Is This $11,000 Microphone Actually Worth It? (Sony C800g Review, Audio Examples, Mic Shootout)

[@MakePopMusic]

What's your favorite mic?!

[@joeygproducedit7863]

yes 😁

[@MrJayBeatstv]

Mic 5 sounded great

[@vodkastudios4170]

Sennheiser e835, no need to buy anything else for what I do. In general you can EQ most mic recordings to sound how it needs to sound for the track and vocal.

[@rnbyido]

Elam 251

[@PaulEubanks]

3,5,&9 were my faves. Now I need to go look at see which ones those were.

[@jasonk125]

Is This $11,000 Microphone Actually Worth It? No.

[@delicateofficial7670]

you can never say that. it might be worth it for one person and be a horrible choice for someone else. your perfect mic can cost 60 dollars or 11k. you can just not generalise with sth that depends so heavily on a unique voice

[@BelllllAA-x8l]

@@delicateofficial7670You kinda can say that. The “actually worth it” means “is it sonically that much better than other mics” and that answer is clearly no. Especially after processing. That’s why Austin went into such detail about why he bought it, as it’s not just about the sound. It’s basically a statement piece. Something that says “look I’m a pro” to artists considering hiring you. It’s a Ferrari- overpriced as a car, but not as a symbol.

[@aemproductions8356]

Its actually $15K

[@JuanNungaray]

don't hate because you can't afford it. lmfao

[@ladex142online]

I guess you can justify it as a business expense and a Tax write-off 😂, rather than paying it to the government.

[@JackDenning]

As someone with similar vocals, who has tried thousands of dollars worth of mics, preamps, etc. It's super validating to hear mic 2 performed well for you guys. That's the one I've settled on to cut vocals & I've been so happy with it! Congrats on this milestone - this is a huge win!

[@MarifiliaSiori]

Your videos come out an hour before I finish working - always ending my week on a perfect note! Thanks man

[@carriesolomonmusic]

Mic sounds amazing! Crystal clear, bright but not harsh and still full. One day I want one😏

[@owziemusic]

the video we’ve all been waiting for

[@davidasher22]

No mic should cost that much money. That said, I think the Sony was either 7 or 4.. possibly 8. 5 and 9 sounded the worst. The rest sounded really good, just not as saturated in the top end like i would expect from the Sony. Fun video!

[@ColeMizeStudios]

Super helpful video Austin, it was fun doing the blind test plus it removes any bias from our true feelings on how each mic actually sounds. Keep up the awesome work! Much respect! ✌😎 - Cole Mize

[@tommorton7211]

Your partnership with Miranda continues to inspire.

[@1BLiViON1]

Thank you for the content, brother. It's always a pleasure to see the upload notification.

[@precisionsoundworksstudio]

The Sony C800G... just what the doctor ordered. Awesome vid, Austin. Always love your content.

[@benjaminsweetmilk5013]

Can’t get enough of your videos! ❤

[@levelc1976]

I loved this mic shoot out! Very eye opening and helpful to hear the differences and not knowing what they were at the time.. Thank you!

[@richertz]

The Sony C80, very close sound, same capsule materials, significanly cheaper. I use this mic and with a bit of EQ you are in the same playing field. I doubt the C800 is a waste of money as it probably holds its value but you need to be able to justify it.

[@jediae]

im buying this mic next i see no one speak about it much but i think its probably a really good mic in its price range

[@bridgeportquess220]

The C80 is one of my favorites!

[@neveyo2239]

Thank you for you honest opinion!! Learned a lot from this channel! ❤

[@luislaboy86]

I really liked mic 7 I’m impressed with the reveal, thanks for doing this

[@ProdWoo]

Sounds like the Sony the the Eden were the favs of Miranda, I'm guessing.

[@TheRealSandman]

I loved the sound of #4 in the shootout & thought it was the best... after seeing what mic number 4 was it was the microphone I always use for my vocals so it's great to see it getting some love!

[@JackRollinsonMusic]

Great comparison and super interesting results. Thanks Austin!

