New Gear!!!!

[BurnBarfield]

Hey now. I am a newbie at recording so to speak. I have always been around and helped, but never done whole projects. I just ordered a Fostex MR-8. I heard is well worth it. Well, I only have a mic budget for one mic about 50 bucks. I am fine with ebay, and buying off of it. I need to get the best for the money. All around, electric guitar, bass, acoustic, vocals. I was thinking a used SM-57. Any help would be appreciated!

[billisa]

You can go with an SM-57, but it will take a lot of gain to get a decent recording level, thus increasing the noise (unless the source you're recording is fairly loud). The SM57 is a real workhorse, and almost every studio has one...

[Paj]

Wow! Tall order---a $50 Desert-Island Mic!

Everything below is a compromise. For what you spec'd, you could spend $5000 on one mic and still have to compromise. Some realistic eBay hits:

Used Dynamics:

Sennheiser e835
Shure SM57
Audio Technica AT27HE


Used Condensers:

SP B1, C1*
MXL V67
AKG C2000B*


New Condensers

MXL V57 (shop the net)
Octava 319 (At Guitar Center---Hurry!)


Unrealistic Hits:

Neuman U87*
AKG 414*
Rode NTK*
Blue Bottle*
etc., etc.,

Good Luck!
Paj
8^)

P.S.: *If you see any of these* and don't want it for $50, take you ritalin and call me immediately!

[billisa]

Originally posted by Paj
Wow! Tall order---a $50 Desert-Island Mic!
Used Condensers:
SP B1, C1*
MXL V67
AKG C2000B*

New Condensers
MXL V57 (shop the net)
Octava 319 (At Guitar Center---Hurry!)
etc., etc.,
Paj
8^)

Keep in mind, if you go with a condensor (nice) then you'll need an external preamp that has phantom power. The MR8 has internal pre's, but not phantom power.

[dave in toledo]

i would buy the 49.00 behringer mixer for the preamps, eq and phantom power, then save some more for a mic

the mr 8 preamps are not hot enought to get a good signal without some sort of preamp, and the mixer also takes care of some eq

[pjh6467]

I agree with Dave. Get a Beringer UB802 mixer. Got mine at Guitar Center $53.00 and save for a used SM58 or 57. Your set up will get better as you get more into it. Stick with this forum. You'll learn a lot. Check out old threads too. Lots of useful info to draw from. Good Luck. pj

[kdgospel]

You will be better off in the long run to do what dave said. I've been there. You practically have to eat the mic to get enough sound out of a SM58 using the MR-8 pres. I also have the Behringer UB802 and used it at first with either a SM58 or beta 58. It worked well. I am now using a MXL V67 and really love it. It is a studio condenser that cost $99.

[Paj]

billisa:

Ooops!

Thanks for that! I forgot that the MR8 doesn't have phantom power and I should have restated the issue.


BurnBarfield:

The Octava 319 is currently on sale at CG for $50 (-10dB pad & bass roll-off switches, stand adaptor and carrying bag). It's pretty much a versatile bargain for anyone starting out or wanting to add to their mic cabinet---it does instrument, vocal, cabinet, overhead, and stereo-pair duty. The major difference between a mic like this and the SM57/58 is that the dynamic mics are much more suited for live/stage use, the condensers for studio use.

An AT27H will have a much hotter signal than either an SM57 or SM58 (I use all three, and the difference is very noticeable). However, you're getting a lot of good input here, and some kind of mixer or preamp is a wise way to go. A mixer (or preamp) ends up being like a Swiss Army Knife in your arsenal of equipment---you'll probably use it with more than the Fostex.


Good Luck!
Paj
8^}