Japanese microphone specialist Sanken has launched the CUX-100K Cardioid OR Omnidirectional super wide range professional microphone. The newest mic in the Sanken Chromatic line, it’s based on the very omni-mode CO-100K, but has the ability to change modes with three settings: Cardioid (Far), Cardioid (Near) and Omni modes.

The unique design of the CUX-100K makes it well-suited for a variety of high-resolution, high sample rate recordings, both in spatial or close miking applications. The brand says it’s ideal for ensemble, solo, vocals and orchestral mic arrays, plus specialised uses such as Foley, location sound effect recording, and all types of acoustic instruments. 

The launch follows the success of Sanken’s CO-100K with top engineers and producers who embraced the concept of 100kHz high-resolution recording. 

In Omni mode, like the CO-100K, the CUX-100K precisely captures source, spatial and ambient sounds with articulation and clarity. With a response up to 100kHz, the mic enables subtle nuances of the performance to enhance recordings not possible with standard microphones. This makes it a good match for the heightened frequency response of next-generation hi-resolution digital audio formats.  

In Cardioid (Far) mode, the CUX-100K records a mix of moderate ambience and main performance sources with cardioid directivity, good for stereo and multichannel pairing.

In Cardioid (Near) mode, the CUX-100K can operate as a spotlight, solo, or vocal mic. To selectively reject some ambience the mic is optimized up to 50kHz.

The  CUX-100K retails for $3,400. More info can be found at sankenchromatic.com.