[@RobertSandifer]

Love this video! I’m so glad you love the mic. It is such a sick piece to add to the collection!

[@studio_person]

I was comparing it on my vocals vs Telefunken ELAM 251 and despite ELAM was more smooth and less sibilant I still decided to use Sony because it was bringing me more forward and bright sound I was looking for.

[@MakePopMusic]

that forward punch really is unmatched

[@FedoraRose]

One microphone that is often overlooked on KZbin is the Manley reference cardiod, which is just so good.

[@MakePopMusic]

I know a ton of people who love it but that mic has never done it for me personally.

[@aeiplanner]

too harsh and sterile. no bueno....especially for the money.

[@Matifara]

Just loving your content

[@alainpatry]

13:49 I'm happy you included the Slate emulation in your shootout!

[@marcusmittila]

Thank you for the video. Interesting stuff!

[@AdamStantonMusic]

I fully agree that Mic 4 was overall the best. Thanks for this!

[@aleksamrkela831]

Glad you're happy with your purchase! I do not jive with the (IMO) extremely bright sound of the C800 at all, but I don't want to rain on your parade. :D

[@MakePopMusic]

I get it, but I don’t find it extremely bright tbh. It’s bright but it’s even and controlled to me personally.

[@Frank290578]

Nice video🙂. I have the neumann u87ai . And the avalon vt737sp. And ad2022.

[@josuamuller4543]

love the new "old" hair

[@NickJacobsMusic]

holy, the vocals at 9:00 without the plugins already sound so good!

[@MakePopMusic]

I was shocked how clear my vocals with NOTHING were. I ran it through my actual analog vocal chain to and I swear to god I may never need to process it in the box hahaha

[@NickJacobsMusic]

@@MakePopMusic I can definitely relate! (although not an 11k mic) I recently got a Universal Audio Bock 187 mic, a good pre-amp and an analog wa-2a and it feels like black magic! A bit of EQ and the vocals feel so dope already!

[@chloemartiniofficial]

Amazing mic! If by any chance, one day you'll be able to get a hold of Stam Audio's clone (the newer version) SA-800G then pls compare it with the original Sony. Some say it's the best clone.

[@combs08]

On my ten year old TV (great for testing audio 😂) i still preferred the 4 on all ranges, the 7 sounded great with the low range too but 4 was the only real standout across the board. There were others that sounded pretty "bad" across the board too. Excited to see the results!

[@MakePopMusic]

Hahahaha it's wild how EVERY source and EVERY person so far has said 4 on top, 7 right after

[@Simsomsss]

Wake up mum- Austin dropped a new Video!

[@KordTaylor]

❤ Cool. I was the first GC Pro guy in the Bay Area. Great connect man. And wow, Miranda is such a gem 💎 My poor wife has to deal with both me AND my kid with gear stuff. 😂

[@illangelo.]

Great work man thanks for doing this

[@VictoriaWhitlock]

That’s crazy. I liked 4,5, and 7

[@americanantagon1st]

I was surprised by Mic 9. I think that something may be wrong with yours. I have the other flagship mic from the same company and it requires no top end boost. Thanks for sharing.

[@novylux]

"hi guys! :)" - miranda @ 5:20

[@MattShockley]

Can you get the Sony C100 and compare and see how much different they are with your golden ears and eq talents?

[@MakePopMusic]

It won’t be anything alike. It isn’t a tube mic, it uses a different capsule, all different electronics on the inside. It’s basically like comparing any other $1000 mic to a C800.

[@MattShockley]

@@MakePopMusic quite possibly so but you used a bunch of non Sony mics in this vid that I prob never wouid have reached for. I think with your talents you could possibly make the C100 sound almost identical at a fraction of the price. My main mic is Telefunken U47 on nearly every song I release however, I did use the C100 and noticed it has a much tighter and forward sound which I can def hear from the C800. I have never sang through C800. The C100 needed way more De-essing though than the U47. But I think it would make for a great comparison if you could do a comparison video for us and try and make it work for the person who can not afford to own the C800. The top mics typically are the telefunken U47, telefunken ElA m251, Neumann U67, Sony c800, & shure SM7b. Beyond those, seems it’s hit or miss. But not everyone has your skills and clearly you can make average gear sound really great.

