AKG D5 Microphone
There are plenty of hand-held dynamic vocal microphones available in the world, and sometimes it seems as though microphone technology has advanced as far as it can. But every once in a while an innovator will make an improvement that advances the technology to a new level. AKG has recently introduced its new D5 microphone ($160) which exhibits some improvements that make it very worthy of consideration--a uniquely excellent mic in an ocean of choices.
The D5 exhibits a supercardioid pattern with a frequency range of 70 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Its sensitivity is rated at 2.6mV/Pa (-52dBV re 1V/Pa) and it can handle high SPLs, 147 dB SPL with only 1% THD, and up to 156 dB SPL with less than 3% THD. It's a quiet mic, with an equivalent noise level of 18 dB (A-weighted), and its impedance is 600 ohms. Its output is represented by a gold-plated XLR connector. It is 7.3 inches in length, two inches in diameter at its thickest point, and weighs 12 ounces. It ships with an SA-45 clip and a vinyl carrying case. A version with a switch is available as well, the D5S. After just a casual glance, it seems a pretty pedestrian dynamic vocal mic, but it is not.
A Close-Up Look
This mic is tough. It is intended for applications in which there is an expectation that the mic will occasionally meet with some rough treatment. From my experience, even when great care is taken, microphone stands are knocked over all too frequently, or microphones, along with other items, are dropped by volunteers in hurried moments of clumsiness. In a church setting where a principal vocal microphone may get a workout several times a week, handled by a variety of people who may or may not know how to take care of a mic, this is a very welcome development. AKG suspended the microphone's cartridge with an internal shock mount to protect it from jolts. An additional benefit is created here as well--since this is a hand-held microphone, handling noise is an issue, and the internal shock mounting helps immensely to reduce it. Another attribute that makes this mic so tough is its front grill, made of spring-steel wire mesh, which renders it highly resistant to deformation. The mic's body is made of a die-cast zinc alloy, and it looks and feels solid and sturdy. This is a mic that can handle the rough handling it's likely to meet in a live sound setting.
Personal Product Testing
AKG developed this microphone with their "Laminate Varimotion" diaphragm, the thickness of which varies across its diameter. AKG touts "smooth frequency response" and maximized gain-before-feedback as the primary benefits of the innovation. In the course of test-driving the mic, I found that AKG's claims are supported. With the exception of the three bumps centered around 2 kHz, 5 kHz, and 10 kHz, respectively, the frequency response of this mic is very flat. The aforementioned bumps are deliberate, focusing the microphone on frequencies that are important to vocal performance. As AKG puts it, the microphone "favors the mid-frequency and treble regions" which does indeed increase the intelligibility of the vocal. Otherwise, the word "smooth" really does fittingly describe the sound of this microphone.
AKG also claims that the microphone delivers significant gain-before-feedback, partially due to the "Laminate Varimotion" diaphragm, and partially due to the supercardioid pickup pattern that it exhibits. I informally tested this and discovered again that AKG's claim is not the least bit exaggerated. At 90 degrees off-axis, I had to bring the microphone within inches of a speaker with plenty of gain before it started to run. At 180 degrees off-axis, I was able to move the microphone virtually into contact with the front of the speaker, and had to bring the gain nearly wide open to get feedback to commence. The feedback rejection of this microphone is very good. One other note on the pattern--it is not so hypercardioid as to prevent a vocalist from minimizing p-pops and other plosives by turning the mic a bit off-axis to direct the energy of such transients over the mic, rather than directly into it.
Proximity effect is a phenomenon one would expect with a hand-held dynamic microphone like the D5, and the mic does indeed exhibit a bit of it, although to a lesser degree than many other hand-held dynamics I've used. I point this out with the notion that proximity effect is a phenomenon that seasoned vocalists have come to expect with hand-held dynamic microphones. Comedians even capitalize on it to create character voices, for that matter, and the AKG D5 facilitates just that.
One of the major claims that AKG makes about the microphone is that its shock-absorption system can withstand vigorous handling and transfer none of the noise thus created into the signal path. In order to test this, I asked my vocalist to engage in some particularly enthusiastic handling of the microphone while I recorded the vocal. I can honestly report that what tiny little bit of handling noise did make it into the recording was low enough in frequency as to be eliminated with an HPF at 90 Hz--essentially just the odd bump or thump. An HPF is likely used by most engineers as a rumble filter anyway, particularly for an outdoor performance with any amount of wind at all.
As to the solidity of the D5, it is truly excellent. It feels hefty, and disassembling it reveals that the zinc alloy of which it is primarily formed is thick and substantial. The wind mesh looks and feels very solid. I wasn't about to deliberately whack this microphone to ensure its resilience, but after using a large variety of dynamic mics over the years, I can tell you that this one just feels very solid. I do have one minor complaint related to the microphone's shape and finish. The part of the microphone body held in the vocalist's hand tapers from the capsule toward the XLR connector. The handsome charcoal-colored coating on the mic is very smooth and does not provide much friction for handling. The combination of the smooth surface and tapered shape combine to make the mic feel a bit slippery in one's hand, particularly if the hands are dry. This is not a deal-breaker by any stretch of the imagination, and just a very minor criticism. It would take some substantially vigorous activity to actually lose control of the mic, but for vocalists who have those tendencies, it would be good to be aware of this in advance. Fortunately, this microphone is so durable and resilient, a spill would not likely ruin your day.
The AKG D5 hand-held dynamic microphone would be a truly excellent choice for any application that requires a mic that sounds great, but can also take some abuse, or where there is an elevated risk of mishandling or rough treatment by volunteers who are not particularly tech-savvy. I definitely recommend considering it.
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D5 Microphone
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