Nice video! I see everyone has different opinions on what sounded the best, which always makes you wonder if it's worth shelling out the big bucks for these things. I mean, I will, but it makes me wonder! My ranking: KM184 > SE8 > C414 > WA14 > LS320 > WA67. Maybe with EQ it would be different, but the 67 was just too dark on the cymbals for me. I thought both the tube mics sounded too colorful, while the SDCs seemed to get the best out of the cymbals. The SE8s have a bit of a presence boost over the 184s, but both sounded nicer and more natural to me than the LDCs. The 414s sound great as well but like you mentioned, a bit boxy at times.
Great video! I just wanted to point out that when purchasing good quality gear, you're actually converting the cash into an asset. For example, when I buy an AKG C414 for $700 used, I can probably sell it 10 years later for $700. It's essentially a free rental, provided I take care of the gear. For the most part, this applies to any of the excellent mics in the video. It's true that the money is now tied up in an asset that you own, so you're no longer able to spend it. But that being said, it's different from spending it at a restaurant or on a depreciating asset like a phone or car, where the money is essentially gone. Instead, you now own something that you can sell down the road and get almost all of your money back.
This is a great point. I personally don’t participate in the “buy and sell” used gear market as much as a ton of my friends in Nashville do. But it’s totally a thing. And you are right, it’s worth keeping in mind how well something will hold it’s value. That’s actually why I ended up keeping the C414s - although I don’t think they are worth the extra money for the slight bump in quality - they will resell better if I ever decide to sell them.
I think the WA-14 is sort of a spin off the 1970s version of the 414 because there is a transformer inside which was more common in microphones back in those days. The modern version of the C414 has no transformer
For me the WA14s sounded great. I felt like both of the tube mics were a bit darker than I would like for overheads. The small diaphragm mics were a bit too bright in both cases although I tended towards the Se mics. If I was doing something where I had a really nice room big room to work with I might lean towards the WA67s since I could use them more as the primary mics and mix in the close mics to fill in the sound. I've been using NT5s for years for my overheads. I found them to work well in some situations, but they can definitely get harsh. I'm probably going to get a set of the WA14s since they're low cost and multipattern which will make them useful in a number of situations even if I do end up using them primarily as drum overheads.
I love c414's as overheads in the studio. They give a rich sound image, not thin at all. Paired with a stereo ribbon on top, in the middle of the stereo image is just amazing. I would say at least 75% of the sound character of my drums in the studio comes from OH's, Mono and stereo rooms. If you have a great sounding room this totally makes the difference of a great drum mix.
I made a blindfold test with your overhead stems. Every Mic against every other. Here's my score: 5 Points : C414; 3 Points : Lauten, WA 14, WA 67; 1 Point : KM184; 0 Points : sE8 ...and thanks for doing this.
Great comparison! Those sE8s are insane for the price. I think the two pairs of tube mics were my favorites though. I'd like the 67s for more of a indie or folky kinda track, but the Lautens seem like they'd be great for a more modern pop-rock kinda thing. I might have to pick a second one of the Lautens up to try on overheads for myself!
100% agree that the tubes won and also how awesome the sE 8’s are for value. The only settings the Lautens had were a low and high shelf and I left both flat.
@@BetterMixes possibly. But the issue I found wasn't necessarily the EQ curve of the mic, but how quickly it fell apart when adding EQ. Which will be a problem either way.
Great video. I thought the KM184s came out on top. Very smooth/ balanced/ natural across the frequency spectrum. Slightly less lows compared to some others, but nothing some close mics/ EQ couldn't handle. There was too much "sandiness" and harshness in the transients in the SE8s (and muddiness in the bottom?) for me to consider them a viable alternative. Agree the WA-67s are very good as well. Play-out sounded HUGE and I had to ask - what is your signal chain on the play-out?? Would love to get close to that sound one day!! Cheers.
This was fantastic. I’ve been heavily considering picking up a pair of WA-14’s as the investment on a pair of AKGs really eliminates me getting new mics. From what I’ve seen online, matched pairs are not as commonly distributed, so did you get a matched pair or just two of each mic? Not sure if it’s really even important.
