Thank you so much for the vid. It's rare to find a precise comparison between mics but your video has clearly done the job well ! For me the XLII is the best mic for acoustic guitar and vocal ! I will get one soon. Thank you !

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Hello friend! Thank YOU for watching and contributing a comment. The XL II definitely has a nice presence boost and Sheen built in for exactly what you are talking about with vocals and guitar. The great thing about any of these is none of them sound bad on anything, in fact they all sound good, with some sounding great on different sources. One of the best all-around Mike's money can buy. Thank you again, good luck with the purchase if you decide to pull the trigger, and I hope to see you back on future videos!

Nice shootout! It would be great to hear the difference in toms too 🙏

TLII_Warm, balanced, dark but not too much, airy but not too much. A Vintage warmth but not muddy as it sometimes is for the B-ULS ... one word: musical!

Really cool man thanks. I have C414 BULS, they all sound dam good.

Hi Tom. great video you made here. thank you for helping me choose. there is no doubt that the XLII is for me the best option.

The low end warmth that the ULS delivers is so undeniable!!! Guess I gotta get one

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hello friend thanks for watching and the comment! The vintage ones definitely have a bigger rounder tone than the modern ones for sure. So if that's the sound you're looking for, vintage is the way to go! Getting more expensive on the used Market though. Hope this message finds you safe and healthy.

Very helpful. Well done. Thanx for all your effort!!!

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much my friend! So glad to hear you found it helpful, I learn a ton about the gear I have when I do these comparisons. Thanks again for watching and the comment, much appreciated!

Thanks for the comparison!

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

German Croda thanks for watching! I hope it was informative!

Nice Comparison!!

Great video comparison!!! I have had the BULS for over 20 years and I have often wondered what the difference was between it and other 414s. Now I know!!! The BULS seems to be a little less hyped in the 3-4K range. It does have a slight boost in the 10k range, (about 1-2 dB) similar, but not as much as a Neumann U87 which has about a 3dB boost around 10k.

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hey friend, thank you so much for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! Glad it was helpful for you. I agree exactly with what you're hearing. The BULS is the smoothest of them all. Using them in the past I found I've had to EQ out a little lower mid-range build up, but the smoothness everywhere else is great and it takes EQ really well, especially High shelf boots. Interesting to hear you compare it to the u-87 as well. Anyhow thanks again and hope you are safe and healthy.

thank you for doing this!!

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hello my friend, thank you for taking the time to watch the video and stop by and leave a comment! I'm very glad it was helpful for you, I know I've learned a ton from doing these gear shootouts, hopefully it's helpful to others as well. Thanks again and I hope you are staying safe and healthy in this crazy time right now!

great comparison, thanx you!

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome! Thanks so much for watching and the kind words!

Cool comparison. For anyone out there interested, you will get a MUCH better result out of the B-ULS and TLII if you upgrade to the Focusrite Clarett audio interface. It has an "air" setting that mimics the impedance of the transformer-based mic pres those mics would've been going through back in their heyday. I currently use that interface and a TLII (the transformer-less model that was designed with vocals in mind) and my recordings sound phenomenal. I'll be happy to post demos if anyone likes.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Hey Norman- Thanks for watching and the comment. I have a friend of mine that has the Clarett- it's awesome! I also have an audient preamp that's def. better than the scarlett- it was just quicker and easier to get this done using the built in pres on the interface. But yeah- anytime you can upgrade in the preamp department your mics will sound better! Glad you found a great chain for yourself! Thanks again for stopping by!

I love your voice, omg

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for watching and the kind words! I will be releasing an EP this year and some other music as well. Just wanted to build up the channel a bit before doing much artistic stuff. But thank you again, more videos to come soon!

@blueberrymilc

5 жыл бұрын

@@tomszymusic No mate I think he was talking about your talking voice lol

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

@@blueberrymilc actually I'm pretty sure this same person on a different video said he liked my singing. So even if you don't think it's possibly likeable, it might be to somebody else. I'll be the very first to admit I don't have the world's best voice. But I do have music to make and songs to share. Plus I'm probably my own harshest critic, most artists are.

