C414 XLS

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 was in a similar situation. I spent more but I got a 414 XLS (Condenser). You can def do it all with whatever mic, but even the Audio Technica one Finneas used for Billie Elish's stuff is a great mic. Also condenser. Inclosing, condenser. Also... a duet... fucking rocks. I had an old first gen Duet and I still miss that colour. It sounded great. You're well set.

I've bought a used Soyuz 017 Tube about 6 months ago and it's absolutely phenomenal! I know it's not in the same price range at all but, this is definitely my favorite. I used to use a C414 XLS and that was also very nice. I also once used the C214 (but that time it was for male vocals), it was not really the same as the C414 which I knew pretty well but, it was pretty close and it did a great job. I've never tried anything from Austrian Audio but I've only heard good things about them. My guess is the OC818 is probably closer to the C414 and the OC16 closer to the C214. I've seen a lot of people recommending the MD441 for female vocals, I think it's probably the next mic I'm going to buy.

C414 (xlii and similar) are notorious for being harsh, i’d pick any other similar range LDC over c414 xlii for vocals. In fact i’d pick a few cheaper LDCs over it. C414 without year and models doesnt say much https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/history-akg-c414/ Also i dont agree with xls being dark, but its a decent article

They’re basically shrill, on high pitched vocals they fall apart XLS is absolutely the better option if you want a new 414, but im obligated to say that OC818 also exists

C414 (xlii and similar) are notorious for being harsh, i’d pick any other similar range LDC over c414 xlii for vocals. In fact i’d pick a few cheaper LDCs over it. C414 without year and models doesnt say much https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/history-akg-c414/ Also i dont agree with xls being dark, but its a decent article

Yes absolutely, was just expanding on the c414 because not all 414s are actually harsh

The new version of this is the 414 XLS. Not harsh at all. The XLS has a rising top end, great for acoustic steel string guitars. Me usual no likey for vocals.

IMO the XLS *is* one of the brighter models, the B ULS is a common darker one

oh yeah, I wasn't that familiar with the differences, I just bought a couple of C414B XLS ages ago and they've done me pretty well on the whole. I wouldn't call them dark either, they are pretty bright hence the fact that with certain vocalists I've used other mics. I hate to think how bright the brighter C414s must be.

Both, and it's not always a question of the microphone being cheap, in my experience C414s pick up a lot of sibilance because they are detailed and fairly bright. If it's a big issue you can try a ribbon mic or a dynamic. The Electro Voice RE-20 is a great dynamic mic for vocals, but it is a bit pricy. Depending on the singer and the genre an SM58 or equivalent can actually do a good job. You can also pair a dynamic and a condenser and the slight phase between them can really thicken up the vocal and give you more textures to work with.