I didn’t get a matched pair. I don’t think it matters too much. If you were buying two of the same mic from different eras of production it might matter. But I think you’ll be fine just grabbing new ones from wherever.
After downloading the sound files and being able to solo the mic's back and forth in my DAW, I am totally blown away by tha Lauten LA320. Considering bying a pair of sE8. BTW I actually gave the KM184's +1dB for justice.
I guess it is very room dependent.. I really hated them. I bought most SDCs on the market and then decided which to return. I actually returned them all. I got Lauten LA-120, KM184, sE8, Audio Technica ATM 450, and several more. Lauten were junk quality (rust inside capsules, bad connectors, bad threading, noisy as hell - and picked up any radio station in the area ( none of the others did - I tried 2 pairs!)) - actually a shame cause the basic sound was great, but simply not usable because of the issues, KM184 were beautiful but a bit disappointing in the end, sE 8 way to hyped in the top end and also prone to radio issues, ATM 450 was quite good but lacking something. Now a days for SDC OH I use either my wonderful KEL HM-1 (yep a canadian cheap chinese thing, so sad the folded the business), or a pair of Slate ML-2 with either no emulation (pretty close to KM184) or with 414 emulation (bang on). Cause what matter a lot to me is: OH should not pick up to much of the room! My KEL are perfect. Flat, very good at rejecting to the sides and above. My mastering engineer loves them. When I told him what they were he just dropped his jaw. He was convinced they were neumanns.
The detail in the lauten outshines the others (especially the HH), and a good engineer uses his ears first, not the eq. So my pics were. #1 Lauten LA320s, #2 The WA 67s, #3 the C414s, #4 the sE 8s #5 the Km184s, #6 the WA-14.
I certainly kept those 414's and use them on a ton of stuff around the studio. Sound amazing on upright piano as well. Used them to stereo mic roto toms for a session yesterday haha.
Late to the party here, but I really like the AKG 414's the best. They provide body but also have a nice crisp top end that's not harsh and will help the entire kit and especially the cymbals, to sit will in a full mix.
Generally I agree with all you’ve said, but it would say that I would never position overheads like that. Personally I like to use x/y or for small diaphragm mics ORTF crossed pairs, as I find it gives a better stereo feel, while being fully mono compatible, which in these days of smart speakers is good idea.
I've recently moved to spaced pair for the OHs and the room mics now live inside the closet in my room and I'm loving the combo of those two stereo pairs for the main image of the kit.
I liked the sE and Lauten. But I would probably have the overheads lower to get less of the room, but that's an artistic choice. And that's before discussing mic placement :D
Agreed! I'm trying out spaced pair and lower to the drums and moving room mics to try out a new sound. Used to have the overheads as high as this video because my room had carpet and I was trying to get as much room in the overheads as possible but now that I have a more "live" room, I'm switching it up.
Thanks, that was a great OH mic shootout! If possible (in the future), maybe throw in a few ribbon mics as well. The Royer R 10's would be one pair I would be interested in listening to.
The only ones I really didn’t like were the WA-67s. Was very surprised by the SE 8’s and the WA-14. The KM184 and the Lautens were my favorites, but for different reasons. And I agree, the 414’s just aren’t $1500 better, and in many situations they sound boxy to me…probably the room playing a big factor.
I like the 414’s. Next the WA-14’s. Close, as you say. I use large Ludwig drums and Paiste cymbals. Much different animals, and I think that my selections would capture the brightness and clarity, with the rich tones of my drums.
To my ears, the Warm Audio WA 67's sounded great, I can't remember what price range you showed on the screen, I'll have to research it, but I suspect they will be out of my price range for home recording. Currently, due to price constraints, I'm considering the sE 8's. Really enjoyed the video, have you done one on overhead mic placement? This is my first foray into recording, so I'm trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can from those who are experienced in this (somewhat overwhelming) field. Cheers.
The thing with how well a mic takes eq is often what separates a good mic from a not so good mic. Flat and soloed it sounds fine. But when you start doing things to it.. Would be interesting to hear how the other mics did in this regard?
