I own and love this mic! If I had to sell my entire collection, this is the one I would keep. My mic's plots show a little stronger mids than yours, and I'm very happy with that for my particular voice. At 6:15, the reason the rear lobe of the bidirectional pattern sounds weird in your headphones is because the rear is 180 degrees out-of-phase with the bone conduction in your head, but it sounds just fine on the monitors. You may also notice on your waveform that on the rear there will be more "ups" than "downs" and that is normal. Thanks for another great and thorough review!
THANK YOU for clarifying the 180 out-of-phase phenomenon! I own a pair of these mics and couldn't understand how the figure of eight pattern could usable with one side sounding so different. I thought my mics might be defective. I am much more satisfied with my purchase now.
If you’re patient, you can find this microphone from an authorized dealer for around $700 ish price. They will call it B Stock or refurbished but it can be brand new on sale. I bought 2 new units this way.
I use this mic on a daily basis for streamed music lessons, rehearsal recordings, video narrations. It’s been a workhorse for me since I purchased it in 2005. Mine is the earlier iteration (5 polar patterns, made in Austria). Love this mic in spite of it not getting love on certain audio forums that shall not be named. Love your channel. Keep on it!!
LOL - you mean Gearspace? There´s a good counteragument: In the classical music world this mic owns a real great reputation cause it´s so neutral. I once recorded a string quartett and when I unboxed my C414s they all looked very reassured to have picked the right guy for the recording.
I would recommend this mic over the XLII. This XLS has a flat frequecy curve and is neutral and if you want more air you can do that with the EQ afterwards. On the contrary if you have a XLII you have a preshaped frequency response with boosted high frequencies. Firstly it´s harder to eliminate this boost with an EQ aftewards and secondly - let´s say if you make a multi-channel recording with a XLII only - then you would get an over-exaggerated boost in those high frequencies as every channel would present that boost. It would be an annoying result. So IMO the XLII is a mic for solo vocals or an solo instrument only, the XLS is a mic for everything else.
The difference between the XLS and the XL11 is pretty subtle, and I've never had a problem with using a shelving high eq cut or de-esser on it if it's a bit too bright or sibilant. I would never use the same microphone on everything anyway - so I've not had a problem with build up at a partucular frequency.
In the '80s, there wasn't a single professional studio that didn't have at least two C414s. It might be the most versatile microphone in existence as it sounds pretty good on everything. The copies are all pretty good, too, especially the ones at around the same price. I'd probably get the OC818 as the post processing options are amazing when you record in stereo and it's so smooth. Thanks for the review.
The advantage of the C414 is that it’s very easy to find a replacement if it ever gets damaged or lost and will most likely be available for the long future.. In that sense, it makes it more reliable for consistency.
The modern C414 models sound very different to the '80s ones. The new one sounds much worse. More scooped, more metallic, and just overall a bit harsher.
@@distortingjack This, I have a vintage C414 B-ULS and it's the darkest mic I own by a lot. It's almost too dark. There's definitely something sterile and metallic about the modern C414s, fo4 whatever reason it's reaaally bad on the XLS which is the flat one. It takes a special kind of screw up to make a flat mic sound like that.
I think I preferred the sound of the XLS to every other microphone, aside from the U87 AI obviously, but I have to give a shoutout to the 4400a. It sounds pretty great for a microphone that costs half the price but I just prefer the low-mids of the XLS
HECK YEAH! I've been needing a good review for this version of the C414! love all of your reviews! I reference them for all of my microphone endeavors.
I cannot say one bad thing about this microphone. It has serviced me since 1994. I used to have a pair and recorded choral and classical music. But for pop music, it's just a very versatile and excellent mic.
If AKG hadn't shut down their Vienna operation and precipitated the creation of Austrian Audio and the OC818, then I would probably think very highly of the C414 XLS, Of course in the real world the OC818 does exist, and to my ear it's superior in basically every respect that I care about. That's why I broke down and bought a pair of them.
Im so glad you compared to the oc818 since its a very similar mic not only from the same team but the same price range and seems to include most of the austrians features. Thank you so much for this!
Shooting the mics out with the scarlett is like doing a high end graphics card shoot out but only using a 5600k cpu. Your bottle necking the quality mics making it harder to distinguish the good ones from the bad. Sincerely a microphone addict who has tested over 100 mics and many high end vintage models.
This (well, the B-ULS) is my main vocal mic for years, from the good old times, when AKG was still in Austria. I got it in revision once, but other than that it served me well for far more than 20 years. Love it. P.S. I liked the 818 on your voice. It was just a little bit smoother. Nothing I'm looking for, while singing, but it stood out for me.
My first mic ! Great for instruments but not the best on voices in my opinion. It lacks a bit of clarity on high pitched voices, XL2 is more of my taste for voice overs or singing. It’s a bit cheaper in Europe though. Great review and I start to really like more and more the small songs on each reviews, hope it could be a bit longer ;)
I have a stereo pair and a third 414 XLS. All of them came with shock mounts and standard clips... the pair also came with a stereo bar. I got my first one for 500$ brand new off craigslist probably 8 years ago. I always liked them a lot on female voices, pianos, toms, cymbals.
Every version of the C414 I have used since the late 80's has been outstanding. When you compare it to other mics in the same bracket well "To me they all sound great at that level" You can't really go wrong with these mics unless they are going to be in an abusive environment. There is nothing more hair standing than watching someone drop the mic. & yes it was a drummer. LoL
wow! I didn't know AKG has a facility here in Hungary. Maybe my ears cheat on me, but I really don't hear much difference with the U87. Maybe a bit more of an openness for the Neumann.
