SennheiserMKH 8040
microphone
New retail price (MSRP)
$1,499
Used market: $1,170*
Specifications
0 of 9 values have a recorded source- Connectors
- XLR 3-Pin Male·
- Built-in converter
- no·
- Self-noise
- 13·
- Transducer
- Condenser True·
- Sensitivity
- -34·
- Output impedance
- 25·
- Phantom power required
- yes·
- Connection
- XLR-Only·
- Indexable Locales
- ·
Expert Audio Engineering Commentary
Tonal profile
A modular RF condenser: a 19 mm capsule head that screws onto an XLR module, a digital module or a very short extension. Bandwidth runs to 50 kHz, which matters for sound design at pitched-down speeds more than for music.
Gain staging
-34 dBV/Pa and 13 dB(A) put it within a decibel of the MKH 416 on both counts, in a body a fifth of the length. The 25-ohm source impedance is the practical note: it drives long cable well, but wants a load of at least 1 kilohm.
What the datasheet actually says
Quoted verbatim from the manufacturer’s own page, with the date we checked it. We state what is printed, not what anyone intended by it.
«Connection Wired: no. Value printed: «Connection | Wireless»»
The technical data block of a wired XLR condenser lists «Connection: Wireless», three rows above its own «Audio output: XLR-3M balanced, transformerless, floating» and «Phantom power: 48 V». The sibling MKH 8050 page, built from the same template, prints «Connection: Wired».
checked 8/6/2026«Sensitivity -34 dBV/Pa»
The cardioid MKH 8040 and the supercardioid MKH 8050 carry the same electro-acoustic block row for row: -34 dBV/Pa, 13 dB(A) and 22 dB CCIR noise, 142 dB SPL, 25 ohms nominal, 1000 ohms minimum load, 3.3 mA, 25 g, 30 Hz - 50 kHz. Only the pickup-pattern row differs.
checked 8/6/2026* Estimated with the depreciation fallback (~78% retained value).