Vocal mic(s) on a $700 budget

There are several mics worth considering. They all sound different. I like the Blue Dragonfly and Baby Bottle, the Audio-Technica AT4047 and AT4040, the Shure SM7b and the Electro Voice RE20. For $700, you could get a Shure SM7b as well as an AT4040.

BTW, do not count out your Oktava MK012 mics. Some notable engineers think highly of them as a vocal mic. They can be incredible as I've learned (especially with a great preamp). I'd get a Stedman pop screen and experiement with your MK012 mics.
 
VanAmp, if you're local recordings for all types of music hip hop to classic rock... and you've got $700, I wouldn't throw all your money into one mic. I seriously think you could get better sounds for more people on more types of music if you got two complementary mics.

I'd recommend the multi-pattern ADK TL, which is transformerless, neutral on the bighter side, very clean and fast. Will run about $499 - and even less if you look around. To complement the TL, the MXL V69 Mogami Edition is an excellent darker, colored cardioid-only tube mic. Very rich and classic sounding. About $299 - and less if you look around. I reviewed it http://www.digitalprosound.com/2003/07_jul/reviews/mxl_v69.htm

A good practice when you have a singer ready to track vocals is to put a few mics up you think will work and record them singing a few bars with the track with each mic - and then listen to the results and decide which one gets the job. Also try takes with the different patterns of a multi-pattern mics - because you'll get a differently quality of sound with each pattern. The TL has four patterns and the V69 has cardioid, giving a total of five different patterns and five different sound qualities to test and use with different vocalists and/or other applications.

If you have one mic with one pattern - such as the SM7B, which is a great mic, BTW - you shoot your wad with one mic and one sound. If you've got one mic - you have nothing more to offer and will never know if something would sound better. Also, when you're building backing vocals it's often effective to use another, even softer mic. Tube mics are often used for background vocals to get them to sit behind the lead vox.

Both those mics are excellent. TL's were used all over Ray Charles latest recordings and are used by a lot of pro artists. The TL will give the same range of performance that you'd get from similar mics such as the KSM series, AT 40 series and AKG 414. The V69 will give you a warm classic tube mic. Both mics are versatile and can be used for a lot of other applications when not on vocal duty. These mics will last you for years.

My 2¢.
 
Regarding the SM7/SM7B, according to Shure, the main difference between the 2 mics is an improved armiture, in other words, how it mounts. In another thread someone cited a difference in the internals, but the SM7B seems to be basically the same mic.-Richie
 
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So many choices, but don't forget about the MXL V77S, like Dan says, the V69 Mogami is a very nice vocal mic and when you have a V69 and a V77, you'll be able to make a great sound of any vocalist.

I've payed €150 for the V69 and €300 for the V77 (which is discontinued btw)
 
RE SM7b

Thanks Richie..

I'm going to use it for miking a bass drum for the most part (the low end in an ambient setup ) as well as possibly for vox.
 
Dot's advice is good. More variety let's you cover a lot of ground. However the K2 is a very nice sounding mic.

If it were me, I would save $200 more dollars and get the AT4060.
 
Henri Devill said:
Whats it similar to?Is it brite like their other mics? :)
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It's not as edgy as the the NTK, a little richer in the midrange and slightly more detailed. The variable patterns are a dream. I say about 25% better than the NTK with some more versatility.

That said, I have seen some of the AT4060s going for around $900 on ebay. So I am going that direction and passing this one by as a permanent resident to my mic locker.
 
Middleman said:
It's not as edgy as the the NTK, a little richer in the midrange and slightly more detailed. The variable patterns are a dream. I say about 25% better than the NTK with some more versatility.

That said, I have seen some of the AT4060s going for around $900 on ebay. So I am going that direction and passing this one by as a permanent resident to my mic locker.
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Thanks..I bet you will like the 4060 :)
 
Giganova:

Vocals on arvis stuff
Also on that mp3, it was used on my Taylor 710 CE, in the same booth.

Going to an EMU 1820, into Sonar 3, Waves Plugins.

Thanks alot!
Any suggestions?
 
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