@blueberrymilc

5 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music I was just joking mate. You're singing is quite phenomenal and your talking voice is beyond mediocre, don't worry aha

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

@@blueberrymilc well thanks friend! I mean you're certainly entitled to think it stinks of course. Sometimes it's just so hard to tell the meaning of KZread comments. But all good, thank you I appreciate it

Have an original C414 XLSB and can make it sound like all the others with minimal EQ. its mid range is pretty flat which is all that matters really. The top end can always be hyped with any of these good Mics. Use mine on nearly everything except lead vocals because I use my Neumann for most singers to get that high freq saturation thing Nuemann's do..

Hey Tom, loved this video, you have gained a new subscriber my friend! I have one question, I am setting up a studio at home, to record drum, which mic would be better for overheads the XLs or XLii. Many thanks Jack!

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hey Jack! Thank you so very much. I sincerely appreciate the comments and the subscription! I would say overall for drums I would go for the XLS. To me they are a hair smoother sounding, and some drums and rooms and cymbals can sound harsh, and I actually think the XLS is a little smoother in mitigating harshness in that regard. The Vintage versions, The uls / tl2 are smoother than the modern versions, but more expensive, harder to find, and reliability can be a problem. Hopefully this makes sense? Where are you and your studio located?

Great video!

@tomszymusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so very much! So glad you stopped by and the kind words, hope you are well!

For me the 414 XLII is the best, guitar is clearer, voice is airier and percussion is more precise

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and the comment! The XLII definitely has the most presence/hi frequency sheen out of them all!

I just picked up a neat mint b-uls and second hand xlii and while I love the unique features of each somehow I feel the Xls is the best of both a modern and moderate sound. I think the b-uls sounds the smoothest but I find sometimes it can sound a bit thick especially in the mids. Do you ever notice this issue? Also what are your fav of the bunch for vocals or guitar? Thanks for the wicked comparison btw- it actually helped me go for the b-uls.

Wow. Great video. Very well done. The comparisons are back to back, well labeled and very clear. Recording each take with the same 4 mics was a great idea. The BXLS and TLII sounded the most versatile across all applications to me. The BULS was the best for vocals and the XLII was my least favorite.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Ross! I figured the best way to hear the difference between each mic is to get the capsules as close as physically possible in a cross shape, then record the same take to all mics at once. Too much of a difference in performance with different takes, especially when you're doing it as one person, going back and forth between computer and instrument. Yeah that TLII keeps coming up in almost everyone's comments, its a seriously great mic. And i agree re: the XLII- it often times comes across as more harsh sounding to me. Funny thing is- the XLII was supposed to recreate the bright/airy tone of the TLII, and the TLII was supposed to recreate the bright/airy tone of the original 414 that had a brass capsule and a bright/airy sound, which are now work 2-3k on the used market- but they sound fabulous. Will see if i can get my hands on one of the originals somehow and make another comparison. Thanks for watching and the comment!

@ross8842

6 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music How do you think the 214 compares to these?

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the delayed response. I heard the 214 once a few years ago. To my understanding the 214 is a cardiod only version of the 414 capsule. However, i don't know if it was just in my head, it seemed to sound a little more thin and just not as good as a 414. It could have just been that particular 214 I had. Or maybe it just was in my head, but i didnt' like it as much as any version of the 414 i've heard.

great voice and great vid, super useful. assures me i love the BULS but need to buy one of my own now, any chance you'd have access to an sm7b/ md441 / m88 to compare? i've used them all but on different sources and never directly compared them, trying to decide if i need a 441 as much as i think i do.

