AKG C414EB Condenser microphone

AKG C414EB Condenser microphone

The AKG C414EB is one of the legendary Austrian condenser microphones that are still highly treasured worldwide for their outstanding sound quality. The original incarnation of this model (with the famous ck12 brass capsule) was made until approx. 1979

It was the first C414 version to incorporate a built in XLR socket and a two-step lowcut-filter.

There are a few C414LB around that feature a blackchrome finish and a LEMO-connector. Those mics were custom made for the ORF (Austrian Broadcast). Technically they are identical to the nickel finished C414EB. The black housing was ordered to avoid light reflections from spotlights in television work and became standard on all subsequent C414 models, starting with the C414EB-P48.

The famous and distinctive housing design descends from the AKG C12A and is a creation of Mr. Konrad Wolf (also inventor oft the CK12 brass capsule).

I posted some advice about the C414EB in this Gearslutz-tread:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/123403-akg-c-414-eb.html

One more aspect on the neverending diaphragm-topic:
As mentioned, a properly made CK12 diaphragm which has received full preageing/stabilisation-treatment during the manufacturing process will last a lifetime.
AKG was struggling heavily with brass CK12 production during the C414EB era because of the sheer amount of those complex capsules needed. Tolerances and sloppiness in manufacturing increased. So there are diaphragms which didn´t receive proper stabilisation and might fail at some point.

I own a couple of experimental diaphragms made from the last two 6µm polyesterfilm types used in the brass capsule. They were not stabilised and lost their tension completely after 40 years.

BTW: 3 distinctively different 6µm films were used for (brass-)CK12 production during the 1970ties.
Also, some variations of 9µm Mylar film were used before.
In addition to various backplate versions and tolerances this accounts to the different flavours found in the sound of original AKG CK12 brass capsules.

Additional information can be found here:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/AKG-Acoustics/C-414-EB

____________________

Das AKG C414EB ist eines jener legendären österreichischen Kondensatormikrofone die weltweit bis heute höchste Wertschätzung aufgrund ihrer hervorragenden Klangqualität genießen. Dieses Modell wurde in seiner ursprünglichen Ausführung bis ca. 1979 hergestellt
(mit "Brass-CK12"-Kapsel)

Das berühmte eckige Design geht auf das C12A zurück und stammt von Ing. Konrad Wolf.