Overview

The Neumann KMR 81 i is a premium shotgun condenser microphone engineered for professional film, television, broadcast, and electronic news gathering (ENG) applications. Combining a precision pressure-gradient condenser capsule with a medium-length interference tube, it delivers exceptional speech intelligibility, natural tonal balance, and outstanding off-axis performance. Its compact, lightweight design makes it ideal for boom operation and extended location recording sessions.

Natural Dialogue Capture

Unlike many shotgun microphones that color sounds arriving from the sides, the KMR 81 i maintains remarkably consistent off-axis response. Its frequency-independent supercardioid/lobe pickup pattern reduces unwanted ambient noise while preserving the natural character of voices and acoustic sources, making dialogue editing and post-production significantly easier.

Optimized for Film and Broadcast

The KMR 81 i features an extremely low self-noise of just 12 dB-A and high sensitivity of 18 mV/Pa for capturing clean dialogue even in quiet recording environments. A switchable 10 dB pad increases maximum SPL handling to 138 dB, while the integrated 200 Hz low-cut filter helps reduce proximity effect and unwanted low-frequency rumble during close-miking applications.

Lightweight Professional Design

Weighing only 145 g, the KMR 81 i is exceptionally comfortable for handheld boom operation during long productions. Its low power consumption, balanced center of gravity, and excellent resistance to wind and handling noise make it a trusted choice for location sound engineers working in challenging outdoor and indoor environments.

Applications

The KMR 81 i is ideal for:

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  Film and television dialogue recording
  
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  Electronic News Gathering (ENG)
  
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  Documentary production
  
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  Broadcast studios
  
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  Boom microphone operation
  
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  Location sound recording
  
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  Corporate video production
  
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  Theatre and stage productions
  
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  Isolated instrument pickup in orchestral recordings