[@TannerByTheSea]

Get the Hazzelrig VLC & VNE.. stick a fork in it! I heard you giving shout outs.. definitely thank your wife! 🙏🏼 she sounds super cool like my wife! It is an investment nice work, brother! Respect

[@MakePopMusic]

Working on it!! The Hazelrigg stuff is my favorite hardware I’ve ever used. It’s so good

[@alstontyler4788]

I have an Eden and I can say on this shootout it sounded like one of the worst. Which mic voicing did you have it set to? 7 sounded the best to me!

[@ProdLucio]

hey do you think you can make a video on how your room is treated to record

[@MakePopMusic]

Got a studio tour coming in the next couple months!

[@straighttrippingmusic]

I liked 1 and 4, 4 was better than 1.. also liked 7.. I thought 4 was better with every test.. 1 and 7 didn't sound as good with later tests. When I watched a different youtube video of sony 800, i also commented that it sounded as if there is some built in compression on high end. thanks for sharing!

[@marcelcomello620]

Overall i though the Slate was the most under-performing, at least on your voice. Not sure how the other emulations are but honestly, I'd rather buy the best "real" mic within my budget, that meets my vocal needs. Thanks for sharing the shootout, great to hear the tonal differences between these mics AND between these ranges.

[@MakePopMusic]

I 100% agree.

[@marcelcomello620]

One additional thought... for the price of that one Sony mic, you could literally buy ALL the other microphones in the test, and still have change left for a 1073 and a decent compressor ;-) ouch!

[@stevenmalibu25]

I actually liked mic 5 the most.. slightly more than 4.. and after seeing the key I'm surprised.

[@sideast]

What's it going into ???? How did the telefunken compare?? What pre amps do you have ?

[@MakePopMusic]

The shootout and tests were all straight into the interface. I usually use a RND Newton or a Heritage HA81A. I didn’t compare this to a telefunken directly. But the 251 generally has a little more air above 12k and less punch around the high mids.

[@bmerd1969]

Sound great 👍

[@Animetrix-WAV]

the GA8000 or the Stan Audio are absolutely enough. The differences are absolutely not worth the price difference of 10k.

[@Azz2584]

Thank you!

[@MichaeLance]

Yikes! 💰Good on you man! It’s pretty

[@danielslovak827]

Probably not the best mic, but recently, I've been really loving the SC-1 from universal audio 😅

[@Circharles]

In this day and age with technology and how much the audio world has evolved. This mic is not a must have. Too many great microphones out now. Dont get me wrong, this microphone is a great mic. If you have the money go for it. Just know you are buying the name and the reputation. It doesnt devalue. Its just not a “ must have” to make great records.

[@MakePopMusic]

Exactly my thoughts

[@ProducerStefanSchnabel]

If you have a chance take a test for the: Advanced Audio cm800t ✌🏻😉

[@MakePopMusic]

I've heard the AA and I don't like it at all. It doesn't sound anything like a Sony to me. The Golden Age clone is amazing and I've heard great things about the Stam clone too.

[@ProducerStefanSchnabel]

@ oh okay. Thank you for your feedback. Much fun with the original. ✨🎶🙂✌🏻

[@aeiplanner]

Winner of the shootout - Slate ML1. Throw a FabFilter MB at 230Hz -10db + 460Hz -2db (super narrow fast att/rel + infinity ratio), add expander band at 3200Hz (+2.5db). Add Slate Revival Thickness +13-18 and it beats the Sony all day long.

[@MakePopMusic]

It’s so interesting how different peoples ears and taste are because I truly hated that one. No low end, it sounded cold and stale, and the sibilance was wild. It felt super one dimension compared to every other mic in the shootout to me personally.

