This Microphone On Acoustic Guitar Sounds AMAZING! // Austrian Audio CC8

In this video we're talking about the Austrian Audio CC8 cardioid small-diaphragm true condenser microphone. This is a very detailed microphone which makes it great for acoustic guitar. I was hugely impressed with the sound of this mic. In this video we test it against the classic Neumann KM-184.
Austrian Audio CC8
Europe: www.thomann.de/de/austrian_au...
USA: sovrn.co/odnrmhd
Neumann km-184
Europe: www.thomann.de/intl/neumann_k...
USA: sovrn.co/1jcye0d
(affiliate links, I get a few % if you buy through them)
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[@FabianHollandGuitar]

I should also mention that I was not endorsed by Austrian Audio to make this video so all my comments and opinions about the mic are unbiased.

[@wolfgangillgen3756]

I like the Austrian Audio mic sound better. I am about to getting mine next week. My Sweetwater sales engineer recommended those and I am very excited.

[@rasikpadavali]

Nice.. detailed information about this Austrian audio an amazing mic..

[@christianlacheze3323]

In all cases, delightful playing!

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks 🙏

[@katukavo]

Good comparison, I liked the sensational Austrian, the best of all!

[@leftofcenter4]

Your definitely movie a sound track or HBO series type of playing style bro.,…Brilliant just outstanding..and you have an honest passion when your playing..

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed the video 😊👍

[@BrianSladek]

Gefell m300’s are my favorite! I bought and tried the KM184, RN17, M60, CC8, Schoeps MK4, and finally was happiest with the gefell

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Brian, I haven't tried any Microtech Gefell mics yet, but I'd love to, they look great! Thanks for the input 🙂👍

[@andretim75]

haha -- well, they ( Gefell m300) are at least twice the price of the CC8 -- so totally different league here . Not comparable !

[@mabelem3618]

both of them are really great mics, i got myself the CC8 it has a bit of a warmer sound compared to the 184 according to my ears. Great guitarplay as well !!!! that first melody you are playing is very catchy.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi thanks for the comment!! Yeah the CC8 definitely has some magic going on for sure! Glad you enjoyed the video and the guitar playing. Did you already have the CC8 before you watched this?

[@mabelem3618]

@@FabianHollandGuitar when i was hunting for a small diaphragm condenser for recording acoustic guitar, i was watching all kind of videos, and yours did for sure strenghen my desicion to go for the cc8. there are so many great mics out there and i very much appreciate channels like yours, that help the community to navigate through that wide market to find a decision :)

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

I was absolutely blown away with this mic. So much detail and precision yet very full and rich. I'm very interested in all your thoughts and opinions on this!

[@schlep4730]

Hi Fabian - great demo, and more importantly, great playing / music. The 'sound' is pretty great too - did you record directly to your Zoom H4N ? What did you do in post ? EQ, etc ? thanks

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed the video. Yes I went straight from my preamp into the zoom H4N Pro and then did nothing in post so I used just the raw audio captured by the zoom. Thanks

[@vincenteoppolo9025]

Been using 184’s for years and occasionally 451’s. Picked up an oc818 about a year ago and love it. I have to say these cc8’s are gorgeous. I’m thinking about a matched pair of these or 2 Gefell m 300’s

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Vincent, thanks for the comment! Ah yeah the oc818 is an amazing mic, I really like it as well. Yeah I was really impressed with the cc8, I've heard the Gefell is also really good but I'm still yet to try one.

[@Es2.0]

For me, the CC8 just misses the details that transport the magic, the KM184 sounds incredible in this setup!

[@BucoBucolini]

After some back and forth I'd say CC8 is more forward sounding which then gives it a bit more low end which then makes it sound fuller. But I'd give the 184 the advantage of being more natural, uncolored and unbiased, even though I don't really know what your guitar sounds like in person, just my impression. Both sound fantastic, you've really nailed the process of recording the acoustic guitar.

[@waterlandaudio5687]

I agree, you've summarised the differences really well, but they are subtle and I'm not sure which one I prefer - if any. As you say, they both sound fantastic, plus the sound is impressively full-bodied for a single microphone recording.

[@BucoBucolini]

@@waterlandaudio5687 thanks, his recordings sound really, really good. I need to go back to Fabian's earlier videos and see what I can replicate with my TLM102.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Buco, thanks for the comment. I agree the CC8 definitely has more low end and yeah the 184 has a bit more of an uncoloured sound to it. The CC8 is still very good for being half the price of the 184. Also having the high pass filter on the mic I'm considering using the CC8 as my on stage mic.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

@@BucoBucolini I find a lot can be said for a good sounding guitar and fresh strings. What you use to pick the guitar I find makes a huge difference, for example someone who picks with their bare fingers (no nails) will sound completely different to a picker with using nails or someone using finger picks. I use my nails to pick with but I shape them in a way so that I can use the skin on my fingers to hit the strings with as well. This gives me the best of both worlds. You should be able to get a great sound with a TLM102 though.

