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Author Topic: AKG 414-EB  (Read 16876 times)

j.hall

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AKG 414-EB
« on: August 18, 2007, 09:43:56 PM »

so, a few rooms around town have these mics.

they are the original 414's (at least that's what i've been told).  basically it's a solid state C-12.

i'm not a huge fan of 414's, but these mics are KILLER.

i just setup drums today on a record i'm mixing in a few weeks.

(this is my current working model it seems.  pay my day rate to get all the drum sounds and levels, send me home while they track themselves and bring it over to mix)

anyway.  i put these up as overheads.  AMAZING.  they have HUGE low end and a really great smooth top.

any one else get to enjoy these mics?
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NoizeReduction

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2007, 10:55:41 PM »

I don't know, I always though these 414s were competing with U87s, until I heard a composer tell me they have harsh highs or something.. and he owns a pair.... In the recording world you never know, I probably shouldn't trust him like that. People talk sh*t without knowing.
But it did affect my thoughts about the mic. I'd really love to try them out and do A/B comparison with some good neumanns.

J-Texas

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2007, 11:49:59 PM »

I have a pair of the silver screened 414's and the gold 414's. The silvers are supposed to be "original". Man, all I know is they don't have a harshness to them at all and are great for a number of things... ESPECIALLY overheads.
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Iain Graham

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2007, 10:56:30 AM »

Is that the old silver bodied ones? They were the C-12 capsule with a solid state body I think.

Those 414s rule. Great on a guitar amp too.

For me, 414s have always had this great bight around 3-5kish, but above that they can get a bit harsh, depending on the source. Not the smoothness all the way up you'd associate with  Neumann certainly, but those old silver ones have that smoothness while still keeping that bight.

I actually prefer the newest ones over the previous generation too. They're not quite as hard sounding. But those old silver ones are the best they've made, probably because of the C-12 capsule in them.
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Iain Graham

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Hank Alrich

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2007, 11:32:56 AM »

Oh, yeah, the old silver 414-EB's are wonderful mics IME. I've used some that looked so beaten up they ought to be cremated, but they sounded like magic.

iCombs

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2007, 01:43:17 PM »

Just FYI, there are two different 414 EB's...the regular EB and the EB P48. The Regular EB will run on any kind of phantom power from 12-48, while the P48 only uses 48 volt.  Also, the P48 414 EB's SHOULD have teflon-ringed CK12's.  The EB's have brass-ringed CK12's, which are the C12 capsule.  Last fall, I scored a pair of EB's with brass CK12s and a Shure SM-5 for a grand.  The bummer is that one of the 414's sounds like it's got some capacitor issues as it just makes a bunch of noise, but the other one is GORGEOUS.  It's what 414's SHOULD sound like.  I've really been enjoying it on vocals through a TAB/Funkenwerks V78.  It's airy, but from like 2 to 6k is just like creamy and dimensional and rich.

I'm all about them.
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j.hall

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2007, 03:11:36 PM »

Hank Alrich wrote on Sun, 19 August 2007 10:32

Oh, yeah, the old silver 414-EB's are wonderful mics IME. I've used some that looked so beaten up they ought to be cremated, but they sounded like magic.



yeah Hank, these look like they've been "weathered".  but they sound killer!

amazing overhead mics.

my biggest complaint about tracks i get is the overheads have no low end.  earthworks are great, and original neumann KM-84's are as well.

but these 414-EBs are just cool.  really smooth highs with a big round bottom.  

i don't track much, but with the increasing request for me to setup drums i might have to pick up a pair of these mics.
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Iain Graham

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2007, 09:57:56 PM »

j.hall wrote on Sun, 19 August 2007 14:11

 really smooth highs with a big round bottom.


That's why I like my R-121s as overheads. The low end is really solid, particularly the lower end of the snare, and the highs are super smooth.

If they're not bright enough, a little HF boost and they still sound way better than a lot of LDCs.
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Iain Graham

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Fibes

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2007, 10:40:18 AM »

I like the old 414s fine but those new ones aren't worth it.

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ericswan

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2007, 01:39:10 PM »

I agree the 414EBs are very useful.

If you find what looks like a 414 labeled C12A, it's teh suck...just send it to me and I'll dispose of it for you...
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Podgorny

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2007, 01:46:38 PM »

C12as do kinda suck.
I like em on toms though.
Sad, isn't it?
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J.J. Blair

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2007, 02:26:27 PM »

Not all silver 414-EBs are equal.  Some have handmade CK12 capsules, like in the C12 and Ela M-251, and some have the another capsule, confusingly also designated as a CK12.  The difference is whether they have a brass ring with screws, or or there there is a white teflon holder, that looks like all subsequent 414 capsules.  This is the capsule you don't want:

http://www.saturn-sound.com/images/original%20nylon%20ck12.jpg

I own four 414EBs and zero U87s for a reason.  They are wonderful mics, as far as FETs go.

Here's a great page about the history of the 414:

http://www.saturn-sound.com/Curio's/story%20of%20the%20akg%2 0c414.htm

The problem with C12As is the Nuvistor 7586 tube.  Klaus estimates that Nuvistors have a rejection rate of 9 in 10 for noise and microphonics.  They also have a ringing sound to them than makes them sonically much less desirable than the 6072 found in the C12.  I've heard some really nice C12As, but many of them are just not that happening, because of the quality of the tube.  
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j.hall

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2007, 09:35:48 PM »

thanks JJ, that's good to know should i choose to go "shopping"

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mcsnare

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2007, 09:43:16 PM »

Try those on vocals sometime. They can be amazing.
Dave

j.hall

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Re: AKG 414-EB
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2007, 09:50:35 PM »

i only entertained using them in the first place based of your suggestions, so vocals next!

although, i've become addicted to the SM-7 on vocals.  and since using it a dozen times, i've got most of my local clients (with their own PT rigs) to buy them for their own uses.

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