Warm Audio WA-14

Warm Audio WA-14 Condenser Microphone

Warm Audio has continued its trend of creating modern reproductions of classic studio gear. Over the years, they have released multiple microphones including the WA-47 and WA-87, clones of Neumann’s legendary U47 and U87 microphones. In this article, we review the Warm Audio WA-14 large diaphragm condenser microphone (see current price), a recreation of the legendary AKG C414. Let’s give you a quick rundown on the C414 as we start this review.

The Legendary AKG C414

The AKG C414 first emerged in the 1970s (as the AKG C414 EB). Its magic was its all-brass “CK12” capsule. This marvelous capsule combined with its versatile polar patterns selector made the C414 an incredibly versatile weapon in the studio. Its smooth and rich high-end sound driven by its shimmering capsule fueled its reputation. It was a hit-maker in the 70s and 80s, being used on countless records from artists such as Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, Luther Vandross, and Hall & Oates. 

However, over the years, the design of the C414 underwent many changes. The most important and controversial change was its shift from using the coveted all-brass CK12 capsule to a nylon version of the capsule which was less expensive to produce. Although the switch to the nylon capsule resulted in a more neutral sound, newer models of the C414 seemed to lose that unique high-end sound character that made the C414 so popular.

Not all the changes were bad, though. AKG continued to make incremental improvements, including build improvements to make the C414 more durable (the C414 EB was notoriously fragile) and design improvements resulting in less noise and greater output. AKG learned from feedback over the years, culminating in their most recent C414, the AKG C414 XLII & XLS.

A Blend of C414s

Let’s be clear that the Warm Audio WA-14 is not a direct recreation of the legendary C414 EB, but what Warm Audio seems to have done is incorporate the best of elements throughout the C414’s evolution. Of course, Warm Audio’s goal has mainly been to provide high-quality gear at a more affordable price. So, the WA-14 is not “Version 2.0” of the C414 EB, but rather a lower cost version of the “general” C414 with its focus on recreating the C414 EB’s all-brass capsule. 

With that said, let’s go ahead and dive into our review of Warm Audio’s WA-14.

WA-14: Build and Design

The first thing you’ll notice when you see the Warm Audio WA-14 is that it doesn’t quite look like the C414. In fact, it wasn’t even clear to us that the WA-14 was a recreation of the C414 until we read that it was. The C414, especially the older models, have a very distinctive angular design. The WA-14 has a softer, rounded design and is also significantly larger than the C414.

The size difference and round edges makes the WA-14 look bulkier and one might even say, clunkier, than the cool and compact C414. On the flip side, the WA-14 maintains a similar color scheme to the modern C414s (specifically the C414 XLS) with its near-black base and beautiful silver grille. If you squint your eyes you might even suspect that the WA-14’s grille is a bit shinier. On the front of the microphone, are two switches, one allowing you to switch between polar patterns and a pre-attenuation switch for lowering your input level (we’ll get more into this later).

Although this microphone is rounder and larger, the WA-14 still keeps the same general shape of the C414, including the basket-like diaphragm and rectangular base along with the distinctive XLR connector on its bottom. It may have a “cheaper” look than the C414, but it is solid and overall, feels pretty durable. But, what really matters is the hardware that this mic is packing, so what about what’s inside?

Capsule Design

As we mentioned, at the heart of the original C414’s sound is its legendary brass capsule, the CK12. The one component that Warm Audio most aimed to accurately replicate in order to deliver the sought after sound similar to the C414 EB is this capsule. Warm Audio claims to have spent several years of research and “a lifetime of listening and a passion for great sound” in the development of their version of the CK12, resulting in the LK-12-B-60V.

The LK-12-B-60V is an all-brass design similar to the CK12 manufactured by Warm Audio’s sub-company “Lens Kondensator”. Like the CK12, it is also an edge-terminated capsule (“edge-fed”) in which the electrical lead is attached to the edge of the diaphragm, rather than to the center. One major difference between these two capsules is that the WA-14 uses the more modern CEK-12 backplate not found with the original C414 EB. This was a major manufacturing limitation of the original CK12 capsule and allows the WA-14 capsule to be manufactured in high numbers. 

Warm Audio states that the O-ring and housing of the LK-12-B60V are all-brass with no teflon parts. The diaphragm is 24k gold sputtered 6 micron, NOS Japanese PET film (mylar). The WA-14 also contains a USA-made custom premium Cinemag transformer and a fully discrete signal path.

