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Double Bass AKG C411

R

Robert

Nov 14, 2003
63
0
Stockholm, Sweden
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#1
Hello everybody,

I bought a used AKG C411 rather cheap the other day. I just wanted to comment on the nice sound of this rather cheap contact microphone.

Except for being a little low in the low bass compartment (this is easily fixed with an EQ), it sounds really nice. Much better than any bridge-based pickup I've tried (Underwood, Stat-B, BassMax).
The AKG is placed on the top with an adhesive (just like the Dyn-B) and the variation of the sound seems infinite.

I connect the mic to a dedicated mic-preamp, and from there to my Fishman EQ and finally into the effect return of my SWR Baby Blue.

First I thought this would be my AMT-backup if playing outside or in bad rooms, but I like the sound very much so that I am thinking of dropping the AMT altogether.. I don't think my amp bring out the full quality of the AMT, so it is not worth the fuzzing about..

I'm impressed. And this for about $100.
 
#2
Robert said:
First I thought this would be my AMT-backup if playing outside or in bad rooms, but I like the sound very much so that I am thinking of dropping the AMT altogether.. I don't think my amp bring out the full quality of the AMT, so it is not worth the fuzzing about..

I'm impressed. And this for about $100.
Click to expand...

There is great wisdom to be found here.
 
#3
that's good to know. i'll keep my eye out for one of those. i am in the process of finding a mic. i am thinking of using a podium mic. i could mount a mic clip on the back of the tailpiece and then run the mic up around the bridge area. there are tons of different podium mics and some have the claim that they cancel out handling noise. i'm gonna see if i can rent one from full compass.

I would at least like amic signal for the audience. i have done all this work of getting a sound just to have pickups totally ruin it! i feel like i'm cheating the audience if i have a crappy sound.
 
#5
I've been messing around with a C411 for a little while as well. I used to use a K&K Golden Trinity mic, but feedback was always an issue. I haven't had any feedback problems with the C411, but I haven't played any really loud gigs with it yet. When I turn the gain way up it can start to sound harsh, though. I have played with drummers a couple of times and it worked great.

One issue I have with the C411 is that it takes a lot of effort to get the right sound out of it. Depending on where it is placed on the bass, it can get completely different sounds and some spots are more prone to feedback than others. Once I found a spot that I mostly liked, I still had to EQ out most of the midrange. I generally place it in between the bridge legs, sometimes a little bit higher. Another place that sounds pretty good on my bass, believe it or not, is on the back near the soundpost.

All in all, I am getting a lot of useful sound out of it and I don't have to worry about feeding back like with a mic. So far, it does NOT sound as good as a mic, but blending it with the Full Circle in my Solstice is a big improvement over just the Full Circle.
 
#6
I'm using one of these, and yep, it does seem to sound good. I took it out on a gig that had miked up drums and a fairly hefty PA, and there were the beginnings of low end feedback when the monitors were turned up, but nothing that the sound guy couldn't sort out with a bit of EQ-ing. I put mine in the centre of the soundboard, a couple of inches above the bridge. Nice arco sound too, (or there would be, if I could play better). I've tried a couple of other placements, but that was my favourite. I wonder why more people aren't using them?
 
#7
Michael Glynn said:
So far, it does NOT sound as good as a mic, but blending it with the Full Circle in my Solstice is a big improvement over just the Full Circle.
Click to expand...

Michael -- in what way doesn't it sound good as other types of mics? And when you used it with a drummer, what other instruments also were playing? I'm wondering how useful this mic might be for a 20-piece big band that I play in (very brassy, lots of drums smashing, etc.). Thanks in advance.
 
#8
greitzer said:
Michael -- in what way doesn't it sound good as other types of mics? And when you used it with a drummer, what other instruments also were playing? I'm wondering how useful this mic might be for a 20-piece big band that I play in (very brassy, lots of drums smashing, etc.). Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I dunno. It's kind of hard to explain. It's kind of between a pickup and a mic in sound. Maybe I'll try to post some sound clips comparing it and the Full Circle. The biggest group I played it with so far was a sextet with 2 trumpets, trombone, piano and drums. Come to think of it, there was a little feedback that time, but only in the PA, not in the bass amp. I think the sound guy was going a little overboard with the monitors. It just had one really boomy note, but the sound guy managed to get it worked out.
 
#13
Dudie said:
I think so to:hmm:

What do you think about the trinity mic?
Click to expand...

My experience w/ the Trinty mic was not great. It's kind of a low price point item w/ not the greatest sound. Thru the amp it was alway feeding back. When I would give the signal to the house PA it was better. Then I had started having trouble w/ the 1/4" input jack. It would lose contact w/ the plug and crackle thru the PA. I sent it back to K&K to have the jack replaced and a few weks later it was doing the same thing again. Yes, I tried it w/ different cords. When it started crackling in the middle of a nice concert w/ well know Jazz figures, I was fed up and now it's banished to my gear junk draw. :mad:
 
#14
I had a gig last night to play a couple of jazz interlude pieces with a sympohonic band, in a nice community center for performing arts. Brought my acoustic upright, with its K&K Bass Max rig, along with my Fishman Bass Pro, expecting the sound man to want a DI into the house board. But, to my surprise, the sound man said, "No, try this AKG C411," which had a standard XLR end to the skinny cable. I thought it was a mic, but through researching TalkBass today I find is actually a contact pickup.

Anyway, he stuck it inside the upper side of the treble side F-hole. He also set up a monitor just for me.

I was amazed at the even response the C411 gave. Much hotter, yet seemingly more natural sounding, than the K&K. Now I've got to get one!
 
#16
Thanks PB+J. Yeah, I'm just noticing this mini-XLR thing. But, when I did the gig I'm almost certain that it was a normal-sized XLR. It had the mic head, a thin cable, to a - I think- normal XLR male end which was plugged into a normal XLR female end to the house. Maybe they rigged a normal XLR on it? I'll see if I can find out.

Phantom power is not a big deal to me, as I normally plug right into a mixer with such.
 
#17
I used one of this and still own one, that I use when I can't play with a "real" mic. I'm not impressed by the sound, that on my bass it's quite similar to a pick-up , but less balanced. I have the version without akg phatom power box (And it's a standard XLR) but i'd prefer to have the other one (still having problems with signal, length of cables, etc...)
Ciao
 
#19
I never had any issues with the Trinity and really like it but it is what it is. The video clips on my website are with it blended with a Realsit. I never used it as a stand alone in in tests recording it I thought the sound was not that great. It was pretty feedback prone but a little messing with the internal eg helped. I mostly used it to add a little 'air' to my sound. It was great for that.

I eventually abandoned it though and went just pickup. I did lose a little bit of sound quality but I think I was the only one that noticed. Now I have an Audix D2 and an H-Clamp. I never send the signal to my amp but use it anyplace that has a decent PA.

Also at that pricepoint it is really hard to beat (as long as everything is functioning).
 

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