AKG Acoustics C414 XLII, C414 XLS manual Using Your Microphone

4 Using Your Microphone

Besides offering high headroom, minimum distortion, as well as temperature and humidity	4.1 Introduction
resistant construction, the microphone is suited for a uniquely wide range of applications.
The standard version C 414 XLS features a very smooth frequency response and the typi-	(For details on the C 414 XLII
cal sound of AKG large-diaphragm microphones. This sound has hardly changed over the	refer to sectin 2.4.)
many years the C 414 has been in production, and the
C 414 has become an "industry standard" against which most competitive or new products
are compared.
You can use the C 414 XLS for most musical instruments (see also sections 4.5 and 4.6).
Selector 1 lets you optimally adjust the microphone's polar pattern to the instrument to be
recorded and the recording environment.
	4.2 Bass Cut Filters
The switchable bass cut filters at 40 Hz, 80 Hz, and 160 Hz will effectively cancel out any
unwanted noise such as blower noise from air conditioning systems, etc., or low-frequency
noise due to floor vibrations, handling noise, etc. without affecting the sound of the recorded
voice or instrument on tape.
	4.3 Preattenuation Pads
The switchable preattenuation pads allow you to increase the microphone's headroom. Re-
member to check that the equipment connected to the microphone (microphone preamp,
mixer input, recorder input) can handle the maximum output level of the microphone with-
out causing distortion.
	4.4 Stand Mounting
• The supplied H 85 shock mount has a standard 3/8" thread insert so you can mount the
microphone on almost every commercial stand or suspension with a 3/8" thread.
• To mount the H 85 on a stand with a 5/8" thread, remove the tread insert and screw the
H 85 directly on the stand.
• To remove the H 85 from the microphone, rotate the bayonet-type lock at the lower end
of the H 85 CCW to the point that the H 85 unlocks.

We recommend the C 414 XLS and C 414 XLII for the following recording studio applica- tions:

Sound source	C 414 XLS	C 414 XLII
Lead/solo vocals	•	••
Backing vocals/choir	••
Speech	•	••
Acoustic guitar	••	••
Electric guitar		•
Electric bass	•
Double bass	••
Violin	••	•
Cello	••	•
Zither	•	••
Grand piano (classical)	••
Upright piano (rock & jazz)	••	••
Organ	••	•
Trumpet	••	••
Trombone	••	•
French horn	••	••
Tuba	••	•
Saxophone	••	••
Flute	••	••
C 414 XLS / XLII

4.5 Application Areas

Table 2: Recommended applications.

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