Akg 414tl-ii

[c9-2001]

what do you all think about this mic...
i got to use one yesterday being tracked through a RNP to a delta 1010.. this mic sounds damn good and can handle very high spl. most ppl a while ago told be they were good for instruments but it seems the TL-II is nice for vocals too..
i just wanna know what you guys think, i'm thinking about buying one.

 

[Fletcher]

They work well for some applications and can couple well with some voices... overall, I've found that there is usually a better tool for I'd say about 90-95% of their potential applications... but that's not to say that it won't necessarily work for your applications.

It's an OK piece to have hanging around... but not the "be-all, end-all" of microphones by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[chessparov]

Fletcher, when C9 mentioned this model, I suggested he check out the
(silver) 414 EB. Seem to remember they were used on the first "Boston"
album for Brad Delp's vocals. How do you like those generally?

Chris

 

[Richard Monroe]

I own a C414B-ULS, and I've never gotten to use a TLII. The ULS is intended as an instrument mic, and I believe it's one of the best there is. A studio standard, not unlike SM-57. If you can find a commercial studio that doesn't have a 414 in the cabinet, they probably suck. The TLII has a capsule which is an adaptation of the capsule from the C12, AKG's flagship (read expensive) large diaphragm condenser. The TLII is claimed to be a vocal mic, and I really want to try it out, but haven't had the opportunity. I'm sure of this, though, I don't really like singing through C414B-ULS.
On the other hand, the 414 is the most versatile mic I own. Good on acoustic guitar (actually *very* good), violin, piano, mandolin, recorder/flute, toms as overhead, pretty much everything except kick, cabs, and vox. I'm surprised Fletcher seems kind of cool on this mic.
I can tell you this, though. I have tried mic'ing acoustic guitar with Oktava MC012's (matched pair), Rode NTK, B.L.U.E. Kiwi, Studio Projects B-! and C-3, Shure SM7B, AT 4033, and a bunch of others, and I wound up having to re-track every acoustic guitar track on my project CD because the 414 blew everything else out of the water.-Richie

 

[chessparov]

Richie, I was told by a professional engineer, that one of the main reasons the 414 was such a standard, is that it after recording to analog reel to reel, it "took" EQing very well.
Now that digital is so popular, he said it can show more of a 414's potential "flaws". Granted this was meant on a higher level of recording intended for commercial release product, rather than just home recording. And some singers, like Whitney Houston,
though I'm so-so on her material, sound great through a 414 B/ULS.

Another poster in the same thread, claimed that he surprised how well the C1 responded to EQing, especially given the low price point. At any rate, experimentation with EQ is always worth a try with any microphone IMHO.

Chris

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, Chess, I am doing a commercial project, and I'm comitted to no EQ, no compression, and no reverb/FX of any kind (except electric guitars) until mixdown. I will admit, however, to using some bass cut on acoustic guitar tracks just to avoid clipping. My whole mission is to get the best sound I can get without EQ. It will then become the mixing engineer's problem.-Richie

 

[atlas]

Of all the modern 414's I like the 414 TL-I the best. It has the more mellow top of the B--ULS (same capsule), with the quick response of the TL-II. I know that AKG can do the mod quite inexpensively on a B-ULS, it's a big improvement over both the standard issue mics IMO.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com

 

[chessparov]

Richie, that sounds like a fine way to rely more on good microphone
placement over EQ.

Nathan, how does the 414 TL-II sound different than the 414 EB?

Chris

 

[atlas]

Nathan, how does the 414 TL-II sound different than the 414 EB?

Chris

The TL-II is definitely brighter and has an edgy sound to the top frequencies compared to the B-ULS. The TL-I takes from the best of both. I've never heard the EB, how does the one you have differ from the standard B-ULS? I've heard the original 414 circa 1971 (the one that directly followed the 412, which followed the C12-A), it sounded quite nice, very different and more musical top than the TLII.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com

 

[chessparov]

Nathan, WISH I had a (silver) 414 EB. (Stephen Paul mod would be nice! )
Just some limited experience singing into a B/ULS many moons ago.
Actually prefer the ($80!) Studio Projects B1 over it-from what I can
remember about the 414 B/ULS. There might have been some mediocre
microphone placement going on back then though to be fair.

Chris

 

[c9-2001]

its just something i'm looking into.. i can get one for $550 and i was told by a lot of ppl to jump on that deal cuz i'll never see a NEW 414TL-II at that price again..
right now i'm trying to get a joemeek vc6 from chess... then some new monitors then maybe the 414... we'll see..

right now i have:
SE electronics 5000
Neuman u87ai
Neuman tlm194
Adk A51TC(my new main mic)

 

[Giganova]

hey c9-2001 --

how do you like the ADK 51? I am looking for a mic in the ~$500 price range right now for female+male vocals, and the ADK was on my short list, along with the Beyer MC-834 and a Rode NT-2. Waddayathink?

 

[c9-2001]

i was using the tlm193 as my main mic.. i now use the Adk a51Tc.. thats houw good it is...
its sounds great, and doesn't need a bunch of eq