The helicopter portion is hilarious

BULS appears to tame essing the best. I've never understood why anyone would want to buy anything but a mic with a linear response. The chances of a mic providing an EQ curve that consistently works is wishful to say the least. This is where budding engineers get so thrown. They hear a mic with an EQ curve and automatically think, wow, this mic sounds amazing! Take it home, use it, and wonder why mixing out harsh high end is so tricky, especially in the digital domain. The BULS let's you add high end and you get to choose what sounds right as opposed to being stuck with esses, overwhelmingly bright overheads, and weird resonances on guitar cabs. The BULS, IMO, is likely the most versatile and professional sounding mic of all time and it can still be had for under $1000. This mic is going to be worth double that in the next 10 years.

Great video! What do you recommend best for recording a violin between these mics?

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words my friend. Violins can sound harsh and screechy especially on recordings depending upon the room they are recorded in. Although they are more expensive, I would recommend one of the vintage models, probably the b-uls as it is the least harsh and hyped of all of them. If you can't land a vintage model, then get the XLS, it's much flatter than xlii, and would likely be better for violin. Hopefully that helps, let me know if you have any other questions and thanks again for stopping by!

Seems to me that the TLii is the overall winner here. A fuller sound with high mid bump. They are all good, but it depends on the mic pre as well. But I would get the TLii before the other varieties. Also, the TLii has one less polar pattern position, so the electronics are more precise in the patterns and their respective ranges.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Hey Barney, thanks for watching and the comment! Yeah, there's a reason the vintage mics are highly sought after compared to the new ones. Such a smooth/full sound. My wife and I did a singing voiceover type thing for a local university in their studio a few years ago, and we used the TLII into a Millennia Preamp- incredible vocal sound. Thanks again!

@Evermore2017

6 жыл бұрын

The TLii sounds like DPA and Schoeps had a love child. Hiw does it hold up in humidity?

@underpressureman

5 жыл бұрын

So what pre were you using for this? The Millenia? I agree, I liked the Tl-ii , which is also why I own one! Also the reason I was asking about the preamp Tom is because one thing I did notice is that there seemed to be quite a thick saturation going on(can really hear it in the singing) almost sounds like a Neve or a Great River being pushed fairly hard, so was just curious what pre I was hearing!

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

@@Evermore2017 so this is like a year later, LOL, but for some reason I never got the notification for your response or saw the question. Never had a problem with it in terms of weather, however I only kept it inside my studio and never took it out of there. Never had the audacity to do that with vintage anyting

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

@@underpressureman hey James, for whatever reason I never saw this response of yours, the KZread creators app and the KZread app are lousy at that sometimes. But anyway, funny enough, on this test I use the built-in preamps in my focusrite Scarlett 18i8 2nd generation. So pretty much low end stuff, at the time it was the only thing I had 4 channels of to record anything simultaneously. I've always thought they sound really decent for stock preamps

Thank you for your time for this comparison !!! What mic would you recommend between AKG C414 BXLS vs XLII ?? I want to buy my first good conderser to use it for vocals , amps , strings , wind instruments. I know its a litle subjective espesialy for the voices but i would apreciate your opinion! Thanks..

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome! They are time intensive but I always seem to learn something new about the mics or stumble upon a mic position I haven't tried before, so they help everyone! If you were to get your first good condenser to use on multiple things- i would say get the XLS. It has a little bit flatter frequency response that makes it a better all around choice. For example: on my voice either works well but on my wife who is a trained soprano- the XLII is too harsh sounding. Also if you're going to be miking guitar amps i'd say that you definitely want the XLS version as the XLII presence peak would be a little too harsh/strident sounding. The XLS is by no means a dull sounding mic, it has a nice presence to itself that gives it a clear sound on all sources, the XLII just a bit more pronounced. So my vote is for the XLS- and down the line you can add a second one and have a world class stereo pair that's used on instruments all the time in major studios. Let me know if that makes sense and if you have any other questions!

@thanasiszardas4280

6 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music Thank you for your quick reply! ! Although I like the airy sound of the XLII I am afraid of being too harsh on the sourses and your answer covered this! ! I will buy the XLS as you said my friend and believe that it can take eq much easier! ! And one last question. .. what other mic would you suggest( to have in my mind ) for vocals only (max price 1500$) ?? What is the favourite of your wife?

