ADK51 Mic Review

Posted on 28th Oct 05 by Contributor | 0

Artist:
Author: Tadhg

I bought this ADK51 microphone about 1 year ago from Turnkey .Co.uk" and it is a fantastic microphone .I paid approximately 100stg for it" this included a shock mount for attachment to a microphone stand.

I loved this mic so much that I bought a second some weeks ago and this time for I think 130stg" they included pencil type microphone above in the package. I am not sure if Turnkey still do this dual"package deal" but searching on Google I found a U.S company that indeed does this dual"package deal for 199"" not sure about shipping" customs costs e.t.c from the U.S but the link to their site is as follows:
www.tracertek.com/twin"packs.htm

The name of the company is Tracer Technologies.

Now to speak about my own experience in using the ADK51 in the real world.
Last Christmas I recorded a church choir using a combination of the ADK51 fed into the Yamaha AW16G "see earlier review". The quality of sound capture was superb" with the deeper voices being captured as well as everybody in between.

This microphone needs 48v Phantom power" which is supplied on two of the Yamaha 3 pin connections" and turned on/off by a switch at the back of the unit.

I recently brought this microphone into a studio" where they own some really top of the range microphones costing up to 1000 euro in some cases. So we decided to do a real world comparison with these top of the range mics and the ADK51.The sound engineers were highly impressed with the ADK and it held it"s own with it"s more expensive competitors.

This microphone is highly recommended and when you consider that a standard SM58 costs nearly 120"150 euros in this country" The following are my ratings for the ADK51 out of 10

VALUE FOR MONEY: 10
SOUND QUALITY : 9
CONSTRUCTION : 10
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: 10

ADK51 Specifications

TYPE: True Condenser Pressure Gradient Microphone
CAPSULE: 1" Diameter" Low Micron" Gold Vapor"Deposited Gradient Design
ELECTRONICS: Low Noise Discrete FET
FREQUENCY RANGE: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
SENSITIVITY: 15 mV/pA 9"36.5 = 1 V/pA
EQUIVALENT NOISE LEVEL: "A"Weighted per IEC 286"4" < 17db Typical
MAXIMUM SPL FOR THD: <1" "1 kHz" 130 dB
SWITCHABLE LOW FREQUENCY CUT"OFF: 100 Hz "Internal Switch"
CONSTRUCTION: Heavy Duty Aircraft Grade Machined Brass" Durable Scratch Resistant Anodized Finish
WEIGHT: 470 grams / 1.03 lbs.
DIMENSIONS: 50 x 190 mm / 2" x 7.5"
OPERATING VOLTAGE: 48V Phantom Power

ADK51 Applications

Vocals" Choirs" Acoustic Guitar" Fretted Instruments "Banjo" Mandolin" Dobro" etc."" Reeds and Woodwinds. Patti Page recorded All the Lead Vocals for "Brand New Tennessee Waltz" with an A"51. Mandolin Division of Gibson Guitar purchased an A"51. The TYPE V now shipping has Toshiba FET"s. "I was reminded of a U"67" "EQ Review said of the original A"51. New version blends curve of two vintage mics European microphones" Mellow enough for our Nashville friends" just enough shimmer for NY " LA.