@@TimBuell good to know. A lot of cheap to midpriced SDC's have exactly that issue. Think the Se's sounded very good in your shootout. Will have to get the multitracks and have a closer listen. Thanks for all your great content 👍
I agree with you on pretty much every point! The WA67's were winners, C414's beat WA41's, and sE8's (my fav SDC) continue to shine. Lauten's were harsh, not very detailed. I think we have the same shirt, too.
Thanks for the video! To be fair, the C414’s are the kind of mics that sound incredible on pretty much any application and are generally more versatile than any of these mics due to their multi-polar-pattern feature. I agree though, I probably wouldn’t buy them JUST as OH mics since it’s not worth the added cost for added features that wouldn’t be used (even though they sound *fantastic* as OH). But their worth shines when you can use them on various sound sources, using different patterns, and then in a sense, it’s like you’re buying multiple mics in one. I own C414’s, the KM184’s, and the previous version sE7’s. I agree again, I’d probably not buy the KM184’s JUST as OH mics but damn do they sound amazing on classical guitar and other focused instruments. I’m actually looking at sE X1A’s (cheap! Only $89!) or Lewitt 440 Pure’s (incredible noise floor) as OH mics for larger recording sessions when my C414’s are being used elsewhere in the band/orchestra/chorus. I do like how those Lauten LS320’s sound though. And the sE8’s sound great, especially for the cost. I appreciate the video, as I know first-hand that comparisons take a lot of time and effort to make.
I agree here about C414s ended up keeping them for the exact reasons you stated haha. Have them on Toms right now and they sound EPIC. But can pull them off and put them on just about anything.
One advantage of the C414 is that it’s light weight. I love the big heavy tube mics but it kind of makes me nervous that it might fall and hit something
@@ramencurry6672 C414s are definitely great in that regard too. I’ve used mine on large decca trees and I never have to worry about them weighing down the arms or outriggers.
I'm suffering from GAS constantly... I mean, I have a pair of Austrian Audios 0C18 for my overheads, which are kinda 414 type and they are pretty good. But I'm always thinking "maybe a tube mic will be even better?" It drives me nuts... Your videos shows greatly, that the differences aren't that big but you and other guys telling that the processing after tracking are showing the real differences...
I liked the KMs the most, followed by the Lautens. I absolutely did not like the last WAs tube. I do agree about the price differences as the KMs are much better overall studio mic, that price is absurd along with the CKs. Now investment wise you can sell those and get most of not all of your money back which definitely will not be the case with anything by SE or Warm. Their resell value is bottom basement, therefore the trade off. If I were to go with the more than expensive lines, then the used market for sure.
For me the KM184s sounded the best and the sE8s a close second. The WA-14s had some weird pinging going on and the C414s just sounded kind of sterile. The WA-67s didn't work as overheads at all. To be expected. Tube condensers have always seemed too mushy sounding on overheads, imho.
Smoother, cleaner top end and a cool mid range is what higher end microphones, mic pres and any legendary gear usually does. I’d spend the extra money and cry once…
man those WA-67 were awful to my ears. Thanks. You saved me buying these and returning them. sE8 i had bought at one point.. used them 2 days and send them back. Awfully sibilant in the highs. Only useful when using them as cymbal mics. The old sE5 are actually better. The original 414 are just beautiful. I use Slate Ml-2 with the 414 emulation. They are so close I cant justify spending more money on the 414. The WA-414 I really did not like.. Warm Audio mics is just not for me.. love their preamps though.
That lautens are not doing a good job, but that mix engineer that you talked about just erroneously throwing a high shelf on the overheads is also definitely not.