Comparing the TLII with the XLS, it seems the TLII is better for vocals while the XLS is better (and more natural) for instruments.

Hello! Great video, congratulations! I've been looking for models of the c414 to record mostly accordions and a little voice. Where I live I am able to obtain an XLII for a price lower than the XLS. Which of the two do you think is the most suitable for this purpose?

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hello Leonardo, thank you so much for watching and the kind words! If the XL2 is the lower price, then definitely jump on that. There's a slight difference in presence between the two microphones of course, but they are both exceptional and I would get the XL 2. It has a bit more of an upper mid-range / high-end bump, that nine times out of 10 I usually end up adding with EQ anyway, so if you can get those extra frequencies and presence from the start just from the microphone without having to add additional EQ, then I would say go for it. Hopefully this helps? Let me know what you decide! I hope you are safe and healthy right now at this crazy time in the world

@leonardogaz2884

4 жыл бұрын

​@@tomszymusic Thank god I'm fine! Thanks for the answer! Can you give me one more tip? In addition to the c414 XLII, I am seeing the Neumann TLM 103, both practically in the same price range. I need to record from low to high tones and get a full-bodied sound. Which one would you recommend me?

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

@@leonardogaz2884 that's a pretty tough choice. Both are exceptional microphones and I've used each one a lot. If the primary thing you're recording is instruments in your recordings, I have to say I like the AKG a little more, but if most of your recordings are focused around vocals that I would go for the 103. Both work very well but I give a slight nod to the AKG for instruments and a slight nod to the 103 for vocals. I would also tend to say that the AKG is a little more versatile, it hardly ever sends bad on anything. Good to great on almost everything. The 103 is a little more sore specific, some things it sounds exceptional, some things not as great. But the things that sound good on it sound amazing. Although this is not the exact comparison you're looking for, I have another video on my channel where I compare 4 microphones on female vocals. The tlm 103, Shure sm57, Shure sm7b and a vintage AKG c414 b-uls. It might give you a general idea how they all stack up. I would say the main difference between a vintage 414 and a modern one is the modern ones have a little more high-end and a little less low mids. Also remember that the AKG is multi pattern and the 103 is cardio and only. So depending how and where you record that could factor in as well. I hope this all is helpful? Let me know if you have any other questions

At some point, everyone is going to need an AKG 414 in their recording toolkit. They can do so many things well, and many thinks other microphones can't. Not sure the variety heard here is not due to the age and past use of these different microphones.

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Hello Steven and thank you for watching, the 414 is for sure a studio legend and probably the best workhorse mic if you could only have one mic, a 414 would probably be it. Undoubtably due to the age of some of these being much older than others there is some variance as with any microphone as it ages. That being said there's still differences to be noticed, and that is the TL 2 / XL 2 versions have more presence than the uls / XLS versions of the same generation... And also in general the Vintage Mike's have a smoother and warmer overall tone than the more modern versions. Which is the point of the whole test just to give you a general ballpark of what these models and ages of microphone sound like Anyhow thanks for watching and comment, do you own any 414s and if so which models?

@stevendobias2960

5 жыл бұрын

I have used them ... but don't. own any. SOON!

Is this the newer XLII version or the order B XLII version?

On the 3 microphones, I found the XL 2 hard to listen to, with an almost painful pike in the trebles that made it terrible with vocal, shaker, crash in particular. The Tl2 seems more reasonable in this domain, stressing the trebles also but in a tolerable way and with a good balance in the other frequencies.

Beautiful shootout, may I ask you which one would you suggest for acoustic instruments? between 414xls , 414 TLii and 414 B P48 Thank you very much!

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words and the comment. Between the ones you mentioned I would say either the XLS or the tl2, they have a little more high-end presence. Probably the tl2 little bit more, but it is harder to find and more expensive. But I like the presence and smoothness the tl2 has. Hopefully that helps? And I hope you are staying safe and healthy in this crazy world.

@sselvatico

4 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music Thank you dearly Mr Tom. I am actually looking for most neutral to record gongs and himalayans bowl as well acoustic guitars. Maybe XLS over TL2? I guess you can always boost the higher end later?

