AKG C414 XLII Microphone Review / Test (Compared to C414XLS, TLM103, U87 Ai, NT1)

Рет қаралды 188,495

Күн бұрын

Today I review the microphone that PewDiePie uses, the AKG C414XLII. This is a large diaphragm condenser microphone, and it is a work horse. It has 9 polar patterns, 3 high passes, and 3 pads so you can fit it to whatever your use case is.
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00:00 - Intro
00:13 - Price
00:27 - Setup
00:55 - What’s in the Box
01:22 - Build Quality
01:57 - Specifications
02:34 - Polar Pattern Tone Test
03:28 - Polar Pattern Rotation Test
04:42 - Plosive Test
04:55 - Distance Test / Proximity Effect Test
05:16 - Background Noise Test (Keyboard Test)
05:34 - Untreated Room Test
05:51 - High Pass Filter Switch Demo
06:27 - Foam Windscreen Demo
06:46 - Desk Bump & Boom Arm Bump Rejection Test
07:12 - sE Electronics sE 4400a Comparison
07:37 - Rode NT1 Comparison
07:58 - Austrian Audio OC818 Comparison
08:28 - AKG C414 XLS Comparison
08:56 - Neumann TLM103 Comparison
09:15 - Neumann U87 Ai Comparison
09:40 - C414 XLII Through Neve Preamp Demo
10:28 - Music Test
11:48 - Pros & Cons
13:00 - Overall Thoughts
14:41 - Recommendation
15:19 - Outro
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Пікірлер: 547

@Podcastage 4 жыл бұрын

Note: This is a review of the mic he was using before he upgraded to a lavalier microphone clipped onto his Razer headset microphone. 😒

@imbreathtaking4385 4 жыл бұрын

"upgraded"

@CrizDuncn 4 жыл бұрын

I can feel the pain in this comment

@htotube 4 жыл бұрын

That's sarcasm at its best.

@NikiIhsanul 4 жыл бұрын

Its evolving, just backwards

@zezesilver 4 жыл бұрын

unique setup

@curtisjudd 4 жыл бұрын

Incredible coverage, as always! This thing is a workhorse for good reason.

@darrylahill8764 4 жыл бұрын

For all it's great performance. I draw the line putting in front of guitar amp..)

@sirakasfaw8350 4 жыл бұрын

@@darrylahill8764 so you don't use it for electric guitar? Why is that? I'm looking for a great all-around mic for vox/acoustic/electric guitar/string instruments, etc.

@aalkusayer 3 жыл бұрын

This is amazing and super thorough..I can only imagine the amount of work that went into making it. Thank you so much!!

@yerlordnsaveyer 2 жыл бұрын

This might be the single most informative video i've ever watched. Incredible work.

@seanyang1655 4 жыл бұрын

Best video on reviewing AKG C414 I had ever seen!

@the_drvideo 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing job comparing so many microphones. Going back and forth helps a lot. Thank you!!

@GabrielMamuttee 3 жыл бұрын

the reviews on this channel are SO GOOD

@savanaviolenta 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad that you tried the mic trough the same Neve pre that I have. Now I know how this mic will sound trough it.

@fredrobinson6733 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent review. Very thorough. You're pretty good at this!! Thanks. Only thing missing maybe is a quick explanation of common scenarios where you'd want to use the various pads and High Pass filters that this mic provides.

@producedbya-go1621 4 жыл бұрын

I've been using this mic with pop vocalists for about 3 months now and I really really love this mic!! sounds great on every vocalist so far

@dariodiaz7378 4 жыл бұрын

It sounds amazing but one thing I don't get is why it sound garbage when Pewdiepie uses it I'm joking, great review by the way

@ArtVandelay592 4 жыл бұрын

I know you’re joking, but for a while that actually wasn’t too far off from the truth. When he first got that microphone, he was disappointed by how muffled and low quality the microphone sounded. Until he was advised to flip the microphone around and actually talk into the right side of the microphone.

@marcomotroni 4 жыл бұрын

Noah Waterman which interface did he first run it into?

@MusicFella 4 жыл бұрын

@Secret_Armor it's so much worse when they try to give audio advice. Jayz2cents tried to do that with a shure sm7b and had to reupload a new video with all of the stuff he got wrong in the first

@davidmarley8387 4 жыл бұрын

Nah he’s not joking fuk that bootypie

@andrewrittenhouse1409 4 жыл бұрын

please do more like this love your reviews and am a musician. Used a lot of expensive mics in school but cant quite remember what they sound like and hearing your reviews which are more than articulate help a lot to decide what to buy next. Thanks for being awesome!

