the 414s are not common mics for the general taper crowd, but are quite common in most studios. due to the superior off-axis performance of SD mics over LD mics, most LD mics are not that common in the recording of live venues, but i have used the 414s on small ensembles and do occasionally run into others who use them for chamber music and similar. from my experience, when micing in the diffuse field, the 414s do best when used in blumlein or MS. when my son's last composition (an opera) was recently debuted in austin texas, the engineer used a pair of 414s in MS with flanking pair of EW omnis. i tend to prefer blumlein with these mics. they are pretty versatile and quite good for a number of applications - which IMHO is the kind of mic to invest in. i see far too many studio engrs who think they need several kinds of mics and preamps, each with its own "flavor" and spend lots of time trying to match up mic/pre combos for various singers - from my experience, what is needed are neutral, flat, transparent mics that do not color what you are recording. good flat mics can be used for anything - you can always manipulate/mangle the sound during post. i am sure you will like the 414s - best of luck.
