Neumann - KM 184

The 180 series consists of three compact microphones, whose polar patterns meet the requirements of the most common studio applications.

Thanks to its optimized mechanical design and the deliberate rejection of the modular aspect, which is superfluous in many cases, the 180 series is predestined for productions on tight budgets and home studios.

The KM 183 (omnidirectional) and the KM 185 (hypercardioid) are based on the cardioid microphone KM 184, whose tremendous success quickly made it a standard in studios all over the world.
All microphones in the 180 series are available in matte black or nickel finish.

Applications
Their tapered shape and the pickup characteristics described below make the microphones in the 180 series versatile tools, suitable for a wide variety of tasks, particularly in the radio and television sectors.

Acoustic characteristics
The KM 183 and KM 184 are the successors of the legendary KM 83 and KM 84 models, which have been used successfully worldwide since the 1970s.
The KM 185, with a hypercardioid directivity, completes the range.

The KM 183 is a pressure transducer whose response curve has a hump of approximately 7 dB at 10 kHz in free field; in the diffuse field, the response curve is flat.
The KM 184 and KM 185 pressure gradient transducers have a very linear response curve not only for on-axis incidence (0°), but also for lateral incidence (off-axis).
During typical use, no sound coloration is detectable, even at a very wide pickup angle.

Although the KM 184 has the same capsule as the KM 84, the two microphones have a slight difference in frequency response at an incidence angle of 0°.
The KM 184 has a slight emphasis above 9 kHz - a feature introduced, with great success, on the KM 140.
Compared to the KM 84, which is neutral in this frequency range, the result is a more lively tonal balance with greater freshness.

This difference is achieved by a slight modification of the rear openings of the capsule, and not by playing on internal resonances.

The KM 185, with its hypercardioid response curve, ensures an attenuation of approximately 10 dB of sounds coming from the rear or sides, the minimum sensitivity corresponding to an incidence angle of 120°.

Electrical characteristics
The microphones of the 180 series have the same transformerless output circuit as the KM 100 system, which gives them excellent technical characteristics:

Compared to the KM 84 model, the dynamic range of the KM 184 is 24 dB higher, thanks in part to a self-noise level reduced to only 22 dB (CCIR) and a higher maximum acceptable sound pressure level (up to 138 dB SPL).

The microphones operate without problems, even if the input of the recorder is unbalanced (as is the case with some portable DATs, for example).

As with all Neumann microphones, the output of the KM 18x is balanced, and the microphones are powered by phantom voltage (48 Volts).

Economy
The microphones of the 180 series are a good choice for all users who are looking for a high-quality miniature microphone, but who do not necessarily need a complex modular system like the KM 100, which is still part of the Neumann product family.

The mechanical construction is simplified: for example, on the KM 18x it is not possible to separate the capsule and the output stage.
As a result, this microphone family is an economical alternative, while still ensuring the electro-acoustic characteristics that users expect from Neumann microphones.