AKG C414 XLII/ST Stereo Matched Pair

When researching on the forums you will here people talk a lot of crap about this mic. But I used a pair at work (live sound) to mic anupright and I loved the results. I decided to trust my ears and not the forums. I was not disappointed! It is a true workhorse. In the few weeks I've had it I've used it on Cello Voice and Percussion with astounding results all around. The versatility and ease of use inspire creativity in the moment. I tried it on a cello in a beautiful sounding church and going from close mic'ing in Cardiod to far away in Omni mode for that awesome real reverb was as easy as pressing a button, literally. While it is not a perfect mic and you can certainly buy specific mics for certain purposes at a higher price, this mic will be with you your whole ... MoreWhen researching on the forums you will here people talk a lot of crap about this mic. But I used a pair at work (live sound) to mic anupright and I loved the results. I decided to trust my ears and not the forums. I was not disappointed! It is a true workhorse. In the few weeks I've had it I've used it on Cello Voice and Percussion with astounding results all around. The versatility and ease of use inspire creativity in the moment. I tried it on a cello in a beautiful sounding church and going from close mic'ing in Cardiod to far away in Omni mode for that awesome real reverb was as easy as pressing a button, literally. While it is not a perfect mic and you can certainly buy specific mics for certain purposes at a higher price, this mic will be with you your whole career. My only regret is not getting a pair!

414s Excellent mics, plus peace of mind when purchasing from Sweetwater

I purchased the 414 pair from Sweetwater, a serious investment but it is worth it. There are many mics out there, but when it was time for me to pick something good and something that would last for a long time, I went with the 414s - a classic, and one of the expensive options out there. Over the last few years, I frequently borrowed a pair of these mics for recording grand piano and other acoustic instruments, and got to like the wonderful sound of these mics. If one has experience using top studio mics, they could easily recognize the sound and the quality of 414s. I am glad that I purchased them from Sweetwater because this company stands behind the products they sell. After 2 months from my purchase, I had an issue with one of the mics (the volume of one of the ... MoreI purchased the 414 pair from Sweetwater, a serious investment but it is worth it. There are many mics out there, but when it was time for me to pick something good and something that would last for a long time, I went with the 414s - a classic, and one of the expensive options out there. Over the last few years, I frequently borrowed a pair of these mics for recording grand piano and other acoustic instruments, and got to like the wonderful sound of these mics. If one has experience using top studio mics, they could easily recognize the sound and the quality of 414s. I am glad that I purchased them from Sweetwater because this company stands behind the products they sell. After 2 months from my purchase, I had an issue with one of the mics (the volume of one of the mics seemed to be lower than the other mic), called Sweetwater customer service and they took care of the problem in less than 5 minutes by sending me a return label and sending me a new pair of these mics which arrived two days later. I highly recommend these mics and recommend buying from a company, like Sweetwater, you can rely on for the long term.

Careful when buying used. Expected better quality.

Not sure I even received the right mic. The box was not for this product. No owners manual or any mfg.'s materials included and the box was for a different mic. Overall mic condition was good at best!

Great for lead vocals

I am a male vocalist. I record pop vocals (tenor range) going through the Apollo MKII. I am loving this mic. It gives me all the detail i need and retains the grit in my voice while getting rid of the annoying 1.5-2KHZ nasal sound. I highly recommend this mic to any vocalist who is willing to drop a few more bucks to get a pro level mic sound. I personally recommend it over the Neumann TLM series. As a subjective note: The shape of the mic offers a comfort level when singing at close range. Steve C.

Incredible workhorse.

This mic's honesty to the source, smooth top end, rock-solid midrange, and present low-end make it easy to mix in just about any scenario. The polar patterns are actually each pleasant and unique, something I find lacking on other high-end microphones--this increases the versatility even more. Add in multiple pads and roll-offs, and there's just about no scenario this mic can't handle.