[@BucoBucolini]

@@FabianHollandGuitar for the in-house built mic by the veterans from AKG, that price is incredible. I mean, I personally have no problem when electronics are creating a new magic that may not be present in the instrument to begin with. If it sounds good well then it sounds good and CC8 does and then some.

[@minutemaid123]

Great guitar playing and recording! These two mics have different sounds that should be used in different applications and type of the songs that are being recorded. I prefer the Neumann to be used in a dense mix but for soloistic or for mellow tunes the CC8 would be appropriate. It would be ideal to have both as your collection. The price on the AA’s are really great while the Neumann’s hold their value.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the input. Yeah absolutely both mics would shine in different applications. I like how they both sound on solo guitar but I don’t really record much else apart from guitar and vocals ☺️

[@soundman1402]

The Neumann is a fine mic, but it actually sounds a bit brittle in comparison to the CC8. The CC8 is more mid-forward, and a bit darker. However, with such a smooth response, the CC8 would "take EQ" very well, and would probably be quite easy to mix to taste! I have a set of Josephson C42s that I love for acoustic guitar for its pushed high-end, but it's way too bright for drum overheads. These being darker, I think they would capture a fuller tonality of cymbals and drums, and I could EQ in any amount of brightness I need.

[@cristopherjohansson1323]

I'm glad austrian audio didn't make another 451! :) I have KM84's and 451 EB's, the KM84 is perfect for recording acoustic guitar and 451 if you want to add acoustic guitar to an already dense mix. In this clip I found both the mics to be open, the KM84 has more mids and sounds more natural while the cc8 sounds more modern and has more of a top end sheen sparkle. And the CC8 definately has more low end. Both mics sounds amazing so no better or worse imo.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment. Yeah I agree, they have very subtle differences but both have their individual sound and both sound great! Cheers 😊

[@transcendentalmotion]

Thanks, that was exactly the comparison I was looking for. I need a mic (2x -> Stereo)for cello. At first I wanted to get the Neumann, but I think I'll buy the CC8 as a matched pair. Although I find the Neuman to be a touch more high-resolution, it's not worth the significant additional price to me.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks! Yeah the CC8 is a really nice sounding mic for sure. I was very impressed. Glad the video was helpful.

[@andretim75]

Amazing comparison with wonderful samples you played here !! Absolutely convincing in every way ( very good selection of pieces as well !! ) -- So for me it was quite obvious that the Neumann are a little less pronouncing or elevating anything -- they seem to be very detailed with a little more bright colors, and a bit more of a neutral sound to it. Of course I am not a specialist in that way I am not a Guitar player , but as a musician , looking for a pair of good microphones myself, this was super useful indeed !! I am cellist and the AA CC8 seem to give a bit of an extra emphasis to the low and lower mid frequencies, so that could be too much for Cello Solo or Cello Duo I think. It is a bit of a shame since they are quite a bit cheaper than the Neumann. Of course I also consider the Audio Technica 4051b , but I have to find a good comparison there as well first ! Thanks for uploading anyway -- really great work !!!

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the video!! Yeah the km184 would be great for Cello. I haven’t tried the Audio Technica so I can’t comment on that mic but I’m sure someone’s made a comparison video with that mic on KZbin! Thanks so much ☺️👍

[@williamr1453]

Good comp video. To my ear, the Austrian sounds scooped in the mids realtive to the flatter Neumann. I prefer your particular sound and style throught the Neumann but other, more aggressive styles may sound better in the Austrian.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks for the comment. Yeah that's interesting, the Neumann is probably my preferred choice but I was still very impressed with the CC8 considering the price difference.

[@nickgoogle4525]

Closer than I'd thought. I find the CC8 more musical sounding. The Neumann can sometimes sound somewhat harsh or bright. I also hear this, to some extent, both in the voice and guitar recording. But differences smaller than I would have guessed. I could possibly also live with the Neumann, although I prefer the CC8 (and own a pair btw). Did you notice a significant noise difference. The KM184 should be a bit better in that regard, but the CC8 is o.k. for me.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Nick, thanks for the comment. 👍 Yeah absolutely, I agree! The Neumann is definitely brighter than the CC8. And the CC8 has a slightly more melow rounder sound to it. I actually didn't notice much of a noise difference at all to be honest. I was really impressed with the CC8.

