AKG c422, anyone use this mic?

[new engineer]

I'm looking to get a mic/mics and use for piano, drum overheads and live 2 track.
Has anyone used this mic? Should I just get 2 414e mics?

[Doug Ring]

That's the stereo mic with the two rotatable capsules and a remote pattern select box, I seem to remember. We had one here for a number of years. It was great on classical music or organ. Never tried it as a drum overhead - it was too expensive to risk getting hit by an animal drummer.

It was finally trashed when someone pulled its cable during a derig thinking it had been unplugged. It hadn't. It was on top of a 20-foot high stand to capture the organ in a stone-floored church. One of the most sickening noises I've ever heard... Remarkably, after a spell in AKG's mic hospital, it was up and running again.

You'll need a very heavy stand if you want to put one of these above a drum kit, but I'm sure if you sort that out, it'll be great. But unless you're getting it for a good price, 2 414s would be a more versatile proposition.

[fifthcircle]

You're close... You are describing the 426. The 422 has only 1 capsule that rotates. (much like the C34 which is small diaphragm)

That being said, the 422 is a sweet mic. I own a 426 which is sonically almost identical and a newer model. It is far and away the most useful mic in my entire collection.

I have used it on numerous things, mostly classical and jazz projects... That said, it sounds great as an overall ensemble mic, drums (overhead and infront), acoustic guitar, woodwind ensembles, brass (not an edgy sounding mic at all)... The list goes on.

The cool thing about this mic is that each capsule has a 9 position pattern switch. As a result, X-Y, Blumlein, M-S are all easy... If one of those doesn't work, then move the patterns to something that does. I routinely will take one click off of a true crossed figure-8 or a mid-side with an omni in the center (or for extra reach, a hyper cardiod or fig-8).

The mic itself isn't that heavy... No worse than any vintage larg-diaphragm mic. I put mine on a standard AKG boom stand and don't wory about it. I've never had anybody even come close to hitting it or have it fall down.

--Ben

[Doug Ring]

Hi Ben, no it was a 422, but you're right - only one capsule rotates. I'd forgotten that. The caution about the weight was related to the type of stands that rely on friction lock for the boom angle, with which I always seem to have problems. A counterweighted boom wouldn't be a problem.