Microphones

M

Michael H

New member
I have only just started using this site,
& find most of the accepted norms which are considered as reasonably cool Mics in my mind absolutely unusable.I know cost is the big restriction here, but there are some mics that do work that are under $1000!
Just because a microphone is a condenser doesn't make it any beter.
I have & use the worlds best microphones
all the time ,But for some instruments & aplications I prefer Dynamics anyday.
Cheap condensers have nothing over These following Microphones.
Sennheiser:441,421,409 on Inst & voc
Coles 4038 Ribbon on everything, fantasitic
Reslo Ribbons on Inst & vocal Over Heads
Audix Om7 on Vocals
D112 Bass end
57's Instruments
( Bowie used it on "Heroes"for Vocals,
it only works with a great pre amp though)
Just top name a few .
Spend your money on a good pre amp.& Dynamics
There are a lot of nasty extraneous things accentuated by cheap condensers that make them
most unattractive & not worth buying.
e.g. I was doing a tour with a Indian classical master musician who played Suntoor
( Indian Zither)the strings are hit with wooden mallets.,a lot of mechanical noise involved with producing a note.
A condenser would pick up the pressure wave transient in full top end detail. Nasty!
A 441 sennheiser just gave me the note with no metalic snap to the it, & sounded very natural.
So condensers are not allways the best answer.
Regards Michael H
 
You sound as if you know what you are talking about so 2 quick qusetions; what do you think is a good in expencive condensor? would you recomend a NT2?

omnipotent

PS. I'm doing a production now and the only mics i'm using are a few 57's and 58's for the percussion, some sennheiser shotguns, and evolution series system 500 lavaliers. (it will be on Australian TV ABC on monday)
 
I think you make a good point here, you are absolutly right, condensor does not = better, but could this be backlash against the pressures of the booming condensor market? Maybe you feel the need to be preachy because there is so much discussion about these mics going on right now, but there are a lot of affordable choices out there which is why there is so much intrest. No one here is saying that condensors are the only way to go. Most of the mic recomendations made here are way under $1000. Hey I'd love to have some Neumanns lying around, but my "cheap" condensor (RODE NT1) works beautifully and is certainly worth the $200 I spent on it. A lot of the mics you list cost almost that much or more.
So what condensors do you find usable? We'd all love to know.

P.S. by the way WeLcOmE!! You will find this place full of the confused and the opinionated! Have fun!
 
I too agree, condensor mics are not the be all to end all. I have several AKG C418 that are made for drums. I think they suck for mic'ing toms, so I got some Sennheiser 604e and they work much better. I would have like to get several Sennheiser 421, but my budget would not allow it now. I also have an EV RE27 n/d that sounds just as good as any condensor mic in its price range... if not better. I still think condensor mics are the way to go for vocals and accoustic guitars. Since those are the MOST common instruments that get mic'ed here, condesors have become the essintial tool for most people.
 
Well it really makes no sense to try to compare products divided into the categories:
"Mic under $200"
and
"Mic under $1000".

>A condenser would pick up the pressure wave >transient in full top end detail. Nasty!

Hey we're all friends here; you can name names. I promise I won't be offended if you name my cheap condenser mic. :)
 
"Indian Classical Master Musician"? Hey, I've been wanting to hire one for my band. They're hard to find these days.
 
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