[@g1bourk]

I have a KM184 but I think for my taste this one sounds better for me !! I’m a singer/ songwriter I think it has a rounder sound and not has focus ! So for a vocal and guitar performance I think it’s better for me ! Thanks the video

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment. Yeah the CC8 has a slightly smoother sound for sure.

[@ckrug32]

Comparison timestamps Neumann A - 2:42 Austrian A - 3:15 Neumann B - 3:47 Austrian B - 4:04 Neumann C - 4:21 Austrian C - 4:44 Neumann D - 5:07 Austrian D - 5:30

[@precisionsoundworksstudio]

@ckrug32 - OMG... THANK YOU. I was scrolling back and forth, randomly remembering time stamps and here you added them!

[@ludovicmorelon6771]

Amazing playing, amazing songs. I would say the AA has more low mid-range, so as always it can be seen has warm or muddy, depens on what you want. I would say for just acoustic guitar both sounds good, but in a mix with other instruments i guess the AA will needs some eq to get rid of that muddy midrange while the 184 don't... I think the Neumann wins on the two last playings, so at the end that's the Neumann for me.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your input! Glad you enjoyed the video and my playing. Yeah it's interesting what people say about this. Definitely the Neumann would work better in a mix, but I also really liked the Austrian Audio as well, especially for being the cheaper mic. Thanks 👍

[@GregoryStephenSchumacher]

I preferred the Neumann. Thanks for the video.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks for the comment! 😉👍

[@amrabas]

thanks for nice video and guitar. CC8 doesn't have the aggressiveness in Hi Mid and Hi end of KM184. which is sometime easier to mix and ready to use it, especially on stage etc...sounds like already compressed, compare to KM184. quite rich in low, so hi pass filter can be useful. in some situation, we need this agressive high end of KM184, but I guess we can easily complement with a EQ.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the input. Yeah I would agree. The CC8 sounds smoother to me but then it still has clarity and detail. Not as much detail in the highs as the 184 though maybe? The km-184 is my go to mic for acoustic guitar so it's interesting to compare it with something else.

[@amrabas]

@@FabianHollandGuitar yes it does sound smoother definitely ! i already have some 184s but, i would like to get one CC8, i'm sure that i will prefer CC8 in some situations, cos sometime i find Km184, quite harsh in Higt end... pricewise very interstion too ! thanks

[@leftofcenter4]

Not bad, very close in sound actually I think the Cc8 had more high end bite and a tad bit harsher than the km184.. but at half the price its hard to beat, a little eq could make up the small difference or even use it as the 12th fret mic with a larger condenser pointed towards the body hole to add more mid and low end. Man that’s a hard call cause I need to purchase a quality small condenser for acoustic guitar work soon. I may bite the bullet and buy the Km184. Thinking the resale value would be better!

[@metalplatedfacejob]

Great sounding mic at any price, the Neuman's are really nice but the cc8 are as well, such subtle differences, it really comes down to preference. I would never hear the cc8 and think it was bad. Do the same test but switch the position of them after one take, meaning top to bottom. small position changes make a big difference with small diaphragm mics, more so then large diaphragm mics. You might find that the Neuman has more bass and the CC8 is more upper mid forward in this set up.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, Thanks for the comment. That's actually a good idea, I'll try that and see if it makes a difference. yeah it absolutely comes down to preference with all this. I find it facinating how much you can change the sound simply by moving the microphone a little. Thanks for the input. :-)

[@nickgoogle4525]

@@FabianHollandGuitar Have you come around to test this? I would really be interested if the small positional difference was a contributing factor to the overall perceived difference!? :-)

[@hansstorsberg2022]

Do you favor one over the other? Great playing btw!

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Hans, thanks for the question. It's very hard to say. If the price didn't matter then I may still be tempted to go for the km184. But I'm biased, I've owned the 184 and it's been my main mic for over ten years so I'm very used to the sound. If money was a factor then I think I'd go for the CC8. For the price it's an unbelievable mic. Hope that helps?

[@hansstorsberg2022]

@@FabianHollandGuitar thank you Fabian! I have recorded in studio with 84's but not 184's and i did like them. What i get from your videos is the 184's seem to capture what the guitar actually sounds like. I just the other day bought 2 of your albums and i absolutely love them! Such beautiful music, playing and signing! Spreading the news of you in my part of the world. Thanks for the reply!

