Author Topic: AKG 414 shockmount..any smaller alternatives? aftermarket? (Read 11599 times)

jazzgtrl4 · « **on:** August 06, 2011, 12:36:16 PM »

HI, i have the stock AKG H-85 shockmounts and they are really big/obtrusive IMO...Anybody know of any smaller lowprofile shocks for the 414 that is out there.thanks

OOK · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:15:55 PM »

A little pricey but looks a little lower in profile.....seems built like a tank.... peace ook

http://vintagemicrophone.com/JShop/product.php?xProd=2&xSec=12&jssCart=0f9de0f51eb615925a80a062dc451f08

Javier Cinakowski · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:40:02 PM »

Use a Shure donut, or any other low pro "Isolation Mount." I assume the 414 has a normal sized cylindrical body below the big body...

This one is bad ass, and the only below is the one I use...

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT8430-Studio-Microphone-Isolation/dp/B000ZLRURK

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/259146.html

DigiGal · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:40:07 PM »

Also Pricey but awesome is Rycote's InVision Studio Kit for LD mics.

http://www.rycote.com/products/invision_studio_kit/

Javier Cinakowski · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:42:15 PM »

That is awesome DigiGal, but not quite low-pro,

jazzgtrl4 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:51:45 PM »

Hey Everyone thanks. Ya that AT dounut looks pretty good but man over a $100 bucks for one

...thanks for the info

Javier Cinakowski · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:57:38 PM »

I use the $23 one (the link below the +$100 one) and have been very happy. I have the stock traditional LDC band shocks for my mic, but the $23 rubber isolation mount does the trick better than you would think... I have never noticed stand induced noise on my tapes. It is the smallest low-pro solution I have found...

Javier Cinakowski · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2011, 03:39:55 PM »

Here is a pic of the $23 AT Isolation Mount in action. also a pic showing the rubber leg caps I put on my stand. I think those help with floor noise and also help keep your stand from sliding around... The AT mount has a thumb screw that allows you to get a nice hold on the mic. i feel comfortable hanging a +$1k microphone upside down using this mount...

jazzgtrl4 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2011, 03:59:28 PM »

Quote from: Javier Cinakowski on August 06, 2011, 02:57:38 PM

I use the $23 one (the link below the +$100 one) and have been very happy. I have the stock traditional LDC band shocks for my mic, but the $23 rubber isolation mount does the trick better than you would think... I have never noticed stand induced noise on my tapes. It is the smallest low-pro solution I have found...

Javier, thanks for the pics, ya i was wondeirng about the $23 one. IF it did the trick or was just another clip. thanks for the info

Hypnocracy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 07, 2011, 09:24:41 AM »

Tensimount has a LD shock mount too...

http://www.tensimount.com/tensimount.htm

John Willett · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2011, 07:34:33 AM »

Technically, the best shockmount for the 414 is the Rycote USM-L.

You can also get it in a kit complete with pop filter if you want.

These mounts are so good, and so inexpensive as well, that I have swapped all my shockmounts over to Rycote (including the ones for Ny Neumann mics - the Rycote is better and one-fifth of the price).

It's also advisable to use the Rycote short S-series XLR tail (as shown in the picture) as this decouples the mic. from the cable and prevents noise being transmitted up the cable to the mic.

dogmusic · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2011, 12:38:47 PM »

Quote from: Javier Cinakowski on August 06, 2011, 02:57:38 PM

I use the $23 one (the link below the +$100 one) and have been very happy. I have the stock traditional LDC band shocks for my mic, but the $23 rubber isolation mount does the trick better than you would think... I have never noticed stand induced noise on my tapes. It is the smallest low-pro solution I have found...

Here's a link to the only dealer for the AT8471 I could find in Canada:

http://www.italmelodie.com/?section=item&itemID=4005

SmokinJoe · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2011, 12:39:35 PM »

Suggestion... before you buy anything, try the stock mic clip that comes with the mics. That's why they are there. I've used them, and I don't notice any noise. Once, when a wookie tripped over my stand, I got a low frequency spike, but I'm not positive that the standard shock mount would have prevented that.

Try it a couple of nights for the opening act... if it works, or doesn't, you aren't out any money.