@10:59 how about the AKG C 214? ..... that's the same capsule as the 414 but cost almost half because it is just one capsule (for overheads its enough)
@@TimBuell I understand that , just incase a track calls for a closer look at the hats . I’m using a shure beta 52a on kick , 57 on snare top and a sphere dlx in stereo mode 32” from snare but more centered above the Tom’s equal distance from the ride and crash . It sounds pretty darn good . I purchased a plug in called spl de-verb to remove some of the room basically and then use a send with a nice room - ocean way studio . I’m definitely happy with the results . a little subtle eq moves cut 350 from kick , boost a little 60 hz Snare boost a little 200 hz and 7 kHz . I’d love to experiment with glyn Johns tech and recorder man tech , but only have a matching pair of km184’s and those mics are to accurate haha . You have any suggestions for studio oh mics where you want to get a nice balance of the entire kit for most of the drum track ?
6:46 - KM184 Neumann
7:07 - sE 8 sE Electronics
7:29 - WA-14 Warm Audio
7:51 - C414 XLS AKG
8:13 - LA 320 V2 Lauten Audio
8:35 - WA-67 Warm Audio
Nice video! I see everyone has different opinions on what sounded the best, which always makes you wonder if it's worth shelling out the big bucks for these things. I mean, I will, but it makes me wonder!
My ranking: KM184 > SE8 > C414 > WA14 > LS320 > WA67. Maybe with EQ it would be different, but the 67 was just too dark on the cymbals for me. I thought both the tube mics sounded too colorful, while the SDCs seemed to get the best out of the cymbals. The SE8s have a bit of a presence boost over the 184s, but both sounded nicer and more natural to me than the LDCs. The 414s sound great as well but like you mentioned, a bit boxy at times.
Thank you for the stems Tim! Grateful for the effort. One of the best videos out there :)
I appreciate it so much! Glad this stuff helps.
Great video! I just wanted to point out that when purchasing good quality gear, you're actually converting the cash into an asset. For example, when I buy an AKG C414 for $700 used, I can probably sell it 10 years later for $700. It's essentially a free rental, provided I take care of the gear. For the most part, this applies to any of the excellent mics in the video. It's true that the money is now tied up in an asset that you own, so you're no longer able to spend it. But that being said, it's different from spending it at a restaurant or on a depreciating asset like a phone or car, where the money is essentially gone. Instead, you now own something that you can sell down the road and get almost all of your money back.
This is a great point. I personally don’t participate in the “buy and sell” used gear market as much as a ton of my friends in Nashville do. But it’s totally a thing. And you are right, it’s worth keeping in mind how well something will hold it’s value.
That’s actually why I ended up keeping the C414s - although I don’t think they are worth the extra money for the slight bump in quality - they will resell better if I ever decide to sell them.
I like the WA-14's they capture the fullness of the kit and the cymbals sound smooth
They are a great value for the money!
I think the WA-14 is sort of a spin off the 1970s version of the 414 because there is a transformer inside which was more common in microphones back in those days. The modern version of the C414 has no transformer
For me the WA14s sounded great. I felt like both of the tube mics were a bit darker than I would like for overheads. The small diaphragm mics were a bit too bright in both cases although I tended towards the Se mics. If I was doing something where I had a really nice room big room to work with I might lean towards the WA67s since I could use them more as the primary mics and mix in the close mics to fill in the sound.
I've been using NT5s for years for my overheads. I found them to work well in some situations, but they can definitely get harsh. I'm probably going to get a set of the WA14s since they're low cost and multipattern which will make them useful in a number of situations even if I do end up using them primarily as drum overheads.
I love c414's as overheads in the studio. They give a rich sound image, not thin at all. Paired with a stereo ribbon on top, in the middle of the stereo image is just amazing. I would say at least 75% of the sound character of my drums in the studio comes from OH's, Mono and stereo rooms. If you have a great sounding room this totally makes the difference of a great drum mix.
Agreed!
I made a blindfold test with your overhead stems. Every Mic against every other. Here's my score:
5 Points : C414; 3 Points : Lauten, WA 14, WA 67; 1 Point : KM184; 0 Points : sE8
...and thanks for doing this.
This would def be the way to do it! Thanks for sharing this.
sE8s all day! Best bang for my buck I've ever gotten out of any mic.
Great comparison! Those sE8s are insane for the price. I think the two pairs of tube mics were my favorites though. I'd like the 67s for more of a indie or folky kinda track, but the Lautens seem like they'd be great for a more modern pop-rock kinda thing. I might have to pick a second one of the Lautens up to try on overheads for myself!
