AKG C200B- going flatline

[Richard Monroe]

Well I met Bob's Mods last night, who was selling an AKG C2000B for pretty cheap. Turns out he's almost a neighbor, a 40 minute drive. I used to own 2 of these mics, but I traded one of them in a mic deal, and have regretted it ever since, because the pair is so damned useful. Anyway, it came with the owner's manual, and you know, I had never looked at the frequency curve on this sucker. My God! talk about a flat mic! From 100hz to 6KHz, it's a ruler. Then it boosts a bit, with a mild peak at 10KHz. Sorry about the pdf., but it's the only way I know of to post this up:

http://www.akg.com/mediendatenbank2/psfile/datei/61/C2000B4055c229ec0b0.pdf

These things started out their life as a $200 mic, but after everybody's experiences with C3000B and C1000S, many people decided it was another junky mic in the C-series, without ever auditioning it. Then it got to the point where you could buy them for $100 with the H100 shock mount, which is one of the best shock mounts ever made. Now the worm is turning, and most of the time they are $250 on ebay. I have found it to be one of the most versatile cheap mics ever made, and not made in China! My favorite uses for them are cabs, overheads, toms, hand percussion, and remote stereo recording, but it's a pretty good vocal/acoustic guitar mic as well. When I looked at the frequency curve, I could see why I like them for remote recording.-Richie

PS- typo alert! That's C2000B, but I don't think I can edit a thread title-my bad-Richie

 

[antichef]

shhhh about the shockmount already -- I'm tryin' to pick up another one

edit: never mind - I just got one on ebay. Those are some really good shock mounts! I'll have to try the mic someday.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Antichef! Have you ever noticed that shockmount will also fit SD pencil mics? I use them on everything from Oktava MC012's to Neumann KM184's.-

 

[darrin_h2000]

That is some handy info...I went with a pair of AT3035s after 2 just fell in my lap for under $100 with shockmounts and 2-20' monster cables...Ive been impressed with some of the video's ive seen with just a single one over a drumset at a sight for Gretch drums.

Id love to maybe add some of those AKG2000b to my cabinet too sometime...but I dont get to see as many videos featuring it as the main mic...I think it would be interesting to see that too...is it a 3/4" capsule?

 

[darrin_h2000]

This was the only video featuring an AKG2000b...I love this singer...lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL2i92pLkkk

 

[antichef]

Yo Antichef! Have you ever noticed that shockmount will also fit SD pencil mics? I use them on everything from Oktava MC012's to Neumann KM184's.-

yes! and I use them a lot for pencils - and they're the only shockmounts I can find that really work with the C414 -- I've got two of those mics, but (until soon) only one mount, so one of the mics is usually precariously balanced in some makeshift contraption (but soon, no more )

 

[Richard Monroe]

No Darrin, they are true 1/2" small diaphragm capsules, and their primary use is not as a main vocal mic, although they are often used for backing vocals, especially on live sound stages, because they are highly feedback resistant. They were originally designed as a live instrument mic, for horns, sax, congas, woodwinds, percussion, and acoustic guitar. They can handle 150db SPL, and for remote recording, can function with as little as 9V phantom power. This makes them ideal for use with my field recorder, because I save battery life by running 24V instead of 48V. That reduces SPL handling by a measley 3db. It's sort of a condenser SM57. When I'm short of a mic, there's pretty much *nothing* (except maybe kick) I wouldn't put one on. Their #1 use for me, though, is cabs, on which they absolutely rock.-Richie

 

[darrin_h2000]

Well...that is different I guess...Ive noticed that the AT3035s are 3/4" capsules like my KSM32

that video is still the only one that came up using AKG2000b as a key word...there wasnt any examples with them as instrument mics...but you have to admit...the singer was interesting...lol.

 

[Richard Monroe]

That's just the thing, the mic never got any respect, because so many people hated the C3000B. They use the 2000 more in Europe, and it's used for a lot of orchestral work, not the sort of thing that is likely to show up on Youtube. But- if you talk to anybody who has actually used it, they will almost invariably say, "You know that's a pretty good mic, better than I expected." I know of no one who has used a 2000B that actually hated it, and some of us have kept it for an everyday workhorse. It's a lot like an Oktava MC012, except it doesn't pop, it doesn't feed back, and the warranty isn't in Russian. It sounds like a European mic, because it is one. And as you can see from the frequency graph, you sure as Hell can't call it "hyped".-Richie

 

[darrin_h2000]

Most of the smaller diaphrams arent hyped...which is a good thing...you can mix things alot better.