AKG C214 and other mid range microphones

Andrew Lamprecht

Andrew Lamprecht

Minion of One
Hey guys and gals. I'm looking for a mic under $400 for recording vocals. I owned a Rode NT1 as my first "real" mic and while I liked it, I felt like it had a flat response that didn't flatter my voice. I'm looking for something with a bit more character.

Vocally I've tried the AKG c214, a few different Blue mics, and the AT2020 from Audio Technica. I want to try the Shure SM7b but people say it is flat. I feel like the AKG is my favorite so far but I don't know much about microphones so I want to do a lot of asking before I buy it. Has anyone recorded with this mic? How does it sit in a mix? What do you think the positives and negatives are?

You can also throw out some recommendations if you want. As long as they have one at guitar center I can go try it.
 
Re: AKG C214 and other mid range microphones

Andrew Lamprecht said:
I want to try the Shure SM7b but people say it is flat.
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Define "flat". Are we talking lifeless and uninteresting or flat frequency response? For some applications, one of these attributes is desirable.
 
Re: AKG C214 and other mid range microphones

Andrew Lamprecht said:
How does it sit in a mix?
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Normally nothing sits in the mix by itself. It depends on so many variables: the signal itself, the sonic environment, layering, number of tracks, orchestration and melodic background, pre- and post-processing and so on so on forth... Until the point that you can realise that you literally cannot finish mixing just stop the work at an optimal point.

I think the difference is too subtle to make a real difference that you may wish to get as all the listed microphones are rather flat. According my experience, the nice colouring that adds character in the recording chain is 50% mic and 50% preamp. Maybe some sort of preamp that colours the tone nicely would get you to a more desired solution.

pres:
- TLAudio FatMan or Ivory: They are all-tube, warm enough to fry an egg in seconds and should be dirt cheap used, sub-$400
- Focusrite ISA One: Although this lunchbox has a flatter response than the one above, still it has a secret decisive weapon, its Lundahl transformer that you can hear on countless recordings. It adds its subtle footprints to the signal. Around $400
- Summit Audio 2BA-221: It is a superb little hybrid mic preamp containing mixable tube and solid state circuits plus it's a kickass DI box to record your line guitars, making it an awesome swiss army tool. I absolutely love it, it outperforms its price class much. $400+
- Universal Audio 710 TwinFinity: great functionality and similar nice colouring as the Summit Audio just a class higher. $400++
- Universal Audio Solo610 all-tube: The salt in your soup, the sauce on your kebap, the vacuum cleaner of your wallet.


mics:
- Don't be afraid of the SM7B. Of its price, rather be. But have no worries, with a nice preamp and experience you can get 90% there with a dirt cheap SM57 + a pop filter.
- Electro-voice RE20. Colours like hell, maybe too much. Love or hate thing.
- Rode Procaster: it's a large diaphragm dynamic like SM7B with a slightly different voicing but much cheaper.
- Sennheiser MD421 'shark': warm, subtle, neutral and can be sort of expensive.
- Shure KSM32, (non-$400 but used, maybe): its warm yet open sound it often made it the winner of the actual recording session and the studio I worked for had dosens of classics like the U87, C12, 414 etc.

In a studio where I could use anything, the mics that I usually used for vocals were: U87, KSM32, SM7B, SM57. SM7B the most but man I hate its mounting system.
 
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Re: AKG C214 and other mid range microphones

The Neat Worker Bee and King Bee get my vote. King Bee may be out of your price range; if so, definitely make it a goal to audition the Worker Bee.

The electric guitar and vocals on this were recorded with the Worker Bee:

 
Re: AKG C214 and other mid range microphones

If the OP could provide some mic examples and EQ needed to get the sound 'right', it might be easier to make a recommendation. For example most male vocalists sound pretty good with something U87 inspired, but the frequency of their midrange push tends to make my voice sound like nasal crap. I sound much better on something C12 inspired like an AKG C414B-ULS.

If you're in the market for a colored preamp, I have to recommend the Golden Age Pre 73 Mk II. In stock form they're easily available for $250 used, and they can be easily modded to be closer to a Neve 1073. If you have deeper pockets, the Great River MP-1NV is amazing @ ~$900.
 
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