Budget vocal mic: Rode NT1-A or MXL v67g?

cashcohen

Jewnior Member
I'm a vocalist+acoustic guitarist new to home recording. I'm looking for a cheap large-diaphragm condenser mic to lay down some crisp, clean vocal tracks. My budget is ~$200.

After scouring the web for I-don't-know-how-many-hours, two mics keep rearing their heads: the Rode NT1-A (~$200), and the MXL v67g (~$100).

Does anyone have experience with either of these? With both? How do they differ? Is the Rode worth the extra 100 bucks? Apparently it comes with a pop filter, shock mount, and XLR cable...are these any good?

Any opinions appreciated! Thanks.
 
Can't comment on the NT1A but I've got the V67G and have found it to be a pretty damned good mic. I've used it on male and female vox.
Well spent $100. ;)
 
I have two of the original NT-1s, and honestly, I find very limited use for them. My friends Down Under will vehemently disagree with that, but my experience has been that they are very brittle/harsh-sounding on the high end. I have used them to mic a Rhodes keyboard and the right keys on a rather dark-sounding upright piano, but I personally would not go to one of them for vocal use unless the vocalist was lacking almost all natural sibilance in his voice. Perhaps the NT-1a has improved in that regard, but I'd have to have a choice between throwing $200 in the street or buying another NT-1 before I'd get another NT-1.

I have no experience with the V67G, but I do use it's big brother, the V69N for vocals quite often and have had some very good results with it. I'd look for a used V69 to fit that budget.

G.
 
My friends Down Under will vehemently disagree with that, but my experience has been that they are very brittle/harsh-sounding on the high end.

No, actually I agree... but he's talking about the 1A - alas I don't have experience with that, and presumably it addresses some of the flaws of the 1, but based on my experience with the 1 (and yours) I'd find it hard to recommend it, not having heard it.

The NT2, I like muchly, however... I use it for vocals, both mine and my singer's and as we both have deep voices, it works quite well..

But of the two the OP mentions, take Glen's advice is my advice... :D
 
I just got a v67g a few weeks ago and I can also vouch for its quality. I think it works quite well with my voice in the short test I have done and I find it to be very smooth sounding and void of that cheap Chinese sound found in most entry level LDCs. However I haven't used the nt1-a so take my opinion for what its worth but from listening to some online shootouts I find the v67g to much better microphone. The nt1-a is too bright and harsh.
 
MXL V88 seems to have good reviews on the internet. I bought one but have not used it yet. Price dropped a lot the last few months on these so can be bought for under $130 bucks with shockmount and nice aluminum case.
 
I have experience with the NT1a and the NT2a (of which I own two). The NT1a was a bit too silky on the top end for me, not a lot of definition up there, while the NT2a has always worked 100% for me as far as vocals go, although I use them 95% of the time as drum overheads. Also used them on piano and acoustic guitar for pretty decent results. Plus you have different polar patterns and high pass filters and pads on the NT2a you don't have on the NT1a.

But yeah, it is twice as much :P

For $200 the NT1a is pretty good, just compared with its big brother I was not a fan.
 
I do own both of the microphones that you have mentioned and It's kind of a toss up between them for they both have there moments. It all depends who is in front of either one to make that choice of which microphone will be compatible with which voice.
To bad they weren't both $100 or I would tell you to purchase both.

The best thing to look forward to no matter which microphone you choose is that both microphones are favored by modders for modification making either microphone into a much better microphone.



:cool:
 
Hmm, then again...that Studio Projects B1 looks pretty darned nice. This is going to be a tough decision. :confused:
 
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