Fifty dollar mics

H

hairylarry

New member
Hi,

I started my mic buying career in the late sixties when I bought a Shure 545 used for fifty bucks. In the early seventies I bought a new EV 635a. I think it was fifty bucks too but it might have been a little bit more. But since they are still making them today and they sell for about $120 now fifty seems right.

Anyway as I haunted music stores and pawn shops and added to my collection I basically worked on that $50 or less theory. Of course, now I sometimes buy expensive mics, meaning a hundred bucks or a few dollars more. But I still feel best when I get a really good mic for $50. Or less.

Of course sometimes these are exceptional bargains. I've even got some mics for free. But that's not the point of this thread.

Here I'm focusing on mics you can buy for $50 or less pretty much all the time. Not that exceptional yard sale or junk store find where you get an expensive mic cheap.

So tell me about your favorite fifty dollar mics that you use a lot and feed my addiction.

I'll start the ball rolling.

Realistic 1070b dynamic omni - Everyone here knows I love these mics. Like EV 635a or RE50 mics but with an extended frequency range. My secret weapon for field recording they also find use in my studio. My pair of 1070b mics cost me $30 and they get used more than any other mics in my collection.

Naiant omni condensers - A favorite on this board and for a reason. I use mine on a Jecklin Disc for recording acoustic guitar. They sound great.

EV PL80 dynamic cardiod vocal mic - A true classic. Fantastic vocal mic. Recently reissued but I don't have the skinny on the new ones. All I know is that the vintage versions are cheap and great. Larry Donn was singing through one and I told him I have one and it used to be my main vocal mic. He told me he bought his from Merle Travis' wife after Merle passed. This mic was one of Frank Sinatra's favorite stage mics. Dooby dooby doo.

AKG D770 dynamic cardiod vocal mic - A more recent inexpensive vocal mic that's better than it ought to be. Everybody who sings through this mic loves it.

AKG D690 dynamic hypercardiod instrument mic - I used it on banjo and stand up bass. Worked well for both. At one festival it ended up on a mic stand and everybody sang through it for the rest of the day. A little harder to find than the D770 but well worth it.

Ok, now it's your turn. What mics can you recommend for home recordists that they can actually buy for fifty bucks or less?

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
Gls

kidvybes,

I knew someone would recommend these mics. I didn't because I haven't tried them yet. But they certainly hit my price range.

I can say this about speakerrepair.com and the GLS products products they sell. Their cables are excellent. Their windscreens are lighter than most but work great and the price is right. They ship really really fast. And they have a 100% rep on ebay. If you don't like what you get they'll let you send it back. I don't think they get many returns.

Buy with confidence.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
kidvybes said:
...IMHO each of these mics are an amazing value ($30!)...obvious SM58 & SM57 clones which, in some ways, out perform the originals...higher output with a bit more proximity effect...rugged and durable, these badboys get used and abused, but keep on performing...what else can I say?...:D
Click to expand...


Hey I'm a recordin newb.. and these look like what I need, something cheap, durable and good enough..

How do you plug this mic into your computer?

USB?

sorry if its a stupid question
 
kidvybes said:
http://www.speakerrepair.com/Mercha...Product_Code=37-205&Category_Code=microphones

http://www.speakerrepair.com/Mercha...Product_Code=37-205&Category_Code=microphones

...IMHO each of these mics are an amazing value ($30!)...obvious SM58 & SM57 clones which, in some ways, out perform the originals...higher output with a bit more proximity effect...rugged and durable, these badboys get used and abused, but keep on performing...what else can I say?...:D
Click to expand...

how does it compare to a beta58?

I always wondered what the beta series was all about.
 
Jamz0r said:
http://www.pssl.com/Search?q=sp-1&by=s

For the price this is a very good vocal mic with a smooth sound.
Good for acoustic guitar as well. $39.99 +SH
Compares sonically to mics costing hundreds more.
Click to expand...

Good call. Although the MCA SP-1 at the link above looks like a LDC mic, (side address "U 87 style" headbasket) it actually uses a small diaphragm capsule (16mm active area). So these are best thought of as SDC mics. The same capsule and circuit is also found in the Nady SCM-800. Both mics become better yet with some mods (headbasket, capsule mounting, signal path).
 
Getting sound into your computer

Junket said:
Hey I'm a recordin newb.. and these look like what I need, something cheap, durable and good enough..

How do you plug this mic into your computer?

USB?

sorry if its a stupid question
Click to expand...

