AKG D20 Dynamic Microphone #3717 (Vintage)

Classic dynamic microphone for recording kick drums. Has a bass roll off at 50 Hz of 0, -7 and -12 dB, and a frequency response of 30 Hz to 16 kHz. Built-in stand mount.

From the AKG brochure:

"The D 20 is a dynamic directional microphone with a very pronounced cardioid polar pattern. Since its cardioid action is independent of frequency throughout the entire wide range, it is best suited for applications where loudspeakers are within close range or where sounds from the rear must not be picked up.
The particularly flat frequency response (deviating only 2.5 dB from the standard curve) and the extremely favorable discrimination (higher than 20 dB anywhere) are outstanding features of this D 20 microphone. The robust construction and built-in steel suspension guarantee many hers of trouble-free service. The sensitive side of the microphone is easily distinguished by the light colored grille protecting the microphone against wind and breathing noises."

History

The AKG ‘D’ Series of microphones debuted in the mid 1950s, and provided a number of different models of dynamic microphone, some having the unique property of multiple polar patterns. For high-end audio recording, the classics in this range are the D12, D19, D20, D25, D30, D36, D45, and their associated variations.

The D19 is different from all the others in this series, being a small diaphragm dynamic cardioid, produced in the mid 1960s, (and also branded as a Telefunken product). It has a wide frequency response from 30 Hz to 16 kHz, and a mechanical bass roll-off filter of -10 dB at 50 Hz. This microphone became famous as the preferred mic for the drum overheads on Ringo Starr’s kit.

The remaining mics in the D Series are all variations on the transformer and diaphragm, or ‘motor’, found in the D12. All of the mics in this range are designed for great low-frequency response, and this is enhanced by the ‘bass response’ chamber built in to the microphone head assembly. This chamber accentuates bass frequencies, allowing the mics to pick up sounds as low as 30 Hz. Naturally, the D Series became a favorite for kick drums and bass guitar cabinets, and they are still revered today.

The D12 was released in 1953, and was the world’s first cardioid-pattern dynamic microphone. Variations on the D12 theme include the D20, with a different motor and a bass roll-off filter. The D20 was a standard kick drum mic for Ringo’s kit at Abbey Road. The D25 is the same mic, but also includes a built-in suspension mount for television work.

The larger D30 was the world’s first multi-pattern dynamic mic, its dual-motor design and built in pattern selector allowed for Omni, Cardioid and Figure-of Eight, and it also included a bass roll-off switch. Zeppelin and the Stones made extensive use of this mic. And the grandaddy of them all, appearing in 1959, is the D36, with a separate pattern box for its dual-motor design that can switch from Omni to Cardioid and all points in between. The D45 is the same microphone, but held in a built-in suspension system, much like the D25.

Today the AKG D Series remains the standard by which all kick drum microphones are judged.