Oh, and I meant to ask, did you use the bright or dark setting on the Lautens?
100% agree that the tubes won and also how awesome the sE 8’s are for value.
The only settings the Lautens had were a low and high shelf and I left both flat.
@@TimBuell gotcha. I'm wondering if the high cut might smooth out the top end a bit for more chill sounds.
@@BetterMixes possibly. But the issue I found wasn't necessarily the EQ curve of the mic, but how quickly it fell apart when adding EQ. Which will be a problem either way.
The position of the mics varies greatly between takes.
Great video.
I thought the KM184s came out on top. Very smooth/ balanced/ natural across the frequency spectrum. Slightly less lows compared to some others, but nothing some close mics/ EQ couldn't handle. There was too much "sandiness" and harshness in the transients in the SE8s (and muddiness in the bottom?) for me to consider them a viable alternative.
Agree the WA-67s are very good as well.
Play-out sounded HUGE and I had to ask - what is your signal chain on the play-out?? Would love to get close to that sound one day!! Cheers.
This was fantastic. I’ve been heavily considering picking up a pair of WA-14’s as the investment on a pair of AKGs really eliminates me getting new mics.
From what I’ve seen online, matched pairs are not as commonly distributed, so did you get a matched pair or just two of each mic? Not sure if it’s really even important.
I didn’t get a matched pair. I don’t think it matters too much. If you were buying two of the same mic from different eras of production it might matter. But I think you’ll be fine just grabbing new ones from wherever.
After downloading the sound files and being able to solo the mic's back and forth in my DAW, I am totally blown away by tha Lauten LA320. Considering bying a pair of sE8. BTW I actually gave the KM184's +1dB for justice.
Your kit sounds great, for start. And you have a great sound.
I really love SE8, they beat 451s and 81s in my studio
Agreed!
I guess it is very room dependent.. I really hated them. I bought most SDCs on the market and then decided which to return. I actually returned them all. I got Lauten LA-120, KM184, sE8, Audio Technica ATM 450, and several more. Lauten were junk quality (rust inside capsules, bad connectors, bad threading, noisy as hell - and picked up any radio station in the area ( none of the others did - I tried 2 pairs!)) - actually a shame cause the basic sound was great, but simply not usable because of the issues, KM184 were beautiful but a bit disappointing in the end, sE 8 way to hyped in the top end and also prone to radio issues, ATM 450 was quite good but lacking something. Now a days for SDC OH I use either my wonderful KEL HM-1 (yep a canadian cheap chinese thing, so sad the folded the business), or a pair of Slate ML-2 with either no emulation (pretty close to KM184) or with 414 emulation (bang on). Cause what matter a lot to me is: OH should not pick up to much of the room! My KEL are perfect. Flat, very good at rejecting to the sides and above. My mastering engineer loves them. When I told him what they were he just dropped his jaw. He was convinced they were neumanns.
The detail in the lauten outshines the others (especially the HH), and a good engineer uses his ears first, not the eq. So my pics were.
#1 Lauten LA320s, #2 The WA 67s, #3 the C414s, #4 the sE 8s #5 the Km184s, #6 the WA-14.
great test, they are all great for OH, my fav would be the AKG
I certainly kept those 414's and use them on a ton of stuff around the studio. Sound amazing on upright piano as well. Used them to stereo mic roto toms for a session yesterday haha.
Late to the party here, but I really like the AKG 414's the best. They provide body but also have a nice crisp top end that's not harsh and will help the entire kit and especially the cymbals, to sit will in a full mix.
sE Electronics sounds great for the price and it would be my choice in a live situation.
Would have liked to hear the Lauren's with the Lo Pass on and see what your feelings on the top end would have been after that.
Generally I agree with all you’ve said, but it would say that I would never position overheads like that. Personally I like to use x/y or for small diaphragm mics ORTF crossed pairs, as I find it gives a better stereo feel, while being fully mono compatible, which in these days of smart speakers is good idea.
