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AKG
Parent Category   Studio & Home Studio AKG

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AKG C 3000
By RickD on 04/15/2008 at 01:06 Serious about music, want to make it your profession.

Characteristics  
- What type of microphone? (live, recording, mixed...)
This is mainly a home-studio mic, but i have seen it used live before, on percussion at an African music concert.
It's got an 80 hz high-pass filter, and you can switch between two patterns : cardioid or hyper-cardioid, if i remember correctly. Don't think it has a pad but you might want to check the manufacturer's site to be sure.

- What technology? (electret, condenser...)
It's a condenser, i believe, and so requires Phantom power...
It's a very sensitive mic, in any case a lot more sensitive than any dynamic mic of course, and so if you've got an SM-58 and want to move onto this then you'd better be ready for a big surprise.

It's got foam and a grid to protect the large gold-plated diaphragm but you do need a pop filter with this, and you might want to tilt it a bit to attenuate further any direct wind coming from the vocalist. I sometimes use two pop filters at the same time.

You can modify the mic and remove the inner foam: this supposedly transforms the mic but of course you will then need to use even more precaution when recording.
Overall Opinion  
I bought this in 2000 or so and never once regretted it.
It's a transparent mic, flat across the whole range you can hear...20hz to 20.000hz.
It's very sensitive and detailed, sometimes can seem a bit harsh so if you have a warm preamp you might want to use it in conjunction with the C3000.

You can use this on acoustic instruments, it works just as well as with vocals. I've recorded a cello, violin, wooden ladder (yes, a wooden ladder!), toy keyboard, guitars, flute, clarinet, etc. It's good. On strings you might want to prefer an Audio-Technica ATM-33 though, that works wonders on violins & cello...but the C3000 is good for pretty much everything.
It's unforgiving and don't expect that flattering high-end from this mic, but if you're looking for a real good all-rounder and you have a sound-proofed room then this is definitely worth considering.
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AKG D 112
By moosers on 03/25/2008 at 19:46 Music is your Profession.

Characteristics  
The AKG D112 is a great dynamic microphone. I've used it both in a live and recording setting, but mostly in a recording setting. I use it mostly on kick drums, but also bass guitar amps. The design and low frequency response make it easy to place around or inside or a kick drum or right up easy the grill of a bass amp.
Overall Opinion  
I've had the AKG D112 for about 4 years now. When I got it I also got the Shure Beta 52A so that I could have a shootout with the two and see which one I liked best as my kick drum mic. I choose the D112 because to me it gives a tighter sound. I also love the design of it as it is easy to set up and place. The D112 and the Beta 52a are pretty much the industry standards for kick drum, and in my own experience it seems that I've seen the D112 used more in the studio setting than the 52a. As far as price goes, it isn't overly expensive and is the price you must pay if you want a quality dynamic mic like this. If you are serious about recording drums I would strongly consider looking into this microphone for the kick drum.
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AKG C 1000
By moosers on 03/25/2008 at 19:44 Music is your Profession.

Characteristics  
I own a pair of AKG C1000s and I have used them extensively in the studio. They're a great set (I would recommend getting a pair) of small-diaphragm condensers. It has an on/off switch, which always comes in handy and the design of the mic makes it easy to set up and to place. The sound these things reproduce are great for all types of applications but mostly for acoustic instruments.
Overall Opinion  
I've had these for about a year now but I had used them in studios in the past. I ended up buying a pair because they are cheap and are a great option to have for overheads, or miking individual cymbals. They have a great high end to them and are a great value for the price. Many times you can find them cheaper as a pair. I also have a pair of Rode NT5s that I use as another option for overheads. Compared to those I feel the C1000s are a little better suited for hi-hats or ride cymbals rather than general overheads like the NT5s or the Neumann KM184s. They are also great on vocals, especially on choirs or a group of singers. While these may not be my go to mics, I'm happy to have them in my arsenal as an option for things where the high end of it is important.
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AKG K 240 Monitor
By TheStratGuy on 01/11/2008 at 18:34

Overall Opinion  
I've used these headphones for 2 years now, they are comfortable, good-looking and, more important than all, they DO sound really good. They helped me make better home studio mixes through revealing some frequencies that usually remained hidden with "usual" (non-professionnal) headphones or speakers. The impedance is very high (600 ohms) compared with most other headphones, so with the same settings the general volume will be lower on these ones than on most other headphones. They also tend to saturate early in the lower part of the sound spectrum (DeeJays, stay away! ), which may help if you have a tendency to overload your mixes with low frequencies. Listening to (and rediscovering) some old records with them can be a real pleasure too...

It is a pity this model is no longer available (it was replaced by the K 240 Studio which has a lower impedance seems to favor low frequencies and thus shall be less trustworthy for mixing purpose).
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