AKG D5 Professional Dynamic Stage Vocal Microphone Instruction Manual
- June 13, 2024
- AKG
Table of Contents
AKG D5 Professional Dynamic Stage Vocal Microphone
Product Information:
The product mentioned in the user manual is the AKG D 5/D 5 S microphone. It
is a vocal microphone designed for professional use. The D 5 S variant has an
additional feature of a click-free on/off switch. The microphone features
AKG’s patented Varimotion diaphragm technology, which provides a high level of
feedback resistance and accurate sound reproduction. It also has a nearly
indestructible steel grille cap.
Product Usage Instructions
- Safety Notice/Description: Before using the equipment, make sure it complies with safety regulations and is properly grounded. Refer to the safety instructions provided in the manual.
- Package Contents: The package includes one D 5/D 5 S microphone, one SA 45 microphone stand adapter, and one carrying case.
- Description: The D 5 microphone is described as having a click-free on/off switch, while the D 5 S is electrically, mechanically, and acoustically identical to the D 5 but with the addition of the switch.
- Connection: The microphone has a symmetrical output with a 3-pin XLR connector. Pin 1 is for ground, pin 2 is for in-phase audio signal, and pin 3 is for audio signal.
- Application: The manual provides information on microphone positioning and usage for different scenarios, such as typical microphone position for vocals, discussion distance and proximity effect, and sound incidence angle.
- Cleaning: To clean the microphone, unscrew the grille cap counterclockwise, remove the windscreen, clean it with soapy water, place it back in the grille cap, and screw the cap clockwise onto the microphone. The manual also mentions an inner windscreen that may require cleaning.
- Troubleshooting: The manual includes troubleshooting tips for common issues such as no sound output, low volume, and connectivity problems. Please note that the provided information is based on the text extract from the user manual. For complete and accurate instructions and information, it is recommended to refer to the original user manual provided with the product.
Precaution / Description
Precaution
Please make sure that the piece of equipment your microphone will be connected to fulfills the safety regulations in force in your country and is fitted with a ground lead.
Unpacking
Check that the packaging contains all of the components listed above. Should anything be missing, please contact your AKG dealer.
Optional Accessories
For optional accessories, refer to the current AKG catalog or folder, or visit
www.akg.com.
Your dealer will be glad to help.
Features
Frequency response optimized for vocal use.
- Integrated wind and pop screen for effective suppression of pop and breath noise.
- Frequency independent supercardioid polar pattern for high gain before feedback.
- New Varimotion diaphragm for brilliant sound.
- Shock mounted transducer element reduces handling and cable noise.
- Extremely resilient, spring-steel wire-mesh cap for extra impact resistance.
Description
Brief Description
D 5:
The AKG D 5 is a supercardioid dynamic microphone.
It has been designed specifically as a vocal microphone for rough onstage use.
The wide frequency response of the D 5 slightly favors the midfrequency and
treble regions to ensures good intelligibility of speech. The term
“supercardioid polar response” means that the D 5 is most sensitive to sound
arriving from in front of it, less sensitive to sound arriving from the sides
and rear.
This pickup pattern is virtually the same for all frequencies or, in other
words, from the lowest to the highest notes (“frequency independent”).
A shock mount on the transducer minimizes handling and cable noise. An
integrated windscreen reduces pop, wind, and breath noise to a minimum.
A rugged front grillmade of spring-steel wiremesh that is extremely resistant
to deformation and a sturdy zinc alloy die-cast body effectively protect the
microphone and transducer element from damage on stage and on the road.
D 5 S:
The D 5 S has the same mechanical, electrical,and acoustic characteristics as the D 5 and features a noiseless on/off switch.
Interfacing
The microphone provides a balanced output on a 3-pin male XLR connector:
- Pin 1: ground
- Pin 2: hot
- Pin 3: return
You can connect the microphone either to a balanced or an unbalanced microphone input.
- To connect themicrophone to a balanced input (XLR connector), use a commercial XLR cable.
- To connect the microphone to an unbalanced microphone input (1/4″ jack), use a cable with a female XLR connector and a 1/4″ TS jack plug.