Computers with soundcards have a line in. Unfortunately the quality varies. Most line ins add noise and are not real clean sounding.

Some soundcards do have high quality line ins but then you still need a mixer board or preamp to take your mic up to line in. By the time you've installed a high quality soundcard and bought a mixer or preamp you might as well be looking at an interface.

The M-Audio Omnistudio is a good interface that can be had fairly cheap. It comes in PCI and USB versions. I don't have one yet so I can't personally recommend but they have been recommended to me.

Hard drive or flash recorders are another option. I use a Fostex VF160 multitrack hard drive recorder and after I record to that I write the audio to a CD and then use Exact Audio Copy to rip the CD to my hard drive. My Iriver H320 has a USB connection to the computer just like a USB key. I am looking at upgrading it to a Flash recorder.

I have been looking at the Zoom H4 and the M-Audio Microtrack II. Both go new for between $200 and $300. They both use USB and the Zoom can also be used as an interface.

I do want to mention that if you already have a little mixer or preamp but your line in sucks the Creative Ensoniq is an inexpensive soundcard that has a good line in. I don't know how hard it is to find them now but I used to buy them for $15 new.

All this only scratches the surface. Do a search on interface and you will find much discussion on many options.

As far as the mics go starting with some of the recommended mics in this thread would be a good idea. Not only will they help you now but they are good enough that you will use them in the future even after you've learned a lot more and spent too much money like the rest of us.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
Mca Sp-1

Jamz0r said:
http://www.pssl.com/Search?q=sp-1&by=s

For the price this is a very good vocal mic with a smooth sound.
Good for acoustic guitar as well. $39.99 +SH
Compares sonically to mics costing hundreds more.
Click to expand...

Jamz0r,

I'm going to agree with you and Michael Joly on this one. These are inexpensive cardiod condensers that are much better than they ought to be.

I read the review in Tapeop magazine and I had to try them. I bought two. One had a grounding problem and hummed but I was able to diagnose and repair it myself without even soldering anything.

I've used them several times but I didn't recommend them myself because my experience is limited. Still when I have used them they have worked well. The recordings are clean and crisp. I really didn't have any problem with the sound.

They do not reject room noise from the back as well as my Superlux CM-H8C in cardiod but the Superlux, although inexpensive, is not in the fifty dollar range. I would say they are better for studio recording than field recording but that is true of most condensers.

I bought them thinking I might get into mic modding with a minimal investment but so far I have been very happy with how they sound stock. Still if someone can post a link or two to modding info I might reconsider.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
hairylarry said:
Computers with soundcards have a line in. Unfortunately the quality varies. Most line ins add noise and are not real clean sounding.

Some soundcards do have high quality line ins but then you still need a mixer board or preamp to take your mic up to line in. By the time you've installed a high quality soundcard and bought a mixer or preamp you might as well be looking at an interface.

The M-Audio Omnistudio is a good interface that can be had fairly cheap. It comes in PCI and USB versions. I don't have one yet so I can't personally recommend but they have been recommended to me.

Hard drive or flash recorders are another option. I use a Fostex VF160 multitrack hard drive recorder and after I record to that I write the audio to a CD and then use Exact Audio Copy to rip the CD to my hard drive. My Iriver H320 has a USB connection to the computer just like a USB key. I am looking at upgrading it to a Flash recorder.

I have been looking at the Zoom H4 and the M-Audio Microtrack II. Both go new for between $200 and $300. They both use USB and the Zoom can also be used as an interface.

I do want to mention that if you already have a little mixer or preamp but your line in sucks the Creative Ensoniq is an inexpensive soundcard that has a good line in. I don't know how hard it is to find them now but I used to buy them for $15 new.

All this only scratches the surface. Do a search on interface and you will find much discussion on many options.

As far as the mics go starting with some of the recommended mics in this thread would be a good idea. Not only will they help you now but they are good enough that you will use them in the future even after you've learned a lot more and spent too much money like the rest of us.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
Click to expand...


Alright cool, Thanks Larry.

I'm really not planning to get too serious into this recording stuff, but you never know. I just want something I can buy for relatively cheap and start making some music.

I've been recording off my friends Mac, using garage band, talking into the computer. So I'm only looking to match that quality perhaps beat it a bit.

With the hard drive/flash recorders, you plug it into the usb, then plug your mic into that? Do I have that right?

Thanks for your time. Much appreciated.