Hi Bandrew. I prefer the Peluso, the XLII, and the OC818. It would be great to hear a comparison with some of the Lewitt's, like the 640 TS or the 441 Flex. Thanks for the review.
Since you're going through 9 polar patterns, can you please make a video explaining main characteristics and applications for each common polar pattern. I don't really know when the hypercardioid is useful
It has a stronger proximity effect in hyper and it will cut more of the room out. And it picks up a small tail in the rear and that could be a problem or not depending on what/where you're recording. Try cardioid.... Move it around to get the tone tone like... Next try the hyper and do the same and see if you like it better..... Or instead of "better", maybe ask yourself if you feel like the tone you are getting is the tone you intend to have for your mix usage...
It all depends on what sound sources you want to reject and where they're located relative to the mic. The hypercardioid pattern rejects most strongly at ~135 degrees and accepts some sound at 180, whereas cardioid rejects most strongly at 180 degrees and accepts a fair amount at 135. A typical case where you might prefer a hypercardioid is if you're onstage with a pair of monitors (the audio kind) in front of you and at 45 degrees to either side (which is 135 degrees relative to the mic). A cardioid mic would potentially pick up sound from the monitors in that scenario and create feedback, while a cardioid mic would reject it. Conversely, if you had a single monitor directly in front of you (i.e. at 180 degrees to the mic) then cardioid would be the better choice. Another example: I use a hypercardioid mic for video conferencing because my mic is boomed out between, in front of, and above a pair of displays, such that the strongest audio reflections from the LCD panels hit the mic at about 135 deg. I get less reflection and combing by using a hypercardioid mic as opposed to a cardioid in that situation. The figure-8 is also a very interesting pattern: It rejects at 90 degrees but accepts as strongly from the back as from the front. A classic use case is as a vocal mic for a vocalist/guitarist, where a figure-8 can be aimed directly at their mouth but almost completely reject their guitar. Obviously you need to be careful about whatever is behind the mic in that scenario.
I had two of the C414 BULS back in the 90s and the tone was different on each one. That turned out to be a good thing because I could choose the one that was best for the application. Also, I don't like matched microphones for stereo, I think unmatched mics create a better since of stereo and space. The new model you are reviewing sounds like the more flat one I had, the other one had a bit of low end boost.
Great review, Bandrew! I like the 414 (four-fourteen) very much and have used it on group vocals, saxes, toms (-10) and a variety of other things. The clarity and uncolored off-axis response makes it a very easy mic to work with. It nearly replaced my use of the U-87 except for solo vocals or instruments. I rarely used the 414 in an orchestral setting because it isn't quite smooth enough, opting instead for vintage Neumann or modern Schoeps or Royer. How about a review of one of my favs: Microtech Gefell M930 which was a great improvement over the UM70. Cheers!
I was wondering if you were interested in checking an AKG C414 with a singer with a 4 octave range. I'd be curious to see what the mic does and how it reacts with the right distance when belting, singing whistle notes or when growling (in CVT terms). Let me know. That'd be great. Cheers, Tina
That Peluso definitely had something. Maybe it’s a Pavlovian response to the vintage voicing? Also love my 818 and have used it on everything from male vocal to female vocal to acoustic guitar to upright bass. Definitely my studio’s workhorse.
My assessment: The SE4400a sounds *better* on you for half the price. I think it's truer to your real voice, making the C414 XLS sound a little muffled. KSM44a: a bit harsher than the C414 XLS OC818 & C414 XLII: Both sound practically identical to the C414 XLS U87: The U87 had a fluid/liquid quality to it that just flowed amazingly by comparison. Getting your money's worth there!
This review an the review of the AKG C214 kept me from buying a set of C214's I was offered. Still not certain if I will buy a pair of C414 XLS/XLII, OC818 or SE 4400's. Only had hands on experience with the latter (not as a pair), but I have had a lot if good experiences with several other AKG mics.
As you mention, it's not the most spectacular sounding mic, that blows peoples mind on the first listen. But it just works on so many things - a true workhorse. Even more so than the XLII in my opinion. I use mine constantly.
As always, my favourite reviewer (by a golden mile) along with Julian Krause. I would love to see you do an advisory vid on the following: (This is hypothetical & not me but I would have loved this advice starting out) I have $500 & $1000 to buy my first mics for my home studio (2 budgets, 2 lists). What mics would you recommend to get started. I do not have much experience in recording and do not have access to a store to try them out. Use is for Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, fiddle, mandolin & piano. All mics would be ones you would be happy to keep in your arsenal. You can give up to 3 options for each mic type but all must come in under budget.
I'm already down a headphone rabbit hole but finding your channel a couple weeks back has absolutely made me want to spend a couple thousand dollars I don't have on mics. DAMMIT I DON'T EVEN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT OR HAVE A GOOD VOICE
Some friendly advice. Pick ONE $100-200 mic after watching all of his relevant videos a few times. For example, he likes that cheap Rode mic. Pick ONE, if you absolutely MUST satisfy that burning gear lust, and PAY CASH. Do not buy gear on credit cards, unless you have a signed contract from a record label for a lot of money. Capisce? Once you choose your ONE mic, be happy with it and use the absolute shit out of it. Stop watching videos about mics and learn how to sing. Learn how to play electric guitar or keyboard. If you can't make money as a musician with the $200 mics available in 2021, then a $10,000 mic won't change a goddam thing. So buy your one decent $200 mic and become an artist, if that's what you want. But your music is 100% of what people want to hear or not hear. Nobody buys an album or track to hear the mic. We are now blessed with the gear of kings, for pennies. But the music world lacks an abundance of artists worth listening to. 99% is all the same shit with various names. Not even worth listening to on their best day. So stop obsessing about gear and try to write a single song that isn't the world's biggest cliche. A SINGLE SONG.
