AKG C636 condenser microphone

Can AKG’s C636 condenser vocal mic live up to the title ‘Master Reference’ it carries? Robbie Stamp finds out

CONTACT WHO: Sound Technology TEL: +44(0) 1462 480 000 WEB: www.akg.com KEY FEATURES Capsule: 3/4” 24 carat gold-plated back-electret Polar pattern : cardioid Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz Equivalent Noise Level: 20dB-A, Sensitivity: 5.6mV/Pa S/N: 74dB-A Max. SPL (1% THD): 150dB Impedance: 200Ω Controls: 80Hz low-cut Phantom Power Curent: 4mA Dimensions: 185 x 51mm Weight: 312g

Aby peaky frequency response curves that may flatter tonally but wreak havoc when amplified. The C636 is remarkably well designed in this way, and I had to work hard to conjure any feedback at all. Getting a condenser capsule to sound good and reject feedback is no mean feat, which explains the cost. The other big problem is the effect of plosives, and again real effort has gone into keeping this at bay through the multilayer pop screen inside the mesh basket. While we’re on problem solving, the C636 is also impressive at handling noise, or lack thereof.

Though the pickup pattern is cardioid, the off-axis rejection is abnormally impressive and, as the literature promises, uniform (with regard to frequency). I couldn’t find even a hyper-cardioid mic in my collection to match it. This goes some way to explaining the excellent feedback rejection. For live studio sessions this is a great boon, allowing vocalists to be closer to their bands and better performances.

Handheld mics just aren’t as sexy as old school ribbons or esoteric large diaphragm condensers, but they are fundamental in so much of the audio production world, on stage or in the studio. AKG have always pushed forward in this area, from the D19/190s of yesteryear to the current D5/7s and C5/7s, as well as the successful C535 which this model updates, carrying on a strong tradition of innovation and quality. The C636 may look quite plain, but it has a lot going on ‘under the mesh’ to create an impressive solution to the multi-faceted problems of live vocal capture. So, yeah, ‘Master Reference’ seems apt, as is the price.

All in all this mic works almost boringly well