AKG P120 Cardioid Condenser Microphone (Black)

Whether you record vocals at home or mic up blaring guitar cabs and explosive drums on stage, the black AKG P120 condenser microphone is designed to give clear, distortion-free sound on a tight budget. This side-address mic sports a rugged all-metal body that not only bolsters durability, but also aids in rejecting RF interference from sources such as wireless systems. It comes with a stand adapter for straightforward mounting on your existing mic stand.

The low-mass 0.67" gold-sputtered diaphragm yields a detailed sound with a slight high-frequency rise above 10 kHz, and it is capable of handling SPLs up to 150 dB (-20 pad on) without audible distortion. A gentle low-cut filter at 300 Hz can be engaged, which helps reduce rumble, wind noise, or even bass buildup from up-close miking. Stage bleed and background noise are attenuated by the mic's cardioid polar pattern, which is most sensitive to sound in front of the microphone. Use a separately available XLR cable to connect the P120 to an XLR mic input that can supply 48V phantom power.

Cardioid Polar Pattern

This side-address microphone is most sensitive to sounds arriving from in front of it while picking up much less of sounds arriving from the sides or rear (from monitor speakers or neighboring instruments). This makes the microphone equally suited for recording and onstage use.

Gold-Sputtered Diaphragm

The 0.67" diaphragm—sized between the measurements of typical large and small diaphragms—is made of a plastic foil that is gold-sputtered on one side only to prevent shorting to the back electrode even at extremely high sound pressure levels.

All-Metal Body

The all-metal body adds to the rejection of RF interference so you can use the microphone near transmitter stations and along with wireless microphones or other communications equipment. The extremely rugged, heavy body and sturdy front grille protect the microphone from damage from tough handling on stage.

High Headroom and Minimum Distortion

Capable of handling sound pressure levels up to 150 dB without introducing perceptible distortion and built to resist high temperatures and humidity, the microphone will give excellent results in a wide range of applications.

Bass-Cut Filter

Selector 1 on the microphone front further reduces low-end distortion caused by footfall, wind noise, and air conditioning rumble. The filter also minimizes the proximity effect that close-in miking from less than 4" causes in any unidirectional microphone. The filter rolls off at 6 dB/octave from 300 Hz downward.

Switchable Pad

Selector 2 on the microphone front lets you increase the headroom by 20 dB for distortion-free recording up close. The pre-attenuation pad prevents the microphone's output level, particularly at low frequencies, from overloading the miniature transformers used in many mixer input stages, etc.

Connecting to Audio Equipment

The P120 uses a condenser transducer designed for 48V phantom powering from a source such as an external mic preamp, an audio interface, or a mixing console. It provides a balanced output on an XLR 3-pin male connector; use an XLR cable (available separately) to connect the microphone to a balanced XLR input with phantom power.