Oh and for the bolded part of your post.. What do you mean by to take your mic up to line in?

Could I just plug a mic into the pink "Microphone in" port on my soundcard and just record like that? Not necessarily worrying about top quality??
 
Last edited:
line level and mic level

Junket said:
Alright cool, Thanks Larry.

I'm really not planning to get too serious into this recording stuff, but you never know. I just want something I can buy for relatively cheap and start making some music.

I've been recording off my friends Mac, using garage band, talking into the computer. So I'm only looking to match that quality perhaps beat it a bit.

With the hard drive/flash recorders, you plug it into the usb, then plug your mic into that? Do I have that right?

Thanks for your time. Much appreciated.

Oh and for the bolded part of your post.. What do you mean by to take your mic up to line in?

Could I just plug a mic into the pink "Microphone in" port on my soundcard and just record like that? Not necessarily worrying about top quality??
Click to expand...

Junket,

Microphone in on a soundcard is for computer microphones and it won't work well with the inexpensive but high quality mics recommended in this thread. You could get a computer mic but in the end you won't be happy with it. You can also get USB mics but I feel the same way about them. You'll be buying something to replace later.

Line level is what comes out of the back of a stereo or CD player. It's pretty standard and line level devices pretty much all plug into each other well.

Mic level is less. Not as much power as line level. That's why you need a preamp to take you from mic level to line level. The preamp can be stand alone, like a DMP3, part of a mixer board, or part of an interface, like an omnistudio.

Most flash recorders record to the flash card putting your .wav or .mp3 file on the flash card. Then you use USB to transfer that file to the hard drive of your computer.

The Zoom H4 works that way or optionally it can work as an interface. That would be like you said. The mic goes into the Zoom and the Zoom connects to your computer by USB. Then you record directly to your hard drive.

This and most interfaces allow you to multitrack or overdub. Record the guitar or rhythm section first and add vocals later for instance.

Nowadays most PC motherboards come with the sound built in. This is cheap and you can tell. So I don't recommend using the line in on your computer unless you have a good quality soundcard. Besides a good mixer or preamp costs as much as an interface anyway so you're not saving money using your line in.

Basically your cheapest options are an interface like an omnistudio for $100 used or a little more. Or a Zoom H4 for a little over $200. Read up on both of these products to see what all they can do. I'm in the market for both of them so if you find a bargain let me know.

For anyone else reading this thread this is a little bit off topic but not so much. When you think about making recordings with a couple of high quality fifty dollar mics you still need a cheap way to get that good sound into your computer that doesn't cost much.

So please chime in on this topic too. Say I went and bought an ES57 and a MCA-SP1. I've got $80 or so invested in some excellent microphones. I'm gonna need phantom power for the SP-1. What is a cost effective way to get that sound onto a hard drive without funking it all up?

The cheapest option I know of is an omnistudio. (Which I haven't tried but I do use DMP2 preamps which are supposed to be the same preamps the omnistudio has.)

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
http://www.iskmic.com/ - interesting new microphones at a fraction of a cost? Maybe moddable. I have no exp. with these though.

www.naiant.com - neat mics backed by a great guy. I own two and can attest to their clarity and representation.

http://www.karmamics.com/sb7.html - Little suckers that are cheap and I have no idea how they work.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...ndenser-Microphone-with-Shockmount?sku=273156 - MXL 990, for many their first condenser but for the price, it is a good entry into cardioid condensers in my opinion. It was my first microphone and served me well.

http://www.speakerrepair.com/Mercha...Product_Code=37-206&Category_Code=microphones As vybes said, cool replications of an already famous price. I use them and think they do a good job with the sounds I put into them.

I had the thought to make a thread similar to this. I wanted to compile a list of websites that offered microphones at low prices. The iskmic's and naiant lead me to believe that there has to be a few others like it that I dont know about. It would be nice to know!

I have the Shure 545 too Hairylarry. I like to use it as a live microphone more than a recording microphone. But it's good to have around for utilities. I want to try something like your Realistic mic. Something about it just begs me to get it.

Good luck guys, Eric.
 
Realistic 1070b mics for sale

Erockrazor said:
I have the Shure 545 too Hairylarry. I like to use it as a live microphone more than a recording microphone. But it's good to have around for utilities. I want to try something like your Realistic mic. Something about it just begs me to get it.

Good luck guys, Eric.
Click to expand...

