Hi friend and Welcome aboard!
Before we get into the AKG C214 vs. Blue Baby Bottle, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Today I will outline the Blue Baby Bottle, and then compare it with the C214 towards the end. 🙂
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- Who this mic benefits?
- What you will need?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!
Blue Baby Bottle
Ratings/Price
- Amazon | Check Sweetwater! | Check eBay!
Specifications
- Microphone Type: Condenser. Condenser mic vs. Dynamic mic.
- Polar Pattern: Cardioid
- Diaphragm size: 1.02″ (26mm)
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Max SPL: 133dB. What is SPL?
- Output impedance: 50 Ohms
- Signal to noise ratio: 87dB (A-weighted)
- Self noise: 5.5dB (A-weighted)
- Color: Black
- Connector: XLR
- Weight: 0.77lbs.
- Included Accessories: Shock Mount, Pop Filter, Wood Box
- Manufacturer Part Number: BABYBOTTLE. GOO GOO GAH GAH. 😛
Summary
Some say this large-diaphragm condenser mic is so good that you won’t even have to EQ it. Most people hate the pop filter. Some like the shock mount while others don’t. The complaint is that it’s hard to tighten the screw that holds the mic into place. Large diaphragm vs. Small diaphragm.
Some of the best endorsements came for acoustic guitars and female vocals.
Pros
- Well made and durable.
- Good quality sound, true and honest. Neutral. Mellow.
- Nice wooden storage box.
- Nice warmth and clarity.
- Picks up mid-range wonderfully.
- Sounds good with a variety of vocal timbres. What is Timbre?
- Pretty dang versatile.
- Solid low end.
Cons
- Questionable pop filter.
- Prone to popping.
Video Review
Who this mic benefits?
I’ve seen it endorsed for:
- Vocals (especially good)
- Voice over
- Podcasting
- Spoken Word
- Drum overheads
- Acoustic Guitar (especially good)
- Youtube/Streaming
- Voice acting
- Guitar cabs
- Drums (in front. especially good with hi-hats and snares)
- Female vocals (especially good)
- Gospel
- Country
- Horns
- Piano
- Male rock vocals
- Harmonica
- Classical Guitar
- Bass guitar
- African talking drum
- Electric guitar (distorted and clean. both sound good)
Not as good for:
Pop/Hip-Hop vocals
What you will need?
This is a cardioid condenser microphone that requires 48v phantom power via your audio interface, mixer, or preamp. Preamp vs. interface
You will also need:
- XLR cable(s). What is XLR?
- Pop filter.
- Mic Stand. Currently, I use the Proline MS112 desktop stand. It’s about as solid as a 20 lb. barbell. Seriously. It ain’t going nowhere. Lol.
- Shock mount.
Some pieces of gear used:
- Great River ME-1NV
- UA LA-610 Channel strip
- Presonus Eureka + DBX166XL compressor
- Joe Meek channel strip
- Universal Audio 2-610
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- This mic doesn’t really have a lot of high-end sparkle. This one doesn’t have any bumps or spikes around the treble area, so if you’re looking for that sort of thing, you may look elsewhere. It does however have a slight mid-range bump. Some people simply cannot get over its lack of sparkle or character at the top.
- The shock mount that comes with it is good, but the P sounds can cause resonance if close to the mic.
- The proximity effect is good. You may not have to be right up on it to get a clear sound.
- It’s good with thin/sharp/nasally voices.
- Tightening the screw to hold the mic in places proves difficult.
- The Blue quad cables have been recommended a few times in my research.
- The mic has extremely low self-noise. It’s also good about rejecting background noise.
- Mic placement is key with the Baby Bottle.
Consensus/Conclusion
A versatile mic with a bad pop filter and a questionable shock mount design. Great on female vocals and acoustic guitar especially. The common complaint seems to be that some people aren’t digging the mid-range bump and would rather have some sparkle in the treble range.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both are very durable.
- Both are cardioid condenser microphones.
- Both are versatile.
Differences
- The C214 has a -20dB pad which gives a maximum SPL of 156dB. The Baby Bottle has no onboard features and its SPL is 133dB. The C214 also has a low-cut filter.
- The C214 comes with a shock mount and metal carry case while the Baby Bottle comes with a Wood Box, shock mount, and pop filter.
- The C214 does extremely well with rap vocals while the Baby Bottle does not.
- The Baby Bottle has a neutral and honest response. The C214 is meant to accentuate your vocals a bit. The great part about the 214 is that it’s also considered neutral, even with that warmth.
- The C214 does have that sparkle that the Bottle lacks. I would say this is the single biggest difference. The C214 is considered a bright mic, but not harsh/sibilant at all. What does Sibilant mean? By contrast, the Bottle is very dark, sort of like when you’ve had too much Jack Daniels. 😛
Final Word
The Bottle seems more of a specialty mic. Though it is pretty versatile, it’s still dark, and its mid-range kind of puts things into the background rather than bringing them into the forefront.
Today I’m recommending the 214 because it’s just a phenomenal all-around mic and an amazing solution to any dilemma. The fact that it shares the same capsule design with the legendary C414 speaks for itself really. What is a cardioid capsule? The 214 is actually my overall top pick for any mic in any price range. It’s just that good, and I really can’t recall hearing a bad word about it anywhere. It would be the one mic I’d recommend if I only could mention one. A deserted island sort of pick if you will.
Interested in learning more about the 214?
SEE MY AKG C214 CONDENSER MICROPHONE REVIEW!!
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the AKG C214 vs. Blue Baby Bottle.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these tickles your pickle? Are you convinced the 214 is superior? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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