MC 950 

The beyerdynamic MC 950 is a true condenser microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern, handmade in Germany. It shares the same DNA as the MC 930 — versatility, high-quality workmanship, exceptional technical features, and a clever construction — while its supercardioid polar pattern is what sets it apart. Whether in the studio or for live performances, the MC 950 is built to deliver.

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Focused Pickup for Diverse Sound Sources

Thanks to its largely linear frequency response, the MC 950 is well suited for a wide range of sound sources, including piano, choirs, orchestras, and solo instruments of all kinds. It also delivers excellent results when recording spoken and sung vocals when paired with the WS 101 wind shield. The MC 950 truly excels when sound needs to be effectively blocked from the sides. Equipped with an almost frequency-independent supercardioid polar pattern, it is highly effective at suppressing sound at 140° and 220°, enabling excellent channel separation — making it ideal for both studio work and loud live stages.

Precision Engineering, Built to Last

With its switchable attenuation of -15 dB, the MC 950 can handle loud instruments without issue. Disruptive bass and low-mid frequencies caused by impact sounds or proximity effects can be minimized using the switchable low-cut filter of 6 dB/octave at 250 Hz. The microphone operates on 11–52 V phantom power. Like the MC 930, the MC 950 features one of the most powerful outputs in its class at 35 mV/Pa — a significant advantage, as it requires very little amplification when used with interfaces and mixing consoles.

Precision Engineering, Built to Last

The MC 950's lightweight, gold-vapourised diaphragm gives it excellent vibration and impulse behaviour, producing natural and precise sound throughout a session. The handmade true condenser capsule boasts excellent transient response, enabling it to quickly reproduce even percussive sounds. The capsule is protected by a durable, compact housing of solid metal, with strategically placed holes that meaningfully contribute to its acoustic character. The microphone head is a robust yet acoustically neutral sintered disc, and both the pre-attenuation and low-cut filter controls are integrated directly into the housing. Acoustically relevant components — including the true condenser capsule, the system suspension, and the counter electrode — are all produced in-house at beyerdynamic's facility in Germany, ensuring consistently high quality and making each MC 950 unique. Because every unit is individually handcrafted, beyerdynamic individually measures each microphone and includes a printout of its specific measurement curve with every purchase.

Why We Love This

Our gear experts trust the MC 950 for its almost frequency-independent supercardioid polar pattern, which prioritizes frontal sound while rejecting unwanted noise from the sides — essential on loud live stages and in busy studio environments. Its excellent transient response means it captures even fast, percussive sounds with accuracy, while its powerful 35 mV/Pa output means less reliance on preamp gain. The switchable attenuation and low-cut filter give performers and engineers precise, on-the-fly control over the signal.

Top Ten Features

• Supercardioid polar pattern for focused, directional pickup
• Largely linear frequency response suited to a wide variety of sound sources
• Switchable -15 dB attenuation for use with loud instruments
• Switchable low-cut filter (6 dB/octave at 250 Hz) to minimize bass and low-mid interference
• Exceptional 35 mV/Pa output — among the most powerful in its class
• Lightweight, gold-vapourised diaphragm for excellent vibration and impulse behaviour
• Excellent transient response for accurate reproduction of percussive sounds
• Handmade true condenser capsule with in-house production of acoustically relevant components
• Durable solid metal housing with an acoustically neutral sintered disc microphone head
• Individual measurement curve printed and included with every unit