
Shure
SM58
Indestructible live workhorse; but muffled for studio vocals.

Running these analyses costs money. Buy through my links to help keep lights on! I may get a small commission.
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

Shure
SM58
Indestructible live workhorse; but muffled for studio vocals.

Shure
SM57-LC
Versatile for instruments; needs pop filter for vocals.

DJI
Mic 2
Unbeatable convenience, 32-bit float; but poor Bluetooth audio.

Samson Technologies
Q2U USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone with Accessories
Great value dual USB/XLR; recent price increase noted.

Shure
SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone
Professional vocal sound; but expensive, needs external amplifier.