AKG vs SHURE

Which is the winner?

  • SHURE all the way down

    Votes: 14 28.6%

  • AKG blows it lightyears away

    Votes: 11 22.4%

  • They're both equally awesome

    Votes: 24 49.0%
  • Total voters
    49
Mish

Mish

New member
Mmm so I reckon I'm a n00b but I hope it's not one of those "oooh gosh not again" type of topic - sorry to mods if it is! I've just only recently started with home recording and getting my own equipment, but I've already rambled across many debates online about those two brands of mikes. I'm curious of what you guys think.

I have used both brands on my course (I study Creative Sound & Music at Newport uni) and I've used Shure most recently for my group's vocals recording. To add to that we have a really lush facility there - Pro Tools powered and like hundreds of thousands worth of equipment - it's allegedly the most up-to-date academic studio in Britain. For my home studio I've bought a Behringer mixer and AKG C900 condenser microphone - I had a quick choice in the music shop because they didn't have any Shure models in stock at that moment.

What I can say - at least my very first impression - is that I can get a more vivid, or rather natural sound with my AKG than in my uni with Shure mikes. I expect there is an element of a bias there - coz it's my mike and I want for it to be better, so I decided to start the poll on here. What's your opinions?
 
well it certainly depends what model shure you're talking about, and what the source is... microphones are like colors. if you're painting a banana, you're definitely going to want to use yellow. but yellow might not work as well when painting a cucumber... pickin up what i'm puttin down?
 
I have used both but although the AKG was great I feel more comfortable on a Shure SM58. And as for the previous post...yeah I get your drift....do you think it depends on your vocal "style" as to what mic would suit any one person the best ?
 
RightOnMusic said:
well it certainly depends what model shure you're talking about, and what the source is... microphones are like colors. if you're painting a banana, you're definitely going to want to use yellow. but yellow might not work as well when painting a cucumber... pickin up what i'm puttin down?
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why all the phallic fruits and vegatables? haha
 
RightOnMusic said:
well it certainly depends what model shure you're talking about, and what the source is... microphones are like colors. if you're painting a banana, you're definitely going to want to use yellow. but yellow might not work as well when painting a cucumber... pickin up what i'm puttin down?
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In other words, "Dunno."
 
robin watson said:
In other words, "Dunno."
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How could anyone know? Might be an Sm 58 (dynamic) in school, and a C414 (LDC) at home. A stage mic with rear and side rejection compared to a room mic are two completely different animals. Of course an LDC is going to be more vivid since it picks up everything the room has to offer. Not to mention the $75 to $1,000 price difference.
 
RightOnMusic said:
well it certainly depends what model shure you're talking about, and what the source is... microphones are like colors. if you're painting a banana, you're definitely going to want to use yellow. but yellow might not work as well when painting a cucumber... pickin up what i'm puttin down?
Click to expand...

Well about the banana, this is somehow something youll have to think about for a minute, cause what if the banana was still green, and it haven't mature enough for as to be eaten, well thats something youll need to see and feel and not think, I mean you'll need to go to the banana and feel it, is it to firm?, does it smell?, is it the right size?...

What I'm trying to say is that you'll need to go to a music shop and hopefully, just hopefully, if they got the mikes out of the box connected with some configs, youll likely be able to try them, if this happens get your vocalist to play with'em all....

Now you could probably tell if you can paint it green or yellow.... o and what if is rotted? lol, kidding...

PS: I think when I was a NY the music shop there(damn forgot the name), they had mikes connected out so you could play with'em...

Edit: Shadow_7's Avatar
Shadow_7, thats what I was trying to say.... lol :p
Only way to really know is to try some mikes with different configs...
 
comparing the models

I guess it would be impossible to make a blanket statement that one is better without comparing prices and models but I've never seen any Shure mic take the flak that the AKG c1000s has taken. (at least on this board). Has Shure ever made a mic that was generally considered to be a "turd" like the c1000s?
 
Alright, I'll but in on this one a little more ...

* AKG D-112 versus Shure Beta 52

Comments: Both pretty widely-used. AKG has established itself as more of a staple in the industry. Probably no single kick drum mic is in more studios or has appeared on more records.

Advantage: AKG

* C-1000 versus SM-81

Comments: C-1000 is kinda' gross and icky-sounding. SM-81 might be a tad over-rated, but I still give a strong nod to it over the C-1000.

Advantage: Shure

* AKG C3000B versus Shure ksm-27

Comments: C-3000 is gross and icky-sounding. ksm27 is perfectly acceptable, and awesome bang for buck.

Advantage: Shure

* AKG C-414 versus Shure KSM-44

Comments: Similar mics at similar price points used for similar purposes. Workhorse mics used on a variety of applications ... professional quality, etc. Due to long-standing reputation, C-414 has more users, but in my opinion, the ksm44 is just a superior sounding mic. And that's all that matters in the end -- what daisy thinks. :D

Advantage: Tie

* AKG C12 versus ? ?