[@danijelmilosavljevic9735]

For your style - Neumann

[@laurormrz]

They sound very close for sure, but I’d say there’s a noticeable hiss in the background with the CC8. The KM184 sounded much cleaner in that regard, on the quieter parts you played. Both sounded great, but I think I’d choose the Neumann.

[@gabejohnston1556]

They have the same self-noise rating, and I didn't hear the difference in noise floor that you cite. I own a pair of CC8s, and the studio where I work has a pair of KM184s. The similarity is astonishing, and the CC8s are considerably less expensive. I don't like paying 'badge tax' on my microphones, and there is none with AA mics. In contrast, you pay a big tax for the Neumann name. I don't believe that I would trade my CC8s for some KM184s.

[@laurormrz]

@@gabejohnston1556 Thanks for the insight, Gabe. I guess you never can really tell with youtube; could be something else causing the hiss I’m hearing, but I definitely hear something. I’m still in the market for a good acoustic mic, so I’ll take a closer look at the CC8.

[@fredmichaud4157]

@@laurormrz I am so peaky when it come to this Hiss thing. I’m allergic. I have mkh-50, Shoeps mk41, pair of Neumann 184. Those my are performer . Super quiet. I can definitely ear a hiss on the cc8. I recently bought a OC818. Super mic.

[@wbajzek]

The Austrian sounds a little fuller to me, but otherwise surprisingly similar. I used to have a very similar guitar to yours and I have a pair of 184s but I never got the kind of bass out of that combination that you get out of yours. I wonder what I've been doing wrong.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, yeah that's what I thought. Very similar but then listening more closely the CC8 definitely has more low end and slightly smoother highs, I still love the km184 and it's my go to mic for acoustic but I'm very impressed with the CC8 considering it's half the price of the 184. What guitar did you have? These Lowden Jumbo's have a lot of low end I find. Was it also a jumbo size? I used to have an F model from Lowden which was a little bit smaller than this one and the bass was defiantly a lot less.

[@wbajzek]

@@FabianHollandGuitar I had an S27f, Cedar and Mahogany. It might have been a smaller size than yours, but I am of pretty average height and it felt huge to me. I ended up replacing it with a Martin 000-16gt because I played one in a store and it was so comfortable that I didn't want to put it down. I mostly play classical, and my guitars have pretty good bass, but the KM184 always sounds rolled off compared to my other mics. I'm not really unhappy with them, I guess I just find that they're pretty unforgiving. Adding some treatment to my room has been a big help.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

@@wbajzek is that one of the Japanese made Lowdens? I also have a Lowden S5 which was also made in Japan. Have you tried using a 184 mixed with another mic? Like a Large diaphragm or a Ribbon mic? I've seen this used before and it could be a great solution to bring out more of the low end whilst still having the crispy detail of the 184.

[@wbajzek]

@@FabianHollandGuitar It was a japanese-made one. I was quite happy with the sound; those were made in one of the Yairi shops and I've also had a Yairi classical in the past that was quite nice. I've tried mixing with a WA-12, which sounded good, although that mic is noisier than I would like. I don't have a ribbon yet. I have a few other mics that are easier to get good results with, but I think I can do much better with the Neumanns. I have a few short recent videos on my channel where you can hear Neumanns and Line Audio CM4s in exactly the same position. Both sound good, but the Lines are more immediately gratifying. I'm not giving up on my Neumanns, just trying to figure them out :)

[@stevengrainger9073]

Which did you prefer the Austrian Audio CC8 or the Neumann KM 184. I am about to buy a stereo pair of one or the other but I can't decide which will be better for flute and viola? aAny advice would be appreciated

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Steven, thanks for the question. Personally I would probably still go for a pair of km184's because it's a very clean and clear and "unprocessed" sound. If money was a little tighter and I wanted a more coloured sound then I would go for the CC8. Hope that helps!

[@stevengrainger9073]

@@FabianHollandGuitar Thanks, that does help

[@julianpedro3215]

Neumann winner. Thanks!

[@nickgoogle4525]

I much preferred the CC8 and find it to be sounding more natural _and_ nicer at the same time. The only track where I would prefer the Neumann is the strumming part, because it is a bit clearer. For all other tracks I find the Neumann to sound too thin and a bit bright as well.

[@rhythmexercises]

Hi Fabian. What audio interface was it recorded with?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the question. I used a Symetrix 302 mic preamp going into a Zoom Hn4 Pro Handy Recorder.

