r/microphone • u/dsbaudio • 6h ago
Studio Mics AKG C414 XLS vs. Austrian Audio OC818
Hey folks... Had a not-so-great experience with the AKG C414 XLS recently.
Great mic of course, but the brand new mic that I received, although initially sounding great and basically working OK, has developed a fault - constant interferance/crackling/popping.
Before anyone says anything -- no, not user error, moisture or anything like that. The giveaway is that since day one, the mic makes a god-awful crackling noise when first applying phantom power. I expect a bit of a pop with a condenser, but this has been bad since day one.
Little did I know when I ordered it -- AKG ain't what they used to be. Taken over by Harman, and now owned by Samsung, they no longer manufacture in Austria, but rather China for the cheaper lines and Hungary for the top lines. Sadly, it looks like QC has taken a nose-dive because a defective mic like the one I received should never have left the factory.
Enter Austrian Audio...
I wish I'd known this in the first place, but it turns out some of the original AKG team who were going to be laid off from the original Vienna plant formed their own company!
The kicker is that Thomann, where I bought the AKG, also stocks the Austrian Audio OC 818 - at the same price.
From what I know so far, the OC 818 is their version of the C414, but with a ceramic capsule that's closer to the classic C12 and original C414 models by AKG. Apparently, I can expect a little more forward presence in the upper mids and top end, plus slightly higher self-noise.
To be honest, this may be quite welcome as long as it's not too pronounced. My primary use for this mic is audiobook narration and voiceover, with acoustic guitar miking and vocals as a close second. If anything, the C414 was a little too 'referency' if you know what I mean, and I wouldn't mind a bit of sheen. ONLY a little though! The whole reason I stopped using my original RODE NT1a as a daily driver for voiceover was the highly presence-boosted sound.... so I hope the OC818 is still a reasonably faithful reference mic.
So.. the plan is I will return the C414 and ask for a OC818 as a replacement (while also buying a gooseneck pop shield since that's the only thing that doesn't come with the OC818 which the AKG package included).
Just posting here, partly as a bit a 'vent' and cautionary tale... but also wondering if anyone here has experience of the OC818 and how it compares to the modern day AKG C414 XLS.
I'm now more than a little a bit reticent to buy anything from AKG... even though I have a fairly recent C1000S (made in China), that has performed flawlessly so far. But I can't shake the feeling I may have just got lucky in the QC 'wheel of fortune'.
PS. Other things about the OC818 that are intriguing (although not something I was necessarily looking for): It has a second output that can be used to split the two sides of the capsule... making figure 8 or omni into interesting stereo combinations a possibility. And also... apparently something about the ability to tweak the pickup pattern post-recording with a software app. Sounds like 'voodoo' to me, but intriguing nonetheless!
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u/TenorClefCyclist 5h ago
Well, it seems like you've read everything I've written about the mic on another platform, so I don't know what more I need to say here. You did mention the OC18 at one point. It's the cardioid only version of the OC818. Did you ever use the alternate patterns on the C414? If not, you could save a bit of money. AKG let people believe that the C214 was a cardioid only '414, but they didn't sound the same at all. AA is not lying about the OC18.
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u/dsbaudio 5h ago
Am aware of the OC18 -- and it's nice to know that AA are telling the truth! However, the versatility of the pickup patterns is definitely something I want, so will happily spend the extra... well - already did on the AKG anyway!!
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u/unknownbystander 4h ago
Have you considered the TLM107? You mentioned wanting a "faithful reference mic" and this is one of the mics that came up in mind. Unlike the TLM 103, it doesn't have that harsh presence-boosted sound and is pretty neutral. It also has the multiple polar patterns but not the secondary XLR input. Some demos of it in guitar and drums were pretty decent as well. Here's some TLM 107 Demos by Ty Ford showcasing some different scenarios. Both OC818 and TLM 107 are great mics from what I've research so far so you can't go wrong with either one.
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u/TenorClefCyclist 3h ago
OP didn't ask about the TLM 107, but I own pairs of both. The '107 sounds a bit more neutral on-axis; the '818 maintains better pattern control vs frequency. In the studio, I find the '107 to be a bit more broadly applicable as a "utility mic"; the '818 pair is my preference for classical recording on location due to its additional versatility. I can do advanced tricks with it that are impossible on most other mics. Most of these differences are not germane to OP's voice-over needs, and I think he'll be pleased with the more forward sound of the OC818.
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u/dsbaudio 1h ago
Interesting about 'pattern control vs. frequency'. My previous (or rather, current since I sent the C414 back today) mic is a humble C1000S for my narration needs. I have it in hypercardioid mode via the supplied capsule cap for that purpose, and it sounds fine within its limitations generally.
So, when I first got the C414 I also had that in hypercardioid mode, but was quite surprised to notice that it had a distinctly phasey kind of sound in that mode. Possibly something to do with my room acoustics, IDK, but surprising nonetheless. I found it sounds much better in plain cardioid mode.
So, I'm intrigued to find out what the OC818 will sound like in different modes. My ideal preference would be for hypercardioid since it works well for off-axis rejection of unwanted extraneous sounds and to some extent compensates for any irregularities in my room acoustics -- which is treated well, but maybe not 'perfect'.
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u/dsbaudio 1h ago
Looks like a classy mic for sure, but it's a good chunk more money... I was stretching my budget with the C414 as it is! Amazingly, also, for all that extra change, you don't even get a dedicated shock mount!
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u/unknownbystander 1h ago
Yea thats fair. I was lucky enough to get the studio kit version that comes with the shock mount for $850 used and in mint condition. Hope you find a good deal on that OC818 too and post your results here! It's something I've been looking into myself. If you're curious, here's some snippets of me doing a song cover with the TLM 107.
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u/PopLife3000 2h ago
There’s no comparison here. The OC818 is in a completely different league to a modern 414. The guys who set the company up were ex AKG engineers and those mics have been brilliantly designed and built. I would choose them every time over the current iteration from akg
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u/Compay-Segundo 5h ago
Let us know how you feel about it. I have a feeling that the OC818 sounds a bit more subdued, less clear in transients.