Fried Chicken Boy · « **Reply #13 on:** August 10, 2011, 05:57:28 PM »

^^ What SmokinJoe said. Being LD's, there's a little shock isolation inherent to them. On the other side of it and IMHO, the stock 414 shockmounts work beautifully and, and with what I've seen them contend with, I personally wouldn't trade them out in the interest of using a lower profile mount unless I absolutely had to. While flying 414's in the standard mounts, I've had wooks trip over the stand on several occasions (once it was kicked hard enough to knock the stand a full 90 degrees), on many other occasions had ADHD cases beat on a railing I had them clamped to like it was a drum kit, and not once have any spikes or audible imperfections shown up on the recordings.

Lil Kim Jong-Il · « **Reply #14 on:** August 10, 2011, 08:59:01 PM »

I believe that the OP is more concerned with size than dissatisfaction with the isolation provided by the stock mounts.

I have seen the 414s in a mount similar to the schoeps a20s or joe meek JM27. Unfortunately I cant remember where I saw that and google wasn't any help. I do recall thinking that the mount was fine with the mic vertical but would probably sag too much turned horizontal. For MS or blumlein you would need to do the windtech vertical mount trick. I have the schoeps a20s and know that my 414s wont fit in them. The barrel where the clip would attach to the 414 is about 2mm too large to fit. There is some other vendor with a similar design and a larger diameter clip. Whatever you get make sure that you can get the ring on the bottom of the barrel through the clip.

The wonder mount mentioned by OtheroneK is shown in use here: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=133130.msg1744427#msg1744427 and the search function will reveal some related threads in case you are interested.

An option that I considered was mounting the 414s on a stereo bar using isolation clips like these http://www.directproaudio.com/product.cfm?directid=57907 and then isolation between the stereo bar and the stand using something like the Shure donut or this http://www.herculesstands.com/mics/HA611.html to isolate the stereo bar.

In the end, I just used the stock mounts and eventually got the even bigger H100s because the H85s are fragile.

jazzgtrl4 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 18, 2011, 01:25:24 AM »

thanks everyone for the info. I have these clips that came with the 414's as well as the big shockmounts. I used these at Phish without any problem. Usually the mic goes in the other way. I flipped it around so it was more compact. To get the windscreen on you just loosen the big knob and rotate the mic forward, worked well

DATPAT · « **Reply #16 on:** August 18, 2011, 01:52:30 AM »

Todd, You can use some wind tech's like the one i have included the link for below. I have used them to hold my 414's without issues. It's getting them on and off that is the issue cause they hold tight. Good expensive shockmount. Nothing fancy but they are compact and the work.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SP25/

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #17 on:** November 01, 2011, 04:35:34 PM »

Quote from: DATPAT on August 18, 2011, 01:52:30 AM

Todd, You can use some wind tech's like the one i have included the link for below. I have used them to hold my 414's without issues. It's getting them on and off that is the issue cause they hold tight. Good expensive shockmount. Nothing fancy but they are compact and the work.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SP25/

do they sag at all?

javier posted the ones below earlier, but I would be concerned that the small lip at the bottom of the 414 would prevent it from going through the isolation mount. check the next two pictures:

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #18 on:** November 01, 2011, 07:14:55 PM »

The at4050 has a diameter of 21 cm at the bottom of the mic. Anyone know the diameter of the 414?

Fried Chicken Boy · « **Reply #19 on:** November 01, 2011, 09:51:00 PM »

Quote from: NOLAfishwater on November 01, 2011, 07:14:55 PM

The at4050 has a diameter of 21 cm at the bottom of the mic. Anyone know the diameter of the 414?

Don't have my caliper handy but, using a ruler, it appears to be 23 mm with that lip on my C 414 B-XLS.

Not being a wise-acre: how exactly does that Audio-Technica AT8471 clamp work as a shock mount? I'm probably missing something but from the pictures I don't really see anything that would suspend the microphone or isolate it from vibrations, knocks, etc.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #20 on:** November 01, 2011, 10:28:27 PM »

looks like the whole clamping arm is made of rubber. not suspended by elastics or anything like that.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2011, 02:07:31 PM »

Quote from: DATPAT on August 18, 2011, 01:52:30 AM

Todd, You can use some wind tech's like the one i have included the link for below. I have used them to hold my 414's without issues. It's getting them on and off that is the issue cause they hold tight. Good expensive shockmount. Nothing fancy but they are compact and the work.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SP25/

yep. I ordered the SP25 after this recommendation and they are way too big. have to return them now. the SP20's should work ok.