Akg C4000b

[pkmusic]

Can anyone give me some feedback on this mic? I really think it's great but it is my first and only mic that I have used for my lead vocal and brass instruments. Is it truly a great mic or is there another mic which kicks butt?

 

[littledog]

There are thousands of mics. Everybody has a different opinion on which ones kick butt. You've found one that you like... in the end, that's all that counts.

 

[pkmusic]

Exactly

That is exactly what I want. Different opinions. Although there are many mics, I want to know other people's experiences. It's good to hear and learn from others. My applications are with Latin music such as salsa, merengue, also slow jams. Which are good recognized mics for those type of music. How about for rock, ska?....etc.

 

[littledog]

I've never thought of mics before as a "salsa" mic versus a "ska" mic, or heard them discussed in that context, but it's an interesting concept.

I'm not trying to be evasive, but your question is a bit broad. Kind of like... "I've decided to use red on my CD cover. I think red kicks ass. Does any other color kick ass? What colors are everyone else using?"

There's a lot of kinds of mics out there: large diaphragm and small diaphragm, condenser, dynamics, ribbons, omni, cardioid, and multipattern, tube and solid state. There's also lots of options like shockmounts, HPF's, and pads.

Then there are all the possible applications for these many mics: vocals, drums (close mic and overheads), horns, strings, room mics, percussion, live concert recording, guitars, amps, etc.

Maybe check out Harvey's "Big Thread" for a complete discussion of mic types and applications. Or else try narrowing your question down to something more specific.

 

[H2oskiphil]

Can anyone give me some feedback on this mic? I really think it's great but it is my first and only mic that I have used for my lead vocal and brass instruments. Is it truly a great mic or is there another mic which kicks butt?

I did a VERY unscientific 3-way comparison between the C4000, an SP C1, and an ADK A-51 a couple of weeks ago. The 4000 seemed to be less hyped in the high end than the C1. It was not as rich in the low frequencies as the ADK. For the vocalist I was recording at the time, the ADK was actually the best mic to use, but I was impressed with the 4000's balance. It's a nice, neutral mic.

Is it great? I guess that depends on all the factors mentioned in the previous posts. But if you're happy with it, then it's great.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Sorry, I've never gotten to audition a C4000B, but I would love to. The 414's are lovely, and on my list to buy. I've got a C2000B and I think it's one of the good ones. I would call it versatile and a little noisy. It is usable for vocals or instruments, but its self noise is what usually causes me to pick another mic for most jobs.-Richie

 

[DigitMus]

I have long thought that the C4000b was one of the most overlooked "non-hyped" microphone out there - and a bargain to boot. It sounds really great on a lot of voices that seem harsh when recorded by the usual suspects (in the under $1000 LD condenser catagory). It can also serve well on instruments that you don't want to have in your face, but still very present and full in the mix. Use your ears and ignore the hype (or at least question it closely).

Scott

 

[screws]

I have compared my C4000B with an NTK, an Alesis AM11, an Oktava MK319, and a CAD E300.

The AKG is nice, rich in lower mids, nice appropriate edge in upper mids, and a decently fair amount of air. For certain vocals in certain songs it's perfect. It's in the same range of tone as the CAD and NTK, but sounds different and distinct from them.

The E300, C4000B and NTK all seem to have a degree of clarity and a bit of scooping to the tone, where the AM11 and MK319 sound a bit more midrangey with less accentuation of highs and lows.

These are gross generalizations and the closer you listen the more distinguishable the differences between all of them.

S. Cruz
Florida