WARM Audio WA-14SP REVIEW: 414EB inspired matched stereo pair!
3,6 / 5,0 | 
WARM Audio WA-14SP REVIEW – We take WARM’s 414EB inspired matched stereo pair set for a test drive. Does the WA-14 evoke the same tonality as the Austrian original? Does this newly released, matched stereo pair set offer good value for money?
WARM Audio WA-14SP REVIEW
We pride ourselves at Gearnews for having the latest news and reviews on the latest gear releases. However, I have a confession; the WA-14 isn’t strictly speaking a new release. In fact, if you’re getting deja vu, it’s because the WA-14 was released back in 2019! So why then, are we choosing to review the WA-14 now, in 2023?
Firstly, the WA-14 is potentially something of an overlooked gem; an affordable and accurately engineered replica of the much revered, and long discontinued, AKG 414EB. Secondly, WARM has finally released an official matched stereo pair. Up until now matched pairs of the WA-14 were only available in certain territories, and were distributor exclusives. Now, with the WA-14SP, you can buy a matched pair anywhere, at any time.
Austrian CK-12 Flavour
I’m going to dig into some music-tech history here because it’s important to understand why this microphone exists. Way back in the 1970s, AKG released the 414EB condenser microphone. The 414EB utilised the legendary, multi-pattern CK12 brass capsule (the same capsule found in equally legendary mics like the C12 and ELA M251). The 414EB used solid-state electronics and an output transformer and was a hugely successful microphone.
Despite the 414EB being the microphone of choice for such legendary singers as Freddie Mercury, AKG discontinued the EB version. The CK12 capsule was found to be very difficult to mass-produce, and subsequent versions of the 414 used a very different capsule.
To this day AKG has yet to offer a 414 microphone with the CK12 capsule and transformer output circuitry. So what do you do if you can’t afford the many thousands of dollars needed for a vintage original?
Source: WARM Audio
All the Right Ingredients?
Texas-based WARM Audio took on the task of recreating the original AKG 414EB. As with their other releases such as the WA-MPX, the focus is on authenticity of tone at a fair price. To this end, the WA-14 uses an authentic, edge-terminated, all-brass CK12-style capsule. Additionally, the Warm Audio WA-14 SP uses a US-made CineMag output transformer with solid-state circuitry. In other words, the same recipe as the original 414EB.
There are some differences worth mentioning: the WA-14 offers three selectable polar patterns (omni, fig 8 and cardiod) omitting the hyper-cardioid of the 414EB. The switchable high-pass filter of the 414 is also notable in its absence. However, I don’t see either of these omissions being an issue in a modern studio environment.
Forefront Vocals
So what does the WA-14 sound like then? I’ve used AKG microphones extensively in my professional career and so the “414 sound” is something I’m very accustomed to. Firstly, I tried the WA-14 on spoken word in a typical voice-over style application. Instantly, you’ll be rewarded with that characteristic AKG brightness and upfront “presence”. What’s key, however, is that brightness is also somehow quite rounded and soft. Sibilants never turn into a ball of white noise.
It’s fair to say, I think, that one of the key applications for the WA-14 will be in use as a vocal microphone. I recorded a couple of quick test takes on a track that I have in production at the moment. What instantly hit me, was how much “cut” this mic has in a dense mix. A touch of compression and the vocal was instantly forefront and forthright in the mix; I wouldn’t describe this as a “polite” sounding microphone! That’s no bad thing, however, as it can be a very useful tool when needed.
Versatile on Instruments
What’s the Warm Audio WA-14 SP like on instruments? Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to track any drums for the course of this review; an obvious application for a stereo pair of large diaphragm condensers like the WA-14SP kit. However, I did try the WA-14 on a few other typical sources…
Breaking out both of the mics in the WA-14SP set, I miced up a small low-wattage tube combo. I placed one mic in a cardioid pattern close up to the amp and the other a few feet away in omni directional pattern. Once again, the characteristics of the CK12-type capsule shone through. An upfront presence with rounded brightness and airiness. With that said, these mics don’t mask (or unwantedly flatter) the source. My crummy old tube combo still sounded like a crummy old tube combo, and that’s great!
Source: WARM Audio
Stereo Shenanigans
I then decided to try some proper stereo recording, utilising the included accessories in the WA-14SP kit. With a bit of careful jiggling, and using the array of polar patterns on offer, it’s possible to dial up most popular stereo mic configurations. I tried out ORTF, X/Y and Blumlein setups for this test, all of which offered something unique and different. It’s nice to be able to try these configurations out, right out of the box, without having to buy any extra accessories.
Tambourine, for example, had a nice shimmer and wide stereo field to it when played in front of the ORTF setup. Using a coincident pair, close miced on an old Yamaha acoustic guitar was lovely. It’s easy to see why 414 mics are often used as a standard on acoustic guitars. The bright, yet smooth character of the capsule complements the tonality of the acoustic guitar nicely.
Warm Audio WA-14SP: Good Value?
So to conclude this WARM Audio WA-14SP REVIEW, I must ask the question, does this new stereo kit offer good value for money? The stereo kit comes in at an MSRP of $849, which gives you two WA-14 microphones, a pair of shock mounts and conventional mounts, a stereo bar and a nice little latching case to keep them all in. For around 50 bucks less than buying two WA-14 mics separately, you get a factory-matched pair of mics, and some extras thrown in. So yes, on the face of things, there’s undeniable value on offer with this package.
Does the WA-14 evoke that Austrian magic of 414 mics of years gone by? Well, to my ears, these mics have a very obvious 414 tonality to them. Is the WA-14 an accurate recreation of the 414EB? Well, sadly I don’t have an original to perform an A/B upon. With that said the smooth brightness and forefront character of C12-style microphones is certainly here. If you’re considering buying a pair of large diaphragm condenser mics for your studio, then the Warm Audio WA-14SP set deserves strong consideration.
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