I've recently moved to spaced pair for the OHs and the room mics now live inside the closet in my room and I'm loving the combo of those two stereo pairs for the main image of the kit.
I liked the sE and Lauten. But I would probably have the overheads lower to get less of the room, but that's an artistic choice. And that's before discussing mic placement :D
Agreed! I'm trying out spaced pair and lower to the drums and moving room mics to try out a new sound. Used to have the overheads as high as this video because my room had carpet and I was trying to get as much room in the overheads as possible but now that I have a more "live" room, I'm switching it up.
You nailed this. Super clear and helpful!
Thanks so much man! Let me know what you think when you get those WA14s.
Thanks, that was a great OH mic shootout! If possible (in the future), maybe throw in a few ribbon mics as well. The Royer R 10's would be one pair I would be interested in listening to.
I almost did a ribbon pair in this batch. Wanted to do my Cascade x15 vs m160s
The only ones I really didn’t like were the WA-67s.
Was very surprised by the SE 8’s and the WA-14. The KM184 and the Lautens were my favorites, but for different reasons.
And I agree, the 414’s just aren’t $1500 better, and in many situations they sound boxy to me…probably the room playing a big factor.
Se8s and wa14s are two of the best deals out there IMO
The 414 is bland but I think it’s designed to take EQ and post processing well. I’m pretty sure it’s like on just thousands of songs
I like the 414’s. Next the WA-14’s. Close, as you say. I use large Ludwig drums and Paiste cymbals. Much different animals, and I think that my selections would capture the brightness and clarity, with the rich tones of my drums.
I really liked the Lautens
They definitely have the brightest natural EQ curve of anything else featured - which can be helpful in a lot of applications.
To my ears, the Warm Audio WA 67's sounded great, I can't remember what price range you showed on the screen, I'll have to research it, but I suspect they will be out of my price range for home recording. Currently, due to price constraints, I'm considering the sE 8's. Really enjoyed the video, have you done one on overhead mic placement? This is my first foray into recording, so I'm trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can from those who are experienced in this (somewhat overwhelming) field. Cheers.
The thing with how well a mic takes eq is often what separates a good mic from a not so good mic. Flat and soloed it sounds fine. But when you start doing things to it..
Would be interesting to hear how the other mics did in this regard?
Agreed! Honestly all but the Lautens did fine at taking EQ.
@@TimBuell good to know. A lot of cheap to midpriced SDC's have exactly that issue. Think the Se's sounded very good in your shootout. Will have to get the multitracks and have a closer listen. Thanks for all your great content 👍
I agree with you on pretty much every point! The WA67's were winners, C414's beat WA41's, and sE8's (my fav SDC) continue to shine. Lauten's were harsh, not very detailed. I think we have the same shirt, too.
I came around to your 184 v sE8 opinion. Kept the c414s and the WA67s. VERY pleased.
Thanks for the video! To be fair, the C414’s are the kind of mics that sound incredible on pretty much any application and are generally more versatile than any of these mics due to their multi-polar-pattern feature. I agree though, I probably wouldn’t buy them JUST as OH mics since it’s not worth the added cost for added features that wouldn’t be used (even though they sound *fantastic* as OH). But their worth shines when you can use them on various sound sources, using different patterns, and then in a sense, it’s like you’re buying multiple mics in one. I own C414’s, the KM184’s, and the previous version sE7’s. I agree again, I’d probably not buy the KM184’s JUST as OH mics but damn do they sound amazing on classical guitar and other focused instruments. I’m actually looking at sE X1A’s (cheap! Only $89!) or Lewitt 440 Pure’s (incredible noise floor) as OH mics for larger recording sessions when my C414’s are being used elsewhere in the band/orchestra/chorus. I do like how those Lauten LS320’s sound though. And the sE8’s sound great, especially for the cost. I appreciate the video, as I know first-hand that comparisons take a lot of time and effort to make.
I agree here about C414s ended up keeping them for the exact reasons you stated haha. Have them on Toms right now and they sound EPIC. But can pull them off and put them on just about anything.
