I’m in the market for a “sounds good on everything” multipattern w/a bit of the C414’s C12-derived neutral-yet-3D thing. I already have a 3U Warbler MKID, which is a great utility mic but noticeably punchy/meaty & U87ish; I love it & use it regularly, but also know its edges & contours (read: limits) at this point. Meanwhile, my CAD M179 - aka the “poor man’s C414” - is usable & fine, but has never, ever wowed me on anything (particularly vox!), so I’m scouting around for an upgrade.

I’ve looked at the C214, AA CM414, Warm WA14, Lewitt 640, and a few higher end utility mics (e.g. the Austria OC818), but my positive experience with 3U makes me wonder if their 251-voiced Warbler MKIVD - or C12-voiced MKIIID, for that matter - might cover this base for me. Has anyone used either the MKIV & the MKIII as a C414-esque all-rounder? And what’s the difference between the two in terms of versatility? I know the IV is “tuned” for vox, but does it acquit itself on other instruments? (I did like it as a mono drum OH in one of Ragan’s SoundCloud demos.) Alternately, does the III do convincing vox and/or excel at anything? I’m really curious if anyone has a read on that mic... It seems like a potential sleeper, as the I and the IV seem to get most of the oxygen in the 3U threads.

Warbler are well made. I almost pulled the trigger on the 251 ish tube version. But have too many mics as is. U check to see if he has a return or demo policy?

3U does have a 14-day return policy. Maybe I’ll order the III, IV, & GZ251 later this year and do a few shootouts on drums, vox, and guitar.

I also have too many mics, so I’m well aware this is just GAS on my part ;-) Thoughts still welcome though! I’d love to hear from someone who loves the III, IV, or both.

The IV is a great mic. I have a pair that I use all the time, mostly on classical guitar. Like a C414, it’ll work well on anything. I think it’s the best value in microphones. 3 polar patterns and 3 voicing options plus it sounds really good. I borrowed a friends C414 B-ULS pair and the IVs are very similar.

The III should be a smidge brighter than the IV. The III on Voice 2 probably sounds like the IV on Voice 1. I think Voice 3 on the IV is similar to Voice 1 of the Warbler 1 on the top end. The IV has more detail in the high end versus the Warbler 1.

I usually use Voice 2 on acoustic and classical guitars. Voice 2 has a pretty flat frequency response. I like Voice 1 when I use it for vocals. Overall, it has a very pleasant top end and takes eq well.

All-in-all, you can get a pair of 3U’s for less than one new C-414. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a III or IV.

I was hesitant to reply, because I don’t have experience with the warbler mkiv. But the gz251 did replace a c414 as my main ldc mic (I’m mostly a one man operation so I don’t require much). I couldn’t be happier with the gz251 compared to the c414. They aren’t the same mic, but I believe they both work in similar applications. They are both relaxed in the midrange, not much of that Neumann push.

They may share a similar frequency response, but the gz251 has a thicker, more transformer colored sound, whereas the c414 is much more neutral sounding. I simply find the gz251 to be a more inspiring mic than the c414. It’s fun to sing into, as much as a mic can be fun, and makes my voice sound bigger than it is, whereas I found the c414 kind of “bland”. Bland can be good for utility purposes, but the gz251 has worked well on most sources I’ve thrown at it.

Hope this helps!

Considering there is some variance with the definition, what is the midrange in your book ?

I consider low mids to be roughly 200-1000 hz and mids and high mids roughly 1000-5000 hz. The area I was speaking about particularly is somewhere in the 2000-5000 hz range. When I say relaxed, I mean I find those two mics to share the attribute of being forgiving in that particular area. Indeed, both of these mics share a slight dip at 2000 hz, which may partly account for what I’m hearing.

Thanks, that matches what my ears were hearing when I shot out a 414 EB (Teflon capsule) against the 3U mics.

However above 5 kHz, the Teal CM-1 / Warbler IV / GZ251 have a notable rise compared to the reasonably flat EB. The GZ251 is my favourite 3U mic though I don’t own one (I just had an opportunity to test them all).

The Warbler III is even brighter, like many modern mics that are styled after the later era C12.

It’s good to hear about 251. It’s probably the only flavor I don’t have. I think if u email maybe he can work something out w a demo

It’s a great mic. That rise above 5khz is the only area that has proven problematic on occasion. Some of his mics, such as the gz67fet, are advertised as featuring “reduced sibilance” and have a small dip in the 5-10khz range right before their upper end lift. The gz251 doesn’t have this, and is sibilant on my girlfriend’s voice (although it sounds fantastic on her voice, sibilance notwithstanding) and can bring out some harshness in my voice if I’m not careful with my technique (I’m not a trained singer).

All that said, I wouldn’t call it a bright mic, either. The lift is quite pleasing and helps give sources that larger than life quality, along with its low mid weight.

If I was in your boots right now, Perhaps a pair of CM49LE or U89's. Get's it done without spending too much.

Not considering cost

For all around,
TLM170

Both lack color or warmth, but give all the detail
Austrian Audio OC 818
Sanken CU41

If you want a bit of color,
Toneluxe 37
Horche 47

bomb proof
KSM44

If you also want it to be useful live: KMS105

If you want some darkness to it, AEA 44

Soyuz gets praise, have never used.

Have you used the MKIV too? I'm looking for a good multi-pattern for a very focused mids male vocal and the MK IV and GZ251 are interesting options.

The MKIV has a wonderful fullness to it, but the 251 sounds like it would sit in a mix better after de-essing. Both have a nice depth and that high end 3-D sound, something I'm not really getting with my mics for this type of voice.

I haven’t. But from what I know they should be quite similar tonally. I think the way they sit in a mix would be comparable.

Update: After briefly hankering for a GZ251 - I found I wanted my all-rounder to excel on vox - I ended up grabbing a Vanguard V13 tube mic. Only done a test or two, but I think it was a solid long-term investment. Still may grab another 3U in the future, but currently quite comfy with the V13 as my 251/C12-adjacent go-to mic.