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Post by doubledog on Oct 21, 2024 20:48:34 GMT -6
I had one for a while, and there was one singer that it worked best on. I didn't like it on many people's voice. I did like to borrow mjau 's so I could use a pair on overheads. I was to the point where it was either going to buy another, or sell the one I had, and I decided to sell it. That was quite a while back. Now that's interesting because I bought one of those 414s I had from him... but it was 10+ years ago. Probably more like 15. |
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Post by drumsound on Oct 21, 2024 21:21:09 GMT -6
I had one for a while, and there was one singer that it worked best on. I didn't like it on many people's voice. I did like to borrow mjau 's so I could use a pair on overheads. I was to the point where it was either going to buy another, or sell the one I had, and I decided to sell it. That was quite a while back. Now that's interesting because I bought one of those 414s I had from him... but it was 10+ years ago. Probably more like 15. That's about the right timeline. He lived here in Bloomington, working at the history museum. Was the mic a little beat up, but sounded right? |
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Post by doubledog on Oct 22, 2024 8:24:47 GMT -6
Now that's interesting because I bought one of those 414s I had from him... but it was 10+ years ago. Probably more like 15. That's about the right timeline. He lived here in Bloomington, working at the history museum. Was the mic a little beat up, but sounded right? I had 2 that I bought used and they both had some wear but both sounded good. One had the "pad" tab broken off of the switch, making it difficult (but not impossible) to move. Can't remember which was which. I think I may have bought both through the TapeOp board though... I found the old message where you sold yours and it said "Thanks Michael" so hell, maybe I bought yours too? |
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Post by mcirish on Oct 22, 2024 10:11:37 GMT -6
Seems like it might be worth it IF he wanted to sell it 50% of market value. I'm hesitant just because I don't have a particular "need". It's just another tool in the shop.
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Post by drumsound on Oct 22, 2024 13:20:20 GMT -6
That's about the right timeline. He lived here in Bloomington, working at the history museum. Was the mic a little beat up, but sounded right? I had 2 that I bought used and they both had some wear but both sounded good. One had the "pad" tab broken off of the switch, making it difficult (but not impossible) to move. Can't remember which was which. I think I may have bought both through the TapeOp board though... I found the old message where you sold yours and it said "Thanks Michael" so hell, maybe I bought yours too? Maybe... I think mine went to a Michael in Chicago who hired me to teach him how to tune drums and hired me to drum tech on a record. |
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Post by ragan on Oct 22, 2024 14:46:37 GMT -6
I have a friend who is shutting down his studio. he has an AKG414B-ULS for sale. What are they good for and what's a resonable price? For large diaphragm condensers, I have a lot of K47/M7 based mics (my favorite) as well as a couple B67-269, lots of AT mics (4050, 4060, 4047, etc), some Vanguard mis and I also have an ADK Cremona. I never warmed up to that one. It always seems a bit brighter than I'd like. Is the 414B-ULS very bright as well or just open sounding. Curious on opinions before I make him an offer. I don’t think you’ll dig the 414b-ULS if you don’t dig the Cremona. I had a pair of b-ULS for years and now have a pair of Cremona. The Cremona are at least as good at doing the same basic thing. |
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Post by vanguardaudiolabs on Oct 22, 2024 14:57:32 GMT -6
One thing to watch for is the rotary switches for the patterns and pads. They can break (although apparently Derek at Vanguard loves to fix them lol). One of mine had a broken tab on the switch, but the switch was still able to move and function and it was only for the pad so I didn't use it much. There's two major weak points for all the 414s before the "X" series (the newer SMD-style boards, the XLS and XLii): 1) the switches are very poorly designed and they eventually break. The plastic tabs can break off and then people use a pin or paper clip to change them, and that bends the plates that hold everything together. It takes me about an hour to replace a switch and re-test the mic…they're a PITA to get to and the solder points are TINY. 2) the frame breaks extremely easily at the point where the headgrill and body meet. It's held on by a millimeter or two of cast metal and when they break, no amount of JB weld will hold it back together. The frames cost ≈$90 and the reframe and testing takes me 1.5-2hrs, depending on whether someone tried to glue it back on or not, and depending on whether i need to rewire the switches - the switch wires get fragile over time, and sometimes the AKG assemblers melted the insulation quite badly. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_t4xgaJhTM |
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Post by mcirish on Oct 22, 2024 15:31:15 GMT -6
I have a friend who is shutting down his studio. he has an AKG414B-ULS for sale. What are they good for and what's a resonable price? For large diaphragm condensers, I have a lot of K47/M7 based mics (my favorite) as well as a couple B67-269, lots of AT mics (4050, 4060, 4047, etc), some Vanguard mis and I also have an ADK Cremona. I never warmed up to that one. It always seems a bit brighter than I'd like. Is the 414B-ULS very bright as well or just open sounding. Curious on opinions before I make him an offer. I don’t think you’ll dig the 414b-ULS if you don’t dig the Cremona. I had a pair of b-ULS for years and now have a pair of Cremona. The Cremona are at least as good at doing the same basic thing. Thanks for that info. I guess I will pass on it then. |
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Post by Oneiro on Oct 22, 2024 21:20:18 GMT -6
I love them. Use them on guitar amps, kick, bottom snare w/ HPF engaged and acoustics. Also a pair is great as room mics in a lot of configurations. Can take SPL and just give you exactly what you're recording, no frills, very neutral but usable and EQ-able in a lot of directions.
