Topic: ADK-TL versus AKG414XLS comp

[SmokinJoe]

Archived for long term storage.
http://www.archive.org/details/sethyac2010-02-20_adk_akg_comp

[OOK]

I have to admit I like the ADK's better....kinda surprised me...

[asobriquet]

Thanks for reposting the samples Joe!  After listening to the entire sample, I have to say that both of these mics have great sound.  At certain times throughout I would lean towards one or the other depending on what instrument was most prominent in the mix. For instance, I preferred how the ADK's sounded on the guitar work (around the 6 min mark), while I enjoyed how the AKG's brought tighter and more present bass throughout the file. 

Thanks again for all the effort involved in bringing this to us, Joe.

Now, anybody got an ADK TL vs LSD2 comp?   

[burris]

I was listening to this while reading other posts.  Suddenly I'd notice that the sound would take a turn for the worse and I'd look at the player and it would be in the ADK-TL section.  My preference is for the 414's which have more natural highs, better soundstaging and tight bass.  The ADK sounds like it has more out of phase info so assuming that you were very careful to have the same distance/angle, I think the better soundstage and bass is due to more closely matched phase and off-axis response on the 414's.

ADK-TLs aren't bad though but for the money I think you're better off with 414's or 214's

For the comment about 414's have a "subcardioid cap" remember that the subcardiod setting on a switchable mic is very different from a subcardioid cap like a Schoeps MK-22  (the few mechanically switchable capsules in existence excepted.)  You get a subcardioid pattern but you don't get the bass response of a pressure transducer and that's why people love the subcards/omnis.

BTW, the only way to do a subjective test like this with audio (or wine) is double blind though single blind is probably OK in an online forum like this.  I tried really hard not to look at what section was what before listening.  Browsers or web forums need built in rot-13 decoding like the Usenet days of yore.

[Chuck]

I've taken some time during the last couple of days to listen and re-listen to the comparison here. Both on speakers and headphones.
Just so I didn't know what source I was listening to, I randomly moved between different points in the song without looking at the timing. I wrote down what I heard and then noted the time on the track and wrote that down. I was able to easily hear the difference between the sources every 15 seconds. I did listen to the whole recording straight through a couple of times too.

In general, I preferred the TL source. It's weird about his type of comparison that there is really no point of reference to start from. What I mean by that is, I don't know what it sounded like in that club where the mics were positioned. So, when listening back, I'm not sure whether I liked the mix better through one set of mics or if I like the sound of one set of mics with that mix. If that makes sense. Maybe one microphone pair just made that mix sound a bit better in the spot that they were placed? So, if the mix was a bit bass deficient one pair of mics beefed it up and made it better, but not as accurate a representation as the other pair.

Anyway, it sounded like the TL's were fuller and more involving than the 414's to me on this comparison. I am often amazed at how a cheaper pair of mics can get you 80% - 90% of the way there for so much less money.