@Podcastage 4 жыл бұрын

Andrew - i will be doing a lot more of these expensive mics as I've slowly been picking them up on sale over the last year and a half and finally might start putting some of them out.

@AlexHippert 3 жыл бұрын

Thorough, objective, informative. A well conducted deep dive on an amazing microphone!

@ronmayo4041 3 жыл бұрын

The AKG C414 has been 1 of my dream mics since mid 90's. Fantastic review 👏, thank you

@WilliamJohnston 4 жыл бұрын

Have watched a lot of your videos but can I say, I REALLY appreciate you making this one - your choice to compare against mics I own (NT1) and other high end mics I’ve considered - TLM plus comparing it to the XLS. I’ll be coming back to this video quite a few times I think! Keep up the great work bro 👍

@EposVox 4 жыл бұрын

Oooooh, I wanna try this

@michaelfarrow4648 4 жыл бұрын

Great review! This is one of my favorite mics for vocals and woodwinds.

@egalitarian2207 3 жыл бұрын

Your reviews are incredible, thank you for this deep knowledge

@bristoluk7764 3 жыл бұрын

great review. thanks. I'm going to go buy this now. had one several years ago and this reconfirms what I remember. versatile, clean, and clear!

@BarDono2 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this video. It held my attention throughout - so well thought out, and ultra helpful.

@Wizerslapski 4 жыл бұрын

Just found your channel and have been binge watching your reviews. Another great one here keep it up man!

@theblowupdollsmusic 2 жыл бұрын

What a comprehensive review! Thank you.

@magedahmed7931 3 жыл бұрын

Man you are the best. You deserve all the support, cuz you are helping more people than any one thinks ❤

@TheGospelTrain 4 жыл бұрын

Hey man, your comparison is stunning. Thanks for this.

@altravolta 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for amazing comparison. I was suprsised that cheaper XLS has more natural sound.

@mykeezzproduction 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent!! Thank you. I own a akg c414 xlii, and I learned so much more about it from presentation.

@travsmac 4 жыл бұрын

Would love to see how this stacks up against a Sennheiser MK8, and compare the polar patterns.

@daveball3081 4 жыл бұрын

$1,100 - Where's the sticker!!!

@aristotle_4532 3 жыл бұрын

In the USA it's not a very good deal. We usually pay a lot more for electronics in Europe, but this mic is 630 euro+VAT in Greece. The instrument version (XLS) is 530+VAT. The difference is just an EQ. It's not important in a world of 24bit digital recordings where preamps have an EIN so low that they are not really adding noise even to this low noise mic.

@corrindion Ай бұрын

Your Demo on this Microphone was excellent!! Excellent all the way around! Thank you!!

@eranddroory9987 4 жыл бұрын

Wow the neve preamp really smothed out the topend! Austrian audio sounds pretty darn good!!

@PapiCee 4 жыл бұрын

Thanx for the review! Really liked the AKG sound

@ArtVandelay592 4 жыл бұрын

I’m still waiting on that U87 review Bandrew. It will be a legendary microphone review without question.

@vlad2838 4 жыл бұрын

The Austrian Audio sounds noticeably more forward without sacrificing smoothness at the upper frequencies. Terrific review as always, Bandrew. Stay safe!

@Podcastage 4 жыл бұрын

It really is incredible at the price especially since you can get the cardioid only model for around the same price as the TLM102!

@jettsom 3 жыл бұрын

The Portico 5017 is a great little unit. I use mine with a TLM102 at home and it's glorious!

@Rivenworld 2 жыл бұрын

I have this, the Lewitt 440, the NT1 and the Rode Procaster, all lovely mic's but I do love the versatility of this one.

@MikeBroderick33 4 жыл бұрын

I've been waiting for this review for a long time. This is a great mic. In terms of your comparisons I thought the TLM 103 sounded best (great clarity) and the Rode NT1 held its own.

@danielbarth 3 жыл бұрын

My exact same thoughts. I was also surprised by the impact of the different interfaces though. I knew that, I guess, but it was still suprising :-)

@WaitButHow 10 ай бұрын

TLM 103 sounds nasaly to me compared to XLII.

@greggrominiecki3255 5 ай бұрын

I agree, it did sound nasaly. Of all the mics the XLII sounded the best on his voice. The 818 wasn't too bad either. @@WaitButHow

@jazzybeeff Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the review. This mic sounds so good i think. Btw i love your little song here :D

@bootlebeats6331 4 жыл бұрын

This a great review and informative. Thanks.