[@aeiplanner]

@@MakePopMusic Well, I'm going for "finished sound" that would sit in a pop track. I feel like C800, if pushed would bring some of the abrasiveness in the high end out. Slate, after those adjustments I describe, doesn't need any more high end boost. One thing that I feel the ML-1 does lack is the the weight in the voice crackle. I think maybe some low band saturation would help there.

[@bradenandre2298]

Totally unrelated but what watch is that? It’s sick!

[@MakePopMusic]

Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 5! Was in the market to get a Tudor Black Bay but then I had to go and spend $11k on a mic lol

[@TheBigViktor]

Sorry, but how u get the black color bars on windows window? 😀

[@MakePopMusic]

We just crop it in premiere pro

[@keenanearle2173]

Ah yes...music gear more expensive than my car. Classic

[@claytonsturgeon7900]

Sorry bout ur car

[@diegooliveirabenjamin]

I recently bought a PRS Custom 24, worth 35k here in Brazil, that’s literally like if it’s worth 6k in the US, cus our currency worth shit, anyways, I never though it would make a difference since I have other guitars to do my job, well, I’m glad i bought it, makes me happy everyday, pays off at the studio, and I already received offers to sell for a profit if a want. So yeah, buys are very relative…

[@delicateofficial7670]

where do I see which mic was which?

[@berdeauxlaveau6515]

LAUTEN AUDIO EDEN OR SONY C800?

[@Circharles]

@@berdeauxlaveau6515 epic. Exactly what i commented. Too many great microphones nowadays.

[@berdeauxlaveau6515]

@ I really would love a shootout of both mics.

[@luislaboy86]

I downloaded the files and the answer key but there was no list as to which mics maybe I missed something s they were maybe i missed something

[@luislaboy86]

Nevermind I found it Duh

[@KiDAppleBorg]

Awesome tool; that heat sink is dope and massive. However, even if it was a plastic spoon, Sony would charge 3x for it. It’s their business model.

[@MakePopMusic]

Not wrong hahaha

[@e.apollis2877]

Mxl has mic comparable for $250! Advanced Audio Microphones copies supposedly better sounding coz Dave knows his stuff!

[@anythingsimple1125]

Imo The sibilant problem is enginers Who just put expensive mics on artist Like if an artist could use a darker mic the just use a bright one bcs its expensive And then boost the High end with eq bcs everyone does that

[@MakePopMusic]

That! AND most people try to mix a c800 or 251 like a u87 or something and it's just SO different. I think most people WAY overcook their C800 with eq. It doesn't need that much tbh.

[@KeyfloMusic]

imho, the best capture for the c800g is a warmer preamp, because you can really hear those highs get aggressive on a singer who's tone is prominent in the high mid to high end range. Belting into that mic it begins to get harsh. Again just my opinion. The 251 however, I feel is better than the c800. Another thing, for mics like these, don't waste time on the clones, because they will disappoint and make you feel like the real deals aren't worth it. Dope video Austin.

[@DarkTrapStudio]

You haven't heard the Stam one, sound amazing, nothing like Warm Audio.

[@Des_Armoni]

Fax u need the cl1b with the c800. Thats what most studios combine it with anyway BUT still the very best possible mic or a 251

[@JuanNungaray]

nah the 251 wont beat the Sony, tried them both on different sources, The Sony came home with me.

[@ericlee5935]

Nice, 4 every time, and I also liked 7

[@ripdocholiday9650]

that shit sounds sizzled as hell and that sizzle is hard to get out ,

[@Des_Armoni]

C800 is unmatched unless u use the 251

[@MakePopMusic]

I’ll get one of those eventually

[@lilwombat]

i liked 4,7,8. 1 and 3 were really good. the others i did not like at all. 5 being the worst which makes total sense after seeing what it is. when i first heard that mic demo'd i just thought it sounded bad like not even in comparison to anything just really strange sounding. the one from the other company that does one like that also sounds odd.

[@sideast]

I would sell this mic and get a telefunken , 47, Neve 1073 and tube tech comp !