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

@@sselvatico you're welcome. If you are looking for most neutral then XLS for sure! Hope that helps

Riff gA : BULS (00:51), BXLS (00:32) - BTLII (01:00), XLII (00:41) - Riff gb : BULS (01:28), BXLS (01:10) - BTLII (01:38), XLII (01:19) -

@StuartMawdsley

Ай бұрын

Please pin this comment so it's easier to flick between tests

I think uls is best. uls have more bass(low). That means that there is more harmonics throughout the frequency.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and for the comment! If i had to pick only 1 of the 4 i think it would be the BULS as well. Can do anything well to very well!

@lilunzhen

4 жыл бұрын

if two? Which two will you choose?

I want to buy xls or xlii. I want to record pop vocals and classical solo accordion with them. I want to buy a stereo pair. What pair would be better for me? Xls or xlii? Thanks 😊

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

I would say go for the XLS. Their frequency response is a little bit flatter and more versatile. Also not quite as much money either. Hope that helps!

@StefanBauerAkkordeon

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your help

great!

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

James Cassidy Thank you so much for watching! And thank you for the kind words - more to come soon

@underpressureman

6 жыл бұрын

awsome keep it up!

BULS and TLII sound best on vocal, dropping out the piercing "sss"

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Hello and thank you so much for watching in the comment. You are totally right. Vintage versions of the mic had much less pronounced sibilant frequencies, and the TL II had a presence lift without the sibilance. Good ears my friend! Thanks again for watching

@lilunzhen

4 жыл бұрын

Agree!

@davidm2189

3 жыл бұрын

TL II is just right!. The ULS for natural sounding pickup. The modern version is ok but the XLII has hiped highs.

The ULS is too dull sounding on acoustics but great for drum overheads, kick, snare and sometimes male vocals. The XLll is more open sounding therefore better suited for instruments and vocals. The XLS is darker sounding and better for brass etc. The TL2 sounds great for drum overheads, snare, cymbals, crashes. The EB is unbeatable for background vocals.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the belated response here- but just wanted to say thanks for commenting! Yeah I think you summed this up very well- the ULS gives nice body to things that don't need to be bright/sparkly- the XLII does provide that nice sparkle, the XLS is a great all arounder, and the TL2 does a great job at making OH and cymbals sound smooth and not harsh. Wish I would have had an EB for this test! Thanks again!

The high/mid range is where a great mic shines. I’m a fan of the BULS.

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Hello friend and thanks for watching, I agree! Can't beat the smoothness of the Buls!

Acoustic: TL II, uls, xls, xl II spoken: Uls, tl II. xls, xl II Sing TL II, Uls, xls, xl II Snare Xls, Uls, Tl II, Xl II Cymbal : Xls, Uls, XL ll, Tl II Shake TL II, Uls, Xls, Xl II helicopter: XL II, TL II, XLS, ULS

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

Hey friend, thank you so much for stopping by and leaving the comment! I really like the tl2 a lot as well on a lot of sources. And you are a true hero, you stayed till the end to hear the helicopter! Was wondering if anybody ever got that far, LOL. Thanks again for stopping by, hope to see you in other videos! Stay safe and healthy in this crazy world!

Helicopter...subsribed.

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

Haha! Congrats for making it to the end of the video- a feat few accomplish! Glad it was worth the wait :) And thank you kindly for the sub, I sincerely appreciate it! Stay safe and healthy!

Can you please do some more extensive tests on the akg tl-ii vs the xl-ii?

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Hey James, I would if i could, but I actually sold both of those mics. I unfortunately can't afford to keep all the mics in my shootouts. Just curious, what are you looking to hear that wasn't in the shoot out? I tried to make it fairly exhaustive. If you want i could email you the sound files of just the XLII vs TLII so you can listen to them directly.

