This is the Best Microphone I've Ever Tested (Austrian Audio OC818 Review)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ค. 2024
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The Austrian Audio OC818 is the best condenser microphone I've ever had on the channel. It ticks all my boxes, and some more that I didn't even know I had. If you're looking for the best condenser mic money can by (and yes, I mean even for the big spenders out there), I whole heartedly think you should get this one. As the spiritual successor to the AKG c414, it's got to up to, and I definitely think it does.
Affiliate Link - amzn.to/3CCO0MK
Helpful Article - www.soundonsound.com/reviews/...
TIMESTAMPS:
Intro: 00:00
Why its the Best: 01:19
Mic Demonstration: 10:39
Mix Breakdown: 14:35
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In case you want to know what gear I use all the time 👇🏻
Favorite Microphones:
NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK
SM57 - amzn.to/2P1pUXC
Electro Voice RE20 CLASSIC - amzn.to/2UFdyaM
SM7B - amzn.to/3lL4REV
Lewitt 440 Pure - amzn.to/3imNwRh
Austrian Audio OC818 - amzn.to/3CCO0MK
My Audio Interface:
Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen- amzn.to/2P4SXtl
My Monitors:
KRK Rokit 5a - amzn.to/3grczSW
My Headphones -
Audio Technica M30x - amzn.to/3feOfE6
Status Audio CB-1s - amzn.to/3IfcOeX
Hifiman Sundara - amzn.to/3JvDkm1
My Guitar Amps -
Fender Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster (Blonde) - amzn.to/3w9ZuGk
Boss Katana MKII-50 - amzn.to/3dNj40c
Fender Bassman - amzn.to/3hbT4y4
My Synths and Controllers:
Launchpad Pro Mk. 3 - amzn.to/3rl502V
Arturia MicroBrute - amzn.to/31eFSQL - เพลง
If this vid helped you make your decision, this link helps me loads!! Thanks friends :)
Amazon:
Austrian Audio OC818 - amzn.to/3CCO0M
Sweetwater:
Austrian Audio OC818 - imp.i114863.net/qnGXBO
Unfortunately in Canada, the Amazon.ca page shows that here are currently no OC818 available to purchase.
have a look at the SE electronics sE4400 its half the price and just as good. :-)
This review has finally shown what I needed to know the most about this microphone, that it works pretty well in untreated spaces which is why I want so much more now! Thanks so much this has helped sooo much
That's amazing to hear, so glad I could help out!
@@AudioHaze now all I need to is the convince the master of the coin to give me funds 😬
I can confirm how absolutely amazing this mic is and if you can find one on the cheap, also check out a vintage AKG C414, the B-ULS version. It's the unmistakable pre-Samsung AKG sound, it has all the polar patterns, shelves and pads you could need. I have a fairly noisy untreated room and I can make great recordings with it without touching a single plugin.
get the 18 then
no need to spend extra on two capsules if you cant use them very well.
without treatment, omni and fig8 are going to pick up tons of extra noise
@@shaft9000do you have that mic? Have you tried in an untreated space?
One of the smartest reviews I have seen. Thanks for your effort.
What an excellent tutorial and demonstration, thank you very much!
I also appreciate your observation of "nostalgic" musicians, so true!
Really, really great and useful video. Thank you!!
Thank you so much!
Love this information! So helpful for me ^^
Thats amazing to hear glad I could help!
I promised myself no TH-cam in the morning but with such an audacious title I couldn't help myself.. and boy did you deliver! Thank you for this great & insightful video and it's definitely on my radar when I next upgrade. Have an awesome day dude!
Thank you my friend! Sorry to break your social media fast lol, you have an awesome day as well!
Cool camerawork during the mic demonstration clips! And superhappy about getting a little peek into your mixing magic. The processing makes such a great difference, I'm amazed. And yet again, such a lovely song to use as a sample. Yay for Ethan! Yay for you.
Thank you so much Grieze, so honored that you like the mix. I'll let Ethan know you like the track :)
I adore my oc818… I have been an AKG Vienna fan since the 80’s so when Samsung screwed them I jumped at the AA OC818 as soon as it hit the street. Great demo
I had to stop the video midway to say my man killed those high notes!!! Also great review c:
I recently picked up a stereo set of OC18's and have been falling in love with them. So far, I have used them on piano, drum overheads, vocals, choir, and room with incredible results.
