Zoom

Zoom SGH-6 Shotgun Microphone Capsule Recorder Accessory

4.3 (42 reviews)

A hyperdirectional capsule that locks onto your subject and rejects the room — built for Zoom's pro field recorder ecosystem.

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Overview

The Zoom SGH-6 is a hyperdirectional shotgun capsule module engineered specifically for Zoom's XYH/SGH capsule port ecosystem. Its narrow pickup angle and 78dB signal-to-noise ratio are designed to solve the core challenge of location audio: capturing intelligible, clean dialogue in environments that aren't acoustically controlled. The hyperdirectional pattern means you're not just recording what's in front of the capsule — you're actively excluding what isn't. In a reverberant theater lobby, a noisy film set, or a windswept outdoor location, that directional discrimination is audible as reduced wash, cleaner transients on consonants, and a tighter, more focused stereo image when combined with the recorder's onboard channels.

This capsule is built for professionals already invested in the Zoom ecosystem — documentary filmmakers, ENG crews, live theater sound capture operators, and field recordists who run H5, H6, F4, or F8 recorders as primary or backup recording rigs. The integration is frictionless: the SGH-6 snaps into the capsule port, draws power from the host unit, and appears as the primary input source — no XLR cables, no separate preamp, no gain-staging between capsule and converter. Under session pressure, that simplicity is a genuine asset. The included hairy windscreen gives you immediate outdoor deployment capability, and the compact size keeps the recorder-plus-capsule combination camera-mountable without rebalancing the rig.

Key Features

Fits Zoom H5 and H6 Handy Recorders, the Q8 Handy Video Recorder, U-44 Handy Audio Interface, as well as F4 and F8 MultiTrack Field Recorders

Includes: SGH-6 Shotgun capsule and Hairy Windscreen

Specifications

Type
Shotgun Microphone Capsule (Accessory Module)
Polar Pattern
Hyperdirectional
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
78 dB
Compatible Devices
Zoom H5, H6, Q8, U-44, F4, F8
Included Accessories
Hairy Windscreen
Model
SGH-6
Recommended Use
Film, video, live theater, ENG

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • 78dB SNR delivers a clean noise floor that preserves dialogue clarity without audible hiss at standard gain levels on compatible Zoom recorders.
  • Hyperdirectional polar pattern provides aggressive off-axis rejection, isolating subject dialogue from ambient room noise, crowd, and camera handling noise.
  • Direct capsule-port integration with H5, H6, F4, F8, Q8, and U-44 means zero cabling — the capsule becomes part of the recorder's signal chain with no additional gain stage.
  • Included hairy windscreen addresses outdoor deployment immediately out of the box without requiring a separate accessory purchase for field work.
  • Compact form factor adds minimal bulk to the host recorder, keeping the rig camera-mountable and travel-ready.

👎 Cons

  • Compatibility is hard-locked to Zoom's capsule-port ecosystem — the SGH-6 cannot be used with any recorder or interface that lacks a Zoom XYH/SGH capsule port, making it a zero-value accessory outside that system.
  • No published maximum SPL specification means users must rely on the host recorder's pad settings to avoid clipping on unexpectedly loud sources.
  • The rear null of a hyperdirectional pattern is shallower than a true supercardioid, meaning some rear ambient bleed is present in reverberant environments.
  • No built-in high-pass filter on the capsule itself — low-frequency rumble management depends entirely on the host recorder's onboard HPF settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

The SGH-6 is a passive capsule accessory — it draws its operating power directly from the host Zoom recorder's capsule port, with no separate power supply or phantom power required. Power draw and bias voltage are managed entirely by the H5, H6, F4, F8, Q8, or U-44 host unit.
The SGH-6 specifies a 78dB SNR. In practice, this means the capsule introduces minimal self-noise, making it suitable for dialogue recording in moderately quiet environments — ambient nature sound, corporate interviews, ENG work — without audible hiss at normal recording levels.
Hyperdirectional (supercardioid/lobar) patterns offer significantly tighter front pickup and deeper side rejection than cardioid. The SGH-6 will attenuate off-axis sounds — crowd noise, HVAC, camera operator movement — more aggressively than the standard cardioid capsule modules in the Zoom lineup. The trade-off is that rear null is shallower than a supercardioid, meaning some rear bleed is present.
The product data does not specify a maximum SPL rating for this capsule. It is intended for dialogue, ENG, and theatrical sound capture rather than close-miking high-SPL instruments. For high-SPL sources, verify the host recorder's input pad settings as the primary protection.
The hairy windscreen provides meaningful attenuation of light-to-moderate wind — sufficient for walking shots and outdoor interviews in calm-to-breezy conditions. For sustained high-wind shooting, a blimp/zeppelin system over the capsule will provide more reliable rejection.