The 4040 and the 4050 (in cardioid) sound very similar to me. Both are smooth, relatively unhyped and clean.

The 4033 is more agressive overall.

Personally, I like the 4040 over the 4033 for most things, but the 4033 would be better on SOME male vox, toms and hand percussion.

J.

The difference is that the 4050 is better. It also has more than polar pattern.

hi

I have both 4040 and 4050. THe 4050 at cardiois has better off-axis response than the 4040.
But the 4040 is a great mic for its price, much better than C3000Bs, GTs at the same price range.
I would like to test the 4047, a different principle,.
Nice week

(listen to my Top1 and Top2 Songs at Audiostreet.net: http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=38915)

AudioGaff wrote: The difference is that the 4050 is better. It also has more than polar pattern.

Well, that's a TAD oversimplified... :lol:

I agree, on the whole, the 4050 is a tad better - mainly off-axis.

The 4040 is a STRONG microphone though, especially given its price.

Both, however, are considerably different than either the 4033 or the 4047.

j.

The 4040 is a STRONG microphone though, especially given its price.

I'll take your word for it. I've got the 4047, 4050 and 4060 so I wouldn't waste my time with any of the others.

I've was wondering exactly the same thing today, glad i didn't start a new thread and found this one in the search option.

i'm not even going to think twice about spending on the 4033 and go straight for the 4050

redbort wrote: I've was wondering exactly the same thing today, glad i didn't start a new thread and found this one in the search option.

i'm not even going to think twice about spending on the 4033 and go straight for the 4050

Well, now that's going a bit overboard.

The 4050 and the 4033 are TOTALLY different sounding mics. I could see it if you said you were gonna bypass the 4040 and go straight to the 4050. That's like passing over artificial chocolate for German chocolate. Passing over the 4033 for the 4050 is like passing over natural vanilla for german chocolate - both amazingly good, just different on all accounts.

j

I'm not sure of the history or timeline of this, but AT discontinued the 4033 for a while there, and focused their sales & attention on the 4040 and 4050. (I don't know for sure, but my guess is that the 4040 was supposed to be the sucessor to the 4033.)

Eventually they reinstated the 4033 due to (they say) client demand. I've got a few pairs of the 4050's, 4040s, and one extra 4033 in each of my remote rigs. They're not quite the same as the 4040's and 4050s', but they're wonderful mics just the same, and a great LD mic to have in any mic locker.

so the 4033 have a completey diffrent sound
and not at all like a lower modle then the 4050....
now it makes the decision even harder

my mic cab doesn't 'need' either
but I have no AT in it right now
i like the figure 8 options, and i like pairs....
so should i get a pair 4050's?
or one of each?

If you can afford it, go with the pair of 4050's. You'll never regret starting at the top of the line with these mics, they've got all the features, including the dual diaphragm to give you cardioid, omni and figure eight patterns. Then, as your budget can afford 'em later on, add a pair of 4040's for use when your 4050's are busy. Once you get them and begin to use them, you'll find more and more uses for them.

Getting two of each - 4050 and 4040 - was one of the best investments I made about 4 yrs ago now. Wonderful mics, and they sound great in soooo many things.