Need a Decent Mic

C

Cats_Paw

New member
Hello everyone,
I am looking for a Mic that should be budget oriented (max 300 dollars, better id in the 150-200 dollar range, lower would be considered as well), for mainly voice recording (will be 95% of the time used for streaming and mixing the voice with whatever is on screen playing at the same time).
Id like a Mic that wont be garbage, thats about it.
If a noticeable increase in quality can be obtained by a few bucks more, it will be a plus, but I am not aiming at the best performance/price ratio or the best quality up to X amount of cash.

The mic will be connected to a Laptop/PC, and Id prefer to avoid USB. If I need to get an amp for the mic, id do it, but id rather avoid it if possible.
I was originaly looking at this site: 10 Best Affordable Microphones for the Home Studio - Tuts+ Music & Audio Tutorial
To try to get a feel for Mics.

My first purchase was a trust Starz microphone (took me 3 seconds to put it in the garbage). Then I looked at Behringer C-1U, but it turns out its also USB.

Would something like Rode NT-1A Anniversary Edition be a good choice, or should I climb the ladder a bit higher?

THank you all for your help and comments,
Cats.
 
A non-USB mic is going to require an audio interface (with preamp). A condensor mic is more likely to pick up your room sounds - including clicking of your keyboard. For voiceovers with gaming, usually a headset mic is the best bet.

Your link showed the Shure SM57 or SM58 - two diehards in the recording field, dynamic mics that do not require phantom power, but do need decent mic preamps to produce the best sound. Get the SM58 and a $150 audio interface like the Steinberg UR22 or Scarlett 2i2 and you'll be within your budget.
 
The main problem for me with headsets is the audio quality of the headphones is far lower than the headphones i use. Thats my reason for going for a standalone mic.
Overall your suggesting is rather nice.
Do you have any advice for a slightly more expensive mic? perhaps one with a breathing screen? (dont know how those are called).
 
if you'd avoid USB you had to have Audio Interface for your mic to work and that would add to the cost... As far as Ive searched the internet for reviews and comments about budget decent mic + interface, the AT2020 + Scarlett 2i2 combo is a good option... Personally i use AT2035 + Scarlett 2i4 and its about the same as the AT2020 + Scarlett 2i2 but with some additional switches such as high pass filter and a -db pad. And yes, as with the "breathing screen" or Pop Filter, you have to need those in front of the condenser mic, it'll make your voice sounds smoother by removing the "puh" and the "buh" bass sounds of your voice...
 
You're not looking at the 'right' headsets. If you look at products by people like Sennheiser, you'll see they do all sorts of professional products with broadcast mics attached to quality headphones - not cheap though.

You are also mixing up price with quality. Not sure where you live, but the President of the USA has used the same microphones to give statements to the people for a very, very long time. The budget available would not be an issue, but the ones they choose are Shure SM57s, the ones suggested above, at a very modest price. Exactly the same mic as a rock band stuff on a snare drum. They are ideal for your purpose. Wanting a more expensive one doesn't mean better. The question is better for what? Sticking in front of a Stradivarius violin? I'd not use them for that, but for a voice? Why waste your money! One of these, a neat stand and perhaps an isolation mount to stop your angry thumps and bangs being heard when you bang the desk, plus the interfaces above would be a pretty decent choice. Don't you think the President might at some time have tested much more expensive setups? They always went back to the 58s.
 
Another vote for the 58. Built-in plosive reduction, can be physically tweaked for a bit more (just look inside the ball and you'll know). Or a 57 with the "square" windscreen -- Can't go wrong there... It replaces the mic's stock screen -- Pretty serious piece if you're concerned about plosives.

Sidenote: POTUSes have used 58's (many have used 57's with the "square" windscreen also) because they're using preamps that have no phantom power as a security measure. That said - True, they can use whatever they want and they choose the 57/58 family.
 
For your use I would *not* use an SM58 - this is a mic. really designed for stage vocals and to allow the voice to cut through a backing band - I would not use this for speech.

Someone suggested the Sennheiser e935 - again, this is designed for use in the same way as the SM 58 and I would not use it.

Actually, the cheaper Sennheiser e835 is the better option and I would use this for speech rather than the two above.

Though, by personal favourite dynamic mic. for speech is the Sennheiser MD 421 - this is really great for speech recording.


rob aylestone said:
...the President of the USA has used the same microphones to give statements to the people for a very, very long time. The budget available would not be an issue, but the ones they choose are Shure SM57s, the ones suggested above, at a very modest price.
Click to expand...

In the old days everyone used to put their own mic. in front of the US President and I remember seeing pictures of 50 or more microphones in front of the President, looking a right mess.

Nowadays the President's Press people supply the microphones and the reporters plug in to the official feed.

But the mics used for the president are chosen because they are American microphones and also because they are reliable and can take a beating being moved around all the time - and the SM57 does that very well.

Not my choice for speech, but better than the SM58.
 
rob aylestone said:
You're not looking at the 'right' headsets. If you look at products by people like Sennheiser, you'll see they do all sorts of professional products with broadcast mics attached to quality headphones - not cheap though.

