AKG announces £99 Ara Two-Pattern USB microphone

HARMAN Professional Solutions is releasing the AKG Ara two-pattern USB condenser microphone it has announced.

Ara lets content creators and musicians effortlessly capture studio-quality, 24-bit, 96kHz audio for superior speech clarity and stunning vocal and instrument tracks. Two pickup patterns focus on a single source, or everyone in the room: the directional Front (cardioid) pattern captures sound directly in front of the mic while rejecting sound from other sides, making it perfect for podcast hosts, bloggers, gamers, videoconferencing and for recording voice and instruments. The Front + Back (omni) pattern picks up sound evenly from all sides, making it ideal for recording interviews with multiple speakers.

“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,” says Chris Hansen, Director of Recording and Broadcast, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “But it’s also great for gamers who really get to step up their in-game vocal delivery with a mic that sounds phenomenal. And 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? Ara is plug-and-play simple, thanks to USB connectivity and class-compliant drivers.”

Ara’s essential functions, including pattern selection, mic mute and a headphone volume knob, are located on the front of the mic for easy access; a 3.5mm headphone jack allows latency-free monitoring. The mic’s compact footprint and versatile mounting options make it ideal for both desktop use and studio scenarios. Set Ara on a desktop using the included yoke and base stand or attach to a boom or standard mic stand; record on the go with a mobile device and optional adapter.

Included accessories include a 2m USB-C to USB-A cable, a 3/8-inch to 5/8-inch threaded mic stand adapter and a free registration card for Ableton Live 11 Lite recording software. Ara works seamlessly with all major live-streaming, video conferencing and music-recording applications.

The AKG Ara USB microphone will be available this month, priced at £99 RRP inc VAT.

For more information visit www.soundtech.co.uk/music-retail/akg.