@underpressureman

6 жыл бұрын

Haaa oh really! Okay so I bought a TL-II on account of my brother being a pro engineer recomending it , and so far I'm using it on a rapper which its sounding quite good, but Im actually loving it on electric guitar and as a guitar room! The thing is I've been considering getting a second TL-II for drum OH and drum rooms but the thing is Im just not sure I want a second TL-II, and basically Im stuck between a few different mics. I'm considering a pair of XL-II's as I know theyre a fairly good choice for OH and Rooms, but to answer your question, I like the TL-II's better from what Ive heard , but theres also a little bit I find annoying about the TL-II's but JIM Williams used to do mods to smooth them out, in which case one is almost better off with B-ULS' or XL-II's for theyre flatter response lol. So In reality I dont know , I guess Im just looking for more drum specific tests of the TL-II's to help decide! But then I tell myself why am I stuck on the idea I need AKG's for my OH's and rooms lol. So Im basically losing my mind lol

@underpressureman

6 жыл бұрын

Oh and forgot to add, Im not in a position where I can record drums right now, so thats why Im searching for more demo's!

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

That's awesome your brother is a pro engineer! Learn as much as you can from him, i'm sure you do! 1) What other mics are you considering at the moment? I've used a ton and might have some insight. I've been meaning to get to a LDC shootout and have the following pairs to demo: AT4050, AT 4047, TLM 103, c414 XLS, CAD m179. 2) I agree there are a few things about some of the 414 models that you don't like. To me they can sound too think/congested at times in the lower mids 200-500hz, and too harsh in the 2-4k region, just depends on the source. Usually they sound good on just about anything, never bad, but never amazing on anything. I think that's their purpose- to sound good on any source, even if not great. But i think drum OH and acoustic guitar are my favorite applications. Luckily 414's take eq really well, especially the ULS/TLII models. I think another TLII would make a great pair for OH- but i am curious to hear what else you are considering and what your price range is.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Understandable- i was in a position like that for a few years as well.

Usually I can sit on the can and still hear subtle nuances from my iPhone 13 but these mics all sound the same. I could jump on my amphions in the studio & give ‘em a listen but imho if they’re that close they’re all usable (BULS sounded really dark actually on snare but other than that…)

do you almost find that the newer xls and xl-11 lack the bottom end and low mids that the uls and tl-11 have?

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Great question. Low end- no. I feel the XLS/XLII models have comparable low end representation to the BULS/TLII. Low mids- definitely the B-ULS/TLII have a thicker/more pronounced lower mid range vs. newer models. Also, the newer models seem to have more pronounced upper mid/high frequencies than the vintage models- making the vintage models sound "warmer" and less strident/harsh than the newer models. So, for drum overheads- i would use the vintage BULS/TLII models as cymbals seem to come out a little less harsh, but on piano or acoustic guitar i would use the XLS/XLII models to bring the high mid/high frequencies in the spotlight a little more. Hopefully that makes sense!

@underpressureman

6 жыл бұрын

ya dude, forsure. i just wanted to make sure it wasnt just me lol. ive wanted a c414 or a pair for awhile but i feel like i definately like the b-uls and tl-ii better, but you make a great point with the newer ones having more pronounced upper mids/highs which could be great on certain things aswell.

this would have been a great test if they did the pattern

What settings were on all the mics?

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hello and thanks for the question, all cardioid, no pad engaged and no roll off either. Basically as flat as possible for every mic. I just recorded the audio for another comparison, this time between an AKG c414 b-uls and one with the original brass capsule. Let me say the brass capsule is expensive and revered as the best for a reason! Thanks for the comment and watching and hope to see you in future videos!

XlS all the way for voice and acoustic. Sold my xlii way to much top and post eq needed plus it sounds real hollow in my opinion. XLS way thicker and balanced

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Tim! Just wanted to say thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Glad you can say you know what each one sounds like and what works for you. There is a 414 for everyone! Take care and have a safe and healthy and happy New Year

High end boost on XLII does not inspire me. More natural sounding other 3 though are nice. ULS is daaaark. I'm eager to try the XLS paired with SM57 on guitar cab.

