AKG C 414 Shootout and Comparison

T

TrustMeScience

New member
Hey guys! I just started posting here last month. Even though I don't do a ton of recording at home anymore, that's where I started, and I think there's a great attitude at this forum in general.

Anyway, I know there's a lot of confusion out there surrounding the many different versions of AKG 414. So the other week, some friends and I got 40 years worth of these mics together in one room to do a side-by-side comparison of all the essential versions.

Here's what we came up with:

Curing Condenser Confusion: An Audio History of The AKG C 414

In it, you'll find stereo and mono comparisons of the 414 EB with a brass CK12 capsule, the EB with a teflon capsule, the B-ULS, TL-II, XLS and XL-II.

Leading up to the samples there's a short overview and history of the mics in case you get confused.

Anyway, please enjoy and comment here with your findings!
 
That is a great read and audio clips Trust me - Justin. Thank you for all of that.

I have the 2009 C414B XL ll stereo pair as well as a pair of 1986 C414B ULS (mine have P12-48 on the other side?) and I've got to say that they all have their places in certain instances of any recording project.
I don't know what I would do without them in my locker.

I'm surprised that you didn't bring their little brother the AKG 214 into the arena!
 
Also I may have missed it but what Preamps were you using? For we all know that will make a huge difference. ;)
 
That's amazing.

Not really relevant but I listened to the male speech on NS10s in my bedroom and could hear no difference at all in any of the clips.

Went outside to re-listen on the mackies and I can hear plenty of differences.

Eyeopener huh?
 
Thanks for the great feedback! Really glad you guys dug the piece.

Steenamaroo, I know what you're saying. When I first listened on NS-10s during the tracking, I was shocked by how similar they sounded through the mid-range. It wasn't until I did some critical listening on the mains that I could reliably identify some of the versions, blindfolded.
 
That tells something about using NS 10's at all, imho
-I just hate them, not for me. I can listen my mixes critically without distorted sound spectre or how to say it

Matti
 
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