The Ribbon mics continue to impress with a great new acoustic session from Graham Hodge CHECK IT OUT. The BIG IDEA is to run a studio recording materclass weekend. Look out for details!!!!!!!!!

Fairview has three AKG 414 microphones, a pair of old silver ones and a later black ULS model and while I'm not quite sure what the ULS stands for, it does have a warmer, fuller sound. I’ve used them on everything at some time in the past 20 years but currently my favourite use is as a cross pair at the back of the piano in the studio (a Colard upright) and if the piano's tuned and it's a good player then I think they give me the best sound from any of the mics we have here. Another thing I like them for are drum overheads but high up over the kit. I always use them in cardioid but they aren't as focused as the Neumann KM84s which I use closer in. However I have recently taken to putting up an AKG 414 set to omni in the live room next to the drum room to create that sense of space and it works really well. At the mix I compress it quite heavily and it really adds something to the drum sound. I’ve used them a lot on acoustic guitars with a Neumann KM 84 close in and the 414 a couple of feet out to get the fullness of the body. They're a pretty distinctive looking mic and you used to see them all the time on The Whistle Test as drum overheads and tom mics. I personally don’t find them the brightest mic but they are still a classic, very well made, versatile studio microphone.JS.

microphone basics|dynamic microphones|condenser microphones|ribbon microphones |stereo microphones|Links|contact us|