ProAudio Review - March 2008 - (Page 11)

PRODUCTPOINTS • Small size and accessories make for easy placement • Neutral and accurate response, in both dynamics and frequenc • Modular design allows variety of capsules and mountings • No HPF or attenuation • No figure-8 heads available (yet) • Shockmounts not included with stereo kit SCORE The MKH 8040 is recommended for all standard professional small-diaphragm condenser applications, especially on percussion, drum overheads, audience miking, and acoustic instruments. found the KM184 sounding quite nice, but the 8040 captured more inner detail and nuance. I close-miked a snare drum, and the 451 had the most exciting crispness but the 8040 had more attack and punch — even more than the KM184. Djembe will always reveal a mic’s lack of bottom-end response and detail, especially with smalldiaphragm models. However, the 8040 did admirably well with djembe; it had more depth and fullness than any of the mics tested, sounding more like a largediaphragm condenser like I would normally apply here. I tracked a five-piece drum kit and used the 8040s for overheads; I often use a Neumann KM184 or TLM103 pair here, and I was pleasantly surprised. The imaging was simply fantastic; cymbals avoided any harshness or “pingyness,” and the snare sound (when blended with the close mic) was lively, wide and larger than life. The mild presence rise and extended highend response of the 8040s was just what I needed. (I am going to really miss these mics on my next drum session!) A modern country session called for some piano overdubs; here, the 8040s clearly excelled. I settled on an ORTF configuration, but the 8040s still gave me a nice, full middle of the soundscape. The sound was neither bright nor dark, but perfectly balanced, especially throughout the sensitive mids. I wouldn't hesitate to use these on a classical piano session, although I would use many more mics in addition. Solo vocal tracks with the 8040 yielded mixed results. A husky baritone sounded a bit thick and lacking in sibilance; a mic with more coloration proved to work better. However, a peaky and unpredictable alto who sounded a little harsh on the Violet Amethyst Vintage condenser sounded much better on the 8040, with smoother hard consonants and better dynamics on the higher notes. Some group “gang vocals” had realistic imaging and sounded quite full, especially after some doubling and tripling, but I'm guessing the omni 8020 would have worked better. Acoustic guitar is another fine test of a condenser's fidelity, whether one is pursuing a tight sound for mixing in with an ensemble or a large sound for solo guitar. I could achieve either sound with the 8040s and some EQ. Some overdubs with the 8040 pair yielded a sound that was fuller and more musical, like large-diaphragm SENNHEISER continues on page 15 ➤ “small board with a big big sound… the EQ is nothing short of magic” details from: 88@tridentaudio.co.uk 011 44 147 481 5300 www.tridentaudio.co.uk http://www.tridentaudio.co.uk http://www.tridentaudio.co.uk

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - March 2008

ProAudio Review - March 2008 Contents Publisher's Page Studio News and New Products Sennheiser MKH 8040 Microphone Digidesign Mbox 2 Micro Studio Spotlight Upsampler X/Audio Live News and New Products Touring Gear From the Road Broadcast News and New Products ION Audio Tape2PC Cassette Archiving System Brauner VMA Large-Diaphragm Microphone Audio Ltd. RMS 2040 Series Post News and New Products First Look NAB Showcase Buyers Guide Single Slice

ProAudio Review - March 2008

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