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hey Jordan, thanks so much for watching in the comments. I think out of all these I liked the tl2 and XLS the best. XLS and the 57 would likely make a great combo on a guitar cab! Let me know if you end up with one of them and how it turns out! Thanks again for tuning in and happy music making

I think the C414EB is the best in the AKG series.

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

There's definitely something to be said for the vintage versions. I was able to get my hands on one of the original bass capsule versions a few months ago. At some point I want to get a video up with audio from one of those. I can understand why they are so coveted. Thanks for watching and the comment, hope you are safe and healthy wherever you are in this crazy world right now!

Witch one would you say is most favored for vocals?

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Hello and thank you for watching and the comment! I would say overall probably the TLii It has a nice high end without being harsh, of course it's vintage and you can only buy it used But it also depends on the type of vocals you are recording. If it is a shrill High soprano or a rock screaming vocalist I would definitely recommend the buls or the tl2. If it's a hushed Whisper, singer-songwriter, softer sound, than any of the microphones would work Thanks again and let me know if you have any other questions!

@enteruserdata4565

5 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music i have one more question! I currently trying to build my own home studio. I am i rap/Hip-Hop artist looking for a microphone. The price is irrelevant to me i just want to get the best quality product i can get! But there’s so many out there it’s hard to make a choice. Ill leave it up to you man, but if you have any suggestions it’d be appreciated! :D

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Looking for one microphone... Well what would be your top price? $500 or under $1,000 or under? Are you willing to buy used or new only? Also maybe another way to ask this to would be what is your mixing experience? Are you pretty familiar with getting rid of sibilance in a vocal, rolling off the low and and boosting and cutting the appropriate mid-range frequencies as necessary, applying compression and EQ and effects? There are a couple microphones that come to mind but let me know maybe a ceiling on the price and your mixing experience and then I can help you narrow it down. Also are you willing to buy used or only new? That also will help me answer, thanks!

@enteruserdata4565

5 жыл бұрын

Tom Szy Music Thanks for the quick response! This is more of something i will be saving up for over time. So my price range would have to be 0$-999$. I have a microphone right now, i am teaching my self how to adjust Eq, compression and such but i think i still have a lot i’d like to learn & I’d preferably like it to be new! Hope this helps

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

I'm going to recommend an option or two from you. The two companies being Audio-Technica and Shure. They make mics that just last forever and are bulletproof. My very first Mike was an Audio-Technica 3035, it's been dropped , knocked over on stands, ported around everywhere and it still sounds brand new. If you want a more neutral / flat sound I would recommend the shure ksm32. Around $500 new. If you want a brighter more present sounding Mike then I would recommend the Audio-Technica 4040 for $300. Both of these are amazing microphones, are a few steps above the beginner budget condenser microphones, and will last you a lifetime. Both are more than good enough to get you professional results, just continue to learn about microphone placement and mixing and any of these are definitely good enough to accomplish anything you want.

Para mi el mejor es el B-ULS

ULS - TL ii - B XLS - XL ii

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and the comment! The smoothness of the vintage models is pretty hard to be! The only thing I preferred the modern versions on was maybe acoustic guitar... even then it's maybe a toss-up... But anyhow thanks for watching and input, hope to see you back on future videos! PS I actually recorded the audio for another 414 shootout... This time between the XLS, the b-uls, and the buls p48 older model... and over the next few months actually hope to get my hands on the Holy Grail vintage brass capsule model as well

@mickelachlan

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Tom. And thank you for doing a very well performed test. I've had XL ii, sold them and bought XLS which I liked better. I now use a pair of ULS and really love them except for the increased noiselevels. The brass version is georgeous but have even more noise and there is always a risk buying a mic that old. Anyway, fantastic mics these 414s. :)

BTLii

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and the comment- yeah the TLii is a seriously smooth but detailed sounding mic. A great workhorse!

@D40Oz1

6 жыл бұрын

Baybi Go agreed

The XLS & TLII sound similar as do the XLII & ULS, I prefer the XLS & TLII on vox not as sibilant.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and the comment! Yeah i really tend to the like the TLII on a lot of things myself, especially vox. A nice presence without the sibilance. Thanks again, hope the video was informative!

