Having been around for almost 100 years, AKG’s (now) vintage microphones are highly coveted, and for good reason.
AKG is one of those companies that you’ll find in studios of every ilk; from professional studios churning out Top 40 hits and ushering pop super stars in and out of the studio, all the way down to people making their first recording on a hand-me-down interface.
Expanding beyond the microphone world, AKG’s reach extends into headphones, outboard effects and more, allowing them a higher level overview than other manufacturers; further assisting them to create products and solve problems.
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AKG was established in the 1940s as Akustische und Kino-Geräte Gesellschaft, which translates to “Acoustic and Cinema Equipment” in English. The company was founded by Rudolf Görike and Ernest Plass in Vienna, Austria, now falling under the Harman umbrella of brands. Görike and Plass intended to make high quality cinema equipment, including loudspeakers. This quickly expanded into intercoms and car horns, as well as developing carbon microphone capsules— AKG also developing moving coil technology at this time.
AKG D12 dynamic microphone
The release of the D12 dynamic microphone in 1953 saw AKG reach international acclaim, the microphone originally changing the world of broadcast and voice transmission. The full ranged sound was particularly hi-fidelity for the day, the extended bottom end of the subsequent D20 eventually making it a great choice for low end sources like kick drum and bass guitar as rock ‘n’ roll took hold and more advanced recording technologies emerged, and multitrack technology advanced.
The AKG D12 has remained steadily in production ever since, the original, vintage D12s selling for premium prices, while it has also seen revisions in the modern, egg-shaped D112 and D12 VR holding down the legacy of the famously boxy microphone.
C12 tube condenser microphone
Advancements in microphone technology saw the famed AKG C12 hit the market in 1953, which also now has a “VR” reissue. Now highly coveted, the C12 is a tube-condensor microphone, powered via a 6072A vacuum tube. Used extensively for lead vocals, its clarity lends itself well to the mids of a vocal, while the tube softened the high end and refines the lows.
AKG C414
The C414 is a staple of the modern studio, used for a wide array of sources because of its variable polar pattern, pad controls and balanced sound. Following the C12, AKG released the C12A, designed to be a mini version of the C414, though it began to take shape as the iconic trapezoid we now know as the C414, released in the early 70s.
A condenser, the C414 is switchable between cardioid, hypercardioid, omni and figure 8 patterns, making it a perfect addition to many sessions, regardless of the source being recorded.
You’ll see it used extensively as overheads on drums, as well as on sources like strings or even rooms, serving well as a mic on a lot of acoustic instruments that require detailed and focused capture.
AKG BX 20 Spring Reverb
While AKG’s success in microphone continued, the BX 20 spring reverb was released in the mid-60s. As the name suggests, the BX 20 was a reverb unit designed to add ambience to recordings before the advent of digital reverbs in the 80s. A stereo unit, the BX 20 offered left and right signals to be sent through a reverb tank, much like on a guitar amp of the time. An external remote allowed you to adjust decay time for more expansive effect.
Finally, AKG continues to be a market leader in headphones for listening, music enjoyment, as well as monitoring and critical listening tasks like mixing and mastering music. AKG’s K72 and K92 headphones can be found in studios—perfect for providing great isolation while tracking as well as monitoring, while the more advanced K240 headphones provide a flat, balanced sound for mixing and recording.
AKG have been a forward thinker in audio design for decades, pushing microphone design forward, and assisting musicians, producers and engineers to record, mix and master more clearly in a variety of ways. Their microphones provide a broad sonic palette to capture a true-to-source sound, while also being able to be used to harness colour and definition to create timeless, masterful recordings.
You can read about some of Abbey Road’s collection of AKG microphones here.
