Madison AV | $2599
The family of AKG C414 microphones are some of the most widely used and famous in history. Not only do they offer premium, world-class sound, but they’re workhorses. For those of us not lucky enough to own a vintage one, AKG’s expanding range of 414s is extensive and designed to fit every mic locker. Proudly carrying this torch is the C414 XLS, a multi-use condenser microphone that’ll become a mainstay of recordings, whether it’s used right up on a blistering guitar cabinet or ushered to the back of a drum room to capture balanced, robust recordings of an acoustic space.
Commonly used in various stereo configurations, the C414 XLS has provided many an engineer with crystal-clear drum overheads, vocals and acoustic string recordings, thanks to the switchable polar pattern, adjustable from omni to figure of eight, and everything in between.
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The AKG C414 XLS is a reference-quality, multi-pattern studio condenser microphone. Being a condenser means it requires 48V of phantom power, used to power the internal diaphragm that gives condensers their unique clarity and crispness. This also powers features like the adjustable polar pattern, offering five patterns: cardioid, figure of eight, hypercardioid, omnidirectional and wide cardioid. Omni captures sound from all around the microphone, while cardioid shifts the focus to the front of the capsule. Figure of eight captures at the front and back, and hypercardioid and wide cardioid both push the boundaries of cardioid for a little more capture at the back and sides.
Weighing just 300g, the C414 XLS is perfect for precarious positioning, where a heavier microphone might droop. The mic captures every nuance and detail from 20 Hz–20k Hz with a max SPL of 158 dB. All of this is to say that the mic can handle just about anything and everything! Beyond the adjustable polar pattern, the mic features an adjustable low-end roll-off at 160, 80 and 40 Hz, as well as a pad for 6, 12 or 18 dB of attenuation. Another addition to the mic is the overload warning present on the mic itself, via a peak-hold LED. Microphone clipping can be more difficult to audibly discern, though it can be equally detrimental to the audio signal, so it’s important to keep in mind. You’ll need to check this on the mic itself, remember, so block your ears and get your drummer to bash away to ensure the mic is well-padded!
In use, the AKG C414 XLS is the classic AKG sound in a modern, revamped package. Tying together the clarity we’re accustomed to with the best of modern tech, the XLS offers clear sound with clear indicators for audio signal, as well as a handy addition to ensure that signal is as good as it can be. The XLS follows on from the classic AKG C414 B-ULS. The C414 B-ULS is found in more professional studios in the world than any other mic, and for good reason. The ULS stands for ultra-linear, and the XLS follows in these footsteps, offering a supremely flat, accurate recording.
In use, the C414 XLS offers a darker response than its predecessors, nestling nicely into a mix immediately while also taking EQ, effects and processing easily. Hyping up the high end with an EQ doesn’t introduce harshness or mess, just excitement and detail.
Using it on a detailed, harmonically rich source like an acoustic guitar gives the source depth, while the guitar itself feels present without being overtly ‘close-sounding’ like some condensers can. An acoustic instrument like a guitar can sound flat and lifeless when mic’d too close, but the C414 XLS excels in blending in a bit of the room and ambience. Louder sources like a guitar amp give a detailed reproduction of the source, but without the fizzy high end that some condensers have, particularly on guitars. While the XLS variant might be darker than others, it’s definitely not a dark mic per se and yields the clear results you’d expect from a condenser, especially an AKG!
The switchable stereo pattern allowed me to quickly and easily access some more complex stereo miking patterns with either matching stereo settings for ultra-wide stereo recording or varying polar patterns for a more defined stereo field, particularly helpful when recording acoustic spaces.
All in all, the AKG C414 XLS is a multi-pattern studio condenser capable of recording anything you can think of. Multiple attenuation settings allow for even the loudest sources to be captured with healthy headroom, and the onboard peak indicator will indicate when things are, uh… peaking. Various polar pattern settings are available for different jobs, allowing in more or less ambience and room sound.
Building on decades of sonic excellence shouldn’t be this easy, yet here we are with AKG launching mic after mic, adding to their legacy with a range of equally suitable, reliable and practical microphones in their wake. Whether you’re diving into a vintage C12, a budget-friendly C114 or the C414 XLS that sits in the middle of those, AKG’s range of mics is a stellar choice.
The C414 XLS is your new go-to for loud, punchy drum overheads, detailed acoustic guitars, or nuanced orchestral strings – and everything in between. It handles everything from bombastic, explosive sounds to whisper-quiet, articulate performances with ease. AKG have been at the top of the game for quite some time, and it’s the innovation seen in the AKG C414 XLS that keeps them there.
