Austrian Audio have just released their first ever stage microphones. The OD505 and OC707 are both handheld vocal mics, the former a supercardioid moving-coil microphone, and the latter a cardioid capacitor design.
Unusually for a dynamic stage mic, the OD505 is an active design, meaning it incorporates its own preamp circuitry and requires phantom power to operate. The active stage apparently gives it a sensitivity comparable with that of a capacitor mic, but with the ruggedness associated with a dynamic.
Most intriguingly, the OD505 employs not one but two capsules: a forward-facing one (which feeds the active circuitry) and another passive capsule pointing backwards. The rear-firing capsule is polarity-inverted so that it “senses and eliminates unwanted handling noise”. If, as that description suggests, there's some form of crossover between the two capsules, or low-pass filtering on the lower capsule, then the arrangement would appear to be similar to that found in AKG's classic (and excellent) dual-diaphragm mics like the D202 and D224. AA's Viennese heritage certainly lends weight to the theory...
Other features include a switchable high-pass filter (a second-order type with a 120Hz turnover frequency), and something called Open Acoustics Technology — a capsule mounting system that minimises contact between the capsule and its housing, thus eliminating resonances and resulting in a “pristine, natural sound”.
Austrian Audio OC707.
The OC707 is a more conventional stage vocal capacitor mic, though it too employs AA's Open Acoustics Technology, and also sports a switchable high-pass filter. It's based around a small-diaphragm capacitor capsule, and is said by AA to offer “all the important characteristics of a studio mic” while being able to withstand life on the road.
The OD505 and OC707 are available to buy in the UK now (though US customers will have to wait a few weeks), and are priced at £229 and £359 respectively. We'll be bringing you an in-depth review in due course!
