Review

There has been a fl ood of new studio mics of varying designs over recent
years, but it seems as though handheld vocal microphones have been left be-
hind by comparison. The truth is that although there haven’t been dozens of
new handheld vocal mics recently, there are a number of manufacturers who
have raised the bar in this domain, and AKG is among them. I have had ex-
posure to AKGs D5 and C5 handheld mics in the past couple of years, and
I was duly impressed, so I was excited to get a look at the D7—AKG’s latest
offering in handheld mics.
The D7, like other AKG mics, exhibits an attractive appearance. It’s 7.3in. in
length and 2in. in diameter at its widest point, which is the metal ring around
the mic’s beefy spring-steel wire mesh. The mic’s zinc-alloy die-cast body tapers
steeply to the segment of the body that’s intended for handling, which tapers
less drastically down to the tail end of the mic, where its balanced XLR con-
nector is found, surrounded by a bevel in the mic body. The D7s matte-fi nish
metal handgrip surface is a source of minor concern for me; a nice rubber-
ized surface would lend a much better grip. I’ve stated this about the mics of
numerous manufacturers, so I want to be clear that Im not poking at AKG
exclusively. It seems to me that even in the case of extremely rugged handheld
microphones, dropping them should be avoided at all costs, and a rubberized
coating goes a long way toward keeping such mics where they belong—in the
performer’s hand.
A handheld mic
that makes good
on its reference-
quality claim.
BY JOHN MCJUNKIN
AKG D7
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