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 thanks man, genuinely appreciate it! I'm really just a bit of a gear head at the best of times though and geek out over sound reproduction tech now and again; recently had to get a mic for my current job (got a used ATR2500 cuz I can be cheap that way) and started developing an interest in the sound *capturing* process as a result. It's far from a decent mic from what I hear, pretty mud and bloom, but honestly it serves well enough for the most part. The only reason I'm even toying with the idea of getting something superlative is for spoken word stuff or just to have something to complement the headphone rig, but honestly I'll probably end up spending $200 MAX because things like these are significantly more expensive in my country. Thanks though! Always grand to hear a voice of reason when silliness is in the air. Much as I love the sound of the 818 it'll likely remain a grail thing unless I end up financially superstable or something.
XLS is the clear winner. It surprises me why others find other mics to be better. Austrian Audio has some weird harshness in the mids. XLII, SE, Peluso are too sibilant. Don't understand what's the point in Peluso at all. SNR isn't anything special. If it were priced like SE that would be ok, but at its actual price I see no strong marketing point other than the "vintage" hype. Neumann - okay mics but rediculuosly overpriced and overhyped. I think I'll try to find a used XLS. А nice universal mic it is.
Great video, as always. A mic that i'd really like to see you reviewing is the BOYA BY-M1000. It seems a interesting one, both in price and in sound characteristics. Keep the awesome work!
Thanks for all your hard work! The AKG C414 XLS had amazing presence on the acoustic guitar (sounded a bit like Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man"); really punchy, professional and usuable sound on the electric guitar. Wonder if the mic pickup pattern makes for a bit of phasing effect?. For spoken word, there was a bit of robotic\autotune gargling to it, but no need for de-essing or any noticable plosives. Singing sounded fine, oddly better than the spoken word tests.
I really like the XLS, if I had money to blow on a high-end mic, this is the one I would buy. Honestly, all of the comparisons sounded so similar it was hard to choose. The se4400a was a little smoother, and the XLII was more sparkly, which both work better for different voices, but I think the XLS could be a little more versatile.
I hope that you compare the Neumann U87-Ai vs Rode NT1000 vs Rode NT1 all in one video. On a different note: I compared the Rode NT1 (LDC) mic vs Neumann KM184 (SDC) on vocals in my studio recently. The results were very impressive and amazing.
Yes! The electric guitars sounded fabulous on the XLS. Speaking or singing voice? Meh. Exactly opposite on the XLII. You wouldn’t happen to have access to a brass EB would you? Spoken or singing voice is pretty epic. Thanks for another great review!
Just discovered your channel. I wish I had watched it sooner. I just assumed it was geared toward podcasting solely. +1 for the NOFX reference. Subbed for mic shopping purposes. If you haven't you should compare the P420/220 with this or something c12ish
The sE4400a was my favorite of the bunch. It was as if you ran it through a better preamp. Maybe I'll sell my XLS and get a matched pair of the sE4400a's.
I like the sound of the AKG 414 XLS and I think it is one of the best with your voice. I also really like the Austrian Audio OC818 but this one definitely doesn't suit you. I think a comparison to the TLM 103 would have been great. Some review of ANTELOPE is needed!!
I feel the AKG C414 XLS is a bit too sensitive in some cases. It does sound a little but noticeably cleaner than KSM44A, which surprised me. (that was on another acoustic guitar video - I couldn't notice difference only by your voice here) And the full range of Polar patterns (incl. the in-betweens) is amazing! But I worry that this mic would be a bit risky to use for live performances even on the Cardio-HyperCardio setting. Is my impression correct? What do you think would be better for both studio & live performances the KSM44A or one of the AKG C414 (I didn't really get what's the difference between XLS & XLII) ?
@@alanhaynes418 How is that a review? What evidence do you have? Did you look at the internal circuitry? If you know anything about the history of Big Muffs, then you would know that changes in enclosures do not automatically mean changes in circuitry; sometimes the enclosure changes and then the circuit, or the other way around. There is a marked change with the C3000b: it's larger. The older 90s C3000 mics -- black and silver -- are the same size, offer the same features, and have the same specs. So again: Where is your review, and what is your evidence?
@PodcastStage -- (This may sound like kind of a dumb question - considering the nature of your channel, but) if you had to pick JUST ONE dynamic microphone, what would be the very best for music, singing, and podcasting combined (mostly for music production)? What would be the best microphone (out of all of those you've reviewed so far) for about $250-$280 or less? (I was hoping to get something in the $100-$150 price range, but after watching a lot of your content, I'm thinking that's going to be an unrealistic expectation. I'm hoping to get just one mic, but I might buy two if that's a better option. I'm really looking for a mic with similar features and quality as the Rode Caster Pro and Rode Pod, but I want it to be good sound quality for singing and music production. So is there ONE dynamic microphone you could suggest for me? What about your very top 5 ("ultimate" list) considering ALL of the microphones you've reviewed under $300? (I am willing to spend a little more if it is better quality, but I really don't want to 'break the bank' -- {$360 is too much right now}). (Looking for a mic that cuts out sharp or high pitched treble on gain if possible. Not looking for a bass-specific microphone; looking for a mid to full-range mic - at least - as close as you can get with Dynamic). P.S. -- (I would've contacted you in some other way, but this was the best option I could see at this time). Please get back to me soon if possible. (I will probably be making a decision within a few days to two weeks, tops). (And in case you were wondering, I've already seen this video of yours: th-cam.com/video/J-6z93SqEO0/w-d-xo.html -- and I know I want a Cardioid Dynamic Mic with an XLR connection).