You are also mixing up price with quality. Not sure where you live, but the President of the USA has used the same microphones to give statements to the people for a very, very long time. The budget available would not be an issue, but the ones they choose are Shure SM57s, the ones suggested above, at a very modest price. Exactly the same mic as a rock band stuff on a snare drum. They are ideal for your purpose. Wanting a more expensive one doesn't mean better. The question is better for what? Sticking in front of a Stradivarius violin? I'd not use them for that, but for a voice? Why waste your money! One of these, a neat stand and perhaps an isolation mount to stop your angry thumps and bangs being heard when you bang the desk, plus the interfaces above would be a pretty decent choice. Don't you think the President might at some time have tested much more expensive setups? They always went back to the 58s.
Click to expand...

I use Hifiman HE-400 as headphones, so I dont think a headset from sennheiser (or any headset for that matter) will beat it in performance in that price range.
 
Hmmm...a quick look on Google shows lots of hifi/audiophile reviews but none from the audio world.

Let me ask you this...are they designed to make things sound artificially good, with extended bass and so forth, or are they designed to be brutal and let you hear what you're actually recording, warts and all?
 
It seems in you case, SM58(~$150) + scarlett solo(~$100) would be the best choice.
Since you are only recording yourself, no need to go for Scarlett 2i2 which can record 2 mics at the same time.
 
athrun200 said:
It seems in you case, SM58(~$150) + scarlett solo(~$100) would be the best choice.
Since you are only recording yourself, no need to go for Scarlett 2i2 which can record 2 mics at the same time.
Click to expand...

Scarlett - yes, SM 58 - no.

The SM 58 is designed as a stage vocal mic. (as I said above) and speech recording really needs a different characteristic.
 
Let me say that I'm not a fan of the SM58 even for stage use, but...

If you go back to the first post, the OP isn't recording music or anything, just streaming voice over (I assume) game play. I think it's also safe to assume we're in an untreated room and without a pop screen...which leads me to say that for once an SM58 might be a good choice.

Alternatively...and a bit cheaper...have a look at the Sennheiser 835. It's cheap and cheerful but, to my ears, a slightly more natural sound than the 58.
 
Bobbsy said:
Let me say that I'm not a fan of the SM58 even for stage use, but...

If you go back to the first post, the OP isn't recording music or anything, just streaming voice over (I assume) game play. I think it's also safe to assume we're in an untreated room and without a pop screen...which leads me to say that for once an SM58 might be a good choice.

Alternatively...and a bit cheaper...have a look at the Sennheiser 835. It's cheap and cheerful but, to my ears, a slightly more natural sound than the 58.
Click to expand...

Interesting! The 835 is 4.5dB more sensitive than a 57 as well and that never hurts. Pity they put a switch on it!

Dave.
 
I'll stick with Sony, Beyer and Sennheiser headphones. Thousands of professional users do it for me rather than the hifi brigade who usually seem to equate price with quality, no matter what they sound like! Looked to see if I could find some pro reviews, and gave up.
 
Bobbsy said:
Let me say that I'm not a fan of the SM58 even for stage use, but...

If you go back to the first post, the OP isn't recording music or anything, just streaming voice over (I assume) game play. I think it's also safe to assume we're in an untreated room and without a pop screen...which leads me to say that for once an SM58 might be a good choice.

Alternatively...and a bit cheaper...have a look at the Sennheiser 835. It's cheap and cheerful but, to my ears, a slightly more natural sound than the 58.
Click to expand...

The e835 is, in fact, better than the SM58 for this application. :thumbs up:


ecc83 said:
Interesting! The 835 is 4.5dB more sensitive than a 57 as well and that never hurts. Pity they put a switch on it!

Dave.
Click to expand...

There is no switch on the e835, you must have the e835-S which does have a switch (S = switch). ;)

If you do have the switched version, slide the switch to the "on" position and then turn little plastic screw-head on the switch 90° and this locks the switch in the "on" position.

If this won't turn, you have a Chinese fake that is not a Sennhaiser e835 in any shape or form. :mad:
 
John Willett said:
The e835 is, in fact, better than the SM58 for this application. :thumbs up:




There is no switch on the e835, you must have the e835-S which does have a switch (S = switch). ;)

If you do have the switched version, slide the switch to the "on" position and then turn little plastic screw-head on the switch 90° and this locks the switch in the "on" position.

If this won't turn, you have a Chinese fake that is not a Sennhaiser e835 in any shape or form. :mad:
Click to expand...

Ah! Blame Google then.

Dave.
 
In Dave's defence, there seemed to be a phase for several months last year when it was difficult to find anything except the switched model at any of the major retailers (at least down here). Thankfully, that phase seems over now!
 
Bobbsy said:
In Dave's defence, there seemed to be a phase for several months last year when it was difficult to find anything except the switched model at any of the major retailers (at least down here). Thankfully, that phase seems over now!
Click to expand...

Thanks Bobbs but I did not really look! Google threw up the S version first and I assumed that being a cheapish mic, that was it.
The hatred of mic switches comes from a few decades ago doing PA for AGMs, sports days etc. "Never give a sucker an even break" and never give him a switchable mic either!

And John? Locking the switch is not really an answer. He will still ***k with it saying "Is it (rustle, rustle, clack, clack) on?!

Dave.
 
You can't go wrong with a ShureSM7b, that's also recommended in the list you've shared.

It also has its own popfilter.

You can hear it on many recording labels, it's one of the mics that cost $300 and sounds like $3000, example:

 
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