C3000 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone

The AKG C3000 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone built for both studio recording and live sound reinforcement. It suits vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, drum overheads, and brass and woodwind miking, giving it a place in nearly any session that calls for one dependable, do-it-all condenser mic.

A switchable attenuation pad and low-cut filter give the C3000 up to 150dB of SPL handling while reducing proximity effect during close-up recording. Cardioid polar pattern keeps focus on the source in front of the mic and rejects unwanted sound from the sides and rear. Frequency response spans 20Hz to 20,000Hz, with an equivalent noise level of 14dB-A and a signal-to-noise ratio above 80dB-A for clean, detailed capture.

The microphone runs on 9 to 52V phantom power at 2mA and outputs through a balanced male XLR connector, so it pairs easily with standard mixers, interfaces, and preamps. At 320g with a 162mm length and 53mm width, it's compact enough for tight drum overhead placements while still standing up to regular studio and stage handling.

The C3000 works well for tracking lead and backing vocals, close-miking guitar and bass amps, capturing drum overheads, and picking up horns and woodwinds in a live or studio horn section. Its combination of high SPL handling and switchable filtering makes it a flexible choice for engineers who need one condenser microphone to cover several different sources in a single session, with the included H85 shock mount ready for quick setup on any stand.