Red Type B / R8 vs AKG C 414 B-ULS

After recently acquiring a Red Type B / R8 I wanted to compare it’s sound to the ole faithful 414. I also wanted to compare the mics on different sources,  that gives this drummer an excuse to noodle around on instruments I have no business otherwise touching 🙂 . So keep that in mind while listening to these. I find I prefer the RED overall. It’s a brighter mic. The 414 was darker in color with a greater Low end/Low Mid response.

I kept the mic positioning as balanced as possible.

Signal chain = Mic – Hardy M1 – DomII – DAW. Dry recording/No EQ.

  1. 1.
    rhodes-Red
    1:35
  2. 2.
    rhodes-414
    1:35
  3. 3.
    backpacker-Red
    0:35
  4. 4.
    backpacker-414
    0:35
  5. 5.
    Udu-Red
    0:40
  6. 6.
    Udu-414
    0:40
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5 Comments

  1. Mark
    February 1, 2010

    The 414 has more proximity effect than the Blue, take that away with the high pass on the 414 and I would chose the 414 for the Rhodes and Udo and the Blue for the Back Packer.

    The 414 seems to have more depth where the Blue just sounds bright.

    • February 1, 2010

      I prefer the 414 on the Udu as well.

  2. Mark
    February 1, 2010

    Err, make that RED not BLUE, that’s the old name. 🙂

  3. CaLLa
    February 1, 2010

    Both great detail. I must admit, that I was 50/50 indecisive on the Rhodes, but else I favored the 414. In general I don’t like what the Red does at 6350 Hz too much..
    I would LOVE to hear it on a snare though!

    • February 1, 2010

      I will try it on snare for & in front of my kick for sure.

Comments are closed.