New Vocal Mic for my collection.

Which vocal mic?

  • Audio Technica 4040

    Votes: 8 15.7%
  • Audio Technica 3060

    Votes: 3 5.9%
  • Audio Technica 4047

    Votes: 12 23.5%
  • Audio Technica 4050

    Votes: 18 35.3%
  • Blue Bluebird

    Votes: 2 3.9%
  • Blue Baby Bottle

    Votes: 4 7.8%
  • Rode NT2000

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Rode K2

    Votes: 11 21.6%
  • Se Electronics ICIS

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Se Electronics Z5600 mk2

    Votes: 2 3.9%

  • Total voters
    51

dickiefunk

New member
Hi I'm looking for a new vocal mic that will be a good compliment to my existing mics and pres. My current mics are a Rode NT1a and Studio Projects B1 and the pres I use are the SPL Goldmike (tube pre) and Soundcraft M8.

Which would recommend for under $750 / £400?

I would really value your recommendations and experience because I'm unable to audition these mics personally due to where I live.

Thanks
 
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There are a couple of used AT4050s at pretty low prices on eBay right now. I picked one up for $299 a couple of days ago. I don't have much experience with the AT4050 yet, but I did record with one a few months back and it sounded great on most things we tried it on.
 
There's a 4047 up on eBay right now. It's sitting around $200 now. Ends in a couple of hours.

Edit: Be wary though, I think I saw this same listing a few days ago and neither the original nor the subsequent listing mentioned that the guy was selling several of them. It may have been re-listed...
 
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It looks as though Audio Technica are the pick of the bunch. I'm quite tempted by the Audio Technica 4040 because of it's price. Are the AT 4047 & 4050 in a totally different league to the 4040? What are your experiences of this mic? Also, has anyone had a chance to compare this mic with a Rode K2? What are the characteristics of these mics?

Thanks
 
What kind of music are you doing? I do like the 4050 (have 2 of them) -- but the last vocal mic I purchased was another SM7. The two SM7s I have get far more use than any of my other mics -- even the more expensive tube and condenser mics. So you might consider a good dynamic mic as well.
 
I will be using it for a pro gospel singer whose voice is huge (Aretha Franklin style)! I need a mike that will cope with the huge fast dynamic changes and won't make the high note wailing sound harsh or piercing. I'd like it to sound more full round and smooth. Would the Audio Technica 4040 be good for this?
 
dickiefunk said:
I will be using it for a pro gospel singer whose voice is huge (Aretha Franklin style)! I need a mike that will cope with the huge fast dynamic changes and won't make the high note wailing sound harsh or piercing. I'd like it to sound more full round and smooth. Would the Audio Technica 4040 be good for this?

For that, I'd strongly consider an SM7 or an RE-20.
 
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the 4047 is different sounding (a little) from the rest of the AT line. AT has a distinctive tone, all their mics are definitely by the same company and even the 2020 sounds similar to the 4050 (I mean despite the differences in SDC vs LDC and super expensive parts versus relatively inexpensive parts).

That being said, the 4047 is AT's well known attempt at copying a bit of that classic 47 sound in one of their mics, supposedly a bit of a vintage vibe. It still sounds like an AT mic but not nearly as bright as the rest of the AT line.

Very nice mic, my pick of the AT crop, but I'm not a huge AT fan, so maybe I'm not the best judge. I love 4047, also like 2020, 3035 and 3060 are nice also, as is the 4060. That's my price-weighted preference scale for you, from my #1 pick to my less #1 pick, but those are all excellent mics. rest of the AT range I don't love so much, but you'll hear great engineers swear by the other models too... and some don't like the 4047.

Cheers,
Don
 
I think you can get a 4060 used for about that price. I'd second the SM7 as well. The 4060 is a great little tube mic.
 
It's hard to beat the 4050 in that price range. You didn't have the Shure KSM44 on your list. I'm currently using it and like it quite a bit.
 
Recording Chick said:
It's hard to beat the 4050 in that price range. You didn't have the Shure KSM44 on your list. I'm currently using it and like it quite a bit.

I prefer the 4047, but I'm not a huge fan of that AT top end so the 4047 gets as far from that as AT will go I think while still offering that great at mid presence etc.

As for sm7 and re-20, I prefer the re20 for many voices, but I know sm7 is great too, just don't dismiss the re-20 as a vocal mic.

Tina Turner's used one for vocal recording in the studio I know....

Don
 
I can't recall, is the B1 a tube or no? Anyway, if not I'd say get a tube mic. Although I still love my '02 Joemeek JM47 and had the opportunity to bring it INTO Guitar Center to a/b against some other mics, I am looking for a tube mic at this point, not that the JM47 won't still be used. Until recently, I was seriously considering the M-Audio Sputnik, based on what I've heard, not so much what I've read. Gearslutz has two separate (and what appear to be) objective comparisons of the Sputnik with other popular mics. Given the audio is compressed to MP3, but the Sputnik sounded great in my opinion. Chance has temporarily, perhaps permanently, altered that decision, though. :)
 
Seeker of Rock said:
I can't recall, is the B1 a tube or no?

The B1 is not a tube mic. I do like it and on certain vocalists, acoustic guitar and double bass it sounds excellent.
Another mic that I'm interested in is the new Studio Projects CS1. Looks very interesting!!!!

http://www.studioprojects.com/cs1.html

It's between the Rode K2 and Audio Technica 4040 /4050. Am leaning towards the 4040 because money is gonna be a bit tight. I'm also wanting to replace my pres with something like the DAV BG1 at some point.
 
dickiefunk said:
The B1 is not a tube mic. I do like it and on certain vocalists, acoustic guitar and double bass it sounds excellent.
Another mic that I'm interested in is the new Studio Projects CS1. Looks very interesting!!!!

http://www.studioprojects.com/cs1.html

It's between the Rode K2 and Audio Technica 4040 /4050. Am leaning towards the 4040 because money is gonna be a bit tight. I'm also wanting to replace my pres with something like the DAV BG1 at some point.

wow... selectable low pass filters??? I had that concept a few months back, wondering if it would be a way to tame the highs on chinese mics. however I think that 1st order filters aren't the best way to same the highs but are going to be more of an effect, so it'll be interesting to see how this works.

I'd really like to see a chinese mic with a high shelving eq in it... now that would be useful.

Just my theory... that does look like an interesting new mic though.

Cheers,
Don
 
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