Uncolored, Transparent, Versatile
The KM 184 is a state-of-the-art small diaphragm condenser microphone
with a uniform, frequency-independent cardioid polar pattern. Its very
natural, transparent sound with very low self-noise and high SPL
capability have made the KM 184 a worldwide stage and studio standard
for many applications ranging from classical piano to heavy metal drums.
Faithful
While many microphones, these days, are designed to add some sonic
imprint of their own, there are many applications that require a
faithful reproduction of the original acoustic event, without adding or
removing anything. That’s where the Neumann Series 180 comes in.
The Neumann Series 180 consists of three members with different
pickup patterns: KM 183 (omni), KM 184 (cardioid), and KM 185
(hypercardioid), thus covering the majority of stage and studio
applications. Because the Series 180 microphones are non-modular, they
are more cost-effective than the modular Series KM A and KM D (which
offer a wide range of interchangeable capsule heads for analog and
digital output stages).
Cardioid
Despite its attractive pricing, the KM 184 offers state-of-the-art
Neumann engineering. Its cardioid pattern is frequency-independent;
rejection of rearward sound (180°) is excellent, even at low
frequencies. In practical usage, there is no sound coloration over a
wide pickup angle, which is crucial in multi-microphone setups and for
precise stereo/surround imaging. The KM 184’s frequency response is very
smooth and linear with a slight treble lift around 9 kHz for added
brilliance. Its innovative transformerless head amplifier offers a wide
dynamic range of 125 dB and is carefully designed to maintain the
capsule’s sonic integrity. The KM 184 has a very low self-noise of only
13 dB-A and can handle high sound pressure levels of up to 138 dB free
from distortion. Due to its low impedance output stage, the KM 184 can
drive long cable runs of up to 300 meters (1000 feet) without
transmission losses.
Applications
The KM 184 is a universal microphone for studio and stage
applications. Its transparent sound makes the KM 184 a superb microphone
for acoustic instruments, such as piano, percussion, drums, acoustic
guitar, upright bass, violin, cello, woodwinds, and brass. The KM 184
can be used for soloists as well as ensembles. Thanks to its superior
off-axis behavior, the KM 184 is an excellent microphone for stereo and
surround recording with perfect imaging. Although the KM 184 is not
specially optimized for the human voice, it is often used for classical
vocals and whenever sonic authenticity is paramount. Due to its small
size, the KM 184 is visually unobtrusive and well suited to TV and radio
applications.
- Uniform cardioid pattern without off-axis coloration
- Linear frequency response with a slight treble lift
- Very low self-noise (13 dB-A)
- Low impedance output for long cable runs without transmission losses
- Transformerless circuitry
- Compact size, visually unobtrusive
| Acoustical operating principle
|
Pressure gradient transducer |
|
Directional Pattern
|
Cardioid |
|
Frequency Range
|
20 Hz ... 20 kHz |
|
Sensitivity at 1 kHz into 1 kohm
|
15 mV/Pa ± 1 dB |
|
Rated Impedance
|
50 ohms |
|
Rated load impedance
|
1 kohms |
|
Equivalent noise level, CCIR
1
|
22 dB |
|
Equivalent noise level, A-weighted
2
|
13 dB-A |
|
Maximum SPL for THD 0.5%
3
|
138 dB |
|
Signal-to-noise ratio, CCIR (re. 94 dB SPL)
4
|
72 dB |
|
Signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted (re. 94 dB SPL)
5
|
81 dB |
|
Maximum output voltage
|
10 dBu |
|
Supply voltage (P48, IEC 61938)
|
48 V ± 4 V |
|
Current consumption (P48, IEC 61938)
|
3.2 mA |
|
Matching connector
|
XLR 3 F |
|
Weight
|
approx. 80 g |
|
Diameter
|
22 mm |
|
Length
|
107 mm |