Industry Workhorse Earns its Reputation Honestly

I bough this mic about a year ago, and can say with all honesty, it has been a standout performer for anything I have put it use on. For acoustic guitar it's clarity, and definition are amazing. You can hear every detail, and yet it is not harsh in any way. The numerous polar patterns allow you to taler the function to suit your needs with no loss of quality or spaciousness. With a good preamp it has a wonderful airy sound much like a u87 or Manley, and it is simply excellent for vocals. Male or female vocals really pop though this, but it DOES require your performance to be spot on. If you are slightly off it will pick it up! It is useful for just about anything in the studio you can think of, including picking up cymbals from overhead. It is one of the best ... MoreI bough this mic about a year ago, and can say with all honesty, it has been a standout performer for anything I have put it use on. For acoustic guitar it's clarity, and definition are amazing. You can hear every detail, and yet it is not harsh in any way. The numerous polar patterns allow you to taler the function to suit your needs with no loss of quality or spaciousness. With a good preamp it has a wonderful airy sound much like a u87 or Manley, and it is simply excellent for vocals. Male or female vocals really pop though this, but it DOES require your performance to be spot on. If you are slightly off it will pick it up! It is useful for just about anything in the studio you can think of, including picking up cymbals from overhead. It is one of the best Microphones I own, and I would put it up against the Neumann TLM103 or the Sterling Audio Ocean Way Signature Series mic, as well as the Neumann KMS104. It blows RODE, Sputnik, or lower level Sterlings out of the water. I own or have used in my studio all these mics, so can speak to it with absolute authority. It is durable, rugged, and has launched the careers of many a fabled performer, and for my money is one of the best values going. DO get a top quality heavy stand for use with this Mic. It does pick up whatever is going on in the environment, and mic stand noise can be maddening. I use the ultimate support boom, which retails for $199, and has a solid base, super thick pole and overhead boom.

Made setting vocals much easier in the mix.

I have a nice home studio (Primacoustic London 12 kit with Stratus Clouds, rear diffusers, Reason 9 DAW, JBL LR308 monitors, DBX 676 channel strip and Focusrite Forte interface). I was using an MXL V67G which don't get me wrong, sounded good to the ear. Had a hard time getting the VOX to sit in the mix right. I would spend a ton of time equalizing and gently compressing, only to have to bend the rest of the mix around them. There was something going on around 5k that I could not get to settle down. The AKG C414XLII changed all of that. The first thing my singer said was the microphone sounded "muffled" to her. What was actually happening was the MXL was so "hyped" on the high end it added a lot to the initial tracking. Tone wise the AKG tracks are extremely accurate ... MoreI have a nice home studio (Primacoustic London 12 kit with Stratus Clouds, rear diffusers, Reason 9 DAW, JBL LR308 monitors, DBX 676 channel strip and Focusrite Forte interface). I was using an MXL V67G which don't get me wrong, sounded good to the ear. Had a hard time getting the VOX to sit in the mix right. I would spend a ton of time equalizing and gently compressing, only to have to bend the rest of the mix around them. There was something going on around 5k that I could not get to settle down. The AKG C414XLII changed all of that. The first thing my singer said was the microphone sounded "muffled" to her. What was actually happening was the MXL was so "hyped" on the high end it added a lot to the initial tracking. Tone wise the AKG tracks are extremely accurate and respond well to minor EQ and compression changes. Getting them to sit in the mix is a snap. On a spectral analyzer the tracks look beautiful. I will never go back to using one of those "great" affordable microphones. The difference was massive. I will leave you with this, if you have to choose between an expensive microphone or room treatments, spend the money on the room first. The mic will only give you what you give it. If your room is harsh, with bad reverberations, you will not get the full effect and benefit.

Review of AKG C414 XLII Microphone

The microphone sounds absolutely delicious. It surpassed my expectations. I sound so very good on it as not in real life. LOL. My voice is bassy and it did not enhance it although it mellowed it out. The high end was also spectacular -- sharp but not harsh.I use it for voice-overs and radio commercials.Buy one if you can afford it!~Bill

Wonderful on vocals

This microphone is fantastic for recording vocals. It picks up everything in the room clearly including the air conditioner. This is no problem as the mic has a built in filter that can get rid of the noise from the air conditioner. The included manual has a description for all of the different pickup patterns and their uses.The manual also says the C414 XLII is recommended for vocals, whereas the C414 XLS is recommended for overheads.