I like this mic but I love that Clarion, especially on your voice!
For anyone that's interested, Austrian Audio released a black version of the OC818 a few weeks ago. It's not available in most places yet, but you should see them showing up soon.
Thanks for the info!
I’ve seen it cheaper than the silver one. It’s on the list! 👍🏽
Yep, I have one and I love it!
I prefer the nickel silver just to avoid long term appearance of scratches but it’s nice to have options. And yes, black is less expensive!
Nice mic & review. You have the perfect voice for exactly this purpose. Speaking from one redhead to another, great job!
Eyyy thank you my friend! Us redheads gotta stick together so I appreciate ya :)
Daaanng, this sounds great and the app idea seems pretty smart, nice vid, oh yeah, also the song sounds great, unprocessed and processed!
Thanks so much! Yeah Ethan is an amazing songwriter, I just did the guitars and production :)
Going to be setting up a studio soon, so was going around to look for new mics as opposed to vintage stuff and man, I'm sold. This'll probably be my studios main mic.
Came for the mic - stayed for the song :) Amazing !!!
Really appreciate that thanks :)
Well, today the proud owner of a OC818, after a lot of comparison , overthinking etc..
Sold my AKG c414xls because of (ground)hum problems which had to do with the foil-connecting with the pad/pattern buttons, Faraday cage? Anyway: very annoying!
Sold my old EB a long time ago which had the fysical toggle switches..
So I wanted a C414-like alternative with fysical toggle switches instead.
Now this perfect solution the oc818, switching wireless or afterwards..
Very long lasting solution without tearing out the switches on the microphone itself.
Perfect! Very happy, great product🥰🙏
I was looking for a stereo pair of mics for acoustic guitar, as well as a super clean condenser for hi-fi bass cab / guitar cab. I was also wondering about a 414 - but once I heard about this and its ability to record in stereo, it went to the top of the list.
I run my OC18 through an Apollo Twin with the UAD Manley Voxbox, sounds amazing.!
Bravo! Great mic!
Thank you Rod!
Love my C414 ULS and C414EB. Great mics.
I’m jealous!!
@@AudioHaze To be fair though, I got these like 20 years ago when I was in College. They were cheaper, and I think the EB model I got for like $500?
@@ericdano that's crazy. I can't find a normal one for under 1200 and they have a version that came with a c12 capsule that regular sells for more than my u87.
@@JustMamba Some guy on reverb is selling a EB version for $1400. The EB does sound different than the ULS one I have. I generally use the ULS but take the EB out for special recordings and stuff. But that is crazy the prices of the EB versions......Its a P48 version, but it really sounds awesome on anything I record with it.
@@JustMamba Old eb with c12 capsule is different from all the rest.
I've been eyeing this one up for a while -- think it's about time to pull the trigger. Really nice song -- singer knocked it out.
Thanks Billy! I'll let Ethan know :)
I would love to hear a comparison between an Austrian Audio OC 818 and a Neumann TLM 107. I don't know wich one I woud choose.
Love this song+ Amazing. Can this be found somewhere to download? ?
Most microphones can be made to give good - or at least acceptable results when positioned carefully.
One of the important things which makes more expensive microphones different though is their lack of off-axis colouration.
It's not something that's immediately obvious - but after using a large number of different models in all sorts of acoustic environments, good to terrible, it becomes evident that a lot of the additional expense of higher end mics has gone into designing something which doesn't exhibit the phase and frequency anomalies which make most cheaper mics almost unusable except when used fairly close and on-axis to the sound source.
The OC818 is clearly very good in this regard, as is a favourite of mine, the Milab DC96b, coincidently another dual capsule design, though in this case Cardioid only.
Thats a wonderful point! Its the subtly of high end mics that perhaps goes unnoticed sometimes, and something to keep in mind for production and mixing for sure.
some have mid range bumps that feels luike theyre ripping my eardrums
How the hell do you split the front and back capsule signals into separate channels?
