Introduction
The AKG Pro Audio C414 XLII microphone: a studio gem that elevates your sound game.
Design and Build
- Solid metal construction feels durable and reliable.
- Sleek design with multiple polar pattern selections for versatile recording.
Performance
- Crystal-clear sound reproduction captures nuances exceptionally.
- Offers nine polar patterns for diverse recording needs.
- Handles high sound pressure levels without distortion.
Ease of Use
- User-friendly controls simplify operation.
- Versatile frequency settings accommodate various recording situations effortlessly.
Pros
- This mic, the AKG Pro Audio C414 XLII, has great sound and works in many ways.
- It’s strong and lasts long.
- Easy to use with lots of different settings for sound.
Cons
- Price might be steep for beginners.
- Requires an external power source.
Conclusion
The AKG Pro Audio C414 XLII is a top quality microphone known for its great sound and versatility, even though it’s a bit pricey. It’s well-built and easy to use, making it a great choice for professionals who want top recordings.
Alvin Lu –
This condenser microphone will surely help those working in a project studio and/or up to big professional studio. However do not mistaken this for a cardioid only version of the c414 xls or xlii. This version is a totally different beast due to the way the capsule is made. It also does not sound similar to its older sibling and actually sounds closer to a c12 instead. If someone told you this is basically a c414 but a cardioid version then they haven’t actually mic a/b test the two and most likely gave their opinion due to it looking strikingly similar. Now it doesn’t mean this is bad or terrible, it is actually quite friendly since it gives out articulation to speech while not being harsh. Will it work on all voices, no it will not. Before you head out to buy any microphone, you should find out what is your tonal range and how your voice actually is rather than what you want it to be. This gives the voice some punch to those who hit a lower frequency in my opinion since bass or bass-baritones lack that clarity tenors tend to have. Since you’re buying a mic in this price range of 300 already, you should test out other similar products like Rode NT2-A, Audio Technica AT4040, Blue Babybottle. I prefer the rode nt2a since it offers bang for buck. Not the best but is a great overall mic. The c214 won’t disappoint if you know what you want out of the mic and knowing how to utilize it’s axis for that sound you want.
David thang –
Amazing
Experte 😉 –
Das AKG C214 vergleicht AKG selbst ständig mit dem C414. Davon abgesehen, dass es ziemlich viele Varianten des C414 gibt, die sich erheblich unterscheiden – das C214 hat mit diesen weder technisch, noch klanglich etwas gemein. Die Behauptung ist reines Marketing-Geschwätz, um mit dem guten Ruf des C414 mit einem erheblich billiger herstellbaren Mikrofon größtmöglichen Profit zu machen.
Das soll nicht heißen, dass das C214 ein schlechtes Mikrofon ist. Es ist gut und war für 260 Euro vor zwei Jahren noch ein echtes Schnäppchen. Für 400 Euro schwindet der Abstand zu einem erheblich besseren Neumann TLM102 dann aber doch sehr. Und mit dem Lewitt LCT 440 Pure gibt es auch eine deutlich günstigere Alternative.
Dass das 214er und ein 414er nicht ähnlich klingen können, erkennt man selbst auf den extrem geglätteten Frequenzgang-Darstellungen des Herstellers. Einfach mal vergleichen. Auch sehr unschön ist der viel zu hoch angesetzte Low-Cut von 160 Hz. Ferner hat es einen festen (nicht abschaltbaren) Low-Cut von 60 Hz. Das schränkt die Anwendungsmöglichkeiten des Mikrofons leider unnötig ein.
Dass die 214er und 414er Mikrofone auch technisch völlig andersartig sind, will ich nachfolgend kurz erklären:
Die Kapsel aller 414er ist eine klassische Großmembrankapsel mit zwei Membranen. Die Kapselvorspannung wird elektrisch erzeugt und mittels deren Polarisation lässt sich die Richtwirkung umschalten. Die Herstellung ist sehr aufwändig, da beide Membranen exakt gleich sein müssen. Diese geringe Fertigungstoleranz und aufwändige Selektion macht gute Studiomikrofone so teuer. Das 214er hingegen ist ein Elektret-Kondensatormikrofon mit nur einer Membran. Elektret bedeutet, dass die Membran bzw. die Gegenelektrode durch Beschichtung permanent elektrisch vorgeladen ist. Ähnlich einer Folie, an der man reibt und die sich (zeitweise) elektrostatisch auflädt. Natürlich ist das kein billiges Elektret-Kondensatormikrofon, wie wir das aus China kennen. Es ist eine Großmembran-Kapsel und die Vorspannung per Elektret ist nicht zwangsläufig schlechter als eine elektrisch vorgespannte Membran. Sie ist nur erheblich billiger und natürlich sind beide Bauweisen grundverschieden. Nix „Verwandtschaft“. Noch gravierender ist der Unterschied aber hinter der Membran. Statt einer Gegenmembran hat das C214 nur ein akustisches Reibungsglied. AKG verklausuliert das als „Backplate“. Auch das ist nichts Schlimmes, ist halt nur grundverschieden zu den 414ern. Und natürlich erheblich billiger in der Produktion. Die Seriensteuung kann hierbei deutlich größer sein, denn die vordere Membran muss nicht zu einer hinteren passen. Man könnte sogar die „Ausschuss“-Kapselhälften der Doppelmembran-Kapseln verwenden. Das machen viele Hersteller so. Ob AKG auch, weiß ich nicht.
Zusammengefasst:
– das AKG C214 hat weder im Klang, noch technisch eine Verwandtschaft zu den verschiedenen C414, die Werbeaussage ist irreführend
– das C214 ist ein gutes Großmembran-Mikrofon, allerdings inzwischen aufgrund des erheblich gestiegenen Preises kaum noch attraktiv
– nett ist der Koffer und die Spinne, die im Set dabei sind, die Spinne ist trotz Plastik gut
– geeignet für Studioaufnahmen (Gesang, Sprecher) und aufgrund des AKG-typischen kompakten Gehäuses und des sehr hohen Grenzschalldrucks (152 dB) auch zur Mikrofonierung von lauten Instrumenten
– fest verbauter 60 Hz low-cut und ein leider viel zu hoch angetzter zuschaltbarer Low-Cut von 160 Hz
Beesman ghislaine romeo –
Ottimo ad averlo ricevuto ..Amazon; ha sbagliato articolo e ad oggi son già passati 10 giorni ma ancora nulla di reso economico aspettiamo i loro comodi … quando lo riordino se mi arriva vi dirò come funziona 😎
Amazon Customer –
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.
rob –
I think it needs more phantom power or something. Could not get the vocals loud enough without having to turn it all the way up. Not for me. Returned but nice build.
Austin –
Loved it from the moment I started tweaking with EQ. This thing gives you loads of playroom. It’s a pretty dark microphone in its natural flat out of the box tone but don’t let that fool you. Highly recommend for vocal work and even streaming with the right live processing.
Colton Braun –
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.
Andrés Beltrán –
Por el precio te da una calidad increíble, si buscas una voz suave y brillosa es para ti, pero si necesitas grabar voces con mucho cuerpo, este micrófono no lo capta demasiado (si eres como yo que busca sedosidad y brillo entonces cómpralo). Si grabas con preamp mucho mejor
Client d’Amazon –
Très bon produit