PERCEPTION 120 USB - USB microphone AKG - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL PERCEPTION 120 USB AKG

Please read the manual before using the equipment!

MODE D'EMPLOI 30

1 Safety 17
Environment 17
2 Description. 18
Introduction 18
Scope of supply 18
Optional Accessories 18
Summary. 18
3 Installation 19
Setting up the microphone 19
Connecting the microphone 19
4 Configuration 20
WINDOWS XP 20
Volume control 20
WINDOWS VISTA. 21
Volume control 21
WINDOWS 7 22
Volume control 22
MAC OS X. 23
Volume control 23
Level settings 24
5 Operation 25
Operating instructions 25
Control elements 26
6 Cleaning 27
Microphone 27
7 Specifications 28

1 Safety

ATTENTION

Risk of damage

Please make sure that the piece of equipment your microphone will be connected to fulfills the safety regulations in force in your country and is fitted with a ground lead.

Environment

1) When the product reaches the end of its life, separate the housing, electronics and cables and dispose of all components in accordance with local waste disposal regulations.
2) The packaging can be recycled. Dispose of the packaging in a suitable collection system.

2 Description

Introduction	Thank you for purchasing an AKG product. This Manual contains important instructions for setting up and operating your equipment. Please take a few minutes to read the instructions below carefully before operating the equipment. Please keep the Manual for future reference. Have fun and impress your audience!
Scope of supply	• Perception 120 USB microphone • Table tripod • Tripod adapter • USB cable • Quick Start Guide Please check that the packaging contains all the components listed above. If anything is missing, please contact your AKG dealer.
Optional Accessories	For optional accessories, refer to the current AKG catalog or folder, or visit www.akg.com. Your dealer will be glad to help.
Summary	The Perception 120 USB microphone expands AKG's successful Perception range and is also the first USB-equipped condenser microphone from AKG. With the widespread USB standard, ease of use and real plug-and-play, users without any recording experience can quickly and easily make high-quality, professional recordings using PC or Mac - with no installation and no additional equipment such as mixing desks or special sound cards. The microphone features an integral analog-to-digital converter. It is the only USB microphone in its class to have a separate analog-to-digital converter (24-bit, 128x oversampling) instead of the normal single chip system, offering convincing sound quality and low noise. The Perception 120 USB contains a 2/3" condenser capsule for clear, transparent sound, an integral pop filter, a switchable bass-cut filter and an attenuation switch.
NOTE	For further information about the features and use of USB microphones and frequently asked questions, see the product description on the AKG website at http://www.akg.com/perception120usb

3 Installation

Setting up the microphone

Figure 1: Setting up the microphone

Connecting the microphone

1) Screw the tripod adapter on to the table tripod.
2) Screw the microphone on to the tripod adapter.

Figure 2: Connecting the microphone

3) Connect the USB cable to the microphone and the recording device (e.g. computer).
4) The LEDs on the selector switches light up to show that the power supply is OK.

The computer operating system detects the microphone and automatically installs the device driver.

4 Configuration

WINDOWS XP

Volume control

Figure 3: Sound settings in WINDOWS XP

1) Open the sound settings in Control Panel.
2) Select the Audio tab.
3) If the AKG Perception 120 USB is not selected automatically as the default sound recording device, select it using the drop-down menu. Recommendation: The Sound playback device must be changed from "Perception 120 USB" back to the original playback device.
4) Open the volume control on your recording software or click on Volume to open the volume control window.
5) Use the slider to select the volume required for your recordings, see Level settings (Page 24).

Figure 4: Volume control in WINDOWS XP

WINDOWS VISTA

Volume control

Figure 5: Sound settings in WINDOWS VISTA

1) In the Control Panel open the "Hardware and Sound" category and select Sound.
2) Select the Recording tab.
3) Ensure that the AKG Perception 120 USB is highlighted and the green tick is in place.
4) Click on Configure to open the volume control.
5) Use the slider to select the volume required for your recordings, see Level settings (Page 24).

Figure 6: Volume control in WINDOWS VISTA

WINDOWS 7

Volume control

Figure 7: Sound settings in WINDOWS 7

1) In the Control Panel open the "Hardware and Sound" category and select Sound.
2) Select the Recording tab.
3) Ensure that the AKG Perception 120 USB is highlighted and the green tick is in place.
4) Click on Configure to open the volume control.
5) Use the slider to select the volume required for your recordings, see Level settings (Page 24).

