AKG Pro Audio C214 Studio Grade Professional Large Diaphragm, Single Capsule, Vocal and Instrument Condenser Microphone with Rugged Aluminum Carrying Case. XLR Connector. Gray with Gold

Excellent Mic. I own many mics and they all have their own characteristics. The standout characteristic of this microphone is it's very low self-noise. At 50dB gain, in my "quiet" room, on a very quiet Liquid Channel preamp, I register ~ -110dBFS across the spectrum. This is sensational for my recordings of quiet sound effects and acoustic guitar. Particularly with an acoustic guitar, paired with a small diaphragm condenser mic, the sound is just beautiful. Quiet picking or a strum sustaining never gets caught up in the noise floor. I can crank the track all the way up in post and never hear more than room noise. Vocals are great on this mic, both speaking and singing. I do adjust EQ a bit in post to boost some of the high end, but it works out fine. It handles loud and quiet segments beautifully without distortion or large swings in volume. Some of my mics require much more adjustment of the singers distance during recording than this mic. And since the noise floor is so low, I can compress my tracks much better. It is expensive but it is a tough-built, all around mic with exceptional audio quality. Think of the price as relating to a lifetime of use, especially if you plan to make money recording with it. It will work so well for you, put up with abuse, and resell for a good price.

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.

hands down this is one of the best microphones i've ever owned. and in my opinion, it's priced pretty reasonably for the quality you get.

I recently purchased the AKG C414 microphone and I am extremely satisfied with this product. The sound quality is outstanding, capturing clear and detailed audio with impressive accuracy. The versatility of this microphone is exceptional, offering multiple polar patterns that make it suitable for various recording situations. The build quality is top-notch, with a sturdy and reliable design that ensures long-lasting performance. If you're looking for a high-quality microphone for professional use, I highly recommend the AKG C414. You won't be disappointed.

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.

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 wish I could write a long detailed review on how awesome this is! But I can tell there are plenty on here! But when I bought this I only saw a few tell me what I wanted to know! What kind of music they use it for! So I will tell you now that I use this for rap vocals, really any vocals! I can't tell you if it sounds warm tinny or any of that(amateur) but what I can say is that it sounds great! I highly recommend getting an acoustic shield with this if you don't have a treated/soundproofed studio! Which I will assume most of you don't, get it I was honestly unimpressed with how the mic sounded without the shield! That may be accompanied by the fact I was recording in an unfinished mini barn! But your not here to hear how you need an acoustic shield, bottom line you need this! All tho recording in your bedroom may be an issue due to the fact this thing will pick up a fly changing its mind in the next county!! So there is no reason to go spend $1000 on a mic when your environment can't accommodate it and honestly with this mic on the market its stupid to spend that much! Buy this now and happy recording!!

After bringing it to Brazil, we tried to use it with the proper XLR cable and a professional audio interface (with 48V phantom power), but there is no sound output from the microphone. We have tested different cables, inputs, and devices, but the issue remains the same. It seems that the microphone may have arrived defective or damaged during shipping. Could you please advise on the warranty procedure or replacement options for this unit?