The se4400a sounds almost ribbony smooth and super non offensive and i think it would be more forgiving on more sources... but.... I really want a multi-pattern pair and I think the more forward high-mids on the c414 xls will be more way more sexy and swimmy in stereo micing, better sense of space and imaging. I thought I liked the se4400a better cause all-rounder + price... but for stereo stuff i think the c414 will be mo better. Ugh...
hello i wonder if you could help me decide, i want to buy a new headset and i'm between the Audio-Technica ATH-G1 and the Sennheiser Game Zero. Based on your experience which one would you recommend me to buy? appreciate the answer
hello,i am from hong kong. I want to ask, my C414 have buzzing, when i tune the gain to my normal level, it also heart it buzzing. I already try change the cable and mixer. But the seller told me it is normal of condenser mic. Is it?
With all the polar patterns you should be able to get decent rejection. If you have the noise at 180-degrees, use cardioid. If you have the sound at 127-degrees then use the super-cardioid. If the sounds are at 90-degrees you could use the super-cardioid to reject more than the cardioid, or you could use the figure-8 because that rejects a TON at 90-degrees. You can use the multiple polar patterns on this mic to get the optimal amount of rejection, but it's not going to provide any magic tricks. If there's a lot of background noise and reverberation, it'll still pick that up; any microphone will.
@@Podcastage Thank you for your insights! I'll definitely refer to this as a guide for miking C414's in the future. I'm looking for a pair of mic for drum overheads, however the environment around me is not the quietest. While C414 XLM is great for being an all purpose mic and I really want it, do you think the Sennheiser MD421 II would be the safest bet?
@@bigtastyben5119 different strokes for different folks. i have the xls and like that it’s a bit more transparent, if i want more presence i can do that with eq
Can You for the love of... mics? Help me?!? I have been on a mission for too long now to find a purely gaming solution for a mic setup on an arms length, just on top of my monitor with an boom arm. Is a shotgun mic the only solution for this you think and could You recommend one? I could go either USB or XLR. (I don't want a mic in my face while gaming, if I would I'd jsut go with a typical cardiod mic for singing :P)
In that case i would choose a small diaphragm condenser supercardioid Microphone. Proper microphones of that kind are used for indoor dialog recording for video in comparable situations.Good supercardioid microphones have the greatest directional effect and a polar diagram which is consistent at all frequencis. Sadly I only know expensive good mics of that kind like the CCM 41schoeps.de/en/products/ccm/ccm-microphones/supercardioids/ccm-41.html
I own and love this mic! If I had to sell my entire collection, this is the one I would keep. My mic's plots show a little stronger mids than yours, and I'm very happy with that for my particular voice. At 6:15, the reason the rear lobe of the bidirectional pattern sounds weird in your headphones is because the rear is 180 degrees out-of-phase with the bone conduction in your head, but it sounds just fine on the monitors. You may also notice on your waveform that on the rear there will be more "ups" than "downs" and that is normal. Thanks for another great and thorough review!
I was very confused by his comment during this part because it sounded the same to me, and this explains it perfectly lol.
THANK YOU for clarifying the 180 out-of-phase phenomenon! I own a pair of these mics and couldn't understand how the figure of eight pattern could usable with one side sounding so different. I thought my mics might be defective. I am much more satisfied with my purchase now.
If you’re patient, you can find this microphone from an authorized dealer for around $700 ish price. They will call it B Stock or refurbished but it can be brand new on sale. I bought 2 new units this way.
@@ramencurry6672 or buy it from thomann.de like i did. it's $400 cheaper than the price at sweetwater, and i should be receiving mine tomorrow.
@@papayoshitv3788 you are in the US? What was the import fee
I've owned the C414XLS, U87 Ai, Tml102 and Blue Blueberry and honestly, I absolutely love the sound of the OC818! Its definitely an incredible mic!
I use this mic on a daily basis for streamed music lessons, rehearsal recordings, video narrations. It’s been a workhorse for me since I purchased it in 2005. Mine is the earlier iteration (5 polar patterns, made in Austria). Love this mic in spite of it not getting love on certain audio forums that shall not be named. Love your channel. Keep on it!!
LOL - you mean Gearspace?
There´s a good counteragument: In the classical music world this mic owns a real great reputation cause it´s so neutral. I once recorded a string quartett and when I unboxed my C414s they all looked very reassured to have picked the right guy for the recording.
Every time I want to buy a U87 a video like this comes along and proves why I don't need one for this type of application. Preferred the XLS.
I would recommend this mic over the XLII. This XLS has a flat frequecy curve and is neutral and if you want more air you can do that with the EQ afterwards. On the contrary if you have a XLII you have a preshaped frequency response with boosted high frequencies. Firstly it´s harder to eliminate this boost with an EQ aftewards and secondly - let´s say if you make a multi-channel recording with a XLII only - then you would get an over-exaggerated boost in those high frequencies as every channel would present that boost. It would be an annoying result. So IMO the XLII is a mic for solo vocals or an solo instrument only, the XLS is a mic for everything else.
The difference between the XLS and the XL11 is pretty subtle, and I've never had a problem with using a shelving high eq cut or de-esser on it if it's a bit too bright or sibilant.
I would never use the same microphone on everything anyway - so I've not had a problem with build up at a partucular frequency.
In the '80s, there wasn't a single professional studio that didn't have at least two C414s. It might be the most versatile microphone in existence as it sounds pretty good on everything. The copies are all pretty good, too, especially the ones at around the same price. I'd probably get the OC818 as the post processing options are amazing when you record in stereo and it's so smooth. Thanks for the review.
The advantage of the C414 is that it’s very easy to find a replacement if it ever gets damaged or lost and will most likely be available for the long future.. In that sense, it makes it more reliable for consistency.
The modern C414 models sound very different to the '80s ones. The new one sounds much worse. More scooped, more metallic, and just overall a bit harsher.
