The AKG P120 is a professional studio microphone that has been designed for use in a wide range of recording applications. It features a large-diaphragm, gold-sputtered capsule that delivers a natural sound with wide frequency response. The mic also has a built-in attenuator and low-cut filter to help reduce unwanted noise and protect against overloads.
The AKG P120 is housed in a rugged all-metal chassis, and comes with an adjustable suspension shockmount to help minimize vibration and handling noise. It also includes a metal zip case for protection during transport.
In this video, we’ll go over the budget offering from AKG, the professional recording microphone AKG P120. This AKG studio microphone comes at around $100 (or around £70/€80). Being a rather cheap recording microphone it doesn’t cut too many corners.
The build quality is solid as the body of the AKG mic is solid metal with a nice modern finish, coming in black with a minimal and simple design. On the microphone body itself, you will also find the only two physical switches: one for low cutoff filter and one for -20dB.
At the bottom of the AKG Perception 120 microphone, you will find the XLR output and when it comes to the physical aspects of the microphone, that is pretty much it.
AKG has focused on what’s important in an affordable self-recording microphone, which is audio quality. AKG has also made sure to design the microphone with easy setup and use in mind, making it a great option for beginners and home recording enthusiasts. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality can be seen in the positive reviews of AKG microphones from users around the world. In a recent review of ik multimedia’s sampletank, AKG’s microphone was praised for its ability to capture rich and detailed sound, making it a standout choice in its price range.
The P120 self recording microphone is advertised to be an all-around recording microphone and it delivers. It can be used for a professional recording setting, podcasts, voiceover and anything you might need from an all-around microphone.
It might not be the best condenser microphone for any specific task in hand, but what it has going for it is the versatility it can deliver. Being a cheap condenser microphone it shines in its ability to deliver clear audio that most entry-level to intermediate level users will be satisfied with.
Pop Filter
Combined with a pop filter and some post-processing treatment it delivers a professional quality that no one would blink an eye to. But how so? AKG achieves this by combining an impressive set of specifications.
The P120 has an audio frequency bandwidth of 20Hz to 20000Hz, the equivalent noise level of 19dB-A, the sensitivity of 24mV/Pa, and signal noise of 75dB-A just to mention a few.
Also, coming at around 44 to 52 V voltage and a current of less than or equal to 3mA, the P120 is a microphone you can run on USB-based audio interfaces, not worrying about losing performance and minimizing the amount of equipment needed for a clean and professional sounding recording.
This leads to a competent condenser microphone. To optimize the performance of the P120 the microphone placement and some sound dampening equipment can greatly aid in achieving the best audio quality.
AKG P120 High-Performance General Purpose Recording Microphone. AKG has a proud history of manufacturing high quality microphones and the P120 is no exception. Featuring a low-mass diaphragm for quick transient response, this microphone is perfect for capturing vocals, guitars, drums and any other instrument you can think of. With a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz it can handle any type of music you want to record.
All-Around Microphone
The -20 dB pre-attenuation pad and the 300Hz – 6dB/octave bass-cut filter can cut down on time and difficulty when it comes to capturing the essence of a sound and makes the process of designing that much easier.
The dimensions coming at around – length: 165mm, diameter 54mm, and the net weight at around 455g makes the AKG P120 condenser microphone a nice fit for a traveling microphone, like the microphone, the required XLR cables, and even an audio interface can easily fit in a backpack making it easy to travel from studio to studio if that’s the workflow you prefer.
AKG Condenser Mics
The AKG condenser mics are known for their quality and availability, as AKG produces both mid and high-end microphones, you can trust that the product quality will be up to par.
The AKG 120 stands at the start of the lineup, followed by 220 and 420 series, all under the Perception lineup.
Conclusion
So if you’re in the market for microphone recording or looking for a decent condenser recording microphone for the right price, the AKG Perception P120 is a choice like no other, covering most basis with the correct condenser microphone placement, delivering quality that most users will need and will be satisfied by.
Overall, the P120 is a very forgiving microphone with an amazing build quality making it an amazing choice for anyone looking into getting an intermediate-level microphone or a sturdy option for a traveling microphone that can still achieve professional-quality recordings as the metal build makes it durable and it should last for years.
