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suggestions needed from those using AKG C 414 XL II

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:28 am
by James Steele
EMRR wrote:I When I had schooling in the late '80's they were popular vocal mics, but not really by 2000.
Yep. I remember an engineer tracking my lead vocals with one around that time period and it sounded decent. I have to wonder if what made it work back then is that people were still recording onto 2" tape so the tape medium tended to smooth out and warm up the sound. It may be that mic started falling out of favor for lead vocals as digital took over and tape saturation and warmth was no longer taming some of the brittleness?

Re: suggestions needed from those using AKG C 414 XL II

Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:52 am
by mikehalloran
sdemott wrote:I have to agree with those that suggest a different mic. My wife is a soprano & I find most modern condensers just far too bright for her voice.

I'd go with a nice large diaphragm dynamic (Shure SM7) or a ribbon mic. I don't think a different preamp will get you what you want.
I never think of an SM7 as a large diaphragm dynamic. I suppose it is close to that unless one insists that a "large diaphragm' be 1" or larger. The SM7 uses a Unidyne III capsule like the SM57/58 but modified to give better low end response.

Like the SM7B, the SM57 performs a lot better with a CloudLifter.
http://recordinghacks.com/2011/07/02/cl ... l1-review/

Since I got a CL-z, I've pressed my SM57 back into service as a VO mic for certain things although my ribbons get more use when I sing.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CLZCloud


I have some homemade mics from the '70s made with Unidyne III capsules and no transformers, essentially, an SM7 without the response shaping circuitry but with the same -8dB lower output compared to an SM57. I stopped using them when I had money for higher output mics and they've sat in a box for 40 years. Just for kicks, I put my Cloudlifter CL-Z on one and a large foam screen about the depth of an A9W ... The sound is surprisingly close to a vintage SM7 in the flat position. I need to rig a shock mount for this thing before it's practical for my studio (The body is a piece of stainless steel pipe)... don't know that I'll ever do that.

I may pick up a used S7B the next time I run into a bargain. The replacement foam windscreens are cheap.

Re: suggestions needed from those using AKG C 414 XL II

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:18 am
by sdemott
mikehalloran wrote:Like the SM7B, the SM57 performs a lot better with a CloudLifter.
http://recordinghacks.com/2011/07/02/cl ... l1-review/

Since I got a CL-z, I've pressed my SM57 back into service as a VO mic for certain things although my ribbons get more use when I sing.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CLZCloud
The cloudlifter is a great piece of kit, especially if you don't have a good pre with a good amount of gain for a dynamic (or ribbon) mic...and by a good amount of gain I mean 60-70dB of clean gain.

Re: suggestions needed from those using AKG C 414 XL II

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:19 am
by sdemott
Also - for those complaining about the C414 TL II (or the B/ULS), I suggest trying out the Warm Audio W14. It's modeled after the "EB" version of the C414.