The AKG Acoustics D 7 is AKG’s current high end entry into the world of hand held vocal microphones. This particular microphone shares many of the same qualities with its more ubiquitous friend the D 5, however, there are certain key differences that must be noted, that account for the almost doubling of the price. The AKG D 7 is a dynamic microphone designed for hand held vocal use, and it was designed with an incredible focus on well balanced sound. The first thing to note about the D 7 is its Laminated Varimotion diaphragm, which means that the diaphragm of the D 7 has a thickness that varies across it. It is not a new idea, but AKG has implemented it at such a low cost that it is worth mentioning. This is apparently meant to enhance clarity. The D 7 has a supercardioid pickup pattern, which allows it to reject other things and reduce bleed. This was a very deliberate choice by AKG to not use a cardioid pattern microphone. At any rate, this, along with its built in high pass filter which rolls off the low end underneath about 80 Hz, allows the AKG D 7 to be an idea vocal microphone with a built in cleanliness to it. The AKG D 7 has a frequency response that begins at 70 Hz and continues up to 20,000 Hz, although starting around 15,000 Hz, there is a very aggressive roll off. There are a couple of peaks, notably in the low end and in the early mids, and a bit of a shelf boost around 5,000 Hz with a bit of a dip.

OVERALL OPINION

The AKG D 7 is a fantastic microphone, I have found, and it did produce a rather clear, neutral sound. It is nothing spectacular or revolutionary, but the microphone is certainly a fantastically viable choice for many singers who want to confidently assert themselves with style.