AKG - C414 XLII

Which 414? I’m partial towards the 414 sound, but there’s a lot of different ones. Can’t really go wrong with it though.

That’s a fantastic mic

That’s main go-to vocal mic. The one with the gold grill. A good preamp and some analog eq and compression and it’s absolutely amazing.

None of the 414 mics I've used I would describe as harsh except maybe the current XLII version but yes the ULS 'Ultra Linear Series' has a relatively flat response which makes it useful for all kinds of applications.

Yes the XLS version has the same kind of response as previous 414s. The XLII has a boosted top end.

i dont have any noise from street, animals, computers etc. at all. i have borought the 103 a while ago and was very happy with it. i read a lot about the 414 and the multi patterns sound interesting to me as i can also use it for other stuff.

I hqve the XLII in mind

in my studio i have the töm 49 and i am very happy with that vintage aound for singing. the 103 or the 414 i would need for corporate work. still not sure if i really want that kind of vintage toning in the voice. since the room is not treated at the moment i tend more to the 414.

C214. Its literary the same capsule as one half of the CK12 but with a few microns of teflon heated onto the backplate. virtually there is a littlebit of additional capacitance because of that, which increases nonlinearity by a unperceptable amount. But thats nothing compared to the C414 where the two capsules are in parallel, so one acts as a capacitive pad for the other, which increases distortion by a lot. I am a strong believer that the C214 is actually a superior mic compared to the C414 XLS and XLII. And because the C114 and C104 circuits are vastly superior compared to the C214 in dynamic range (132dB in the case of the C114), the ultimate CK12 style microphone would be the C104 with a C214 capsule. Gras makes high-end measurement microphones and they only make electrets. And boy, their linearity is extremely good.

I have a pair of two C414xls, they are fantastic all rounded mics. Great neutral sound, Super low noise, lots of pillar patterns, lightweight, etc. But I also had the other version, C414XLII, the bright one. THAT one is, indeed, an overrated mic. I've sold it right away

I have a pair of two C414xls, they are fantastic all rounded mics. Great neutral sound, Super low noise, lots of pillar patterns, lightweight, etc. But I also had the other version, C414XLII, the bright one. THAT one is, indeed, an overrated mic. I've sold it right away

C414, but only the XL2 or EB

As someone who owns both the c214 and the c414 xls and has used them both extensively, I massively prefer the c414xls. The c214 is so bright that it is unusable on some sources. I rarely use the c214.

If they have a C12, use it. Or a 414 XLII. They have a softer sound, imho, than a U87 and that might work with your intended vocal sound.

Honestly haven't used any of the mics you've listed. I mostly use AKG (C414 XL) and Warm Audio (WA47) for vocal sessions. So not much help with your short list.

Warm Audio. If you were anywhere nearby I'd say come by and check it out. It's a beast. AKG is my all around go to for orchestra sections, choirs and solo instruments like cello, f horn etc. I use the WA47 on full percussion sections with timpani etc. For solo vocals the WA47 has not disappointed. It's almost a perfect score on Sweetwater with 89 reviews.

Right now, it’s my T.Bone MB 85 Beta. It’s a cheap dynamic microphone from Thomann - and it performs really great imho. I have more expensive condenser mics - such as the AKG C414II, but the benefit from using them isn’t really meaningful for recording the guitar, and bringing them around is a hassle due to the phantom power requirement as well as the more fragile nature compared to the sturdy dynamic microphones. For serious studio purposes, I use the AKG though; but anything below specific studio sound requirements, I use the T.Bone.