Topic: What is the best alternative mic to ca14?

[celtic]

What is the best alternative mic to ca14? In the same price / quality range etc.

[nulldogmas]

The AT853s (aka Sound Professionals SP-CMC-4U) are virtually identical in sound quality to the CA14s, in my experience. (I've done side-by-side tests.) And they are significantly sturdier. They're also more expensive — though sometimes you can find good deals on them in the Yard Sale.

[mrfender]

There are a number of the AT853s on Ebay if you are willing to go that route.  You just need to be patient and/or make some offers to get a decent price. 

My experience is that the ATs are a somewhat fuller sound vs the CAs but a little more on the bass-ier side.  Not much, just a little.  I run my CA14s as they plug right into the various 9v/12v battery boxes whereas the ATs need the 4k mod to work that way (used to have an adapter cable but a certain person here never returned it and Ted isn't making them anymore).

[adrianf74]

I've owned CA-14's more than one time. I've also owned various AT-853's (tgakidis, sound pros, darktrain).  Personally, I prefer the CA option over the 853's as there's a lot less boominess to the recordings and the 853's just sound muddier.

[nulldogmas]

I've owned CA-14's more than one time. I've also owned various AT-853's (tgakidis, sound pros, darktrain).  Personally, I prefer the CA option over the 853's as there's a lot less boominess to the recordings and the 853's just sound muddier.

I should have said above that I did a side-by-side comparison of the CA-14 cards and AT-853 cards. I have omni caps for my AT-853s, and like them, but I've never run a comparison with CA-14 omnis.

[fanofjam]

...ATs need the 4k mod to work that way (used to have an adapter cable but a certain person here never returned it and Ted isn't making them anymore).

FWIW, I think the 4k mod is desirable, but not essential except in the highest of SPL shows.  Someone please correct me on this, but I'm basing this on the fact that I recorded tons of live concerts with unmodded AT-853 into a SP battery box and never had any problems with mic distortion.

[unidentified]

I've owned CA-14's more than one time. I've also owned various AT-853's (tgakidis, sound pros, darktrain).  Personally, I prefer the CA option over the 853's as there's a lot less boominess to the recordings and the 853's just sound muddier.

Concur