Probably overpriced now, sure. Like others, I got both of mine in the 400-600 range but those days might be gone.
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Post by andtide on Oct 23, 2024 6:04:57 GMT -6
Eh.
The better ones of heard are OLD. And those capsules aren’t made anymore (ceramic).
The other ones sound so different from one another.. if you haven’t heard the version in person be sure it works for ya
For me the Austrian audio OC818 has a similar vibe of older sweet AKG- but the high end sounds RIGHT instead of at times- weird like the 414s.
I have totally seen 414s pop up sub 600 if you look long and hard enough ahah
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Post by vanguardaudiolabs on Oct 23, 2024 7:46:33 GMT -6
Eh. The better ones of heard are OLD. And those capsules aren’t made anymore (ceramic). The other ones sound so different from one another.. if you haven’t heard the version in person be sure it works for ya For me the Austrian audio OC818 has a similar vibe of older sweet AKG- but the high end sounds RIGHT instead of at times- weird like the 414s. I have totally seen 414s pop up sub 600 if you look long and hard enough ahah The C414EB is when they stopped putting in the "brass" CK12s and started doing the Teflon ones. One easy solution - get one of the BeesNeez CK12s and chuck it in a C414EB P48 (which pop up for around the same price as a ULS). I'm actually in the middle of one a similar mod right now. |
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Post by vanguardaudiolabs on Oct 23, 2024 11:21:47 GMT -6
I love them. Use them on guitar amps, kick, bottom snare w/ HPF engaged and acoustics. Also a pair is great as room mics in a lot of configurations. Can take SPL and just give you exactly what you're recording, no frills, very neutral but usable and EQ-able in a lot of directions. Probably overpriced now, sure. Like others, I got both of mine in the 400-600 range but those days might be gone. hilariously, the ULS/TLii that were poo-poo'd so much when they were still manufactured are now suddenly "the better ones" since they went to the XLS/XLii. |
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Post by vanguardaudiolabs on Oct 23, 2024 11:23:58 GMT -6
I'd say the ULS is the "flattest" of the 414 variants. Sort of like comparing a U87 to a U89. It's probably never going to wow you but it's a great utility microphone. I have 4 of them. I like them on toms especially, but I think they make nice overheads if you have overly bright cymbals, banjo, some vocals, room mics. Depending on the price, definitely worth owning. I know some aren't fans, but I use mine often. If you come across them for a short time they made an AKG 414B-ULS TL (not TL II) which is a transformerless version and is a little "faster" and more "open" sounding. The TL and TLii used a different version of the capsule than the ULS. Basically is supposed to emulate the response of the original brass CK12. There's a tiny dimple on the diaphragm ring, opposite of the wiring post, that indicates its a 0009 series capsule (the brighter one) as opposed to the 0001-0005 Teflon capsules. I believe the parts are almost identical except for the acoustic filter in between the two capsule halves. |
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Post by sean on Oct 23, 2024 13:29:45 GMT -6
I'd say the ULS is the "flattest" of the 414 variants. Sort of like comparing a U87 to a U89. It's probably never going to wow you but it's a great utility microphone. I have 4 of them. I like them on toms especially, but I think they make nice overheads if you have overly bright cymbals, banjo, some vocals, room mics. Depending on the price, definitely worth owning. I know some aren't fans, but I use mine often. If you come across them for a short time they made an AKG 414B-ULS TL (not TL II) which is a transformerless version and is a little "faster" and more "open" sounding. The TL and TLii used a different version of the capsule than the ULS. Basically is supposed to emulate the response of the original brass CK12. There's a tiny dimple on the diaphragm ring, opposite of the wiring post, that indicates its a 0009 series capsule (the brighter one) as opposed to the 0001-0005 Teflon capsules. I believe the parts are almost identical except for the acoustic filter in between the two capsule halves. The TL should have Teflon capsule, but as ericn said they are pretty uncommon. The TL-II (which I think they still make today?) has the different capsule, and they are definitely brighter/more what you probably expect from an AKG microphone |
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Post by andtide on Oct 23, 2024 20:34:09 GMT -6
