What Are Undiscovered Mic Bargains?

stevieb

Just another guy, really.
(Finally- a post from me that might benefit someone other than just myself...)

While looking for a good, cheap harmonica mic, I realized that there must be dozens, perhaps hundreds, of un-sung (no pun intended) microphones that are very good mics, but are languishing in back rooms because no one knows how good they really are. Everyone knows the virtues of a Shure SM58- but how bout others- I personally have a Shure BG 1.0 that is a darn good, and cheap, workhorse. Sure (Shure?) it's no SM58, but it is durable and sounds decent (altho I must admit, when I have a choice, I always put my SM58 or better in the stand in front of me- hey, it's one of the few perks of working my ass off doing sound for my group...)

Shure 545's have a decent freq. response curve, very similar to the SM57. Are they durable? If so, I'd think they'd make good substitutes.

What are some other mics that might be sleeping bargains?
 
(Finally- a post from me that might benefit someone other than just myself...)

While looking for a good, cheap harmonica mic, I realized that there must be dozens, perhaps hundreds, of un-sung (no pun intended) microphones that are very good mics, but are languishing in back rooms because no one knows how good they really are. Everyone knows the virtues of a Shure SM58- but how bout others- I personally have a Shure BG 1.0 that is a darn good, and cheap, workhorse. Sure (Shure?) it's no SM58, but it is durable and sounds decent (altho I must admit, when I have a choice, I always put my SM58 or better in the stand in front of me- hey, it's one of the few perks of working my ass off doing sound for my group...)

Shure 545's have a decent freq. response curve, very similar to the SM57. Are they durable? If so, I'd think they'd make good substitutes.

What are some other mics that might be sleeping bargains?
For recording or live? SM58 isn't really a good mic for either.
 
the 58 is a good mic in good hands. the beta58 is my favorite banjo mic...weird.

discovered a while ago...but the ev635a is insanely good for so many things. you can find em used way cheap. i've got em as cheap as 20 bucks.

Mike
 
Audio-Technica ATM25

Beats AKG D112 & Shure Beta 52 on kick in every recording instance that I've come across. Lower cost then both and takes EQ better. Also good on toms.
 
Peavey PVM 520i.

Love that mic. Works on a ton of things.

Just about any Audio Technica mic is probably going to be good, so if you see an odd one somewhere that you're not familiar with ... chances are it's a hidden gem.
 
EV 623. It's an old pistol grip mic like the Shure 545 the OP mentioned. Kinda known as a harp mic, but works great on guitar cabs too. Pick one up (like new) at a yard sale for $5.
 
Hey strat, whatever happened to those old "road mics" you picked up with the duct tape holding them together. Ever get those "hidden gems" up and running?
 
Hey strat, whatever happened to those old "road mics" you picked up with the duct tape holding them together. Ever get those "hidden gems" up and running?

Well I got 'em in and they were every bit as rough as the ebay pics. But I figure if even one of them worked I got a deal (all three 421's for $97!). But guess what--2 of the three worked just fine!

Unfortunately I haven't had time to either take apart the 3rd one or do any real recording w/the other two. I posted a pic of my "collection" in the mic collection thread right after I got the 421's. They're in the lower left corner:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=2937769&postcount=731
 
Well I got 'em in and they were every bit as rough as the ebay pics. But I figure if even one of them worked I got a deal (all three 421's for $97!). But guess what--2 of the three worked just fine!

Unfortunately I haven't had time to either take apart the 3rd one or do any real recording w/the other two. I posted a pic of my "collection" in the mic collection thread right after I got the 421's. They're in the lower left corner:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=2937769&postcount=731

I think those mics qualified as "undiscovered mic bargains" until you came along. Now they've been discovered.
 
Personal favorites that get no respect- AKG D690, AKG D320B, AKG D770, AKG C2000B, Shure SM82.

It's not really that I love AKG dynamics that much, it's just that they were overlooked because of price differential in the 70's. Everybody used them in Europe, while the Shure SM57/58 and their forerunners became the standard mics in America. You can find those older AKG dynamics used for cheap now. The 320B, 690, and 770 are my go-to mics for everything that most folks use an SM57 for. The C2000B was overlooked because it was part of a series of mics that contained some klunkers (C3000B, C1000S), and most folks never listened to it. It's a great drum mic, a great cab mic, and fair as an overhead, vocal mic, or acoustic guitar mic. It's kind of like a cross between an AT4033 and an Oktava MC012. Last, the SM82 is one weird mic. It's a *line level* broadcast condenser mic, so you have to use a separate phantom power supply, or have a preamp with variable impedence. It has an XLR connector, but if you plug it into a mic input, you'll be sorry. It rejects everything that isn't right in front of it, but has the clarity and detail of a good condenser. It is one wicked acoustic guitar and voiceover mic.-Richie
 
Audio Technica ATM 25. Beats AKG D112 & Shure Beta 52 on kick in every recording instance that I've come across. Lower cost then both and takes EQ better. Also good on toms.

You're absolutely right. I had to go all the way up to an EV RE-20 to beat it on kick.
 
I am a harmonica player and have experimented of the years with mic's to play amplified harp (Chicago sound).
I recommend a Sennheiser MD21 A fantastic blues harp mic and also found many other uses for recording.
They are have been around since 1954.They often sell cheap on ebay.
A very underrated and little know gem.
Cheers Luke.
 
Not undiscovered, but I've been pretty impressed with the Naiant series, the CAD M9, and Lundahl-modded Nady RSM-2. If you're looking for an SM57/58 equivalent, check out the Shure 545SD and 565SD, respectively. I've seen them used on eBay down around twenty bucks and they're very similar (but less dull sounding, IMHO).
 
I tested the SM58, Beta 58 and BG 3.1 (which is apparently the same as the BG 3.0) in a similar live sound situation (a weekly dance in Nelson, NH) and I found the Beta 58 to be MUCH better than the SM58 (which is basically a piece of crap if you care about clean vocal sound) and the BG 3.1 to be noticeably better than the Beta 58. Given a choice of all three, I'd chuck the SM58 in a river, and choose the BG 3.1.

I also used a Beta 87 in a wireless system in the same venue, and it's also much cleaner than the SM58. I'd be happy to use one of those, but I think the BG 3.1 might sound just as good at a much lower price. Sadly you can only buy it on eBay these days.

I happen to have recordings of the various mics, but the levels are wildly different and I need to normalize them before posting them.

~ Kiran <entropy@io.com>
 
Although I've been flamed for saying this (and maybe will get flamed again :D) I've found the Samson Q Kick to be a really decent kick-drum mic when I was looking around for cheap alternatives to the usual, more expensive ones. I've been getting great compliments on the kick-drum sounds that I've gotten with it. I've also found the Samson C02 condensers to be really nice on overheads and acoustic guitars. Much nicer than a friends AKG C1000, which I hate, but cost more than double what the Samsons cost. A number of guys from all over have been saying they've gotten great results with them.

Also: +1 on the Studio Projects line.
 
MCA SP1 (it's actually an MXL). For a cheap mic, ($40), it's a pretty decent LDC. I think there was a thread about it a while back. Some guys have had good luck using it on vox.

Paul:D
 
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