined with low distortion also make this microphone appropriate for close-up recording of a single subject.