Topic: Schoeps Shotgun Capsule: KMIT

[Grimod]

Last week at IBC, Schoeps launched a shotgun capsule called the KMIT. It works with analogue amplifiers, such as a CMC 4, CMC 6 or CMC 1, and with the new digital CMD 42.

For people who have an amplifier that they can use with a KMIT, at US$1575 it’s $800 cheaper than buying a CMIT 5.

The Schoeps page on the KMIT is at https://schoeps.de/en/products/shotgun-microphones/cmit-series/kmit.html

Schoeps also has a video about the mike on its YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC0Zjuf_f80

This 2017 forum thread might interest some:
Why no Schoeps shotgun capsules?
https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=183945.msg2243413#msg2243413

[adam111]

Thank you for sharing!

Always exciting to see a new Schoeps release.

This is cool.

[SMsound]

Love this idea.

A little concerned that all of the leverage against the Schoeps capsule threads (from the extended length) will strip those threads though.

[DSatz]

The total weight of a KMIT is less than two ounces, and its length less than five inches. The physically dense parts--the active electronics and the transducer "innards"--are located immediately behind the connector where the housing threads are. The interference tube that constitutes the major part of any shotgun mike's length is screened against wind, but hollow. Despite the effect of leverage, its weight doesn't put much stress on the threads, the capsule's connector rings, or the amplifier's socket.

Incidentally, with many other shotgun mikes you always have to keep one particular side of the capsule on top in order to get the specified pattern and frequency response--but the Schoeps shotguns, including the KMIT, are radially symmetrical. The capsule "innards" of the KMIT are exactly the same as those in the CMIT shotguns, set within the 20 mm diameter of Colette-series mikes instead of 21 mm.

[SMsound]

The total weight of a KMIT is less than two ounces, and its length less than five inches. The physically dense parts--the active electronics and the transducer "innards"--are located immediately behind the connector ...

I agree, but my concern is that the long shotgun cap is essentially a long lever against the cap's threads. The shotgun cap itself is light and the weight is placed so that it won't bother the threads. But, when someone bumps the end of the shotgun cap (esp. with a shotgun mic, they're designed to move around), then that may strip the threads. Schoeps threads are not designed to take leverage.

Hopefully it's a non-issue, but I am suspicious. I would want some kind of sleeve around the threaded joint if I used it on my nice CMC1 pre's. Actually, a velcro sleeve would be one simple/light way to solve the problem address any potential issue that might arise, if such an issue did arise.

EDIT: goodcooker is correct below that I am anticipating a potential problem but neither I nor anyone else knows whether it is a problem at this point

[goodcooker]

solve the problem

I don't think it's fair to call this a problem unless it's actually a problem not just something you anticipate to be an issue without actually having any evidence in practice.

Schoeps is one of, if not THE most reputable manufacturers of microphones. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't release a new microphone capsule to a loyal, mostly professional users market without ensuring that it would act as expected and not strip out the threads in normal use.

This is the kind of thing that turns repeated speculation into "facts". "Someone over on forum X said that the mic threads on these new capsules break after one bump".

[SMsound]

solve the problem

I don't think it's fair to call this a problem unless it's actually a problem not just something you anticipate to be an issue without actually having any evidence in practice.

Schoeps is one of, if not THE most reputable manufacturers of microphones. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't release a new microphone capsule to a loyal, mostly professional users market without ensuring that it would act as expected and not strip out the threads in normal use.

This is the kind of thing that turns repeated speculation into "facts". "Someone over on forum X said that the mic threads on these new capsules break after one bump".

Post edited to reflect your comment, which is reasonable. I am a machinist and know a few things about threaded aluminum. However, I agree -- I am anticipating a potential problem that may in fact not exist. I also agree that Schoeps engineers tend to know what they're doing. FWIW, these are not the only threads I worry about -- the LEMO threads on the back of my CMC1L make me nervous, too, as do the microdots on my DPA 4060's. So far no problems, but I absolutely baby those things given what I know about short threaded studs in soft materials...