Using Your Microphone; General Hints - AKG PERCEPTION 420 User Instructions

4 Using Your Microphone

4.1 General Hints

The PERCEPTION 420 is a general-purpose multi-
pattern microphone for recording, broadcast, and
onstage use.
Every instrument radiates its sound in a specific
way. Therefore, to get the best sound it is crucial to
experiment with microphone placement.
• Refer to fig. 4. Whichever polar pattern you se-
lected, it may be good to know which way the
transducer axis is facing: the front of the
microphone is the side of the body with the
AKG logo and polar pattern selector (1) on it.
• When recording wind instruments or vocals,
make sure not to blow or sing directly into
the microphone.
To avoid unwanted wind and pop noise or
moisture problems, place an optional PF 80
pop screen from AKG between the microphone
and vocalist/instrument.
AKG PERCEPTION 420
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Fig. 4: Microphone front.
• Keep the microphone dry. Moisture from
blowing or singing directly at the capsule from
a short distance, or extremely high humidity
may cause the microphone to start crackling or
go very quiet due to partial short circuits in the
polarization voltage.
• If you use the microphone in the open, use an
optional AKG W 4000 windscreen to protect
the microphone from moisture and reduce wind
noise.
• High volume instruments: You can use this
microphone for close-in recording of very loud
instruments (brass instruments, kick drum, etc.).
Just switch the preattenuation pad in to increase
the microphone's capability of handling sound
pressure levels to 155 dB.
• Low-frequency noise: To suppress low-fre-
quency noise such as air conditioning rumble,
footfall noise, or traffic sounds, switch the bass
cut filter in.
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