The Austrian Audio OC18. Handcrafted in the heart of Vienna, the City of Music, the OC18 is a versatile large-diaphragm condenser microphone with a fixed cardioid polar pattern, 10 and 20dB pads, and a three-position switchable highpass filter. You can use the OC18 on any source with excellent results. Austrian Audio microphones are rigorously tested on state-of-the-art measurement systems and precision matched to within a stringent 1dB tolerance. Which means you can confidently use your OC18 along with another OC18 (or the company's multi-pattern OC818 set to cardioid) in a stereo-pair configuration and be assured of stunning results.
Outstanding results on any source
Austrian Audio pours everything they have learned in 300+ years of combined experience into their products. The heart of any classic mic is a superior handmade capsule, and this wisdom is borne out in the company's proprietary CKR12 capsule. In keeping with its fixed cardioid polar pattern, the OC18 uses the single-diaphragm version of the CKR12 capsule, which, in concert with the microphone's custom electronic circuitry, delivers excellent results when used for vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, drum overheads, strings, brass, percussion, and room capture. What's more, the OC18's robust native 148dB maximum SPL capability — further increased by the inclusion of selectable 10 and 20dB pads — also makes it ideal for louder sources such as tom toms and electric guitar cabinets.
Versatile cardioid polar pattern
If you had to choose only one polar pattern for all the mics in your studio, cardioid would be the one. Although we certainly recommend having multi-pattern microphones such as Austrian Audio's OC818 in your mic locker for tricky recording setups and advanced stereo miking techniques, your cardioid mics will be your "go-to" mics for the vast majority of recording and sound-reinforcement tasks. The OC18 uses the same handmade-in-Vienna CKR12 ceramic capsule as the OC818, but with a single instead of dual diaphragms, which keeps the cost down. After all, if you don't need multiple polar patterns, why pay for them? Otherwise, you're getting the exact same microphone, with identical sonic performance. A great-sounding cardioid condenser mic like the OC18 will enjoy constant use in your studio.
The new Vienna classics
Carrying on the rich legacy of high-end Viennese microphone design into the modern era, Austrian Audio is driven by an engineering team with over 300 years of combined experience. Their motto: "Making Passion Heard." Their mission: to design and manufacture a new generation of recording tools that embrace cutting-edge technologies and sonic excellence while honoring Vienna's rich musical heritage. That vision is realized in the Austrian Audio's proprietary handcrafted CKR12 large-diaphragm capsule, which is used in the company's excellent OC18 and OC818 condenser microphones.
Features:
- Handmade, single-diaphragm CKR12 ceramic capsule, cardioid polar pattern
- Austrian Audio OC18 and OC818 mics are matched to within 1dB tolerance for accurate stereo capture
- Compatible with Austrian Audio OC818 for spaced-pair applications
- Polar pattern: Cardioid
- Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz
- Sensitivity (all directions): 13mV/Pa
- Equivalent Noise Level: 9dB SPL (A)
- Maximum SPL: 148dB (158dB SPL with 10dB pad engaged)
- Switchable pad: 10dB, 20dB
- HPF: switchable 40Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz
- Impedance: 275Ohm (symmetrical)
- Load impedance: >1kOhm
- Supply voltage: 48V phantom (<2.2mA)
- Includes spider mount, mic clip, windscreen, and storage case