There's a further brutal complication. Not all people, and especially not audio engineers, agree on what sounds good. Ask four engineers, you'll get 5 answers. One tendency I've found though, is that pricey boutique mics are often more versatile. As the great Harvey Gerst once told me, "If you use cheap mics, you need to use a bunch of them" (paraphrased, not a verbatim quote). I believe that really good project studios tend to be built out of an unholy alliance between some cheap gear that works, and a handful of really top shelf stuff (what you can afford). That top of the line gear gets used a lot, so every piece has to have a lot of uses. So- I'd say- start with a cheap condenser mic that works, and a cheap dynamic mic that works. Note that a lot of my cheap mic selections are older/discontinued, but you can find them on ebay, and used mics will give you better bang for the buck. For a cheap dynamic, everybody will recommend
Shure SM 57/58 (almost the same mic). I like the older AKG D770 and Sennheiser e835. For a cheap condenser, there are plenty of choices. Leading my pack are Marshall Electronics MXL V67/67G (same mic, different paint job), Studio Projects B-1, Audio-Technica AD2020 and B.L.U.E. Spark. I'd say, look for a used AKG C2000B. You can find then for $100 or so on ebay, and it will prove to be versatile as hell. If you can only get one mic to start, get a dynamic. Actually, Behringer's
XM8500 is a pretty good one for $25.00 new. Remember this- it's not about whether condenser mics or dynamic mics are "better". They are the yin and yang of recording, and every good engineer understands and uses both. So get one of each and start learning what they are good for. As soon as you can afford it, add a pair of small diaphragm condensers, and start learning the true way- stereo. Good luck with your mic selections.
