AKG Acoustics WMS 40 - Manual (Page 15)

Volume
Matches the output level of the receiver to the
input gain of the mixer. (For details refer to
page 27)
Frequency color code platelet
Receivers using the same frequen-
cy are marked with the same color
code.
RF LED
Illuminates to indicate that RF signal is being
received. If the RF signal fails or the squelch
comes on, the MUTE LED will be lit.
On/off switch
with status LED.
Antenna
The swiveling antenna is mounted on the
front panel, allowing the receiver to be
rack mounted.
Case
The side panel supports are removable for
mounting the receiver in a 19" rack.
Angle of incidence
To get a well-balanced, natural sound, sing to one side of the
microphone or above and across the microphone’s top (left).
If you sing directly into the microphone, it will not only pick
up excessive breath noise but also overemphasize sibilants
(right).
Holding the transmitter
Be sure never to cover the lower half of the wire-mesh cap
with your hand. If you do, the microphone element's polar
pattern will change from cardioid to omnidirectional. In a
concert hall, this change in the pickup pattern will signi-
ficantly lower the usable gain before feedback. Also, do not
grasp the transmitter body at the lower end, where your
hand would cover the integrated antenna and weaken the
radio signal.
Working distance and proximity effect
Basically, your voice will sound the bigger and mellower, the
closer you hold the microphone to your lips. Moving away
from the microphone will produce a more reverberant, more
distant sound as the microphone will pick more of the room’s
reverberation. Proximity effect is a more or less dramatic
boost of low frequencies that occurs when you sing into the
microphone from less than 2 inches. It gives more "body" to
your voice and a sexy, bass-heavy sound.
Feedback
To increase usable gain before feedback, the microphone
on the HT 40 has a supercardioid polar pattern. This means
the microphone is most sensitive to sounds arriving from in
front of it (your voice) while hardly responding to sounds
arriving from the sides or rear (from monitor speakers for
instance). To maximize gain before feedback, never point
any microphone directly at a speaker. The safest place for
a microphone is usually behind the FOH speakers.
www.akg.com 13
Microphone cleaning and maintenance
Microphones, like any other instrument, need regular clea-
ning to maintain clarity and intelligibility. As a microphone
is being used, its foam pop screen and front grill collect dirt
particles that may ultimately clog the acoustically transpa-
rent foam cells. Just unscrew the front grill and remove the
internal windscreen. Soak the windscreen in sudsy water for
a night, then allow it to dry completely. Clean the front grill
with isopropyl alcohol.
Alternative receivers
You can also use the HT 40 with the SR 40 diver-
sity receiver or the PR 40 portable receiver.
Squelch threshold control
(on rear panel).
SR 40 Receiver
AKG WMS UHF VOCALS