How much one needs to spend on a microphone and interface for 'studio quality' sound

Steenamaroo said:
I'm not for a second saying a u87 sucks or whatever, but there's a reason different types of mic exist and certain ones are better suited to certain applications.

I remember when I was studying the uni had one u87 plus a whole locker of other mics.
Almost literally every student in the dept. was in a waiting list for the u87, to the extent that some of the studios were actually vacant most of the time because the u87 was in use elsewhere.

I did my whole final (lots of VO) with my own sm7b in their mastering room and I took my sweet time doing it too. :p
I've no idea how the u87 would have sounded but I definitely don't give a shit. ;)
Click to expand...

Haha, yep.
The thing about the U87, IME, is that is sounds really good on pristine voices that have pure and beautiful timbres. If you have the slightest flaw in your voice it will bring that out, whereas other mics will hide or color that flaw. It's why the U87 was an awful choice for me. It would probably work great on someone like my GF who has a pure and angelic tone.

I'm not sure about it on guitars or drums. I only used it on voice and that was my feeling about it.
 
I won't be using the studio equipment because I would need to hire it. I'll just be hiring the room and recording with my own gear to save dosh.

From what I gather, there is not really a general consensus on how much one needs to spend on a mic to record 'industry standard' sound because there are many variables to consider. I suppose the more you spend, the less likely you are going to have quality issues. Seems also a lot depends on the vocal style one is trying to record. I think I will try the Rode N2a because everything I've read indicates that it's good for softer soulful style vox. Fingers crossed I can get a good sound.
 
Faultlinespine said:
I won't be using the studio equipment because I would need to hire it. I'll just be hiring the room and recording with my own gear to save dosh.

From what I gather, there is not really a general consensus on how much one needs to spend on a mic to record 'industry standard' sound because there are many variables to consider. I suppose the more you spend, the less likely you are going to have quality issues.
Click to expand...

Yeah...there are more variables than just the mic.

So...you're renting the studio, but not the studio gear...?
Is this an actual recording studio...or more like a rehearsal studio?
I just find it odd how you come into a studio, and set up all your gear, run all the lines, etc...plus with their equipment already there, in place. TBH...I've never heard of anything like that before.
Sure...engineers will often brings some of their special pieces to an existing studio...but they still use the bulk of the studio's gear.
I've also never heard that you rent the room but not the studio gear. I mean, usually you rent the whole thing,,,I've never seen separate pricing for each...but I guess it's possible.
 
Yeah, that sounds odd, though I could see a studio allowing it if they were hurting for income. Many have gone bankrupt over the years in my region...
 
It's a glorified rehearsal room which is also used as a studio. I also play in a hard rock band. We practice there every week and we've recorded with the owner/engineer there before. I recorded my vox on his Rode NTK for our EP and was happy with the results. I've read that although the Rode N2a is $100-$150 cheaper, it is better for recording softer, warmer vocals than the NTK.

So I figure that if I can buy a $400 mic and $200 interface that yield good results, I may as well get set up myself and just pay for the rehearsal/studio space which is about 12$ an hour.
 
Steenmamaroo. I think by "sensitive" Shadow_7 meant something like "fussy" or "capable of capturing subtle nuances"?

Largely bllx IMHO. Mics are mics and the more expensive ones will have, in general better specs but most people here have said that certain mics do certain things better (in THEIR subjective opinion) than others and on certain voices.

My beef is that we should not co-opt technical words for sloppy, non-specific usage (we have lost to "rms" bloody watts and "saturation" when applied to valves and audio transformers is going to H in a handbasket the same way!)

I would agree about using a "pro" studio if this was a guy with a band who wanted to make a quick demo to flog or pull girls but it seems the OP's requirement is ongoing? Thus studio time would be uneconomic.

Dave.
 
The reason there no consensus on how much you have to spend for "studio quality" is because that term is meaningless. There are a ton of crappy sounding albums recorded in great studios that would have to qualify as "studio quality".

The vocal mic used on the Thriller album was a $400 Shure SM7, not some $8000 condenser. But since it was the right tool for the job, the ended up being studio quality and selling tens of millions for bums...
 
Last edited:
Since you are going for a pro sound, and renting a pro studio, not convinced your current approach takes full advantage of the studio...I would rent a better mic from them and their preamp....I would not use the set up you are talking about at all....Go all in....Burn the boats
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top