I would spend the extra and get the XLS's now youve got Agreat matched pair for overheads also... its worth the extra cash....

Though not in theory a matched pair, I cant imagine anything with the pedigree and the quality of that LTD version being more than a cent or two different from mic to mic. Especially new. Each mic will have a copy of its benchtest readout with it. Study the bursts and find two within a db of each other throughout the frequency chart and you'll have, in essence, a 'matched pair'. A bit of effort on your part but likely worth it in the end.

I investigated why they were being sold at such a low price.

According to AKG the C 414 LTD is to commemorate the 60th anniversary of AKG Acoustics
According to this link AKG produced only 1000 LTDs and are they only available at Guitar Center.
http://gc.guitarcenter.com/pro%2Daudio/akg414/
GC has been charging $1,199 for them all year, $250 more than the functionally similar XLS, apparently just because of its supposed collector value.

Well, it is November now and GC must know a "commemorative" product will sell best during that special year.
I suspect that is why they have lowered the price $300 to get them sold during 2007.

One difference I did find is the LTD has "hand-selected components for optimum sonic performance and minimum tolerances".
[="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/28418"] http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/2[/[URL]]="http://www.dolphinm…"] http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/2[/[URL]] 8418

This may be a real difference from the XLS because several places, including the pfd file for the owner's manual from AKG's site, has mentioned this when describing the LTD and not the XLS.
This may mean LTDs are already more closely matched than random XLSs.

Oh, and for the record Guitar Center's 30-day return policy does not apply to harmonicas, mics or headphones/earplugs for health reasons.
If you buy it you are stuck with it.

Sounds like Marketing hype to me do what Dave said and go thru them

I'd like to but they are only getting two in and can't get more unless they are paid for. :x

BASTARDS!!!!!LOL

Collector schmector..............Buy em both. You get the nice case, all the bling that they send out with these 'collector' editions and as they told you over in the acoustic music forum, these mics will be very close to 'matched' ....which is hype anyway unless you are doing measurements.....Its a XLS with lipstick and these are and have been the 'piano' mic for millions of recordings.

Good price , great mic that'll last forever......uhhhh------->No brainer.

I'm with Dave. Buy 'em. The price is a good one. I don't believe in the collector stuff, but the nice box will make resale easier if and when. I got two 414's in separate eBay auctions, and I've had no problems using them as a coincident pair. They were reasonably close in serial number and were both in very good condition. Until someone starts smacking one with a drum stick and saying "Is this on?" they are matched enough for me.

Some say today's 414s are not what they used to be.
I'm not comfortable buying used mics.

So what do you recommend.
Here is my situation.

The 9' 2" grand piano is in a home with hardwood floors on a raised foundation and lath and plaster walls.
The room is about 600 sq ft and ceilings are 9'.
The music is Classical only.

My wife will divorce me if I turn the room into a recording studio with foam all over the walls or baffles.

Correct me if I'm wrong but because I'm stuck with moderate to poor acoustics I do NOT want a mic that only has an omni pattern.
I believe a mic with pattern choices is the way to go.
No?

I also play guitar and sing James Taylor type stuff and this would rule out those pressure zone mics people use for piano.
Also I think something like a stereo ribbon mic would be less flexible than a pair of 414s. No?

The Neumann TLM 103 is $1000 each but is cardioid only - perhaps I should go with this.

My budget is $2000 for a pair.
The good pres will be selected after the mics. (Must save my pennies for a while.)
Until I get the good pres I have an Mbox.

What mics do you recommend?

I'm not sure I read this correctly, but the 414's are all multi-pattern mics.

You absolutely cannot go wrong with those mics for what you have indicated you want them for. Two multi-pattern, high end, mics on a piano in your room should work great. Using the patterns properly to record a singer/guitarist is a tried and true technique.

Buy the LTD's and then save the pennies and buy a Langevin DVC and record really nice sounding stuff with them.

BTW...The 414's of any style chew the ass outta the TLM103.

Room treatments - especially corner traps - will make your piano room a more pleasant place to play and listen to music as well as a better place to record. You can make these visually pleasing with a little work and/or money. Since people are building more home theaters there are more products on the market that make this easy. Check out the acoustics forum.