Shure has no equivalent to this one. C12 is a classic.

Advantage: AKG
 
This is a bit of redundant question, I think. Both AKG and Shure produce some great mics, both produce some mediocre products. Even if you compare individual products in similar ranges, both will generally have different situations in which they shine..
 
I could record an entire album with an AKG 414 and the Tube. But, I could just as easily record another album with a SM57 and SM 81. In fact, many live jazz albums have been recorded using SM81s.

In the end, it's what *you* do with your tools that counts, not what brand name is attached to them.
 
This is an impossible question. You can compare A mic to another mic... but to compare an entire brand? Shure and AKG make so many different mics, you cannot make a blanket statement as to which is "better". Both companies make mics that are considered industry standards and are doing work horse duty in professional arenas every day.
 
shure makes top quality microphones and delivers a consistant product year to year. they have high end mics and low end mics. pick one in your budget. their more expensive microphones are worth it.

akg used to make top quality microphones. they have high end mics and low end mics. their high end mics aren't near as highend as they once were even though they have the same numbers. research what you buy as their more expensive microphones might not be worth it...but that's why Shure and Audio Technica are around.

Mike
 
Daisy's response was pretty much accurate. There's simply a lot of good mics on both sides of the aisle, and some garbage as well.

Shure:

SM57- overated mic but a workhorse classic on stage and in the studio
SM7- radio mic which has become a studio workhorse- an underated stage mic. One of the great ones. It is in the same league as Sennheiser MD441 and EV RE20, but for a lot less money.
KSM44- all purpose workhorse on the live soundstage and in the studio
SM81- Also a live soundstage workhorse with studio applications. Like SM57, it is not a *great* mic, but you can count on it to not suck on most stuff.

honorable historical mention- 55 series- the Unidyne was the first unidirectional dynamic mic-
"A date that will live in infamy"- That ought to count for something.

PG series in general- Why? Buy the real thing.

AKG:

D320, D690, D770- Classic dynamics used more in Europe than the US. Every bit as good as the SM57 (a draw- but the SM57 wins on marketing)

There simply is no AKG equivalent to an SM7-Shure wins there

C414 series- Simply the most widely used condenser mics in the world-AKG wins on marketing

C1000S/C3000B- The ugly ducklings of the AKG line- Marketing mistakes

honorable mention: C2000B- an often overlooked sleeper that really is a good mic. A small diaphragm mic in a big housing, like AT3033. It is one of the most versatile entry level condensers I've used. Beats a KSM27. Actually made in Austria.

Perception series: More Chinese FET condensers. Big Deal. I'd probably go with Audio Technica.

D12/D112- Designed for standup bass, it has many applications other than kick drum. I prefer D112 to the Beta 52 for most applications. The old timers prefer the discontinued D12 and swear by it.

Solid Tube- a mic that has gotten a lot of bad reviews that it really doesn't deserve. Rip the stupid foam wind screen out of it and put it in front of a belter. So why doesn't Shure build a tube mic? I traded my Solid Tube for a Rode K2, and there are times I wish I had it back.

C12- Too rich for my blood. The people who can afford mics like that would rather spend the
money elswhere. The word on the street is- it's no Brauner/Schoeps, etc. And for that price, it should be.

What the hell? Both companies have some standout mics. On the Shure side I use SM7b and KSM44. I also own SM57 and a 55C. On the AKG side I use D690, D770, D3800 tripower, C2000B, C414B-ULS, and D112. Never have I thought that one company or the other was somehow better. I do believe, though, that AKG mics are not as well understood in the USA, especially their extensive line of dynamics. A lot of people listened to one AKG mic, didn't like it, and wrote off about a hundred other models.-Richie
 
iivanov88 said:
why does everyone hate the c3000? I have it and it sounds very nice to me.
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Even the C1000 sounds better, but I could make a good sounding recording with only C3000's, but a better sounding recording with only SP B1's.

There are a number of applications where the C3000 (black one) is decent.

As far as AKG/Shure goes: AKG made some great mics in the past like D12, D202, C451 and C414. The D12E is still my favorite kick mic and the C451 still my favorite OH mic.

The last 15 years I've never used any Shure microphone.
 
Han said:
Even the C1000 sounds better, but I could make a good sounding recording with only C3000's, but a better sounding recording with only SP B1's.

There are a number of applications where the C3000 (black one) is decent.

As far as AKG/Shure goes: AKG made some great mics in the past like D12, D202, C451 and C414. The D12E is still my favorite kick mic and the C451 still my favorite OH mic.

The last 15 years I've never used any Shure microphone.
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I haven't used Shure or AKG in a while except for drum kit mics, where I'm using all AKG dynamics with Oktava MK-012 overheads. D112 on kick, D190E on snare, a D2300S on all four toms, mounted close to the reso head. The extreme proximity effect at a couple of inches from the reso head compensates for those mics having almost no bottom end. :D The result ends up sounding reasonable for bringing out the toms with very little bleed except for that #$@(*#$& snare buzz....
 
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