“What’s currently out there isn’t good enough; we can do better”: Why AKG wants to raise the bar for budget microphonesFor creators, audio engineers, and gear nerds, seeing an AKG mic is like seeing an old friend. For nearly eight decades, no matter the studio or style of music being made, chances are you’ve probably see one of the company’s iconic condensers somewhere in the mix. From the trustworthy C414 and all its variants, up to the coveted C12, AKG has provided essential studio gear for generations.
That’s why any new AKG microphone carrying a ‘C’ in its name is always going to be a big deal. And we’re not just getting one: we’re getting three.

AKG’s global product line manager for microphones, Phil Feinman, tells MusicTech that these C-Series newcomers are crafted with one overriding goal: to offer the same level of sound and build quality AKG made its name on, but at a price point accessible to first-time buyers.
“We’re setting the bar higher for what is an ‘introduction microphone’, and what kind of sound you can expect for that price point,” Feinman says. “What’s currently out there isn’t good enough. I think we can do better.”
At just $129 for the C104, you get a large diaphragm cardioid condenser, and, while it lacks switchable polar patterns, Feinman says buyers can expect the signature “AKG sound” – a generally flat and balanced low to mid range, along with a high-end presence boost that gives recordings an “airy, sparkly top end.”
The C104. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
The C151, a small diaphragm condenser, comes in at the same price, while the C114 bumps the price to $229 but adds switchable cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-of-eight polar patterns, plus an edge-terminated capsule to its LDC design. Positioned as AKG’s most affordable condenser microphones, the trio will replace previous entry-level offerings, the P-Series, which Feinman confirms the company will be “getting rid of.”
It’s not just that the P-Series is 20 years old and looking a tad dusty; it’s not just that the technology has advanced, and it’s now possible to make circuits with a lower noise floor and less distortion. It’s that the last two decades have seen fundamental shifts in how records get made.
“It’s my job to believe things are possible, even when engineering is telling me it’s not” – Phil Feinman
Feinman points to how Billie Eilish recorded her first album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. “That was all done in her house, and it won five Grammys. It doesn’t have to be made on microphones that cost ten thousand dollars – people are making hit songs on their iPhones.”
At the same time, he notes that the rise of independent online content creators has massively expanded the use-cases for studio-quality microphones. “People now want a microphone that they can record music with, record a podcast with, use for live streaming. That’s a pretty long list for one product.”
The C114. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
As an alumnus of Telefunken Elektroakustik’s microphone design department, and with a background extending into studio work and electrical engineering, Feinman felt AKG could produce microphones that tick all those modern boxes without compromising on quality. The journey began with writing a comprehensive, 50-page proposal covering everything from price point and market competition to the ideal frequency response and max SPL.
Once that document had convinced the AKG team that these microphones should be built, it was on to if they could be built. “It’s my job to believe things are possible, even when engineering is telling me it’s not possible,” laughs Feinman. “Really, it’s just about trying to explore whatever options we can and leaving no stone unturned. Fortunately, I feel like we didn’t have to make too many trade-offs with these microphones.”
The C151. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
At first glance, one trade-off seems obvious: in contrast to the P-Series, there are no pads or filters on these microphones. This was not a sacrifice, says Feinman, but an intentional design choice that favours accessibility. “It’s not a cost-saving measure. Maybe it saves us a couple of pennies to not have a switch on there, but these microphones are tuned in such a way that we really don’t feel like you need that. Whether you’re doing a podcast or putting it on an electric guitar cabinet, you shouldn’t have a problem. They’re all designed to be very neutral for a wide audience. So, you should be able to aim them at pretty much any source and get a flattering sound.
“The other thing is getting the sensitivities right,” he continues. “Intentionally, these microphones are slightly less sensitive compared to others in the range. What that allows us to do is to have an extremely wide dynamic range without pads.”
“Music doesn’t have to be made on microphones that cost ten thousand dollars – people are making hit songs on their iPhones – Phil Feinman”
Alongside feature set and circuitry, the design process put a special emphasis on aesthetics. Drawing clear inspiration from the iconic C414 body, the C104 and C114 move in a more angular direction – with pronounced edging, a longer, slab-like form factor, and a grey-scale colour palette. The C151 takes cues from its predecessor, the P170, but pares the aesthetic back to become AKG’s most low-profile pencil mic.