[@missiondam]

I’m not a fan of putting both mic side by side in exactly the same spot. I find each different mic will have a spot where it sounds best. That spot will be a certain distance from the guitar and at a certain angle. A different mic might sound best at a different distance and a different angle. By placing each mic at the same spot, you may be disadvantaging one or both mics. I would have rather you found the best placement for each mic, and then done separate takes of the tunes on each mic. Still I enjoyed the test you did and the opportunity to hear the new CC8.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the input. That's a very good point. To be honest I hadn't thought about it in that way before! My thought process with mics in the same position is I'm trying to make it as scientifically fair as possible and if I place them in different locations then you're relying on my judgement on whether that's the best location for that mic, and my opinion might be very different to yours on getting the best sound from the mic. Still it's a good point and I love these conversations! Maybe in the future I could do a take with the mics in the same location and then another take with them in different locations just to give a different perspective?

[@missiondam]

@@FabianHollandGuitar I think your idea of doing the test both ways is an excellent idea. I think you’re the best judge of where to put each mic because you’re the only one who knows how your guitar really sounds, and presumably you want to capture the best representation of its’ sound. We don’t know how it really sounds, so in a way we out here are poor judges of which mic does the best job.

[@db4ks]

I record vocals only, would you recommend the CC8 over the OC18?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the question. I would probably go for the OC18 If I was just recording vocals because it's probably going to give more depth on vocals over the CC8 just because it's a Large Diaphragm, but I haven't tried the OC18 so I can't say for sure.

[@tyremanguitars]

here I prefer the AA, it sounds a lot like a vintage AKG with the extended bass and treble smile curve, neumann is more midrange focused, perhaps the 184 sounds a bit more plastic than the vintage km84, I'd say gefell m300 are probably the closest equivalent to the 84 but for me nothing beats a vintage km84 or km88i with the nickel capsule.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment 👍. I’ve heard a lot about the km84, I’d love to get my hands on one and do a direct comparison with the km184.

[@Doronin_life]

despite the fact that the bass is deeper on the Austrian Audi, I my taste Neumann sounds more natural. It seems to me that the Austrian audio microphone has a certain metallic tint and less balanced, it’s interesting to see the frequency response of it

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your input. Yeah that's interesting, even though I really like the AA I'm definitely drawn more to the Neumann! Maybe because it's a more balanced sound? Cheers!

[@gabsriel]

The Neuman is more detailed, the AA is smoother, not in a bad way. For the voice I prefer the CC8.

[@anatol1204]

Neumann bites better in the mids.If they manage to cut a bit the high sizzle its one of the best mics for acoustic guitar together with schoeps.If cc8 wss 300 € it would be a good buy

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your input. Yeah schoeps are also amazing mics. I do prefer my km184 but I did like some of the characteristics from the CC8.

[@anatol1204]

@@FabianHollandGuitar it not bad yes but it's like "laid back" not open a d presence like the other two

[@wokn_nocturama]

Hiss sound on the CC8, hopefully yhat's not the mics fault right ? you could have used the preamps a bit much. Sounds great too

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, both mics were recorded at exactly the same levels with the same preamps so any difference in the ground noise levels I would think would be due to the mics, not the preamp settings. Having said that I did find that the CC8 had a little more dB output than the km184. Thanks

[@oggiemarinski]

Is is possible to use these two mics as a ´stereo pair´? Have you tried this? I wonder how that sounds...

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

That’s a good question! I’m not sure? I guess you can if you keep them both mono and then don’t pan them, but if you pan them left and right then I guess you’ll get a slightly different sound in each monitor, which might be off putting? Or just sound strange?

[@oggiemarinski]

Yes, I think so too.. the cc8 has more self noise. If panned you can hear it…

[@RWOSR1]

I am a fan of the Neumann km184... However this Austrian Audio CC8 is very nice and maybe the closest to the Neumann that I've heard! I'm impressed.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment. The km-184 is my usual go to mic for acoustic guitar and yeah I was absolutely impressed with the CC8.

[@MxxRie]

Is it just me, has the Austrian Audio more volume? And it sounds if there is a little bit of reverb

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment. Yeah I think the CC8 had a little bit more db when recording but I always try and keep them the same db when comparing so that its only the tonality we're comparing. No reverb or and effects added. My guitar is very resonant 😉👍

[@cesarcamilocipagauta4936]

5:12 5:35

[@Inskyismom]

It’s strange. The Neumann is more detailed. But to me the CC8 captures more emotion… If that makes sense.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Yeah absolutely makes sense! Yeah the CC8 definitely has a curtain magic to it for sure! 😊 Thanks for the comment 👍

[@MARZILLI]

Still feel like the Neumann offering is more natural sounding and detailed…

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Yeah I still love my KM184 and I won't be replacing it any time soon!

[@minutemaid123]

Think the CC8’s would capture nicely on brighter upright pianos like a Yamaha than km184