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Reviews (4)
15 Jan, 2011
Great mic!
I bought this mic to replace my Shure SM81s as drum overs and also acoustic guitar. The mic comes in a sturdy metal flight case with all of the case candy. However, I was very disappointed with the shock mount. It's platic and holds the mic with a twisting clutch type mechanism. I can see it breaking quite easily in the future.
For comparison of drums, I set the AKG414 and an Earthworks QTC30 directly over my drums and went to town. Both mics were in omni mode. I also recorded the drums with the AKG in all of the other polar patterns. A/B'ing the two mics, the AKG added a nice midrange and made the kit sound cohesive. The Earthworks was a precise sound of the kit. It brought out the 'ping' of the ride much more. The other polar paterns didn't sound as full, but then again, my room isn't the best. For drum overs, I'll go with the Earthworks and put the AKG in the middle and mix it in a bit to add that midrange.
On acoustic guitar, I put the AKG and Earthworks together, both in omni. I think omni sounds the best for this. I had a hard time telling which mic was which, but the Earthworks again was precise. The AKG added a bit more warmth to the guitar, which was a Gibson Songwriter Deluxe. Depending on how the guitar is being used will determine which mic I use. If I want the sparkle of the strings, I'll go with the Earthworks. If I want the tone to shine, I'll go with the AKG. If it's a solo guitar and vocal, I'll go with the AKG. But I know myself and I'll use both side by side and mix accordingly.
For vocals, I had a female singer come over and A/B'd her with the AKG 414 and a Rode NTK. I love the Rode NTK on vocals because it adds a creamy tone, especially on her voice. She sang a ballad track with both mics. The AKG was a precise duplicate of her voice, but it didn't fit the track. It was too up front without that silky cream that I like. We both agreed that on a heavier rockin' song, the AKG would definitely fit the bill because it would put a hrder vocal right to the front.
Overall, I'm pleased with the AKG 414 B-XL. It sounds great on any source. The AKG, Rode, and Earthworks are all different mics with their own character. What sounds good to me may not fit your ears. Mics are a personal preference. But I will say this: If I could only have one mic, I would hands down choose the AKG over the rest. It's very good on all sources and is clean.
02 Apr, 2007
Wish that I'd bought something else!
1 of 2 found this helpful Let me start by saying that not everyone will have the same problems with their unit as me. Now, about the unit. The first one that I bought was a refurbished unit. When I got it, it didn't work. So, I sent it back to Panasonic. They couldn't fix it, so they sent me a brand new unit. Total time from when I sent it in until I got it back was 1 month!
So, I plug in the brand new unit, fire it up, and guess what? All of the front panel buttons, with the exception of the DVD buttons, don't work. Neither did Line 2. Talk about frustrating! Now, I have to send this unit back for repairs, and wait another month before anything happens.
Bottom line, I wish that I'd bought something else!
24 May, 2016
Great mic
1 of 1 found this helpful I own a lot of high-end microphones, and this is my go-to for drum overheads every time. It's also good on female vocals. In a blind shoot out with a couple hi end mic's, the singer picked this mic as the one she liked the best.