The AKG C 414 is one of the most popular, and easily recognizable, large-diaphragm condenser microphones used in the studio and for live recording. Designed to handle a wide range of recording situations, the unique sound and durability of the mic has made it a standard for decades.

The new C 414 XLS ($1,299 MSRP, and not to be confused with the C 414 B-XLS) continues this tradition, sounding as good as any of the modern C 414 variations, with its 1-inch diaphragm and multiple pad and low-cut settings. However this year’s model offers a total of nine pickup patterns.

The front-panel switch not only selects the five common polar patterns—figure-8, wide cardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid, and omnidirectional—but it also offers four intermediate settings, located between the marked patterns. A green LED indicates which pattern you’ve chosen, and it turns red when the mic is overloaded.

Fig. 1: Electronic switching is used for selecting the pad and low-cut settings, as well as the polar pattern.

Because the pattern switching is electronic, the mic must be attached to a phantom-power source in order to change patterns. It takes half a second for the new setting to take effect, and the mic retains it when you turn off the phantom power. You can put the mic in Lock Mode if you want to disable the onboard controls so the settings won’t get changed accidentally during a session.

The overall frequency response of the C 414 XLS—20 Hz to 20 kHz (+5/-2 dB)—is relatively flat, but with subtle boosts and cuts depending on the polar pattern you choose. For example, the omni pattern has a 2 dB dip around 1.4 kHz, a 2 dB boost at 6.5 kHz, and a presence peak of about 5 dB from roughly 12 to 14 kHz. On the other hand, the hypercardioid pattern has a wider boost of 2 dB at 3 kHz, and a presence boost of 2 dB at 15 kHz, which is less dramatic than what the omni pattern offers. The figure-8 pattern, by comparison, has a nearly 2 dB dip at 10 kHz. As you can see, this mic offers quite a range of tonal possibilities.

On the rear of the mic are three switchable low-cut filters (0, 40, 80, or 160 Hz) and three pre-attenuation pads (0, –6, –12, and –18 dB). The 40 and 80 Hz filters have a 12 dB/octave slope, while the 160 Hz filter’s slope is 6 dB/octave. The C 414 XLS can handle SPLs up to 140 dB without the pad engaged, and up to 158 dB with the –18 dB pad (see Fig. 1). The mic offers an overall dynamic range of 134 dB.

The C 414 XLS comes in a compact aluminum carrying case with a windscreen, the PF 80 external pop filter, and a spider-mount made of lightweight plastic (see Fig. 2).

Hooked Up
The C 414 XLS is as easy to use as its predecessors—just put it in the shockmount, plug it in, add power, and you’re ready to record. I was impressed with the sonic variations this mic offers once I began cycling through the patterns. In normal cardioid mode, the C 414 XLS has that lovely combination of richness, with a slight bite for vocals, as well as the pronounced proximity effect that earlier C 414s offered.

I walked around the boom stand, taking note of the audible changes in tone and input sensitivity with each pattern. As you expand the pattern from cardioid to wide cardioid to omni, the sound becomes more uniform at the sides, if a bit less rich. Off-axis response improves, and in omni mode, the sound was indistinguishable whether speaking into the front, rear, or sides of the mic from a distance of a foot or more.

Fig. 2: The C 414 XLS comes with a wind screen, pop screen, and spider shock mount.

Narrowing the pattern from cardioid to hyper-cardioid and figure-8 produced the predictable effect. In hypercardioid mode, off-axis response was audibly reduced, which is good when instruments or singers are positioned close to each other. Set to figure-8, the mic again produced the subtle bass enhancement from the proximity effect of the front and rear, while practically eliminating sound from the sides.

In Session
The pad and rolloff settings were just as easy to discern. For my own voice, used mostly for video voiceovers, I found the 80 Hz rolloff with no pad (in cardioid mode) to be just the ticket for smoothing out my baritone voice without losing too many bass frequencies.

Although I tend not to look for a C 414 when recording acoustic guitar, the C 414 XLS responded beautifully to the challenge when tracking my bright Martin D-15 Mahogany. Pointing the mic at the area between the sound hole and bridge from about eight inches away, I found the mic’s out-of-the-box setting in cardioid (with no pad or rolloff) to sound particularly good.

On a vocal session with male and female singers, the C 414 XLS sounded a little better on a male R&B belter than it did on a female singer-songwriter with a somewhat strident chest-tone on high notes. But I wouldn’t hesitate trying the C414 XLS on a female jazz singer with a deeper tone.

An inside look at the C 414 XLS and its 1-inch capsule.

At another session, I used the C 414 XLS on various hand percussion instruments and found the latest version to be ideal for this assignment. As expected, the mic captured the accents of Latin percussion instruments like clavés, shakers, and cabasas with the right crispness and a transparency that helps them really stand out when placed in a mix.

What distinguishes the C 414 XLS from earlier models is its potential for handling beefier instruments in more settings. With its extra patterns and ability to handle higher sound pressure levels, the C 414 XLS could even be used on a snare drum in a live setting—a fairly non-traditional use for a condenser mic.

I was also able to get a sense of how this model sounds as a room mic. I set up the C 414 XLS about 15 feet away from my acoustic guitar while I close-miked the instrument with a small-diaphragm condenser. The added ambience of the room captured by the C 414 XLS was a nice addition to the mono track, with the slightly out-of-phase signals merging to create stereo-like depth when panned slightly off center. The C 414 XLS was the best sounding mic I’ve used for this test.

The 411 on the 414
AKG knows not to mess with a good thing, and they’ve definitely maintained the classic sound of the C 414 in the C 414 XLS. With the addition of four intermediate polar patterns, the company has increased the mic’s versatility, making this an attractive mic for studios in need of a top-notch, multipurpose condenser.

Pros: Nine polar patterns. Excellent sound quality. Full range of accessories.
Cons: None.

Rusty Cutchin is a producer, engineer, and music journalist in the New York City area.