AKG C414 XLII

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Overall

#152 in

External Microphones

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score56% positive
10
4
4
Last updated: Apr 26, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit IconBino5150
5 months ago

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.

5 months ago

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.

Reddit IconCumulativeDrek2
7 months ago

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.

7 months ago

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

Reddit Iconfelbinhio
5 months ago

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.

5 months ago

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.

Reddit IconHawk12D
3 months ago

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.

Reddit Iconjavilander
6 months ago

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

6 months ago

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

Reddit IconLevel_Recording2066
5 months ago

C414, but only the XL2 or EB

Reddit IconSahibTeriBandi420
3 months ago

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.

Reddit Iconthedevilsbuttermilk
8 months ago

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.

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