@harrybennymusic4617

6 жыл бұрын

Great video, think I'm edging towards buying a stereo set of XLS. Thanks for sharing.

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Fantastic choice! Will sound bad on nothing, good to great on nearly anything!

I think the uls is a winner here...

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and the comment! Yeah, it's really hard to go wrong with the original BULS. Incredibly smooth/warm sounding- and easy to boost high end if necessary. I've found the mic takes high shelf EQ very well similar to a ribbon mic. Thanks again!

@NikitaKonyakhin

6 жыл бұрын

try figure 8 :) i bought the original one ( 1986 )... with neve 1073 dpa it works amazing...

@tomszymusic

6 жыл бұрын

Will have to try that, thanks!

bxls is the best for helicopters

@dannon2010

5 жыл бұрын

La Estancia They said the same thing in “helicopter recording” magazine. Good call!

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

For. The. Win.

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Also impressed if anybody watched that far into the video, hats off to you both

XL11 sounds the brightest

@tomszymusic

2 жыл бұрын

Good ears, I agree! Thanks for watching and I hope you are safe and healthy

fOR ME, BEST : 1 ULS, 2 XLS, 3 TL2,

@tomszymusic

4 жыл бұрын

Hello friend, thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. The Vintage models definitely have a warmth and smoothness that the newer models do not exhibit. Hope you are safe and healthy wherever you are in the world!

The difference is minimal, choose the cheapest

I am supposed to be a musician...but upon watching this video...confirmed me that I have bad ears.

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

Hey friend, thanks for stopping by! Why would you say you have bad ears?

@ricoF71

3 жыл бұрын

@@tomszymusic Hi friend...it's either my speakers are bad or my ears...either way, I already tried changing speakers, haven't tried headphones though...the problem is that I can't really hear the differences...even when I did hear some, it was very very suttle... This fact really discourages me on trying to mix and master my songs. Failed to do so about some of a few times...of course, my skills on mixing and mastering is still on apprentice level, but upon realizing that there's a big proabability I have bad ears clinches it. Mixing and Mastering is not for me. Seems that I have to trust it to someone else to do it.

@ricoF71

3 жыл бұрын

@@tomszymusic and to top it off...I have AKG C414 BULS and Neumann U87 non AI and a Neumann U87 AI... ...and without the ears that can appreciate their quality. #thissucks

@tomszymusic

3 жыл бұрын

@@ricoF71 I would say keep the Vintage u87 or buls and sell the others. If you can't hear the difference on headphones, I would suggest upgrade there. If you can't hear the difference on speakers, I would say spend a couple hundred on acoustic treatment and bass traps and Broadband absorption from the selling of your microphones. With good acoustic treatment in a room you should be able to hear the difference on speakers like the JBL LSR 308 range which would cost anywhere from 350 to 450 if you're going used or new. I also look at ear training type things, there's a ton of free stuff out there. Also just critical listening more I would suggest something like this. Take a bunch of different songs or records you now and try to listen to the difference in the Timbre of the vocals and the effects on the vocals between the different songs or records. Also if you listen to music with acoustic instruments, try to pick out the difference between snare drum tones between songs. Until I started mixing and working with audio I never realized how different snare drums sound between bands and different tracks. Once you start to listen for the finer details audio, your ears become dialed into hearing smaller differences between sounds. I just uploaded a video a few days ago between an AKG c414 with the brass capsule and a buls model. Have a listen to that one and see if you can hear the differences between the two models? Let me know!

B

Who is here from pewdiepie

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

I would be dying to know if you somehow got here from a PewDiePie video, LOL

A lot of you guys clearly don't know what you're talking about, or your taste just sucks. But the XLII clearly takes it.

@tomszymusic

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input... I'm assuming there's some sarcasm here on your end 😎 Luckily everybody's ears and preferences are different, otherwise all the music would sound the same in the world. Maybe that's why I stopped listening to the radio...