Can you do that on a U87ai?
Thanks for a great review! How do you think the oc818 compares soundwise to the TLM102 (if you disregard the noise and the room rejection)?
I agree about the vol boost with the plugin.. too bad there isn't an output control
My old church had one of the old 414s.
hi what would you recommend,
OC818 or the TLM 103, For recording male vocal on untreated room ?
Thanks!
Listening to the Track you recorded, apart from sounding really nice (great job!) was quite revealing. It showed once more, how important post processing is and in extent, how badly advised you are, to buy a microphone based on it’s sound alone. Great work as always. As for the hardware: We all love some good sturdy stuff to work with. It makes for a long use and thus the microphone much more sustainable. That being said though:
I for myself always see software as a weakpoint here. But I feel, I need to explain, what I mean by that. I currently use a free software named Equalizer APO to modify my microphone sound. It works great, don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable enough to use it on a weekly basis on my live streams, because - like I’ve said before- it just works. The issue I have with being reliant on software directly in a microphone, is this: If the software fails, for example, if the company stops to support the microphone software wise, how much is left of the product? I totally LOVE that software (Equalizer APO) for my use but at the same time, relying on it is a scary prospect, because the last update to it was 2 or 3 years ago I think. For Windows 11 it seems to work, but for how much longer will it continue to do so? And it’s the same for anything that is reliant on software. I don’t want to hate on the microphone just because of this, so here is my suggestion on how to make this less scary: We need an API for microphones like that, that is the same no matter what company you got your microphone from. Think about it like some sort of ASIO for microphone settings. If we had something like this, using microphones based on their software prowess would be much more sustainable. Because let’s face it: software support is the first thing to die on anything.
API is a great idea! If it's any consolation, much about this microphone will work regardless of the app. The split dual capsule still will operate, and the plugin in needs no support once its downloaded, the only thing that will go is the app, and thats more a convenience factor than anything else :) Regardless, we are venturing into uncharted territory, and without a substantial investment in software from these companies, I do think these sort of things could easily devolve into disarray like you mentioned.
@@AudioHaze I feel like that a VST plug-in needs support just the same. CPUs are changing rapidly and so are the architectures of computers in general as well as the software.
I bit the bullet and got the microphone a while ago. Wow. There's not a day goes by where I regret buying a $1,000 microphone. An amazing piece of technology.
It’s truly remarkable, I’m envious of you :)
Thx a lot for this video. I am so happy with this Mic. I would love to know how did you seperate the tracks (front/back)for the acoustics guitar, I can´t figure it out;.) Did you made an extra recording or did you use the Polar Designer plugin and bounce it. Brgs Jens
just chiming in to say that tapping test wasn't a fair fight. The Neumanns were not on shockmounts like the OC818 was.
So, I purchase this microphone. Plugged it into my Apollo Twin X interface and turned. In my infinite naivety as someone new to audio production, my honest review is that it's a very pretty sounding microphone (my female voice sound so nice on it!), but I was having trouble with it as it was still being unusable out of the box with it being so sensitive that it caught everything in the room. Every little brush of the hand against my clothes, the frogs croaking far outside, every tap on the desk, my feet fidgeting.... just a UAD unison pre-amp didn't do the trick for me, so I'm thinking of trying to gate it next somehow.
If you are bothered by noises then a dynamic mic would probably be a better option. The good thing about LDCs is that they are sensitive, the bad thing is that they are sensitive.
It sounds lovely!
I'm really curious as to how an omni forward mode on this microphone would sound in a quiet outside setting (as if anyone would dare taking this and the peripheral gear into parkland lol) without early reflections from walls etc :)
Good question! It's not the most sensitive in the world, in an outside setting I'm not sure if it would pick up a ton of nature sounds (if thats the goal idk), it does come with a windscreen though :)
@@AudioHaze I meant more to take full advantage of the "openness" of Omni mode without phase effects from boundary reflections etc although it might be great for a "campfire" jam (apart from getting smoke particulates in the capsule!)
looked at this mic a couple of times, and just today I noticed the x-axis labeling on the plugin: 20 50 10 20 50 1k 2k 5k 10k 20k ... aside of that & the app, one of the mics I really want to get a hold on. I believe the polar designer in multi-band (as opposed to one of the other AKG-heritaged mic companies' offering, the LCT640TS' plugin (in all fairness, they themselves say a dual capsule design & dual output can be manipulated with either plugin, i.e., if you prefer the AA plugin you can use it on the LCT and vice versa)) would be very helpful for close micing a didgeridoo...
