SeriesAKG C414

The AKG C414XLII is a large diaphragm condenser microphone that will allow you to switch to 9 different polar patterns right on the microphone. This is one of my favorite AKG microphones of all time, all of the recordings with the AKG C414XLII are very flat and natural. You will need to do no EQ boosting or really even any cutting for that matter. I have been using this microphone a few times here and there for the last year, and I have not a single complaint about it. It does cost more than the average microphone though that is why you will not see too many people with this in there home studio, the price is 1000 dollars but it is well worth every penny. It is very well built and will last you a long time, it comes in a case to protect the microphone from any damage. The self noise is very low, and it has Ominidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid, figure 8 and 4 other settings. OVERALL OPINION The C414XLII has a feature that will remember the pickup pattern setting so that when you turn it on it will stay the same as it was the last time you used it. I have not seen that on a microphone yet, it is a very advance microphone. All you have to do is put the settings how you want them, then lock them into place and it doesn’t matter if you turn the microphone off or not. It will be saved to that setting. The Dynamic range is very good, you can pretty much record anything you want to record with this microphone. Though I don’t personally own this microphone, I use it at least 1 or 2 times a week and it has become one of my favorite microphones that I get to use on a regular basis. I have no complaints with it, I just wish it was a little more affordable so I could have a few of them at home!

The AKG C 414 XL II is a condenser microphone that gives you the choice of 9 different pickup patterns. You will have a pickup pattern choice for each application you may need it for. This microphone is great for over head drum miking and instruments as well as lead vocals. The frequency range is 20 to 20,000 Hz. This microphone does a great job of picking up your instrument or vocals cleanly. You can use this mic for live or studio use because of the polar patterns. The polar patterns are great, the ones that I end up using the most are omnidirectional, hypercardioid, figure eight, and wide cardioids. This microphone has a standard 3 pin connector making it compatible with basically everything. Using this microphone on an acoustic guitar has really opened my eyes to how much quality I was losing using one of my Shure microphones to record the acoustic guitar with. OVERALL OPINION The AKG C414 XL II was a great decision for us, it does cost more than we wanted to spend but after we purchased it we knew that it was going to be a keeper. When you buy this microphone you will get a really nice hard case with it to carry it in, it also comes with a windscreen and mic clip. With it being so versatile, I know understand why so many people love this microphone. I didn’t want to believe that it could be worth this much money but after using it I fully understand why it cost this much. You will not have any feedback problems with this mic and you will not pick up any unwanted noises during a recording or show as long as you use the correct polar pattern. Choosing your pick up pattern will determine everything with this microphone, I do suggest doing some research on pick up patterns so you can have a full understanding on how to use them before you invest in this microphone so you can know if it is something you want to invest in.

Vocals, guitar, snare, sax, etc. Large diaphragm condenser mic OVERALL OPINION I've been using it for 3 months. It's a pure vintage mic, not too many highs above 6-8 kHz but it has an extremely particular tone. It gives more substance to any source that doesn't need absolute precision. But be careful, it seems the models you can find nowadays (which are at least 25 years old) sound very different. From the "classic" mics I have tried (U87, M147, Brauner phantom, AT4060, rode NTK, etc..), this mic is the one that colors sound the most (but not the warmest)

The AKG C 414 B-XLS is the newest version of the ever popular 414 condenser microphone. I've mostly used a few different older models of the 414, but have used this a few times over a friend's small home studio/bedroom who has it. It's got a slightly different look to it than the other 414's, as this one has rounded off edges. In general it's a bit sleeker and more modern looking, although this doesn't affect it's use at all. It still has the same sound and features as far as I cant tell. The mic has five different polar pick up patterns to choose from, including omnidirectional, wide cardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid, and figure eight. It also has a three way pad and three position low cut switch. It's best suited in the studio, but could be used for live sound as well. OVERALL OPINION While I think all of the AKG 414's are pretty close in sound and ability, the AKG C 414 B-XLS is definitely as good as any of them. This is the one that I've used the least amount, as it hasn't been out for nearly as long as the other models. Again, I don't see any difference in sound between this and other 414's, so I'd say to go with whatever is going to give you the best deal. The AKG 414 in general is a very versatile microphone, suitable for use on all sorts of applications. I tried this particular out on vocals and acoustic guitar separately, but it's definitely suitable for all stringed instruments and for a variety of other purposes. It's overall one of the most versatile microphones I've ever used. The AKG C 414 B-XLS in particular might be the most expensive since it's the newest in terms of used models, so if you're looking for a used one it might be cheaper to get one of the older ones.

A Large Diaphragm Condenser (LDC) microphone, this mic has passed the test of time and even evolved into his C 414 XLS cousin. This one should be in any serious engineer's mic locker. It features 4 polar patterns: Omni, figure 8, cardioid and hyper cardioid. On the back you'll find an attenuation switch (0, 10 and 20dB) and a HPF (0,75 and 150). I've seen this mic in several packaging versions. Mine came with a sturdy and practical shockmount that holds the mic with a twist on the base and a slide-on pop filter, all of this in a lunch box plastic case with the foam cutout for holding everything in place. OVERALL OPINION I use this mic on everything, mostly voices and overheads, but also on metals and guitars and as a room mic. It has never failed me in achieving the sound I wanted, but is wise to remember that mic position goes a long way in achieving the correct tonal balance. It's pretty flat without being 'boring', a quality that somehow similar counterparts such as Shure's KSM 32 has given me on past recordings. I've paired it with it's modern counterpart and there's no clear distinction when using it on cymbals. I'm not too fond of overly-crispy overheads, so this one does that just right. On metals like trumpets using it a bit far and on omni on a decent room you get all the throaty-ness that makes them sound real and expressive and the highs that let them cut through a mix. On guitars i'd rather use a dynamic like the trusty 57, but perhaps some styles could benefit from the higher detail. Voices vary and so does the mic to record them. I own an AKG Solidtube and sometimes, specially for dull male voices, that one fits perfectly because it's higher high end, but most of the time I use this one because of it's higher fidelity in the upper mid range, and using it on cardioid and close miking I can get that proximity effect to show on deeper voices. This mic is expensive, BUT you can often find deals for it at really, really lower prices. I've seen it in the $1,500 USD range, specially one the modern version, but this one I found for $650! Bottom line: Get it if you find a good deal for it, you won't regret it and it'll make a frequent weapon of choice un your arsenal.

the AKG C414 is very sleek looking and in my opinion the most versitale in the $1,000 price range. I always heard great things about the C414 so I decided to try it out one day in the studio. Its not become my main vocal mic besides the U87. The AKG C414 versatility is crazy. Has every pick up pattern you can think of. It has a total of 9 patterns. There is a -6db, -12db, and -18db pad, and a 40hz, 80hz, and 160hz roll off on the mic. So you really have options when it comes to this mic. I LOVE the 160hz roll off for vocals. I haven't seen a mic that lets you roll off that much. Its less I have to do when it comes to the mix. The first thing I noticed that it wasn't huge mic, so putting it up on a mic stand was no problem. Large mics like a U87 can be heavy for some mic stands. no complaints. I haven't used this mic on anything besides vocals and it really shines there. Build quality is good. Mic is not very heavy so again it should work on any stand you throw at it. Pair with a nice tube or clean pre and you've got magic. Especially when rolling 160hz off for vocal recordings. Yes the mic is $1,000, but for that price you are getting an extremely versatile mic. This mic can be used in pretty much any studio application. If you had to get just one mic and have it be a workhorse this would be a good choice. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com