AKG D112 Review: The Ultimate Kick Drum Mic – An In-Depth Analysis

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AKG D112 Review

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An improvement on the AKG D112 MKI, the AKG D112 MKII is a bass drum microphone of high quality. And if you look around any club or bar you’ve been to recently, you’ll notice the recognizable mic, which resembles an egg, sticking out of the drums in the backdrop.

It has been around for a while, but how effective is it in practice? In this comprehensive AKG D112 review, we will learn everything there is to know about it. The sound quality will be discussed first.

Sound Performance

This microphone has long been the go-to option for sound professionals. It is made of sturdy material and has a unique frequency curve that makes it simple to obtain the greatest sound out of the box.

With a few minor adjustments from the previous generation, AKG has done a great job of making it even better. The firm has truly established the industry standard for drum mics.

Use cases for the MKII

Use cases for the MKII

Using MKII has a lot of benefits because it is a cardioid microphone. It captures everything while ignoring random noises. It is practical to use for vocalists and a variety of instruments.

Optimizing your drum set

With your MKII, you can easily improve the sound emanating from your drum kit. Of course, it becomes very impossible to be alone on stage when there are so many other instruments performing. And the AKG D112 steps up to the plate in this situation. To get the most out of it, you only need to position it in the ideal location.

For live performances, to cancel out background noise

Also, it will be incredibly helpful for you when you play live and are surrounded by a lot of background noise. Your D112 will keep the sound you want to concentrate on isolated and stop any feedback.

Untouched rooms

If you operate in untreated spaces with bad acoustics, the D112, like its predecessor, is a good solution. It works beautifully and will considerably lessen any reflected sound if used up close.

What You Should Know Before Using the AKG D112

What You Should Know Before Using the AKG D112

MKII has flaws of its own as well. And the majority of cardioid microphones on the market exhibit this behavior. The proximity effect and off-axis coloring are the two examples.

Axial coloring

The MKII, like the majority of cardioid microphones, is insensitive to high frequency if the sound source is moved off the axis. For instance, the microphone will provide feedback if your vocalist lacks expertise and has little knowledge of head motions. This might harm the recording as a whole.

Closeness effect

This is the typical scenario for every cardioid microphone, including the AKG D112. Make sure your microphone isn’t too near to the instrument. Otherwise, the feedback from the microphone would be highly distorted.

Build Excellence

The MKII has all the same characteristics as the outgoing model and has a silver grille with a green flashing line directly in the center. The addition of a microphone stand mount in the updated edition is the most noticeable modification, though.

The mic shaft that was converted to an XLR connector will be highlighted by users of the prior model. That suggests the microphone needed repeated adjustments since it occasionally slipped. The revised design includes a threaded mic mount in addition to keeping the same connection.

It indicates that your D112 may be put on any common threaded fitting and stay there without needing to be readjusted. It is a significant improvement over the prior model. Moreover, a 58 – 38 converter is included with the purchase of this more recent model.

The Austrian manufacturer asserts that this model can smoothly manage SPL levels of more than 160 dB without any distortion. And this microphone’s open-back design deserves all the praise. The sturdy grille design can also readily withstand a hard life on the road.

A large diaphragm that may provide you with a very low resonance frequency is another element of the general design of the D112 that was carried over from the previous model. Also, it signifies that the microphone is capable of producing a response at frequencies lower than 100 Hz.

Direct Performance

Direct Performance

A custom curve served as the prior model’s defining feature. When you plug it into your desk, it refers to the overall effectiveness of pre-equalized sound. The fact that AKG has kept this function in the new model is a plus.

And as a result, you may come as close to this microphone’s plug-and-play functionality as you can. Just place the microphone in the proper location. The sound of the kick drum is also immediately usable.

A boost may be seen at about 100 Hz on the frequency response graph of this microphone. Moreover, there will be a flat response with an additional increase at about 3000 Hz, which is very different from the Shure Beta 57A, a super-cardioid dynamic mic.

When you click the beater on the head of your kick drum, you will receive a complete response at the upper mid-level.

Controls

The D112’s strongest feature is that AKG carried over features from the previous model. There aren’t many complicated controls included. Your equalizer or fader will be the only tools you need to alter anything.

If you’re using a short boom stand for the mic, mounting and placing it are both rather simple. You’ll need to raise the fader if you’re utilizing it in a tiny space. If you are utilizing a PA system, you will just need a slight boost at 50 Hz to bring out the bottom end because the sound quality is not great.

And that’s the equalization you’ll attain to give your kick drum a sturdy tone. The music is suitable for most independent, rock, and pop bands.

Moreover, situating this mic will be a little challenging if you’re using it outside or in a bigger space. especially if your gear is positioned directly close to the moving riser. That implies that you are unable to set the mike stand on your riser. You must put your mic on the ground exactly near to your riser at this point.

Once more, to obtain a pleasant sound, you’ll need to raise the fader and add a boost to the bottom end. You’ll also have a clearly defined middle and top. Nevertheless, if you want to give your kick drum’s sound a little more click, you’ll need to insert a boundary mic inside of it. Thus, you won’t be able to rely just on your MKII.

Arctic Pattern

Arctic Pattern

The directionality of the sound that a microphone can take up and create is referred to as its polar pattern. A microphone’s sensitivity to the sound’s direction and angle of arrival is known as directionality. Simply said, it refers to how well a microphone can pick up sounds originating from various angles.

The D112 has a Cardioid polar pattern, exactly like its predecessor. It is especially susceptible to noises coming directly from the front of it. This won’t be particularly sensitive to sounds coming directly from behind it. That implies that your MKII can easily isolate any background noise and maintain the input’s direct field of focus.

Also, it gives great resistance to any input coming from its rear and medium to low resistance from its sides. It is therefore superior to each of those omnidirectional microphones in terms of effectiveness. It maintains the listener’s attention on the drums’ sound. For any performance on noisy stages, the MKII is more appropriate.

But be careful not to set your mic too near to the instrument as this may cause the feedback to be greatly distorted. This issue affects all cardioid microphones. To get the maximum performance out of your MKII, you must learn to deal with it.

I suggest the flexible Shure SM81 instrument recording microphone. You may read my most current review of it here.

Pros and Disadvantages of the AKG D112

Pros and Disadvantages of the AKG D112

Pros

  • An improved stand mount.
  • A volume chamber for bass resonance is a feature of the mic.
  • It has a large diaphragm that can give accurate frequencies.
  • The best option for bass cabs and trombones.
  • The D112 MKII has a kick drum-friendly inbuilt coil for hum correction.
  • Reduces background noise well.

Cons

  • A suitable mic positioning is necessary to ignore off-axis coloration.
  • Not the best choice for blending.

Conclusion

Any sound engineer would be happy to have the AKG D112 in his or her equipment collection. MKII is the only option if you’re seeking a high-quality cardioid microphone.

You can get the greatest recording results with it is placed properly. You can easily concentrate on the sound your instrument is making while greatly reducing any outside noise. The D112 is a wonderful option for live performances in untreated spaces because of this.

Make sure your microphone is positioned correctly, then trust this wonderful cardioid microphone to do the rest. This AKG D112 review was provided in the hopes that it will be helpful to you in choosing your next purchase.

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