Figure 8: Volume control in
WINDOWS 7

MACOSX

Volume control

Figure 9: Sound settings in MAC OS

1) Open the sound settings in the system preferences.
2) Select the Input tab.
3) If the AKG Perception 120 USB is not selected automatically on the list of sound recording devices, highlight it in the list.
4) Open the volume control in your recording software or use the slider to select the volume required for your recordings, see Level settings (Page 24).

Figure 10: Volume control in MAC OS

Level settings

Use your recording software to set the volume. When using the microphone or recording from a sound source, adjust the volume control and check the level indicator.

For best results we recommend the highest possible volume setting to reduce unwanted noise. The setting should not be too high, however, as this can cause unpleasant distortion. This will normally be indicated in red on the recording software.

Carefully increase the volume until the level display in your recording software no longer shows an overload (red).

For best results when recording speech we recommend placing the microphone 20 to 40~cm in front of the speaker(s).

Figure 11: Volume control

5 Operation

Operating instructions

The front of the microphone is the side of the housing with the AKG logo. The Perception 120 USB microphone has a cardioid polar pattern so it records very little sound from the rear. Always point the logo towards the sound source to be recorded. The microphone should be 20 to 40 cm from the speaker's mouth in order to obtain the best results.

Figure 12: Distance from speaker's mouth

Risk of damage

Keep the microphone dry.

Moisture directly entering the capsule during use of the microphone (singing a short distance away, high air humidity) can cause crackling in the microphone as tiny short-circuits can short-circuit the polarisation voltage.

When recording wind instruments, speech or singing ensure that you do not sing or blow directly into the microphone.

For optimum results, we also recommend the optional PF 80 pop screen to prevent unwanted blowing and popping sounds or moisture problems.

When using the microphone outdoors, use the optional AKG W 4000
windscreen to protect the microphone from moisture and to reduce wind noise.

Control elements

The Perception 120 USB has attenuation and bass-cut selector switches.

Attenuation selector switch

Selector switch 1 on the right-hand side of the microphone enables you to increase the control limit by 20 dB to enable distortion-free recording of very loud sound sources and in close proximity to sound sources. This attenuation prevents the microphone output level from exceeding critical control limits, particularly at low frequencies, in miniature transformers that are used in mixing desk inputs, for example.

Figure 13: Attenuation selector switch

Bass-cut selector switch

Rumble or wind noises, etc. may cause distortion at the lowest frequencies. The switchable bass-cut provides additional distortion reduction. The filter slope is 6 dB/octave with a corner frequency of 120 Hz. The bass-cut also counteracts the proximity effect that can occur when the microphone is only a short distance (less than 15cm ) from the sound source.

Figure 14: Bass-cut selector switch

6 Cleaning

Microphone

• Use a soft cloth moistened with water to clean the surface of the microphone body.

7 Specifications

Working principle:	Condenser converter with 17 mm diaphragm diameter
Polar pattern:	Cardioid
Frequency range:	20 to 20,000 Hz
Attenuation pad:	0 -20 dB
Bass-cut filter:	6 dB/octave, 120 Hz
Supply voltage:	power supply via USB
USB support:	USB 1.1, 2.0
Scanning frequency:	44.1 and 48 kHz
Analog-digital converter:	High-quality, integral 24-bit analog-digital converter
Oversampling:	128x
Operating systems supported:	Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X (from Version 10.4)
Surface:	grey-blue matt
Dimensions:	ø 53 mm x 165 mm
Weight:	460 g, net

This product conforms to the standards listed in the Declaration of Conformity. To order a free copy of the Declaration of Conformity, visit http://www.akg.com or contact [e-mail].

Frequency response

Polar diagram

Sommaire

Raccorder le microphone

Figure 2: Raccorder le microphone

Figura 11: Regular o volume

For other products and distributors worldwide visit www.akg.com or www.harman.com

ROHS OK

H A Harman International Company

Technische Änderungen vorbehalten. Specifications subject to change without notice. Ces caractéristiques sont susceptibles de modifications. Ci riserviamo il diritto di effettute modifiche techniche. Nos reservamos el dato de introducirmericanas. Especificações sujetas a mudanças sem征求意见 prévio.

Printed in Austria on recycled paper

12/09/9100 U 13130