@@distortingjack This, I have a vintage C414 B-ULS and it's the darkest mic I own by a lot. It's almost too dark. There's definitely something sterile and metallic about the modern C414s, fo4 whatever reason it's reaaally bad on the XLS which is the flat one. It takes a special kind of screw up to make a flat mic sound like that.
I think I preferred the sound of the XLS to every other microphone, aside from the U87 AI obviously, but I have to give a shoutout to the 4400a. It sounds pretty great for a microphone that costs half the price but I just prefer the low-mids of the XLS
The TLM103 would have been a good one to test it against as well -- being the same price and pretty big competitors with each other
Well, actually it´s not as the TLM only has cardioid polar pattern, no filters and no pads.
HECK YEAH! I've been needing a good review for this version of the C414! love all of your reviews! I reference them for all of my microphone endeavors.
I cannot say one bad thing about this microphone. It has serviced me since 1994. I used to have a pair and recorded choral and classical music. But for pop music, it's just a very versatile and excellent mic.
I think you mean the ULS or the TLii as the newer XLS wasn't released until the aughts
If AKG hadn't shut down their Vienna operation and precipitated the creation of Austrian Audio and the OC818, then I would probably think very highly of the C414 XLS,
Of course in the real world the OC818 does exist, and to my ear it's superior in basically every respect that I care about. That's why I broke down and bought a pair of them.
Im so glad you compared to the oc818 since its a very similar mic not only from the same team but the same price range and seems to include most of the austrians features. Thank you so much for this!
Also if you had to choose OC818 or the AKG c414 CLS?
nvm i jus finished the video, LMAO oc818 it is let me head to sweetwater than you!!
Shooting the mics out with the scarlett is like doing a high end graphics card shoot out but only using a 5600k cpu. Your bottle necking the quality mics making it harder to distinguish the good ones from the bad. Sincerely a microphone addict who has tested over 100 mics and many high end vintage models.
A lot of ppl use those Scarletts. So def a useful demo. He demos an Apollo in other vids.
This (well, the B-ULS) is my main vocal mic for years, from the good old times, when AKG was still in Austria. I got it in revision once, but other than that it served me well for far more than 20 years. Love it.
P.S. I liked the 818 on your voice. It was just a little bit smoother. Nothing I'm looking for, while singing, but it stood out for me.
My first mic ! Great for instruments but not the best on voices in my opinion. It lacks a bit of clarity on high pitched voices, XL2 is more of my taste for voice overs or singing. It’s a bit cheaper in Europe though. Great review and I start to really like more and more the small songs on each reviews, hope it could be a bit longer ;)
This was your first mic? What a great start!
Loved the AKG 414 B-ULS. Used it on air (and production) in radio back in the 90s, and as a voice over mic.
The song is Together On The Sand :)
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I have a stereo pair and a third 414 XLS. All of them came with shock mounts and standard clips... the pair also came with a stereo bar. I got my first one for 500$ brand new off craigslist probably 8 years ago. I always liked them a lot on female voices, pianos, toms, cymbals.
1. OC818 (by far)
2. U87
3. XLS
Every version of the C414 I have used since the late 80's has been outstanding. When you compare it to other mics in the same bracket well "To me they all sound great at that level" You can't really go wrong with these mics unless they are going to be in an abusive environment. There is nothing more hair standing than watching someone drop the mic. & yes it was a drummer. LoL
A very evenhanded review and conclusion. Well done, sir.
This great mic was made in my home country, and for some reason, I'm proud of it!
wow! I didn't know AKG has a facility here in Hungary. Maybe my ears cheat on me, but I really don't hear much difference with the U87. Maybe a bit more of an openness for the Neumann.
Hi Bandrew. I prefer the Peluso, the XLII, and the OC818. It would be great to hear a comparison with some of the Lewitt's, like the 640 TS or the 441 Flex. Thanks for the review.
Since you're going through 9 polar patterns, can you please make a video explaining main characteristics and applications for each common polar pattern. I don't really know when the hypercardioid is useful
It has a stronger proximity effect in hyper and it will cut more of the room out. And it picks up a small tail in the rear and that could be a problem or not depending on what/where you're recording. Try cardioid.... Move it around to get the tone tone like... Next try the hyper and do the same and see if you like it better..... Or instead of "better", maybe ask yourself if you feel like the tone you are getting is the tone you intend to have for your mix usage...
It all depends on what sound sources you want to reject and where they're located relative to the mic.
The hypercardioid pattern rejects most strongly at ~135 degrees and accepts some sound at 180, whereas cardioid rejects most strongly at 180 degrees and accepts a fair amount at 135. A typical case where you might prefer a hypercardioid is if you're onstage with a pair of monitors (the audio kind) in front of you and at 45 degrees to either side (which is 135 degrees relative to the mic). A cardioid mic would potentially pick up sound from the monitors in that scenario and create feedback, while a cardioid mic would reject it. Conversely, if you had a single monitor directly in front of you (i.e. at 180 degrees to the mic) then cardioid would be the better choice.
Another example: I use a hypercardioid mic for video conferencing because my mic is boomed out between, in front of, and above a pair of displays, such that the strongest audio reflections from the LCD panels hit the mic at about 135 deg. I get less reflection and combing by using a hypercardioid mic as opposed to a cardioid in that situation.
The figure-8 is also a very interesting pattern: It rejects at 90 degrees but accepts as strongly from the back as from the front. A classic use case is as a vocal mic for a vocalist/guitarist, where a figure-8 can be aimed directly at their mouth but almost completely reject their guitar. Obviously you need to be careful about whatever is behind the mic in that scenario.