The LK-12-B-60V capsule differs in other regards, such as being larger than the CK-12 (which can have some negative effects, especially with off-axis recording) and is of much simpler construction. Nonetheless, Warm Audio has done a great job in their design to mimic a great deal of the sound character of the legendary CK-12 capsule.

But, how exactly does the sound of the WA-14 compare?

WA-14: Sound Quality

Obviously, due to the differences in design that allows the WA-14 to be much more affordable, you shouldn’t expect the same level of sound quality from this microphone as the legendary C414 EB. However, you should expect a similar sound character and hope for as good of a sound as possible at its price.

The WA-14 indeed succeeds at achieving many of the sonic qualities of the C414 EB while sounding great at its price. This microphone offers a clean smooth sound that doesn’t sound too bright or hyped. Although slightly warmer, the frequency response is overall very similar to the C414 EB. The WA-14 particularly shines on overhead drums, acoustic guitars and other sounds with a lot of punch and high-end presence. However, what really surprised us is how the WA-14 shines on female vocals, delivering a shimmering sound without any bright harshness.

Like the C414, the WA-14 allows you to switch between polar patterns. However, unlike the original C414 that has four patterns, the WA-14 only has three to select from. Nonetheless, Warm Audio kept the most important polar patterns on the WA-14 which includes cardioid, figure-eight, and omnidirectional patterns. This makes the WA-14 very useful in a variety of recording scenarios. For example, you can pair up the WA-14’s figure-8 pattern with a cardioid microphone for stereo mid-side recording or capture the sound of an entire room with its omnidirectional pattern.

Cons & Criticisms

On the negative side, the WA-14 does not do as well when recording off-axis as the C414. This makes the WA-14 somewhat less versatile than the C414, experiencing significant coloration outside of its recording axis. This can make it a little tougher to record boomy sound sources that are heavily affected by the proximity effect. This issue is exacerbated by the WA-14 not having a low-cut switch allowing you to roll off low frequencies as the C414 has.

The WA-14 also seems to suffer from a low output level, requiring more gain to drive it than many other condensers in its price range. Although the low-cut switch is not present, the WA-14, however, does keep its pre-attenuation switch, allowing you to pad your signal for very loud recording sources. 

Despite the differences, the WA-14 still delivers an outstanding sound at its price range sharing many of the subtle vintage characteristics found in the C414 EB.

WA-14 Technical Specs:

• 3 Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Figure-8, Omnidirectional
• Frequency Reponse: 20hz to 20khz
• Max SPL: 105dB SPL
• Pre-Attenuation Settings: 0dB, -10dB, -20dB
• Impedance: 150 ohms
• 48v Phantom Power Required: Yes
• Output Type: Balanced 3-pin XLR
• Diaphragm Size: 1″ (2.54cm)
• Weight: 1 lbs (.45kg)

What’s Included?

Included with the WA-14 is a carrying pouch, hard mount and shock mount. This microphone also includes a 1-year warranty which is a pleasant surprise. As it comes to the shock mount, if you’ve ever owned a C414 then you’ve probably used AKG’s signature shock mount. AKG’s C414 has one of the best shock mounts in the game. However, Warm Audio’s shock mount does without the brilliant one-turn locking mechanism found in the C414. Instead, you’re forced to lock the microphone via a clamping screw found on the lower ring of the mount. The one-sided screw can also cause the WA-14 to sit somewhat tilted. This can be compensated by adjusting the tripod joint, but nonetheless, can be an annoyance.

Final Review

After review, what we found with the WA-14 is a great sounding microphone that can surprisingly hang with much more expensive condenser microphones. Brass capsule mics can be incredibly expensive. Although the WA-14 implements a much simpler capsule than found in the C414 EB, it still captures many of the subtle vintage characteristics found in the C414.

If you’re looking for a microphone that can provide you with versatility in the studio, with a smooth high-quality sound (especially on female vocals), we’re not sure there’s a better option at its price than the WA-14. For that reason, we highly recommend the WA-14 as an alternative to the higher priced C414. It’s a great option for beginners looking to upgrade their entry-level condenser to something more versatile with a tasteful sound character. With the WA-14, Warm Audio continues to do a hell of a job at re-creating legendary gear at an affordable price.

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