@bigrig4385 4 жыл бұрын

Great and thorough review. Thanks.

@georgesmith5005 4 жыл бұрын

It's like this I've had this microphone for several years a great microphone for the price it's worth it won't get into all the specs and details on it but you won't be disappointed great video you'll like the AKG c414 XL2 microphone⚡

@AironExTv 4 жыл бұрын

Great review. Over 20 years ago I recorded a whole slew of instruments and vocals with this mics predecessor. It's a workhorse alright. Pewdipie probably picked this because it matches his voice, but it's actually just one of the most flexible packages out there that is well crafted in every detail. If I needed a mic for all occasions and could only buy one, this is a likely candiate. Great balance of options, raw recording tone and features. For budget-minded folks it's already too expensive, but it's way more useful than just one Neumann large condenser could be for example.

@GabrielXDrums 4 жыл бұрын

It’s literally a must have for my mic locker. Probably still the only mic I’d use given a large selection.

@analogaudiorules1724 4 жыл бұрын

@Club Soda Doubt it...

@JesusEverest 3 жыл бұрын

thank you for the incredibly detailed review

@bniwa Жыл бұрын

KZfaq compression is unfortunate, but hearing past that, the cardioid pattern test was quite valuable, both in the variable settings, and the rotation of the mic . IT really showed the many tones available on this mic... Thanks for the demo.

@Podcastage Жыл бұрын

If you check the description there's a link to higher quality audio on my site. It's not lossless because I don't have the bandwidth for that, but it doesn't have the same compression as KZfaq.

@MattPicsET 4 жыл бұрын

I have two C414s and I love them to death. Still meticulously crafted in Europe and still individually tested and signed in Vienna. The 9 polar patterns make it a Swiss Army knife in the studio. They are my babies.

@mirkomarkovic3438 5 ай бұрын

414's have been made in china since 20 years

@datarecoverysweden 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Very comprehensive review. 1 thing that would be nice: Is it possible to get the raw audio from your actual original recordings? When it gets uploaded to YT all the subtle differences between the mics that you are trying to demonstrate are mostly lost when YT re-renders and adds its compression routines to your videos. You go to a lot of trouble, (for which we are all thankful), but we want to hear what you hear.

@SuchetanaSinha 3 жыл бұрын

Hey @Podcastage, such an informative video it was! Thank you so much for this great and helpful review. In fact I have been following a number of your uploads about the microphones reviews because I’m planning to buy one. I’m a professional singer having little bit high frequency voice. I have an untreated non acoustic room (my home setup). Do you think this microphone will be a good choice for me? If not then which one do you recommend? Thanks again! Looking forward to more videos. Stay happy stay well 👍😊

@enriquekahn9405 4 жыл бұрын

My takeaway from this video is that I like that Austrian Audio and I want to hear a lot more of it.

@samkam1041 4 жыл бұрын

Carole killed her husband and that’s a fact !

@phenix8514 4 жыл бұрын

Check out Lewitt aswell for some more "Austrian Audio" in the literal meaning. I absolutely love their stuff.

@donaldmacgregor2545 4 жыл бұрын

I am very old. I had not heard of PewDiePie before seeing this video even though a pal of mine (another very old guy) is from Gothenburg. So I looked PewDiePie up. I don't get it. At all... DEVO? I'm that old. At least. Be that as it may, the AKG C414 was the first mic I sang into in a real recording studio sometime in the early 80s. I think models with all the letters after the numbers came later. I made $$$ on the recording. Thanks AKG. I also played trumpet and some flute into it at the same session and the percussionist in the band I was in at the time played bongoes and congas into a pair of C414s used as stereo overheads. The keyboard player played a Fender Rhodes 73 and had a C414 mic on his Roland Jazz Chorus amplifier. Work horse? The only other mics used on that session that I can remember were a Sennheiser 441 and a few Shure 57s and honestly, the Sennheiser was only used because the studio guy (only) had 4 C414s and we used them all at once. Life is simpler now. Still a pro muso, I have some of my hair, a few of my teeth, far less money, a wife who loves me (and has a job!), lowly aspirations and a Rode NT1a microphone that Mister Rode gave me. Life is good and I like the Rode mic a lot but if I was younger and had to get any one microphone to live with forever, it would be the AKG C414. As an old pro with way too much milage behind him, I want to thank Podcastage for all the hard work. You're a pro mate. Constantly taking the piss out of yourself can get tiresome but your dedication to craft is admirable. PewDiePie? WTF??

