Really informative and helpful comparison!

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Glad you found it interesting…Cheers!

Thanks for the info

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Glad to share and I always hope these unexpected comparisons are interesting. Cheers!

These comparisons are fantastic. GREAT job! 3-5db differences in respective frequencies. Are you feeling that the at2020 is the closest alternative to the c414?

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! For me, the WA-14, AT4040/4050, Lewitt 441, se4400… while not sounding exactly the same are all good alternatives for situations where the C414 makes sense. AT2050 in the $300 usd range is also an alternative to consider. Cheers!

Very nice video! 👏🏼👏🏼 The AT, being a budget (electret/pre-polarized, not really a "proper" large diaphragm condenser) is more of a bedroom and podcast mic, even AT's webpage used to say that it is "for content creators", IIRC. As such, it sounds very articulate in the midrange and very adequate for speech, perhaps with just a tad too much peaky sibilance. That particular AKG sounds far bigger and warmer, has that typical 414 slightly boxy low mids, and a higher up the frequency spectrum sibilant range. No surprise that on some voices one might even prefer the upfront ease of the inexpensive AT... but on all instruments except perhaps small percussion, the AKG is way, way better. Interesting preamp test, too! The much overhyped Warm wannabe 1073 sound too murky and have a hollow absence of midrange definition, when you switch to the Focusrite ISA it's like going fron a basement to a real studio! 😉

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to share your take. I agree, the point of this video was really to show what can be expected from an upgrade to a pro microphone without getting into over $3K range. While not inexpensive, the C414 XLS is I think more attainable than some of the other “studio standards” for many home and project studios looking for an upgrade, especially considering its versatility. In the end, price aside, choosing a mic that fits the source and positioning it well goes a long way to making good recordings. I’m glad you enjoyed the preamp tests, another part of the equation that is often overlooked imo… (I’ve always liked the ISA One…underrated imo). Cheers!

The Warm Audio WA-14 is an incredible alternative.

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Absolutely, I am thinking about doing a multi-pattern mic shootout with C414, WA-12, sE4400, 414, and M129… Cheers!

You should do the Lewitt 441 flex compared to the C414 they’re a bit more comparable. Great videos the 414 is a great mic picked up a Lewitt and it sounds quite nice.

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing, the 441 is a great mic imo. I meant this video to be more of a contrast vs similarity, but I agree comparisons to other multi-pattern mics 441, se4400, WA-14, M129, what be interesting. Those types of comparisons are coming…

@vinny2280

10 ай бұрын

@@askdrtk I see I see awesome looking forward to it! Very nice studio you got there. that 414 sounds real nice. Quite the contrast very apparent but informative. If I could ask, what exactly is “self noise“ and how does it effect processing?

2020 just sound cheap. That's the truth. Good but take all those artifacts that cheap mics take. A lot of plosives, a lot of harshness in the top end, not enough detail especially in lows and mids... Can sound nice with guitars (in some particular applications) but that's all. With voice or vocals sounds unpleasant right away from the box. 414 is a serious mic. I would not say that best cause it's not enough wide in the top end for my taste but quality of the sound and texture sounds like a good mic. So yeah. We can clearly hear the difference but it always be like that when you compare $100 with about $1k mic. Differences between $1k and ex. $5-10k will be definitely smaller. BTW. Do you have gate on? Sometimes your voice sounds like a gating.

@askdrtk

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to weigh in on this comparison and I agree. I get a lot of questions about the need to upgrade microphones and the point of this video is to show that one doesn’t necessarily have to go from a $100-300 mic to a $3-5K mic to hear a big improvement in tone, detail, texture,etc… I chose the 414 specifically because it is in more attainable price point for many home and project studios and the 2020 because it is such a popular entry level microphone. The 414 is not the ideal microphone for everyone, none are (just look at our mic lockers), but between the quality of sound and versatility, a microphone like the 414 could be a significant improvement for many. I hope these videos spark an opportunity to consider what a microphone upgrade might offer. I don’t have a gate running but I do have an oscillating fan running on low in my space to help deal with the heat from the outboard and video lights, the airflow moving in and out from where I positioned the mics may be translating on the recording. I usually don’t worry about it to much, but for microphone comparisons I should probably turn it off. Cheers!

2020 SOUNDS BETTER