The Sony C800G price hike in 2024. Is it worth it?

As of November 4th 2024 the price increased from $16,000 to $20,500 Canadian Dollars overnight. Is such a hike justifiable, and will people still pay for them?

When we purchased ours there was a 24 month wait list, hence second hand models will often sell for more than the retail price in order to get them faster. Even with the price hike, it’s unlikely the wait time will go down very much. Most of the people buying these microphones are professional studios, and artists. There are even some people who will refuse to go to a studio without one.

The clarity and high end of this mic is unmatched, even when compared to other high end microphones. Dr. Dre tried the mic in the 90’s and immediately purchased two of them. Artists prefer to use them for their ability to “cut” through the mix to put it simply. Im sure you have walked through a store during Christmas season, and heard Mariah Carey on the speakers. The way her voice cuts through, even with low quality speakers is really distinct. We have tried to replicate the effect this mic has on vocals with EQ, but we have found it nearly impossible.

I can talk about how great is is all I want, but why should you believe it? I recorded some guitar samples to compare it with the Neumann U87. They have no processing on them whatsoever.

I recorded them at the same time in this configuration below. Sorry about the rough playing at parts. Unfortunately they can only be uploaded as an MP3 rather than a Wav file, so the quality isn’t as high as it could be.

Play each of the samples back to back, and decide which one you think is the Sony. Mic 1 or 2. The answer is at the bottom of the page.

• Which Mic is what?

  Mic 1 is the Neumann U87

  Mic 2 is the Sony C800G

Could you tell the difference? Did you get it right?

Although the difference is subtle, the big difference is shown in the context of a mix. The airy characteristics really shine when put together with other elements of a mix. If you are interested in trying out the Sony, consider booking with us to record your next song, or album!