@ariangaitan3218 2 жыл бұрын

I needed this, thank you

@CLEANMUDVIDEOS 4 жыл бұрын

I love my AKG 414xlii. I also own the 87ai but will always go back to my 414 because I love how it sounds on vocals. Because of the top end, some people will choose the xls over it. However I like to top end sweetness that it delivers. Also, I pair it with an Avalon vt737 so I can smooth it out a bit as well. Thanks for the review!

@ItzrealMusic 2 жыл бұрын

But you prefer the Neumann 87ai though correct ? or no ?

@CLEANMUDVIDEOS 2 жыл бұрын

@@ItzrealMusic I actually prefer the xlii

@ItzrealMusic 2 жыл бұрын

@@CLEANMUDVIDEOS I appreciate your response brother

@MAHIYAOFFICIAL 4 жыл бұрын

wow 16 mins passed.... i didn't know.... love your videos

@ToddSauve 4 жыл бұрын

When I was learning audio engineering 32 years ago, we had an AKG 414 in the studio and it was the prized possession! That thing did everything and really well! Of course we had Sennheisser 57s and a variety of others but the 414 was the golden egg and likely still is.

@I.M.Guitar-Nerd 4 жыл бұрын

Loving the reviews, keep up the good work. I do have a request, if you do requests, I'm interested in the LyxPro SDPC2 or the Neewer NW-410 matched pair microphone set, they appear to be the same, and it would be great if you could investigate them for us. They both seem like amazing value for the money options. Thank you.

@TravisTellsTruths 3 жыл бұрын

I actually heard the beauty of the u87 this time. It was phenomenal smooth and natural and that preamp with that mic would be just right.

@J3.16- 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the valuable efforts sir

@jonhattanrai 4 жыл бұрын

I love your reviews.

@Desecrator6 4 жыл бұрын

I remember using a friends like a decade ago... you can feel and hear the quality...i love akg

@kuhlkatt6474 2 жыл бұрын

This dude has the greatest audio reviews on KZfaq

@Utkarsh_A 4 жыл бұрын

Love your videos and just noticed you have that Apollo in the background, I was wondering why you use the 18i20 for these reviews instead.

4 жыл бұрын

Can we just talk about how the Nt1 hold up to the other more expensive microphones ?

@Podcastage 4 жыл бұрын

Drôle de Talbot Absolutely it hits above it’s weight class. Really great microphone.

@dh66 4 жыл бұрын

Nonono, let's just talk about how the at 2020 is the best sound $ for $ in 2020.

@theflyingsloth 4 жыл бұрын

@@dh66 Hell no, that honour goes to the 3U Audio CM1 models

@donaldmacgregor2545 4 жыл бұрын

Late last year I heard an in-studio vocal comparison between AKG C12, Neumann U87 and a Rode NT1a sung by an experienced capable singer recorded by a pro engineer. The Rode finished third but not by as much as the price tags may suggest. There wasn't much between the mics in the test. All present were amazed and impressed. The U87 track went on the record but I went home pretty happy with my Rode mic.

@customish 4 жыл бұрын

@@theflyingsloth what about the SM48?

@joeschlicht 4 жыл бұрын

Wow! My take away is the XLII is simply amazing. On my list now. Always wondered about that and the XLS, but this confirms it for me. And another take away, the NT1 sounds excellent too. I liked the XLII (and maybe even the NT1) better than both Neumanns on your voice.

@talhasayarseslendirme 4 жыл бұрын

great review man. thanks, it helped a lot.

@FrederickLewisDeAngelis 2 жыл бұрын

Smart, comprehensive video. Great job. Please do one for the AT5045.

@ProfutureMediaSouthSudan 4 жыл бұрын

I like the sound of this mic. It reminds me of the sound of the MKH 416, I went back to watching that video again. In that video, with the windscreen on, or about 10 inches away while booming from the top, I hear a lot of similarities between both mics.

@VRcation Жыл бұрын

Lol I mean… the 416 kinda sounds like junk in comparison to me - totally different thing

@ShutterSymphonies 4 жыл бұрын

WTF. I've been wathching your videos for quite some time. Only now I noticed that I hadn't subscribed yet. Keep up with the good work!

@mug7703 3 жыл бұрын

When you sang the mic song that made the video for me. Harmonies and all. Instant like at that point.

@RosemaryTChase 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your review. Sold!