Would love to hear that recording of the didgeridoo if you make it :)
@@AudioHaze thanks to the return policy of Thomann I might order an OC818 and send it back after trying 🤔 I hope I remember to ping you if/when I manage to do it.
@@Wergiftfresch Yesss hack the system lol
Maybe not a direct competitor, but how the tone compares to the NT1?
Nice demo on the mic! Do you need to record both signals in order to use the plugin, or does the plugin also work in mono signal mode? Thinking about getting this one over the AKG C414 XLS
Do it. Or get C414 B ULS.
Doesn't the Townsend labs sphere l22 does these for years? Plus emulations..
So two years later… is it still the best, or have you ran across anything better for male vocals?
A tangentially related question. What headphones do you use to monitor your mixes? Hifiman Arya?
yo love ur vids. can I ask: do you need to use this app to use the mic? is there a default polar pattern you can work off?
Thanks! And you absolutely don’t need the app :) you can take off the Bluetooth adapter and control it like you would any other mic
Got that the little brother OC18 a while ago and I‘m loving it. Phantastic quality even in an untreated room. It performs well in every situation I put it in.
Super jealous! If it’s anything like OC818 I’m sure it’s killer
@@AudioHaze it's the same mic but without the gimmicky things. I mean same as in sound and specs
@@wm1573 It's a single capsule instead of double capsule like the OC818 but it is a fantastic mic for sure.
@@AudioHaze Same mic, but single capsule.
@@QuantumGamingUploadsI’m a year late to respond, but I’d say it’s a gimmick thing. Most people probably won’t need / use the different patterns included with a double capsule mic
sorry looking at this mic and wondering, does the pop filter change much of the tone?
You should except a slight dip in the brightness yes :)
I don't know that the c414 is AKGs "flagship". They do still make the c12vr.
What are your reference models?
I'm a voiceover talent and vocalist who owned a sennheiser MKH416 and a Rode NT1 (both excellent btw). But I wanted to upgrade the NT1 and get a smoother mic to compliment the "bright" 416. I waited, did my research (your review included), and decided the Austrian Audio OC18 was the one to go for. By shear luck I found a second hand OC818 at a price I couldn't refuse so jumped on It. Now, I no longer need to buy another microphone. This thing is amazing for VO and singing. I recently received a review from a client who said "Great sounding quality and thats coming from a multi-platinum producer!" The mighty Neumann U87 finally has a legitimate rival in the Austrian Audio.
Could you please tell me about OC18, how it compares to NT1? The tone, frequency response, sibilants? Thanks...
@@BojanBojovic The NT1 is the warmer of the two with a lower self noice and is more sensitive (you don't need as much gain in order to get a signal). On the other hand, The OC818 is the more natural sounding, it's more of an open sounding mic but amazingly, it's less sibilant (especially when you use the foam pop filter).
The best thing for me is the amount of detail the AA captures. It brings out all the nuances, (the pops and cracks) in your voice, but in a good way. In terms of detail, the NT1 simply cannot compete and thus has been packed away.
@@lintontulloch9036 Thanks, but just to be sure, when you say warmer you mean more lower frequencies, and when you say open you mean more high frequencies?
Yes.
But in no way would you call the 818 “bright”. Is just brings a clarity to your recordings.
Nevermind the mic, what a banga of a song!
Absolutely! Ethan's killin it
Do you prefer the sound you get out of this mic over the sound you get from a Lewitt 440 Pure?
Would like to know as well.
I do yes, the 440 pure is wonderful, and could be eq'd to a similar sound, but the handling of the midrange here is a bit more controlled, I think this is a more balanced mic. All this sounds like I'm dissing the 440, but as you know, I still ADORE that mic
Danke!
