Large-Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The OC18 – the OC818’s little sibling with the same renowned cardioid sound. Handcrafted in Vienna with a CKR6 capsule and open acoustic design for pristine clarity. Featuring pad and high-pass filter, it’s ready for any session and perfectly matched with any OC18 or OC818 (cardioid mode) – same punch, full clarity.
We’re engineers. We’re microphone obsessives. And we build in Vienna. For us, great sound starts long before you hit record – with materials, acoustics, precision, and countless details engineered to work as one. From a capsule handcrafted and individually measured to an acoustic design that gets out of the sound’s way and factory calibration that ensures remarkable consistency, the OC18 is built around one simple idea: hear the source, not the microphone.
From intimate vocals to powerful speech, the OC18 brings richness and balance to every voice. Its handcrafted CKR6 capsule delivers smooth, musical detail with a silky top end, while the precise cardioid pattern keeps the performance focused – session after session, take after take.
From delicate strings to brass, reeds, and piano, the OC18 captures acoustic instruments with rich, natural balance. Its smooth character keeps transients musical, while precise cardioid focus and serious headroom make it equally at home in controlled studio sessions and demanding live productions.
Every word matters. With just 9 dB(A) self-noise, the OC18 captures speech, voiceover, and broadcast performances with exceptional clarity and rich, smooth detail. Its precise cardioid pattern keeps the voice focused, while consistent response delivers reliable results from one session to the next.
Cymbals, shells, transients, energy – the OC18 captures the whole kit with balance and control. Its smooth top end keeps cymbals refined, while massive dynamic range handles serious impact with ease. In the studio or live, precise cardioid focus keeps every performance defined.
Stereo starts with consistency. Every OC18 is factory-calibrated to ±0.5 dB, so any two microphones are ready to work together without hand-matching. From XY and ORTF to spaced setups on piano and beyond, you get reliable balance, precise imaging, and repeatable results.
At the heart of the OC18 is the CKR6 – Austrian Audio’s handcrafted 1” single-diaphragm true condenser capsule, engineered specifically for precise cardioid performance. Built with a ceramic isolator and individually measured during production, the CKR6 delivers exceptional consistency, ultra-low distortion, and a rich, smooth character with remarkable detail. Fast transients, silky highs, balanced lows – captured naturally, musically, and with absolute precision.
One pattern. One purpose. No compromise.
Focused by design. Musical by nature.
Inside a microphone, every surface can get in the way. Reflections hit the diaphragm milliseconds late, creating comb filtering that colors the signal. Our Open Acoustics Technology takes those obstacles out. The capsule sits as freely as possible, with reflective surfaces and contact points reduced to a minimum and carefully selected diffuser materials controlling what remains. Sound reaches the capsule openly from every side, preserving natural detail, cleaner polar patterns, and reliable rear rejection for improved feedback resistance on stage.
Less reflection. Less coloration. More of the source, exactly as it should sound.
Open by design. Naturally true.
Great recordings start with consistency. That’s why every OC18 is individually measured and factory-calibrated to a sensitivity of ±0.5 dB at 1 kHz. The result: predictable performance from one microphone to the next – and any two OC18s can work together as a stereo pair without hand-matching. Add another tomorrow, replace one years from now, or combine it with an OC818 in cardioid mode. The same precise standard is built into every mic.
No searching for the perfect pair. No guesswork. Just consistency you can rely on.
Matched by precision. Not by chance.
One pattern. No second guessing. The OC18’s precise cardioid response keeps the source focused and unwanted sound under control, with smooth off-axis behavior and reliable rear rejection. In the studio or on stage, place it, point it, and get to work.
Three switchable high-pass filters let you shape the low end before it reaches the mix. Cut rumble at 40 Hz, tighten things up at 80 Hz, or control proximity and unwanted lows at 160 Hz. Less cleanup later. More control while recording.
Some sources don’t do subtle. With -10 dB and -20 dB pads, the OC18 is ready when levels climb – from drums and percussion to cranked guitar and bass cabinets. Push the source, keep the control, and capture the performance without holding back.