Getting the right aesthetic was a journey in itself, and Feinman says the team spent close to six months on the industrial design alone. “Thankfully, 3D printing helped speed the process up a bit,” he recalls. “We could come up with ideas, workshop it a little bit until we’re happy with the rendering and then print it. Then I’d hold it in my hand and say, ‘You know, I think the grill should be a little shorter.’”
The C104. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Handsome as they are, good looks alone don’t make a microphone. Before mass production, prototype units got put through their paces to refine that most important of features: the sound. The “real world testing” involved placing it on drumkits, having saxophonists play into it, and more besides, Feinman shares. “I’m spending days going to trusted engineers and studios and asking, ‘Is it too bright? Is it not bright enough? Is the low frequency extension far enough for you?’”
When soliciting those opinions, Feinman admits he keeps one key detail secret: the price. “I don’t like to tell people anything about how much these things are going to cost, because it can colour people’s opinions, and I don’t want someone to say, ‘It’s good enough for a $129 mic’. That’s not okay. I want it to be good regardless of how expensive the mic is.”
Offering real bang for buck is something Feinman returns to frequently and speaks of passionately. “I don’t want people who are buying a less expensive microphone, or buying their first microphone, to feel like they’re cast out,” he emphasises. “Anytime we design a product, we’re trying to bring something that we feel is a great value to the customer. Whether we’re making something very expensive or relatively inexpensive, that part remains true.”
The C114. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Another area of genuine passion for Feinman: the new C-Series additions are likely the most sustainably produced microphones ever made.
Both the C104 and the C114 have bodies and mounts made from 100% Post Industrial Recycled (PIR) metal, while the C151 body is made entirely from recycled brass. They arrive in trays made from sugar cane waste, inside packaging boxes fashioned from recycled paper pulp, whose exterior has labels and branding printed with soy ink – hell, even the included storage bags are made out of corn. Judged by weight, each microphone is 80% sustainably produced.
“It’s more expensive, quite honestly, but it’s the right thing to do,” says Feinman, adding that they dug into the science behind these recycled materials to ensure they were fit for purpose. AKG even explored the possibility of using recycled microphone capsules, and, while that couldn’t be achieved this time, Feinman offers an optimistic “maybe in the future, we’ll see.”
“AKG has a huge heritage in recording, but it’s been a while since we’ve made a big push” – Phil Feinman
Now that AKG has taken this leap, its hope is that other manufacturers may follow suit, in turn helping to establish supply and demand links that drive down the cost of recycled materials overall. “As far as I know, no one’s done this before,” Feinman says. “There are no studio microphones made with recycled materials. I’m hoping that other companies take note.”
AKG has a history of innovating. The first cardioid dynamic microphone ever made, the D12, the first remote pattern switching condenser, the C12: these were foundational products in the development of modern recording. At the same time, it’s been over 10 years since the company last offered something new for studio engineers – the C314 hit shelves back in 2015 – and since AKG’s parent company, HARMAN, was acquired by Samsung, we’ve seen new headphones and car stereo collabs, but not a lot of studio gear.
The C151. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
In that context, the new C-Series microphones are a welcome return to form. Looking ahead, Feinman is focused on renewing that culture of innovation. “If you look back at AKG’s history, it came up with a lot of firsts. It’s always been very technology-forward in trying to help artists and engineers. My goal is: how can we push that in a good way? What can we do that other people aren’t doing?”
2027 will mark AKG’s 80th year at the heart of the recording industry, a milestone few manufacturers – Shure, Sennheiser, and Neumann among them – have reached. So, as Feinman puts the lid on a two-year effort to bring three new C-Series mics into the world, how is he feeling about AKG’s next 80?
“I feel really good about it,” he says unreservedly. “We’re going to put out some really cool products in the coming years. AKG has a huge heritage in recording, but it’s been a while since we’ve made a big push. I’m looking forward to both respecting that heritage and moving it forward. These new microphones are the start of it.”
The new AKG C-Series microphones – the C104, C114 and C151 – are now available.
Words: Clovis McEvoy
Photography: Simon Vinall
The post “What’s currently out there isn’t good enough; we can do better”: Why AKG wants to raise the bar for budget microphones appeared first on MusicTech.