AKG C414 XLS OR AT 4050 OR RODE NTK and RODE NT5 vs AKG C1000S vs KM184

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I am looking for getting a mic to record vocals primarily with requirements to record a flute and a guitar occasionally. I have gone through a lot of reviews on the net and am really confused as to choosing the best one.I know that there is no "ONE BEST MIC" , but with the choices available, it is becoming very difficult to choose one.I am not on a very tight budget , so can opt for something else also if found better.This was for the vocal mic.

The other query is regarding getting a matched pair of SDC's for recording the indian flute and guitars, the options being RODE NT5, AKG C1000s and KM184. Of course, the KM184's are the best but does not suit my budget. Are the RODE NT5's a good replacement for the KM 184's?I understand that I have to eq the NT5's a bit to get the required sound but i m fine with that and have not heard very good about the AKG C1000's but had heard it at a studio using it to record a flute and sounded very much ok to my ears. I am not sure whether I was missing out something or not understanding the sound "Correctly".
 
From my experience the AT 4050 is a picky mic (talking about vocals) so if I were considering between 414 and 4050 I would choose 414.

I have used C1000s for some years. Some guys like it, some guys hate it. I think it sounds okay for live sound use, but I haven't found use for it in studio. For me, it sounds too harsh/grainy. That said, I haven't unfortunately used the other mics you mentioned so I can't really compare.
For SDC I suggest considering also Oktava 012 (also check out Micheal Joly modded 012's ;)).
 
Ive never heard one good thing about c1000's, except they are better than nothing.....barely.
 
dreib said:
Ive never heard one good thing about c1000's, except they are better than nothing.....barely.
Click to expand...
Well, they ARE better than Samson CO2 (and probably Behringer's and some other down-at-the-bottom-low-end mics) :D:facepalm:
 
For the small diaphragm pair, I like Studio Projects C-4. I am not a fan of the C1000S, but a pair of (discontinued but still out there) AKG C2000B will do the job very well. For the record, I've used the C-4's, the C2000B's, and the KM184's extensively.
 
Every studio should have a C1000S or two. You always need door stops when you're striking stands and cables.

Of you LDC list, I much prefer the AKG C414 XLS. However, you really should look at the sE2200A MkII. Well...and listen to it at least! It's an excellent, versatile mic in the mid price range. I have 3 of the original Mk 1 mics which are real work horses--and, having tried one, I covet a Mk II (or several).

For the SDC pair, please consider the sE1A. It's a lovely neutral and versatile mic with a good level of brightness and detail. Again, I have a few (mainly because AKG made the C451 hard to get) and like them on a wide range of sources.

(If I seem to push sE mics, it's only that I used to live near their UK distributor and was able to borrow mics to try--I learned the good and the not so good...but they're mainly very good indeed.)
 
thanks guys for replying...but even I cant believe why the C1000's gets so many harsh comments as I have listened to one recording a flute and a saxophone and found it to be quite warm and nice if I may say so....maybe somethings wrong with my ears not being able to perceive that "Correct frequency" or I still need many more hours of listening...
 
Being a bit serious about the C1000S for a moment...

The mic CAN be made to sound okay but it takes real care in positioning and aiming to get decent performance out of it. On axis and close up, it tends to sound horribly harsh in the upper ranges and lacks definition in the mid range. However, backing off slightly and going slightly off axis it can sound quite tolerable.

The trouble is, despite it being a quite tricky mic to use, a lot of dealers push it as a good "first mic" for beginners--I guess mainly to do with cost. In the hands of a beginner, the sound can be truly shocking.

Add to this that the C1000 was the first (or at least one of the first) low cost condenser mics, technology has moved on. There are now lots of mics in the same price range which are much easier to use and, to my ear at least sound better even if the C1000 is properly positioned.

So basically the C1000S can sound anything from horrible to okay depending on the skill of the user--but there are many better value, more forgiving mics out there today.
 
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