@everythingtakin 4 жыл бұрын

Really fun video. All of them are but this one was special! . I appreciate your videos Thank you. For the wealth of information. And entertainment.

@singyuk 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your hard work!! Cheers from Hong Kong!!

@andrasvargas 4 жыл бұрын

I like this! :) Funny and good comparisons!

@JohnLesterMusic 2 жыл бұрын

Very thorough! Thanks! Liked your song too.

@saxoman1 4 жыл бұрын

Hey! Same flannel shirt as your profile pic :). Killin review btw, been watching you for a week now and finally subscribed!

@Lorichs 2 жыл бұрын

Great systematic review. Thanks 😊. Any experience how this mic will work for live gigs with an acustic string band ?

@xSKOOBSx 4 жыл бұрын

I used this microphone in the sound studio at my college. Recorded female vocals and we were VERY happy with the results.

@Njabuloseh 4 жыл бұрын

Doesn't get boomy with proximity effect...you just get a smooth, rich bass response.

@COPiX 3 жыл бұрын

You should do a VS series between the AKG C414 XLII, C414 XLS, and C214

@luke9726 4 жыл бұрын

It also works very well as a drum overhead!

@mrmattbigelow 4 жыл бұрын

it is also good as a drum overhead. it can pick up a lot of goodness from the ride and bring it up in the mix.

@srcultureshock 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! I hope you do a review on the Austrian Audo OC818 soon.

@herbertmuller7019 2 жыл бұрын

Hey, great Review as always, how does this mic compare to ambient / room noise to the u87 ai?

@DarkPa1adin 4 жыл бұрын

2:09, I wonder if you can make an episode explaining all these Mic Specs terms :)

@CourtneyPanton 4 жыл бұрын

Love this review

@TrombaSolo 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your demos. I am a classical musician but I have a lot of trouble hearing subtle differences in mics. I have a C414B XLS ((P48) that I bought a long time ago. I want to get a second C414 to use with it as an outrigger. Would the mismatch be obvious? I can barely hear any diff in mics. The Neumann TLM103 sounded a lot different/deeper than all the others. Should I try to find a used C414 XLS or just buy a new one. I am leery of buying a possibly damaged mic.

@Vegetox 4 жыл бұрын

Btw there is the Akg c414 XLS which is the same than c414 xlii without the high boost. Less agressive, more Flat, less colored.. for voices, Akg recommends the xlii, but if you find it aggressive, the xls is also superb, less tiring. Even if the xlii high boost helps understanding ...

@H76Pro 3 жыл бұрын

Very detailed review!!

@larryh1843 4 жыл бұрын

A brilliant mic Great review!!

@PeaKock-be 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, very detailed 👌 I've been working with the rode ntk for over a decade, and it's a workhorse aswel. I wonder how it would compare to the xl2.

@valuablevinay1 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent review. Can this be a choosen for recording in home studio setup with certainly minimum acoustics to start with?

@jrmst102 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic review. What will be your thoughts on classical guitar?

@bruhdamartinasty3636 4 жыл бұрын

When you switched to the U87 the difference was dramatic. I'm not sure how to describe what I heard (in my headphones). Less bass, for sure. Just more mid-range and very clear and articulate. Is that what we call "flat"? I have no idea if that makes it better than the others. Interesting review!

@General_Puffball 4 жыл бұрын

The gold detailing is a nice touch.

@pradheesandeepana 4 жыл бұрын

This mic sounds so smooth.

@jamesnwobu 4 жыл бұрын

hey Bandrew, i'm sure you've done a video on this before, but interested to know your recommendation for mics that give you really crispy audio like the neumann or akg mics, but don't require you to be so close; like if I wanted to keep the mic off camera while recording a product review. thoughts? thanks so much!

@Only1Science 4 жыл бұрын

For a smoother top end, the AKG C414 XLS would foot the bill. Same mic without the boosted hi-freqs.

@elkolas922 4 жыл бұрын

Nice job !! Thank you

@kevinkitchen9893 3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks - informative and entertaining.. Great

@clevelandharrison8298 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid, bro. I have this mic, and I am very pleased. Thanks for an entertaing few minutes, Sir.

@andrewpeters2775 4 жыл бұрын

I have too many mics, but the main ones used as a voice over guy is the NTG5 and a C414eb P48. The AKG is a little noisy getting out of a chair, at its age not surprising but easily fixed with NS1.

@davidmercer9757 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Bandrew. Could you possibly produce a comparison video / review for the Neumann TLM 103, the AKG C414 XLII and the Neumann TLM 102. Hope you’re well.