@@patrickchase5614 This was very illuminating, thank you! I even screen-shot your comment to save! Are you an audio engineer?
I had two of the C414 BULS back in the 90s and the tone was different on each one. That turned out to be a good thing because I could choose the one that was best for the application. Also, I don't like matched microphones for stereo, I think unmatched mics create a better since of stereo and space. The new model you are reviewing sounds like the more flat one I had, the other one had a bit of low end boost.
The comparison was great, of course, as always. Thanks.
Would be cool to perhaps see a vs series vid with the AKG 414, Blue Mouse, TLM 103, Austrian Audio 818, like a $1000 mic vs
Great review, Bandrew! I like the 414 (four-fourteen) very much and have used it on group vocals, saxes, toms (-10) and a variety of other things. The clarity and uncolored off-axis response makes it a very easy mic to work with. It nearly replaced my use of the U-87 except for solo vocals or instruments. I rarely used the 414 in an orchestral setting because it isn't quite smooth enough, opting instead for vintage Neumann or modern Schoeps or Royer.
How about a review of one of my favs: Microtech Gefell M930 which was a great improvement over the UM70.
Cheers!
There's a night-and-day difference between the HQ audio and TH-cam's compression.
I was wondering if you were interested in checking an AKG C414 with a singer with a 4 octave range. I'd be curious to see what the mic does and how it reacts with the right distance when belting, singing whistle notes or when growling (in CVT terms). Let me know. That'd be great. Cheers, Tina
My favorite was the AKG C414 XLII because I bought it and I'm bias. Would love you to review the AKG p170 (it's only $100)
That Peluso definitely had something. Maybe it’s a Pavlovian response to the vintage voicing? Also love my 818 and have used it on everything from male vocal to female vocal to acoustic guitar to upright bass. Definitely my studio’s workhorse.
My assessment:
The SE4400a sounds *better* on you for half the price. I think it's truer to your real voice, making the C414 XLS sound a little muffled.
KSM44a: a bit harsher than the C414 XLS
OC818 & C414 XLII: Both sound practically identical to the C414 XLS
U87: The U87 had a fluid/liquid quality to it that just flowed amazingly by comparison. Getting your money's worth there!
This review an the review of the AKG C214 kept me from buying a set of C214's I was offered. Still not certain if I will buy a pair of C414 XLS/XLII, OC818 or SE 4400's. Only had hands on experience with the latter (not as a pair), but I have had a lot if good experiences with several other AKG mics.
Please do an updated on the Neumann TLM 103
Fancy seeing you here and also i agree he should do an update on the TLM 103
@@reverse_6167 yes
@@reverse_6167 yes i wanna buy the apollo solo usb so its compatible with windows and th neumann tlm 103
What's outdated about his TLM 103 review? I don't think the 103 has changed much since his review. Did he miss some info?
@@TheZeroSbr idk
"Lobe of sensitivity" sounds icky.
You better watch out Jason or I'll lobe your sensitivity.
@@Podcastage that sounds kinky hahahaha
Wow! This sounds great!
BTW, I've head you on dozens of mics.
As you mention, it's not the most spectacular sounding mic, that blows peoples mind on the first listen. But it just works on so many things - a true workhorse. Even more so than the XLII in my opinion. I use mine constantly.
The SE, the Peluso and the XLii please my ears more than the XLS
So you like the more pronounced air region from the Austrian sound. I bet you would love the AKG C12 with that open and shimmery top end.
@@Podcastage -- So do you have a top pick for me?
sE4400a is amazing!
I agree. For half the price, it sounds better than the C414 XLS.
Agreed, love mine :).
As always, my favourite reviewer (by a golden mile) along with Julian Krause. I would love to see you do an advisory vid on the following: (This is hypothetical & not me but I would have loved this advice starting out) I have $500 & $1000 to buy my first mics for my home studio (2 budgets, 2 lists). What mics would you recommend to get started. I do not have much experience in recording and do not have access to a store to try them out. Use is for Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, fiddle, mandolin & piano. All mics would be ones you would be happy to keep in your arsenal. You can give up to 3 options for each mic type but all must come in under budget.
Super review thank you sir
I'm already down a headphone rabbit hole but finding your channel a couple weeks back has absolutely made me want to spend a couple thousand dollars I don't have on mics. DAMMIT I DON'T EVEN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT OR HAVE A GOOD VOICE
Some friendly advice. Pick ONE $100-200 mic after watching all of his relevant videos a few times. For example, he likes that cheap Rode mic.
Pick ONE, if you absolutely MUST satisfy that burning gear lust, and PAY CASH. Do not buy gear on credit cards, unless you have a signed contract from a record label for a lot of money. Capisce?
Once you choose your ONE mic, be happy with it and use the absolute shit out of it. Stop watching videos about mics and learn how to sing. Learn how to play electric guitar or keyboard.
If you can't make money as a musician with the $200 mics available in 2021, then a $10,000 mic won't change a goddam thing.
So buy your one decent $200 mic and become an artist, if that's what you want. But your music is 100% of what people want to hear or not hear. Nobody buys an album or track to hear the mic.
We are now blessed with the gear of kings, for pennies. But the music world lacks an abundance of artists worth listening to. 99% is all the same shit with various names. Not even worth listening to on their best day.
So stop obsessing about gear and try to write a single song that isn't the world's biggest cliche. A SINGLE SONG.
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 thanks man, genuinely appreciate it! I'm really just a bit of a gear head at the best of times though and geek out over sound reproduction tech now and again; recently had to get a mic for my current job (got a used ATR2500 cuz I can be cheap that way) and started developing an interest in the sound *capturing* process as a result. It's far from a decent mic from what I hear, pretty mud and bloom, but honestly it serves well enough for the most part. The only reason I'm even toying with the idea of getting something superlative is for spoken word stuff or just to have something to complement the headphone rig, but honestly I'll probably end up spending $200 MAX because things like these are significantly more expensive in my country.
