Topic: AKG 414XLII or AKG 414XLS? Need to order today

[Gutbucket]

Through this inquiry, I have discovered the possibility of the much less expensive Studio Projects LSD2 and Avantone CK-40.  Both of which may be all that is necessary for on stage while I still pulling SD cards from the soundboard area.  It has occurred to me that the 414's are probably overkill. 

Those can work well on-stage.  I will say that as an owner of a similar LD stereo mic (Peluso P-Stereo) as well as LD multipattern mics similar to the 414's (ADK TL), I find individual microphones are preferable because they provide far more setup and use flexibility.  I can run them coincident just like the stereo mic, but usually ended up near spacing them on stage.  I keep the LD stereo Peluso on hand these days because it is my best vocal / close acoustic guitar mic for home recording stuff, with a tone color better suited for that application. The flat and cleaner "less pre-seasoned" sounding TLs I keep on hand for on-stage recording of live music.  I don't use either from further back in the room or outdoors anymore, where I'm pretty much exclusively using Gefell M21 or DPA 4098 hypers in combination with DPA 4061 or 4060 omnis these days, if occasionally something else.

Going this route allows me leftover $ to buy a pair of DPA 4061 omni's for all my outdoor recording.  Then I'll save up for a year and buy and hyper/supercard active setup, either the Schoeps mk41, DPA 4018, or Milab VM-44 link.

It's no secret I love the DPA 406x, finding them an excellent complement to hypers or cards outdoors.  They can be very useful onstage for jazz as well.

Hope this doesn't further aggravate your hypercaridoid hypertension!

[HealthCov Chris]

Through this inquiry, I have discovered the possibility of the much less expensive Studio Projects LSD2 and Avantone CK-40.  Both of which may be all that is necessary for on stage while I still pulling SD cards from the soundboard area.  It has occurred to me that the 414's are probably overkill. 

Those can work well on-stage.  I will say that as an owner of a similar LD stereo mic (Peluso P-Stereo) as well as LD multipattern mics similar to the 414's (ADK TL), I find individual microphones are preferable because they provide far more setup and use flexibility.  I can run them coincident just like the stereo mic, but usually ended up near spacing them on stage.  I keep the LD stereo Peluso on hand these days because it is my best vocal / close acoustic guitar mic for home recording stuff, with a tone color better suited for that application. The flat and cleaner "less pre-seasoned" sounding TLs I keep on hand for on-stage recording of live music.  I don't use either from further back in the room or outdoors anymore, where I'm pretty much exclusively using Gefell M21 or DPA 4098 hypers in combination with DPA 4061 or 4060 omnis these days, if occasionally something else.

Going this route allows me leftover $ to buy a pair of DPA 4061 omni's for all my outdoor recording.  Then I'll save up for a year and buy and hyper/supercard active setup, either the Schoeps mk41, DPA 4018, or Milab VM-44 link.

It's no secret I love the DPA 406x, finding them an excellent complement to hypers or cards outdoors.  They can be very useful onstage for jazz as well.

Hope this doesn't further aggravate your hypercaridoid hypertension!

Ok, so do you think the DPA 4098 hypers are on par with the Gefell m21/Milab VM-44 link/Schoeps mk41?  I haven't heard them, but they are small, more affordable, and sounds like you think pair nicely with the dpa 406x's I want to get for outdoor recording (currently using SP C4' omni's split 3').  I ultimately want a good, affordable active or mini hypercard to pair with my AKG 461 and what ever omni I choose to use.

[Gutbucket]

Ok, so do you think the DPA 4098 hypers are on par with the Gefell m21/Milab VM-44 link/Schoeps mk41?  I haven't heard them, but they are small, more affordable, and sounds like you think pair nicely with the dpa 406x's I want to get for outdoor recording (currently using SP C4' omni's split 3').  I ultimately want a good, affordable active or mini hypercard to pair with my AKG 461 and what ever omni I choose to use.

No I don't. I hesitate to recommend DPA 4098 for most tapers, even though for me they have provided an optimal solution. Let me explain that a bit-

Used on their own as a stereo pair, my Gefell M21s (and M94 cards) produce raw recordings which sound significantly better to me than the DPA 4098.  The low frequency pattern-inherent rolloff of the 4098 is greater (less bass), they seem slightly less smooth through the mids and highs, and the Geffs seem to portray a greater sense of depth and detail.  The Geffs just have a sort of high-end mic magic ju ju to them.  Also, the form factor of the 4098 is odd and quite unlike typical mics, which is also true of the DPA 406x, but even more so with the 4098 due to it's integral goose-neck and miniature interference tube.  Now I've found I can EQ a 4098 pair recording to be much closer to a M21 pair recording, compensating for the low frequency rolloff and greater brightness of the 4098 to a great degree, and doing so levels the playing considerably if not quite gaining the same smoothness, depth, and magic ju ju qualities (remember, M21 is my favorite "reference" super/hyper), but I recognize that most tapers don't want to have to EQ their recordings.

When used not as a typical stereo pair but rather as part of my 6-channel surround/stereo rig, those differences become minimal and sufficiently inconsequential such that I've been very pleased to switch out the M21s and M94s and move to using the 4098s based on size, minimal weight aloft, low-voltage powering of all mics in the rig, far greater resistance to moisture/weather concerns, and cost.  In this rig the microphone arrangement with a combination of 4 supercards pointing forward, back, and to either side, effectively covers for the less perfect polar pattern control, and the low end roll-off of the 4098 may actually be a desirable feature, allowing the wide-spaced 4061 omni pair to take over the low-frequency stuff cleanly.

[Edit- would a near-spaced or coincident pair of 4098 in combination with a wide-spaced pair of 406x omnis work equally well?  The honest answer is I don't know as I don't use them that way.  I suspect it could work quite nicely.  But I would recommend using them along with omnis in any case.]

So it's not that I don't love the 4098. I do, as it has been perfect for my application.  It's just that it's 1) not a typical mic and 2) not in the same quality category as Gefell M21 and Schoeps MK41.  I'm not as intimately familiar with the VM-44 supercards so I can't credibly compare the 4098 with them.

[HealthCov Chris]

Ok, thanks for that detailed explanation.  I feel pretty sure that the spa 4098's combined with my AKG 461's and spaced dpa 406x's would be great for my outdoor recordings, but not sure about the indoor stuff. 

The dpa 406x's are coming at some point.  What would be considerations for choosing one vs the other (4060 vs 4061)?

Thoughts on the dpa 4098 paired with AKG 461 for small to mid-sized venues?

[Gutbucket]

If you are recording amplified stuff mostly, go with the 4061s which have a lower sensitivity and won't tend to overload downstream gear at high levels. If you are recording stuff in really quiet rooms, like classical string quartet stuff with super silent audiences, or studio stuff, then the 4060 has a slightly lower noise floor.  But most of the time the 4061's self noise will be lower than the acoustic noise floor of live music environments, and a safer all-round bet.

I've not used AKG 461 myself, but many others around here have.

[dactylus]

Another plug for the Gefell M21's.  My recording.  No EQ.  Check it out:

http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=587129

Railroad Earth
June 11, 2016
Blue Ox Music Festival
Whispering Pines Campground
Eau Claire, Wisconsin


Source: Microtech Gefell m210 > Darktrain Bloodline Cable > AETA 4MinX @ 24/48
Mic Config: DIN (90 degrees 20 cm)
Location: Left Of Center ~7'^ 100'+/- from stage @ FOH
Movo WS80 Furred Windscreen 6cm
Darktrain Interconnects