AKG Pro Audio C414 XLII Stereoset Vocal Condenser Microphone, Multipattern, Matched Pair

So let me preface this by saying the ONLY reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I came from an (unmodded) MXL990s for years, and thought this would be a MASSIVE upgrade. It wasn't. That being said, I absolutely love this microphone, and when I do get another one, I can't see myself selling the 214. I just wanted to let everyone know that there are a lot of other upgrades that can be done in your signal chain, and to let you know that the microphone is only a small part of that. The highs can be a bit sibilant with this microphone, but that was something I was aware of beforehand, and something I kind of wanted. I'd say my style of singing is similar to that of Chris Martin, so having a mic that is a bit "bright" is something I was going for. I have mine paired with a Steinberg UR44, and it's an extremely quiet setup. I think I need to tweak my settings a little though because unless i have the 0dB pad on, I'm not getting the best results when I'm 12-16" away from the mic. Again, I think this is something I need to tweak in my setup, and not something directly related to the 214. Unfortunately, I have not gotten to try this on anything other than higher-register male vocals, but I have heard that it is a good mic for hip-hop, and will update my review (can I do that?) when I get a chance to record some rappers that I know. I was really tossed up between this and a used 414XLii, and I think I'm going to eventually scoop up the 414 as well. Some of my friends who work in studios told me I was dumb for thinking this could hold up against a C414, but I didn't know if it wold justify the extra $300-400 for the 414. I guess if I could do it again, I probably would've gone for the 414, but hey I guess that's life. I'm in no way unsatisfied with this purchase, but can definitely see myself upgrading sooner than if I had just gotten the 414 the first time. I don't necessarily need the polar patterns, but the 414 is industry standard, and the 214 is still going to be seen as a "budget" model. If you're on a budget, I would definitely recommend this mic, but if you can afford something a little more industry standard, I would definitely choose the latter. Again though, I still love this mic and don't plan on parting with it even if I choose to upgrade.

If your looking for a professional high quality MIC to add to your collection or looking for your first professional MIC, this is it. Many are asking the question on what MIC do i buy, what pre-amp do i get etc.... I use this MIC with a PRO MPA II pre-amp made by ART. It sounds awesome. Its clear, clean and crisp. The MPA II has a low noise floor and works very well with this MIC. Any frequencies you don't like, you can cut them out during the mix phase. I do plan to buy another MIC pre because i want to have versatility in my studio but i assure you, this MIC is a smart buy that wont disappoint you. UPDATE!!! As i stated above, there is a low noise floor with the setup i have. After doing some recording, it dawned on me that i was using low quality MIC and patch cables from the pre-amp to the sound card. I purchased two Hosa pro series balanced TRS patch cables and a 15 ft MOGAMI gold analog reference cable. Doing so has given me virtually no noise at all in the recording. Cable quality matters, especially if you are a mix engineer and the details are important. I'm not endorsing these brands, merely sharing the results I've obtained with these purchases and this setup.

It was a struggle to determine just how much to spend on a mic for our start-up podcast. Everyone says start small, you can always upgrade. Well, my friends, I don't want to always be upgrading. You spend more, in the long run, that way. There are other places to save money, but your voice IS the podcast. I read reviews for weeks, you know what I found out, people that write these reviews get a commission if you buy the mic from there link. Which made my skeptical mind think, just how unbiased are they? So I went to several guitar stores in my area and tested out every single mic they had in the store. $40 mics all the way $5,000 mics. What I found out was this: you know imediately which ones you hate. It comes down to how the mic makes your voice sound. I repeatedly found that the AKG mics work best for my voice. The sound is rich and warm without any tweaking. (Remeber I was testing in a guitar store, all controls were the same, just the mic was different.) When I saw the price tags, I had a mini heart-attack. Then I thought about my studio needs. So I did a mental budget check and decided I'd rather spend the money on the mic since it's the most important piece of equipment for a podcast. I couldn't be happier. It's solidly made and should last me for years to come. If I need to buy another mic, it will for more hosts on the show, not to replace this one.

I was hesitant to drop the cash on the AKG, but I'm glad I did. This microphone has a very warm, natural sound to it, and incredible fidelity. It feels sturdy enough to use on stage, though I wouldn't recommend it with a larger or louder band (e.g. Rock, Funk, Blues) as it does pick up a lot more ambient sound than a dynamic instrument mic (I use the Shure SM-57 or the Beta98 in those settings.)