[@MakePopMusic]

47 is wayyyyy too dark for my taste

[@BeyondAFeeling]

I saw you commenting on mike dean's insta-post haha!! Great choice very amazing microphone, enjoy recording :)

[@MakePopMusic]

Mike is the goat

[@BeyondAFeeling]

@@MakePopMusic Yessir, sure is

[@chrisi245]

Oh Yeah 🎉

[@ThomasPenninger]

Please please please brent iii type song soon 🙏🙏🙏

[@MrJayBeatstv]

After seeing the key I feel that I have horrible hearing lol

[@charlie4460]

okay this is pain, i cant even buy one of your packs :((

[@IHNTDIB]

me here watching video about professional mic while using iphone as my main mic✌️

[@MakePopMusic]

iphone mic kinda hits though tbh

[@IHNTDIB]

@ ikrrr 🥹😂

[@bradenandre2298]

That’s a pretty expensive mic bro…

[@future_Victoryofficial]

WA-8000 is near this mic 98/100

[@MateuszKoscielny]

I jumped straight into a shootout and bro, C800 is great, but $289 for LA220 is a real bargain. Is this the best budget mic on the market? In my opinion yes

[@MakePopMusic]

The 220 and the JZ Blackhole 2 were show stealers at their price range! The only mics I actually hated were the SM7b and the AA 251. The rest were all solid. Eden and C800 were next level though.

[@MateuszKoscielny]

​@@MakePopMusic good to hear it, I'm not too fond of the sound of SM7b either. Even its lookalike from Universal Audio, the SD1 mic is way better and has a brighter and more pleasant sound. I'm in the SM7 hate club ngl🤣

[@kingech_B15]

Sony

[@jzg7890]

Forget the hardware compressor and get a bae 1073

[@MakePopMusic]

I normally use the RND Newton but I am looking into a Neve 1073 for the rig!

[@joeygproducedit7863]

AUSTIN IS NOT A CLONE!

[@andreasedenekendahl1770]

Thank you so much for this video! Was just listening in my MM-500's to your recordings and tried just a tiny bit of compression + reverb and the Eden mic sounds the best in my opinion, at least on your voice. The Sony mic is such an amazing tool to have, so congrats on getting your hands on one! .........lil' question.........What analogue gear did you use to record the vocals for the piano song?

[@MakePopMusic]

No analog gear! It was all straight into my RME UFXii mic in. My normal chain is the RND Newton or the Heritage HA81A into an AudioScape 76d and Opto Comp

[@andreasedenekendahl1770]

@@MakePopMusic which settings on the Eden mic did you use? Neutral?

[@MakePopMusic]

Forward

[@vilgaxrecords]

First!

[@rd1of1]

So you basically didn’t reveal the shootout so no one knows what mics you used for any takes 😂 smh

[@MakePopMusic]

There’s an answer key available. Every time I do a shootout and have the answers anywhere on the video people flip out.

[@gabrielhues]

Not from temu 😂

[@JuanNungaray]

how far were you from the Sony when singing? cheers great video

[@MakePopMusic]

About 10 inches back from all mics

[@pskitalez]

ку

[@hicpb-q1f]

my Rode NT1 A sound better

[@MakePopMusic]

thoughts and prayers to your eardrums 🙏🏻

[@hicpb-q1f]

@@MakePopMusic my comment was ironic ,but thank you, the sony company is a scam as well as their music company.... tell me some classic recorded with this mic .... I love 2pac ,50 cent , Eminem , MJ , until new singers come and records with Sony and they all sound like me on a Rode Nt1

[@macmoll]

If you think I’m going to go to a link and find the results… you’re wrong. Thumbs down

[@MakePopMusic]

New to blind shootouts? 😂

[@DanBeats_music]

Austin, I am Ukrainian developer and i have music generator that maybe change music industry. Can you send me work email that i can you send a beta version of my generator. Please send me a work email or say how i can contact with you because i need that bloggers testing my product, but i can't to contact because many email addresses work with soft.

[@thesecretsoundlab]

Was that B roll or a strip tease??? 🫣😂

[@yljastin]

WHATTT THEE HEEEELL. IIIIIS. REAAALL????!!