Thank you so much as always Rainer! :)
You said 4 things were important. Build, design, heritage and innovation… sound. You forgot sound. Pretty sure sound is important.
hi ricky, thanx for the review, what about the shure Ksm 42 for VO , is it good?
Cool mic!! If you ever run out of ideas, I'd like to request a video with the best audio interfaces on a budget (
Aw thanks! Glad my opinion makes a difference :) I definitely want to make this video soon, but it'll be an expensive one! Someone get me a sponsor lol
Whats the OC18 like compared to the OC818? I only need Cardiod pattern, but I know it has a different capsule from the OC818. The OC18 is more my budget but Im wondering if its as good.
If its still any help, its the exact same mic just 1 capsulse instead of 2. Did you buy one? Im buying the OC18 asap
@@kriLdaChrixtdid you buy
@@jer7255 bought the sony c-80. Its superdope!
@@kriLdaChrixt I’ve seen a video on that, is it bright on ur voice?
@@jer7255 it's really smooth, not harsch at all. Works with almost every voice I've been working with so far
The thing about older mics and gear is that they'll never be obsolete, and can always be rebuilt. What happens when bluetooth standards change in 10-15 years? I doubt this mic and app will still be supported 20+ years from now, but a good mic will hold its value and maybe even appreciate in value over 50 years. For $1000, I don't wanna treat my gear like its disposable. Is it possible to access all the functionality like mixed polar patterns without using any software?
Yep. Mult the 2nd capsule on a console and flip the polarity and balance the faders to get as close to a null as possible. Flip polarity back. Send both channels to a bus and control with a single fader. Capsules with multiple outputs have existed for decades. The plugin is simpler and there are many. The bluetooth control is hoakey but the plugin seems very easy and flexible.
I’m sure another dongle would keep up with a BT standards change.
a dream mic for sure, unfortunately it costs my whole setup lol ;-;
Haha yeah that is definitely the trade off I suppose! Its a dream mic for me as well :) maybe sometime soon, you never know!
Please compare this with the Ehrlund Microphones and I’m curious if you still say the same… 😅
You seam very proud of that mic. I would be, probably too. One thought bothers me a bit about this mic and its technology. Also, as of the reference to older AKG, you bring here often. Old AKG will work nicely for the next 50 years. AA OC818 and the iOS app - I am not sure if it will be maintained in the (further?) future, and that app seams to be necessary to squeeze all the juice out of this mic. Maybe it's just an unjustified fear. The mic has physical buttons, so it probably will run with some lesser options, even the app is no more there. In short, simplicity vs. bells and whistles. Just wondering.
I know what you mean. But let’s say the app goes down, never to return… the OC818 has all the features of a 414 at a better price point and at least as good of a capsule, if not better.
Plus I saw somewhere that the app or plugin is open source? Meaning users can maintain and upkeep over time if needed.
I that microphone your go to mic now?
Is it anywhere we can listen to this song?
Unfortunately I don't believe its published anywhere, sorry!
TLM 103 vs oc818 what would you choose?
Oc818 all the way 🚀
@@AudioHaze OC818 or RE20? 😁
You better be good in this price range. Nice mic, nice toy. No peaking around 8k, good to work with. The app is crazy, but to be honest, who got time for this in real life?
I've used the OC18 for about 2 years now, and it since I got it its been my most used mic. I've recorded dozens of audio books, hundreds of voiceovers, and a podcast using this mic. Holds up really well. I do pair it with a SPL Track One channel strip, which I also love and makes this great mic even better for voiceover.
Such a good mic!
I would love to hear some of your recordings with this mic. Which audiobooks did you record?
@@linos1085 I'm not going to dox this alias online, but if you send me your email I can put together a quick take for you to listen to.
Hi, how frequently do you find yourself using the polar designer features? I'm interested in the mic, but I'm afraid that I may very rarely if ever utilize those polar designer features due to added time and complexity. Would you say the benefits are worth the price? Or will it be a better value to just get simpler mic?
@@the80386 the oc18 that I have only has the cardiod pattern. The OC818 has the other patterns too. I only needed cardiod which is why I bought the OC18. Both mics have the same cardiod capsule.