Eh. The better ones of heard are OLD. And those capsules aren’t made anymore (ceramic). The other ones sound so different from one another.. if you haven’t heard the version in person be sure it works for ya For me the Austrian audio OC818 has a similar vibe of older sweet AKG- but the high end sounds RIGHT instead of at times- weird like the 414s. I have totally seen 414s pop up sub 600 if you look long and hard enough ahah The C414EB is when they stopped putting in the "brass" CK12s and started doing the Teflon ones. One easy solution - get one of the BeesNeez CK12s and chuck it in a C414EB P48 (which pop up for around the same price as a ULS). I'm actually in the middle of one a similar mod right now. EEK: BRASS capsule. Had my wires crossed with Austrian audio on the brain. The dual diaphragm stuff is novel for some but I find it super practical. |
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Post by vanguardaudiolabs on Oct 24, 2024 8:25:11 GMT -6
The C414EB is when they stopped putting in the "brass" CK12s and started doing the Teflon ones. One easy solution - get one of the BeesNeez CK12s and chuck it in a C414EB P48 (which pop up for around the same price as a ULS). I'm actually in the middle of one a similar mod right now. EEK: BRASS capsule. Had my wires crossed with Austrian audio on the brain. The dual diaphragm stuff is novel for some but I find it super practical. The austrian audio ceramic capsules are genius, though. Solves a long-standing issue with moisture sensitivity and condenser mics. |
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Post by copperx on Oct 25, 2024 17:33:36 GMT -6
NPR uses 87’s.  Whether you love or hate it, the 87 is the perfect podcast mic, at least for those podcasts where all people wear headphones like in Joe Rogans's. I don't understand why people treat the SM7b as the holy grail. |
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Post by chessparov on Oct 26, 2024 10:03:52 GMT -6
FWIW on Speech (on me)… 47 FET style is at least comparable to U87. Olde and new. I like the relatively flatter response. More flattering.  IMHO AA 018’s fall into that “Good/Reliable/Boring” camp with stuff like AT4050/Shure 32’s. Zzzzzz. Get me the Top Brass! (414) Chris |
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Post by thehightenor on Oct 26, 2024 15:10:55 GMT -6
I saw a studio photo of Sting tracking some of his “nothing like the sun” album.
He was using a 414.
I’ve always presumed it was an EB version.
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Post by aremos on Oct 26, 2024 21:49:42 GMT -6
I have 2 414EB's & 2 414B-ULS's & love those mics. I'd use the B-ULS over a U-87 (90% of the time, depending on the source of course).
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Oct 27, 2024 15:14:05 GMT -6
NPR uses 87’s. Whether you love or hate it, the 87 is the perfect podcast mic, at least for those podcasts where all people wear headphones like in Joe Rogans's. I don't understand why people treat the SM7b as the holy grail. It’s more bang for buck than “ Holy Grail”, but one thing a guy who managed a handful of stations always used to say “ someone knocks an SM7 over no big deal, U87, everyone is crying. In an interview situation with amateurs mics are going to fall.” |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Oct 27, 2024 15:29:16 GMT -6
I love them. Use them on guitar amps, kick, bottom snare w/ HPF engaged and acoustics. Also a pair is great as room mics in a lot of configurations. Can take SPL and just give you exactly what you're recording, no frills, very neutral but usable and EQ-able in a lot of directions. Probably overpriced now, sure. Like others, I got both of mine in the 400-600 range but those days might be gone. hilariously, the ULS/TLii that were poo-poo'd so much when they were still manufactured are now suddenly "the better ones" since they went to the XLS/XLii. It’s always been that way when ever AKG has made an update. Now to be fair since we were always the dealer who bought out all of the old ones we did absolutely nothing to discourage these beliefs till we ran out of the close outs😁 The TL II should have been a killer linear mic, but nooooo someone at AKG had to use that other Diaphragm that resulted in a mid bump. It’s like they had to voice it to not only be different but have a response like a Transformer mic. Having owned a Jim Williams Modded EB ( full JW transformerless electronics) that Stephen Paul had put a Stock Brass Capsule in, that thing was the flatest LDC I can think of. |
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