AKG’s Ara Mic is a $99 mic aimed at anyone that is recording audio

The two-pattern USB condenser mic is suited for recording instruments, podcasts, streams and everything in between.

AKG Ara
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AKG has unveiled the Ara two-pattern USB condenser microphone. It’s designed for podcasters, music producers and artists, gamers, and content creators.

The brand says that Ara enables users to capture “studio-quality, 24-bit, 96kHz audio”, whether it’s crystal-clear vocals or rich instrumentation. Two pickup patterns, cardioid and omnidirectional, can be toggled to focus on a single sound source or an entire room.

The cardioid pattern records sound directly in front of the ARA mic, rejecting sounds from the sides and behind, which is ideal for recording single vocals or instruments. Meanwhile, the omnidirectional pattern captures sound evenly from all sides, which can be useful when recording podcasts with two people.

AKG Ara

Along with pattern selection, the Ara features a mic mute button and a headphone volume knob on the front panel for quick access. Plus, a 3.5mm headphone jack lets you plug in your headphones for easy, latency-free monitoring without the need for an audio interface.

The compact microphone is built with a detachable base stand that allows you to place Ara on a desk surface, or attach it to a boom stand for studio use. You’ll also get a two-meter USB-C to USB-A cable, a 3/8-inch to 5/8-inch threaded mic stand adapter and an Ableton Live 11 Lite license. AKG says Ara is compatible with all major live-streaming, video conferencing and music-recording applications.

Chris Hansen, director of recording and broadcast at AKG parent Harman says: “What’s really great about Ara is that it can accomplish so many goals for a variety of users. It’s
perfect for elevating interviews and video blogs with its crystal-clear sonic quality and sleek looks. But it’s also great for gamers who really get to step up their in-game vocal delivery with a mic that sounds phenomenal.

“Ara’s selectable patterns and the ability to handle up to 120 dB max SPL give musicians plenty of headroom to record everyone in the band. The best part is that Ara is plug-and-play simple, thanks to USB connectivity and class-compliant drivers.”

AKG Ara is available now for £108/$99. Learn more at akg.com.

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