Thanks though! Always grand to hear a voice of reason when silliness is in the air. Much as I love the sound of the 818 it'll likely remain a grail thing unless I end up financially superstable or something.
@@Lyander25
Ah, I totally understand the geek aspect, as that is why I am here (I haven't recorded any music for at least 10 years).
Hey! Great Review! In the matched pair Case are two small fixed mic clips included. Greetings Chris
🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷👏🏻, The best mic! That is an amazing mic, I prefere it to my TLM 103 for voice! Great video, thanks for sharing it!
XLS is the clear winner. It surprises me why others find other mics to be better. Austrian Audio has some weird harshness in the mids. XLII, SE, Peluso are too sibilant. Don't understand what's the point in Peluso at all. SNR isn't anything special. If it were priced like SE that would be ok, but at its actual price I see no strong marketing point other than the "vintage" hype. Neumann - okay mics but rediculuosly overpriced and overhyped. I think I'll try to find a used XLS. А nice universal mic it is.
Great video, as always. A mic that i'd really like to see you reviewing is the BOYA BY-M1000. It seems a interesting one, both in price and in sound characteristics. Keep the awesome work!
Thanks for all your hard work! The AKG C414 XLS had amazing presence on the acoustic guitar (sounded a bit like Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man"); really punchy, professional and usuable sound on the electric guitar. Wonder if the mic pickup pattern makes for a bit of phasing effect?. For spoken word, there was a bit of robotic\autotune gargling to it, but no need for de-essing or any noticable plosives. Singing sounded fine, oddly better than the spoken word tests.
I really like the XLS, if I had money to blow on a high-end mic, this is the one I would buy. Honestly, all of the comparisons sounded so similar it was hard to choose. The se4400a was a little smoother, and the XLII was more sparkly, which both work better for different voices, but I think the XLS could be a little more versatile.
hey thanks dude you made my disicion on buying a aston origin :D
I hope that you compare the Neumann U87-Ai vs Rode NT1000 vs Rode NT1 all in one video. On a different note: I compared the Rode NT1 (LDC) mic vs Neumann KM184 (SDC) on vocals in my studio recently. The results were very impressive and amazing.
Yes! The electric guitars sounded fabulous on the XLS. Speaking or singing voice? Meh. Exactly opposite on the XLII.
You wouldn’t happen to have access to a brass EB would you? Spoken or singing voice is pretty epic.
Thanks for another great review!
The word "threw" is not a short spelling of "through", it is the past tense of throw...
Throw. “That was tight yo.” 😂
"i will also go ahead and blow on the microphone, sounds weird"
- Bandrew, 2021
I know I mentioned this on the podcast episode but because you asked, I'm really interested in you reviewing the MXL Revelation Mini FET.
Come on now. I have the Revelation II tube.
@@Podcastage But see, the Mini FET is actually reasonably affordable :P.
my go to mic. I alway use it in standard (stage vocal or better small dia condenser) mic mounts.
Hi Bandrew! I'm really waiting on your review of the KSM44, I haven't found a trustful review on that one such as yours.
Just discovered your channel. I wish I had watched it sooner. I just assumed it was geared toward podcasting solely. +1 for the NOFX reference. Subbed for mic shopping purposes. If you haven't you should compare the P420/220 with this or something c12ish
The sE4400a was my favorite of the bunch. It was as if you ran it through a better preamp. Maybe I'll sell my XLS and get a matched pair of the sE4400a's.
Those chords reminded me of BTO, frankly, but not the way you strummed the electric. I'm too old to know any NOFX riffs.
Thats the one I was waiting for.
I like the sound of the AKG 414 XLS and I think it is one of the best with your voice. I also really like the Austrian Audio OC818 but this one definitely doesn't suit you. I think a comparison to the TLM 103 would have been great. Some review of ANTELOPE is needed!!
The TLM beats the XLS by far for spoken word. The 414 is mostly muffled and sibilant at the same time.
The Puluso and 87 sound goood. I like the sound of this the best then the 87, but it’s hard to compare them.
what is the cheapest audio interface I could use for a rode pod mic
Thanks for the upload.
I feel the AKG C414 XLS is a bit too sensitive in some cases. It does sound a little but noticeably cleaner than KSM44A, which surprised me. (that was on another acoustic guitar video - I couldn't notice difference only by your voice here)
And the full range of Polar patterns (incl. the in-betweens) is amazing!
But I worry that this mic would be a bit risky to use for live performances even on the Cardio-HyperCardio setting.
Is my impression correct?
What do you think would be better for both studio & live performances the KSM44A or one of the AKG C414 (I didn't really get what's the difference between XLS & XLII) ?
Great video, i would like to see a video about the Oktava Mk-012 !!
Woo, nice
Please review the original AKG C3000 (silver) from the 90s.
The black one from the '90's is better.
@@alanhaynes418 How is that a review? What evidence do you have? Did you look at the internal circuitry? If you know anything about the history of Big Muffs, then you would know that changes in enclosures do not automatically mean changes in circuitry; sometimes the enclosure changes and then the circuit, or the other way around.
There is a marked change with the C3000b: it's larger. The older 90s C3000 mics -- black and silver -- are the same size, offer the same features, and have the same specs.
So again: Where is your review, and what is your evidence?
@PodcastStage -- (This may sound like kind of a dumb question - considering the nature of your channel, but) if you had to pick JUST ONE dynamic microphone,
what would be the very best for music, singing, and podcasting combined (mostly for music production)? What would be the best microphone (out of all of those you've reviewed so far) for about $250-$280 or less?