One advantage of the C414 is that it’s light weight. I love the big heavy tube mics but it kind of makes me nervous that it might fall and hit something
@@ramencurry6672 C414s are definitely great in that regard too. I’ve used mine on large decca trees and I never have to worry about them weighing down the arms or outriggers.
love the se8 and the lauten most, than the C414
Both great values!
Awesome comparison! How would you compare the AKG C414 vs the AKG 214?
Thanks so much!
Never heard the 214s. If you want the c414 thing but wanna save money the WA14s are great.
I'm suffering from GAS constantly... I mean, I have a pair of Austrian Audios 0C18 for my overheads, which are kinda 414 type and they are pretty good. But I'm always thinking "maybe a tube mic will be even better?" It drives me nuts... Your videos shows greatly, that the differences aren't that big but you and other guys telling that the processing after tracking are showing the real differences...
I liked the KMs the most, followed by the Lautens. I absolutely did not like the last WAs tube. I do agree about the price differences as the KMs are much better overall studio mic, that price is absurd along with the CKs. Now investment wise you can sell those and get most of not all of your money back which definitely will not be the case with anything by SE or Warm. Their resell value is bottom basement, therefore the trade off. If I were to go with the more than expensive lines, then the used market for sure.
please do the same with tom / snare / kick mics
I plan on doing a comparison of tom mics ASAP
I agree.
This video was quite eyeopening.
Value for money is key when thinking of buying overheads.
Thank you so much @TimBuell.
@@benjaminmugabi7003 No problem! Glad this stuff is helping.
@@benjaminmugabi7003 Thanks so much for watching!
For me the KM184s sounded the best and the sE8s a close second. The WA-14s had some weird pinging going on and the C414s just sounded kind of sterile. The WA-67s didn't work as overheads at all. To be expected. Tube condensers have always seemed too mushy sounding on overheads, imho.
Man these Lauten LS-320 are awesome, kinda disliked the SE-8, they sounded like there was a noisegate activated.
Get some Lewitt LCT's they sound phenomenal for the price.
I go with the SE 8
Smoother, cleaner top end and a cool mid range is what higher end microphones, mic pres and any legendary gear usually does. I’d spend the extra money and cry once…
Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
WA14 for me. I hate the modern 414s without the transformer. KMs were great also.
Lautens sounded the best in my opinion
Out of the box I would agree. But for me the harshness once EQ/compressing just didn’t work for me.
man those WA-67 were awful to my ears. Thanks. You saved me buying these and returning them. sE8 i had bought at one point.. used them 2 days and send them back. Awfully sibilant in the highs. Only useful when using them as cymbal mics. The old sE5 are actually better. The original 414 are just beautiful. I use Slate Ml-2 with the 414 emulation. They are so close I cant justify spending more money on the 414. The WA-414 I really did not like.. Warm Audio mics is just not for me.. love their preamps though.
That lautens are not doing a good job, but that mix engineer that you talked about just erroneously throwing a high shelf on the overheads is also definitely not.
LS-320 for me.
Yeah, they make great stuff.
@10:59 how about the AKG C 214? ..... that's the same capsule as the 414 but cost almost half because it is just one capsule (for overheads its enough)
Surprised you need a hi hat mic in such a small room with oh .
I rarely use it but a lot of engineers still “like to have it as an option”
@@TimBuell I understand that , just incase a track calls for a closer look at the hats . I’m using a shure beta 52a on kick , 57 on snare top and a sphere dlx in stereo mode 32” from snare but more centered above the Tom’s equal distance from the ride and crash . It sounds pretty darn good . I purchased a plug in called spl de-verb to remove some of the room basically and then use a send with a nice room - ocean way studio . I’m definitely happy with the results . a little subtle eq moves cut 350 from kick , boost a little 60 hz
Snare boost a little 200 hz and 7 kHz .
I’d love to experiment with glyn Johns tech and recorder man tech , but only have a matching pair of km184’s and those mics are to accurate haha . You have any suggestions for studio oh mics where you want to get a nice balance of the entire kit for most of the drum track ?
Mic cheap, mixing desk cheap, preamp cheap, room cheap equal cheap sound