Gearank

Luther Vandross, Christ Martin (Coldplay) and Paul McCartney are just three of the many vocalists who have been seen using the AKG C414 on stage or in the studio. And rightly so because the AKG C414 is one of the most versatile in the market, with five polar patterns to choose from.

The patterns include standard cardioid, omni, figure eight, wide cardioid, and hyper cardioid, all of which are meant to handle the many different vocal styles and instrument styles. If that's not enough, it also comes with 3 bass cut filters and multiple attenuation levels that add to its already impressive versatility.

Specifications:

• Type: Condenser
• Polar Patterns: Omni, Wide Cardioid, Cardioid, Hypercardioid, Figure-8
• Frequency Response: 20 to 20,000 Hz
• Impedance:
• Maximum SPL: Variable (140/146/152/158 dB)
• Power Requirements: 48V phantom power

Pros

The AKG C414 XLII continues to get the job done nicely, as reported by most of its users. It has been put to good use for a variety of purposes, from basic vocal recording to multi-instrument realtime recording, some vocalists even report getting great results when used live. Build quality and sound quality is well appreciated.

Cons

There are some who are not too happy with the bundled accessories, and this forced them to give a slightly lower score. There are also others who simply find the price tag to be outside of their need.

Overall

With its incredible versatility, the AKG 414 XLII will make a great addition to home and professional studios.

If you're looking for lower cost alternatives then you can see which ones we recommend in our guide to The Best Studio Mics For Vocals.