I don’t know about you, but I have noticed a trend with “affordable” condenser mics sounding “clunky” and requiring a lot of help in the EQ dept. Why bother making it affordable if it sucks? Add that with the reputation for delicacy — especially in some large diaphragm models more suited for the studio — and many of us avoid using them live. But these mics came to me in a very cool quasi-flight-looking case. For the price I was sur-prised AKG made the effort! The mics are very retro studio looking, and are extremely rugged (more on that in a minute).
The Gear
The 200 is the “low-end” of the Perception series, which is a hard fact to line up with the specs. It has a large diaphragm, which AKG says does a full 20Hz to 20kHz. We didn’t measure it, but that sounds about right. You get a couple of features usually found on much more expensive mics like a -10dB pad and a low-frequency roll off (12db per octave at 300Hz). It’ll take a 145dB pounding and comes with a two-year parts and labor warranty. Plus that cool road case.
The Gigs
Gig One: Typically when FOH brings me a condenser mic to check out, I put it in the one location onstage where, if it sucks, it’s easy to lose — overheads or ride mics. I was mixing a local corporate act in a room with about 1000 people. I was pleasantly surprised — these mics didn’t suck! They had similar qualities to AKG’s much more expensive and more popular mics. Not all of the same qualities, but a lot of them. Nice sizzle without being harsh — something most “affordable” condensers lack.
Gig Two: Feeling more ambitious this go around, I was working with a horn band and decided to put them on a couple horns. Now I have some wedges to contend with and, well, horn players. As we were sound checking I basically turned the mics up and had REAL horn sound! Not that kazoo sound that you would expect. It once again was a pleasant surprise.
With a well-known line array in the air, that has a well-known harshness between 4K and 6K, combined with a popular digital console that, well, sounds like a digital console, I still had minimal EQ to do once again. How nice it would have been to have an analog… Oh wait, wrong story. I asked my monitor engineer how he made out, and he told me his EQ on both the mix and the rail was minimal with no complaints. Lots of blaring horn volume in the wedges.
The bottom line? For a mid sized touring or regional sound company, you’ve finally got a condenser you can afford to buy and use. As bad is this may sound, this is a mic that if it gets dropped, dinged, dented, stolen, put in a toilet or whatever, it’s not “breaking the bank” to call AKG and re-place it. List price is $399, but I have seen it online for well under two bills.
Which brings up the “ruggedness.” When we test a mic we are asked by FOH to — This is not for the weak hearted. Clear all kids from the room — drop the mic. I know — Sacrilege! Blasphemy! But we didn’t even scratch it. I can’t disclose the height from which we dropped it because, well, AKG may never send another mic. But I will say a scissor lift was involved.
What It Is: Large diaphragm condenser mic
Who It’s For: Regional and local soundcos and crews that abuse gear
Pros: Sounds more expensive than it is. Rugged. Cool road case.
Cons: None that we could really see.
How Much: $399 MSRP (But you can find it for a lost less.)
Web site: www.akg.com/perception200
