A versatile, high-quality vocal microphone is a worthwhile investment. You get consistent sound and never have to face a grimy house mic again. Audio-Technica's new AE6100 handheld dynamic ($289) offers not only good sonic quality, but superior feedback rejection, too. What's more, it's versatile enough to be used for other applications such as miking horns, percussion, and background vocals.
I used the AE6100 at a variety of gigs and found it to be a workhorse addition to my collection of vocal mics. On lead vocals and every other application from acoustic guitar to toasts at a wedding gig, the AE6100 delivered solidly every time. The microphone is part of Audio-Technica's Artist Elite series, which offers a variety of quality mics designed for live performance.
SPEC IT OUT
The AE6100 is almost seven inches long and weighs in at just under 11 ounces. The microphone's body has a unique flat facet that makes the grip feel secure. Handling noise is adequately suppressed by the mic's antishock capsule design. The AE6100 has a one-year limited warranty and comes with a nice padded bag and a Quiet-Flex mic clip.
FEEDBACK NOT WELCOME
At the heart of the AE6100's design is its hypercardioid pickup pattern, which is designed to reject feedback, particularly from wedge monitors. When I tested the AE6100, it certainly lived up to its billing. I had no feedback problems while using it under normal stage conditions. The only way I could get the system to feed back with the 6100 was to crank the monitor level really high or tweak the EQ until it started to ring. Even then, this mic was much better at resisting feedback than cheaper dynamic mics that I compared it with.
I tested the AE6100 with my own voice and with other singers, and overall I found its tone to be rich, natural sounding, and very pleasing to the ear. The mic's frequency response has a bump at about 5 kHz that really enhances clarity. I also got consistently good results on a nylon-string acoustic and a loud guitar amp.
NOT ONLY THAT
In addition to providing stellar performance in live situations, the AE6100 proved to be quite useful in my personal studio. The microphone produced great results on hand drums and small percussion, getting lots of rich low-end tones out of a pair of congas and bright, snappy highs from shakers and bells. Match this microphone with the growing array of mic preamps and processors found in many home studios, and the aural possibilities are almost endless.
The Audio-Technica AE6100 dynamic vocal microphone is well built and intended to give years of trouble-free service. While it may be a bit pricey for working musicians, you definitely get what you pay for: clear, concise vocals with crisp edges and very little feedback.
