AKG D5S [17/64] Using your microphone

3.4 Feedback

Fig. 2: Microphone

placement for

maximum gain

before feedback.

Refer to fig. 2.

The term “feedback” means that part of the sound

projected by a speaker is picked up by a micro-

phone, fed back to the amplifier, and projected

again by the speaker. Above a specific volume or

"system gain" setting the sound system will start

howling and the sound engineer will desperately

dive for the master fader to reduce the volume and

stop the howling.

To increase usable gain before feedback, the mi-

crophone has a supercardioid polar pattern. It is

most sensitive to sounds arriving from in front of it

(your voice) while picking up much less of sounds

arriving from the sides or rear (from monitor

speakers for instance).

To maximize gain before feedback, place the main

("FOH") speakers in front of the microphones

(along the front edge of the stage).

If you use monitor speakers, be sure never to point

any microphone directly at a monitor or FOH

speaker.

Feedback may also be triggered by resonances

depending on the acoustics of the room or hall.

With resonances at low frequencies, proximity ef-

3 Using Your Microphone

AKG D 5/D 5 S