Do you plan on doing a review on its baby brother, the OC16?
Eventually yes! Busy upload schedule
I might have wanted to hear less comp. Like -3. But overall, a very informative video.
Nate from SweetWater contact me that my new OC16 have been shipped just like the OC18 but without -10 db switch but I wouldn’t mind because my interface already have a db switch. Austrian Audio is not China whoever said cheap chinese mics. Psy actually uses an Oc818 so maybe some of u hated but I don’t think u famous as him and if it’s good enough for Psy. I actually saw him singing with it feature in one of the video. Update I got the oc16 can be use with software for stereo imaging unlike someone who said it can’t be mic match but still the software will fix that.
It's focused and sounds rich, but it's also saturated and a bit squashed. It doesn't have the clarity of the 103.
1min 25 in ...
my burning question WHAT is the mic? :)
Hahahah I guess I did forget to say the name of the mic until midway through lol, its the Austrian Audio OC818 :))
You’re being a bit careful, purple is the best color don’t stress it.
Hahahah
Please please release the song somewhere!!!
Go follow ethan and tell him to do it already!! I keep trying lol
I own one of these and like it slightly less than my Lewitt SubZero.
great review bro!
Thanks Preston!
if this is your favorite microphone, then the same argument about purple applies to this scenario.
At over 11 hundred dollars, I would certainly HOPE it was a superior mic. Obviously, this is not a budget choice.
I’ve got one. I don’t think there is a mic I’d trade it for
Its an absolute unit of a mic! I'm jealous :)
Hi how does it compare to the TLM-102 in a non treated Room if you have any experience with both? Thank You
I still can't find a suitable condenser.
I had it and didn't love it on any particular recording as it sounded harsh on some sources and dark on others. Went with the TLM 107 in the end :3
Aw okay, well different strokes for different folks I guess :)
107 is so nice sounding
@@AudioHaze definitely! I'm sure some people can make it work but guess that I just didn't vibe with it unfortunately :/
This mic is almost 11 000 SEK... Wha!?
My latest mic cost 500 SEK.
It is certainly a pricey one :/
And now, a couple of months after I bought it, they release it in black. Urgh!
Haha I saw that!! I actually prefer the silver I think :)
The best color is clearly WHITE because it contains light of every other color!
GRRR IM SO MAD AFTER 9 DAYS I FORGOT TO REPLY TO THE ENTREE VIDEO!!! SO PISSED AT MYSELF
AHAHAHA
price is absolutely idiotic.
honestly dont like this for vocals at all.
Are you sure
I do believe so
Also the most expensive microphone you've tested?...
Ahhh technically that would be the u87ai, although that review was quite possibly my worst review for many reasons
meh, prtobably the best mic for your own taste and voice, but sure not the best one. From the first seconds I was like "damn that thing is clipping and is hell harsh". Sounds like a cheap chinese mic with busted lows and mids". imho my 0,02 cents
P.S. just checked your old videos, so neumann tlms and soyuz sounds waaay much better.
I hate anything that has an app!
An average music listener can't tell the difference between $200 mic and $1200 mic. It all comes down to the overall sound like vocal chain, mixing and mastering
uh, great mic but
the constant, ocd "whoosh" and zooms and edits
....chill, perhaps ?
kinda headed towards _the "silly youtuber" purgatory_ with that, yo
Watch the newer vids if you get the chance, I got better at editing :)
Dude slooooow down your edits i barely have anytime to actually even see or read the side by side of your explanation for the 2 mics when u show them wassup with that???
I don’t like the design. It’s too small.
Didn't you say this about the 102??
@@AudioHaze yes 😂😂 I like to sing into big mics, lol. I also like their “presence” in the studio. It is important to some customers. The 102 is different though, it just looks like the Neumann you buy when you can’t afford a real one 😂
Every American YT vlogger spends more than half of video talking. What do yanks never stop talking? More sounds and music please. Its a common complaint.
I recorded and produced an entire track for this review. If you have an issue, I suggest you make your own video rather than sitting behind your keyboard and complaining. There are plenty of videos covering this mic, including half of this video totally dedicated to audio demos. Is this really the energy you want to project into the world?