(I was hoping to get something in the $100-$150 price range, but after watching a lot of your content, I'm thinking that's going to be an unrealistic expectation. I'm hoping to get just one mic, but I might buy two if that's a better option.
I'm really looking for a mic with similar features and quality as the Rode Caster Pro and Rode Pod, but I want it to be good sound quality for singing and music production. So is there ONE dynamic microphone you could suggest for me? What about your very top 5 ("ultimate" list) considering ALL of the microphones you've reviewed under $300?
(I am willing to spend a little more if it is better quality, but I really don't want to 'break the bank' -- {$360 is too much right now}).
(Looking for a mic that cuts out sharp or high pitched treble on gain if possible. Not looking for a bass-specific microphone; looking for a mid to full-range mic - at least - as close as you can get with Dynamic).
P.S. -- (I would've contacted you in some other way, but this was the best option I could see at this time). Please get back to me soon if possible. (I will probably be making a decision within a few days to two weeks, tops).
(And in case you were wondering, I've already seen this video of yours:
th-cam.com/video/J-6z93SqEO0/w-d-xo.html
-- and I know I want a Cardioid Dynamic Mic with an XLR connection).
Hello Bandrew! Have you tried the new Samson Q9U?
Watch out guys, he's going to get his U87 out lol
You know I have to. Haha.
That and the U67 are his atomic bombs in his arsenal
How does the XLS compare to the 314? They seem similar, but I'm interested in the differences. Thanks!
3:32 Polar
thoughts on the SE Electronics T2 in comparison to this mic and the 4400a?
good throw dude didnt expect that
The se4400a sounds almost ribbony smooth and super non offensive and i think it would be more forgiving on more sources... but.... I really want a multi-pattern pair and I think the more forward high-mids on the c414 xls will be more way more sexy and swimmy in stereo micing, better sense of space and imaging. I thought I liked the se4400a better cause all-rounder + price... but for stereo stuff i think the c414 will be mo better. Ugh...
anyone else notice how SMOOTH the austrian audio was?
No bad mic in this bunch. The 818 is creamy, the 87 is buttery, but out of all these music or vocal performance is the limit, not the mic.
What a mic!
hello i wonder if you could help me decide, i want to buy a new headset and i'm between the Audio-Technica ATH-G1 and the Sennheiser Game Zero. Based on your experience which one would you recommend me to buy? appreciate the answer
hello,i am from hong kong. I want to ask, my C414 have buzzing, when i tune the gain to my normal level, it also heart it buzzing. I already try change the cable and mixer. But the seller told me it is normal of condenser mic. Is it?
It still blows my mind how many expensive ass microphones you've reviewed.
Can you review the new Samson Q9U
these are new headphones? are similar with the sony mdr06? do you know any headphones that are similar in sound? thank you!
Sounds good! Does it reject background room well?
With all the polar patterns you should be able to get decent rejection. If you have the noise at 180-degrees, use cardioid. If you have the sound at 127-degrees then use the super-cardioid. If the sounds are at 90-degrees you could use the super-cardioid to reject more than the cardioid, or you could use the figure-8 because that rejects a TON at 90-degrees.
You can use the multiple polar patterns on this mic to get the optimal amount of rejection, but it's not going to provide any magic tricks. If there's a lot of background noise and reverberation, it'll still pick that up; any microphone will.
@@Podcastage Thank you for your insights! I'll definitely refer to this as a guide for miking C414's in the future.
I'm looking for a pair of mic for drum overheads, however the environment around me is not the quietest.
While C414 XLM is great for being an all purpose mic and I really want it, do you think the Sennheiser MD421 II would be the safest bet?
Can you review Uhuru condenser Microphone? I was about to buy bm800 but I passed by uhuru can you give me the idea
You sir are amazing 👏
Bring on the Royer and AEA ribbon microphones.
How many time did you repeat "Please bring pizza pronto" from the beggining of your channel ? ^^
I don't hear much if a difference between the XLS and the XL2 :/
just a slight presence/ high end boost on the XLII, other than that they’re the same
@@yoyobaa100 Then why even have two mics then when they could add a presence boost?? lmao
@@bigtastyben5119 different strokes for different folks. i have the xls and like that it’s a bit more transparent, if i want more presence i can do that with eq
@@yoyobaa100 still, kind of an arbitrary choice to choose one or the other. But if I had the money I'd just get the XLS
Please compare Akgc414XlI to Oc818
Oc818 wins for me... xll comes in 2nd..... the 87 was perfection..... the peluso was harsh and last place
*patiently waits for him to review the Lewitt LCT 840 so that I can buy it if he gives it a positive review*
Don't wait, just do it. It's a cool mic
Can You for the love of... mics? Help me?!? I have been on a mission for too long now to find a purely gaming solution for a mic setup on an arms length, just on top of my monitor with an boom arm. Is a shotgun mic the only solution for this you think and could You recommend one? I could go either USB or XLR. (I don't want a mic in my face while gaming, if I would I'd jsut go with a typical cardiod mic for singing :P)
In that case i would choose a small diaphragm condenser supercardioid Microphone. Proper microphones of that kind are used for indoor dialog recording for video in comparable situations.Good supercardioid microphones have the greatest directional effect and a polar diagram which is consistent at all frequencis. Sadly I only know expensive good mics of that kind like the CCM 41schoeps.de/en/products/ccm/ccm-microphones/supercardioids/ccm-41.html
eyy where's the signature throw? 0:17
If you boosted the XLS would it sound just like the XLII?????
prolly
Please, review meloaudio ts mini audio interface 🙏
Okay, can you get out of my shopping cart please? This is the 5th time you make a video about a mic within a day of it being in my cart 😭