Eric,

I blew harp through my 545 on one track of the Flying Hungarians "Blues For Peace" CD. They are similar to an SM57 but they go for a lot more than an SM57 now. Shure still makes them and new ones sell for more than a new SM57 too.

The Realistic 1070b (also c and d) were made by Shure in Mexico. They look exactly like the EV RE50. The b is grey. The c and d black. The d has the magic word Shure on it so goes for a lot more even though as far as I can tell they are all three exactly the same.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=400008408131

12 hrs left with no bids. Still at $5.99 plus $8 shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-Realistic...14&_trkparms=72:1234|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

A day left $9.99 with $7 or $8 shipping

http://cgi.ebay.com/Realistic-reali...14&_trkparms=72:1199|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

2 days left - Buy it now $9.99 plus about $8 shipping

Unbelievable huh? For a genuine made by Shure extended frequency range dynamic omni that sound clean and crisp. I put GLS windscreens on these for recording outdoors and the recordings sound just like the bands did. Since they're omnis I used them in the spaced pair configuration and here's the trick. One mic center stage gets more instruments than vocals. One mic in front of a column, gets more vocals than instruments. So you get two different mono mixes and a plentitude of stereo options.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
So far I've been able to buy 2 SM57s, 1 beta57a, and an Apex 210 ribbon all for around $50 each. I don't know if these count because they're used though...

I can't help myself from picking up a good mic if it's cheap enough. Threads like this make my problem worse.
 
You did good

AndrewClaycomb said:
So far I've been able to buy 2 SM57s, 1 beta57a, and an Apex 210 ribbon all for around $50 each. I don't know if these count because they're used though...

I can't help myself from picking up a good mic if it's cheap enough. Threads like this make my problem worse.
Click to expand...

AndrewClaycomb,

You did good getting these mics for $50. Even though the SM57s go new for $90-$100 it is hard to find one for $50. Moreso with the Beta 57a.

Same with the Apex ribbons. Hard to find one used at all and when you do they're close to the new price.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
Ten dollar mics

MichaelJoly said:
props to Harrylarry - I scored one of those Radio Shack omni mics. Can't have too many high-quality $10 mics ;)
Click to expand...

Michael,

You'll have to let us know what you think. I've been preaching about them for years and almost nobody listens.

I do think recommending mics you can actually buy for $10 or less would be a little bit more challenging than this $50 mic thread.

I've done two CDs of acoustic guitar instrumentals. The first, "For My Dad", was recorded when I first joined this bbs after I read Harvey's great threads and the second, "The Gift", a few months later which was actually shot as videos and is all Christmas Carols plus "Ode To Joy".

I had bought a few mics and I was keeping notes on my takes and then playing them all randomly and I noticed that most of the time my ears sat up and listened the 1070b mics were involved. The whole album was recorded with a pair of 1070b mics right on the guitar, one an inch away from the 12th fret and the other an inch away from the wood behind and below the sound hole. These were panned right and left. A third mic was used over the shoulder per Harvey's suggestion and mixed as a center channel. First I used an MXL 603 and then after I bought my Audio Technica Pro 37r I liked it a little bit better and started using it.

Hear "Jiggety Jog" from "For My Dad" here.

http://www.archive.org/details/Hairy_Larry.Jiggety_Jog

The second CD, "The Gift", was recorded using a pair of Naiant msh-1 omni condensers on a homemade Jecklin Disc. This is a wonderful setup for recording videos if you don't want mics in the shot. I put the Jecklin Disc near the camera and get a nice stereo field that matches the shot.

Hear "Joy To The World" and the whole CD, "The Gift", here.

http://www.archive.org/details/Hairy_Larry.The_Gift

You can also hear all the songs on "For My Dad" and "The Gift" here.

http://hairylarryland.com

I recorded through my DMP2 into my Fostex VF160, mixed on the Fostex and mastered in SAW Classic.

So here's a challenge for everyone. Post links to songs recorded with fifty dollar mics.

And please keep the mic recommendations coming. At some point in the future I'm going to make a list.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
hairylarry said:
AndrewClaycomb,

You did good getting these mics for $50. Even though the SM57s go new for $90-$100 it is hard to find one for $50. Moreso with the Beta 57a.

Same with the Apex ribbons. Hard to find one used at all and when you do they're close to the new price.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
Click to expand...

Here's the trick... Buy used from Canada. The US dollar is worth more than the Canadian dollar... for now

Also another +1 for Naiant. I've been using a matched pair of X-M/T's for a few weeks now and love them, regardless of the price.
 
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