- Please note that unbalanced cables may pick up interference from stray magnetic fields near power or lighting cables, electric motors, etc.
- like an antenna. This may cause hum or similar noise when you use a cable that is longer than 16 feet (5 m).
Using Your Microphone
Introduction
A handheld vocal microphone provides many ways of shaping the sound of your
voice as it is heard over the sound system.
The following sections contain useful hints on how to use your microphone for
best results.
Working Distance and Proximity Effect
- Basically, your voice will sound the bigger and mellower, the closer you hold the microphone to your lips. Moving away from the microphone will produce a more reverberant, more distant sound as the microphone will pick more of the room’s reverberation.
- You can use this effect to make your voice sound aggressive, neutral, insinuating, etc. simply by changing your working distance.
- Proximity effect is a more or less dramatic boost of low frequencies that occurs when you sing into the microphone from less than 2 inches. It gives more “body” to your voice and an intimate, bassheavy sound.
Angle of Incidence
Refer to fig. 1.
Sing to one side of the microphone or above and across the microphone’s top.
This provides a well-balanced, natural sound.
If you sing directly into the microphone, it will not only pick up excessive
breath noise but also overemphasize “sss”, “sh”, “tch”, “p”, and “t” sounds.
Feedback
- The term “feedback” means that part of the sound projected by a speaker is picked up by a microphone, fed back to the amplifier, and projected again by the speaker. Above a specific volume or “system gain” setting the sound system will start howling and the sound engineer will desperately dive for themaster fader to reduce the volume and stop the howling.
- To increase usable gain before feedback, the microphone has a supercardioid polar pattern. It is most sensitive to sounds arriving from in front of it (your voice) while picking up much less of sounds arriving from the sides or rear (from monitor speakers for instance).
- To maximize gain before feedback, place the main (“FOH”) speakers in front of the microphones (along the front edge of the stage).
- If you usemonitor speakers, be sure never to point any microphone directly at a monitor or FOH speaker.
- Feedback may also be triggered by resonances depending on the acoustics of the room or hall.
- With resonances at low frequencies, proximity ef-fect may cause feedback. In this case, it is often enough to move away from the microphone a little to stop the feedback.
Backing Vocals
- Never let more than two persons share a microphone.
- The microphone is very insensitive to offaxis sounds. If the two vocalists were to sing into the microphone from an angle wider than 35 degrees,you mayend up bringing up the fader of the microphone channel far enough to create a feedback problem.
Cleaning
Microphone Body
- To clean the surface of the microphone body, use a soft cloth moistened with water.
Internal Windscreen
- Unscrew the front grill from the microphone CCW.
- Remove the windscreen from the from grill and wash the windscreen in soap suds.
- Allow the windscreen to dry overnight.
- Replace the windscreen in the front grill and screw the front grill on the microphone CW.
Troubleshooting
Specifications
- Polar pattern: supercardioid
- Frequency range: 70 Hz to 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 2.6 mV/Pa (-52 dBV re 1 V/Pa)
- Max. SPL for 1% / 3% THD: 147 / 156 dB SPL
- Equivalent noise level: 18 dB(A) to DIN 45412
- Impedance: ≤ 600 ohms
- Re commended load impedance: ≥ 2000 ohms
- Connector: 3-pin XLR
- Finish: matte gray-blue
- Size: length: 185.2 mm (7.3 in.);
- diameter: 51 mm (2 in.)
- Net weight: 340 g (12 oz.)
- Shipping weight: 655 g (1.45 lbs.)
- Patents: Varimotion varying-thickness diaphragm for dynamic transducers (patents nos.
AT 403.751, US 6.185.809, DE 814.637,DK 814.637, FI 814.637, FR 814.637,GB 814.637, IT 814.637, NL 814.637)
This product conforms to the standards listed in the Declaration of
Conformity.
To order a free copy of the Declaration of Conformity, visit
http://www.akg.com or contact [email protected].
Frequency Response
Polar Diagram
Specifications subject to change without notice.