Sanken CSS-50 Three Mode Short Shotgun Microphone

The Sanken CSS-50 Overview

The Sanken CSS-50 is Sanken’s new and more affordable, easy to operate and flexible stereo shotgun for use in broadcasting and film. The CSS-50’s 3-diaphragm electret condenser mic offers innovative technology in a short, practical form factor.

The selectable CSS-50 clearly captures stereo center-targeted sound with moderate ambience. To achieve this, Sanken developed the three-capsule CSS-50 to capture the center sound like a normal shotgun with the addition of two mic capsules for variable stereo imaging.

The Sanken CSS-50 offers three distinct operation modes. Mono mode offers sharp shotgun directivity, normal (stereo) mode provides precise stereo localization, and wide (stereo) mode allows for expanded 140° stereo, ideal for cinematic ambience and sound effects. Unlike conventional approaches, the CSS-50 is especially effective in the 400Hz to 3 kHz range for optimum stereophonic perception.

Thanks to Sanken’s original thin square capsule design, the capsules can be stacked in the short sound tube, providing performance equivalent to the CSS-5 in a more compact body. The high-performance electret condenser capsules are equivalent in response to DC-biased capsules.

Sanken CSS-50 Frequency Response

Sanken CSS-50 Polar Pattern (Mono Mode)

Sanken CSS-50 Polar Pattern (Normal Stereo Mode)

Sanken CSS-50 Polar Pattern (Stereo Wide Mode)