Best Vocal mic for my price range

[KJI]

Well, since I'm pretty sure I've read most of the relevant FAQs here, as well searched for and browsed most relevant topics...

I'm currently in the middle of setting up a newbie home recording studio. I've read most of the advice given on the topic (okay, "skimmed") and I have taken the time to reseach which components would give me the most bang for the buck on my tight budget. Currently, I'm trying to figure out the best mic.

First, I'll only need it for vocals. I'll worry about anything else later.

Second, I'm leaning more towards a condenser mic, as it sounds like they would help even out the volume of my recordings. You see, I've recorded a bit by plugging my old Radio Shack ( 33-3001) mic directly to my onboard soundcard, but it usually turns out the some parts of my singing is barely audible, while other parts come in pretty clear. I know a better mic would probably help fix this, along with vocal practice, but I think a condenser mic (and a compressor...) would help a lot as well.

Third, what kind of music am I going to use it for? Well, some of everything, besides hip-hop. Probably mainly alternative and rock.

Forth, my price range for this is about $60-$70, and I really can't go much higher than that. As a example, here's a few that I see in my price range:

Shure SM-57 (What I hear recommended the most in this price range, here. It isn't a condenser, though...)
CAD C195 (Not sure if this would be good for the more rock stuff)
MARSHALL MXL603 (not sure if this is good for vocals)
Behringer ECM8000 (or this...)
Marshall MXL 990 (or this..)
Marshall MXL V63M (this either)
Behringer B1

Thanks for any help!

[electricabanana]

I am also new to recording, but i think you shouldnt rule out a dynamic mic. I bought a cheap condenser, and i think i might have been better off with a dynamic...shure mics sound really good for vocals.

the main problem that i have is that my condenser picks up a lot of sound i dont want...unless you have access to an acoustically treated room this will always be a problem. then there is the computer hum, heating systems. dynamic mics seem to be more forgiving in this way. they also dont need phantom power, but if your mixer/preamp setup has phantom power, then thats not a concern.

if you can, go to a store and test a couple out. this might help determine what you need for your voice and musical style.

other than that, i would maybe say stay away from behringer...some people love the stuff but everything i have bought from them has either broken in a week or sounded terrible....

[DeckRoid]

I picked up an AKG D880M for $75.00 (US) at a sale store. I really like it, and the reveiws are pretty good on it.

[Massive Master]

(A) The Shure SM58 would be the only thing I'd suggest near that price range.

(B) ANY microphone is only ever going to sound as good as the preamp driving it allows it to.

(C) I have no idea why everyone thinks you need a condenser to record vocals. Was there some goofy article lately?

All in all - A 58 with a decent preamp is going to give you more flexibilty and arguably more "raw quality" than most better mics with a poor preamp. But when it really comes down to it, you're going to need to up the budget somehow.

[KJI]

Thanks for the responses, everone.

Originally Posted by Massive Master

(B) ANY microphone is only ever going to sound as good as the preamp driving it allows it to.

Yeah, I understand that. I have a friend who has a MultiMix 6FX... and he says it works pretty good for him, especially for the price range. (And he paid ~$200 for it, two or so years ago!)

I figured I would buy the same thing for about $100 off ebay, either in mint condition or new. However, while browsing ebay, I lucked out and found a (supposedly) barely used Alesis MultiMix 12FXD (yay, has a "D" on it as well!) for only $10 more. Practically bought it on sight.

...eventhough I've heard some bad things about Alesis equipment, I figured it was a great deal for the price, especially for a beginner upgrading from, well... nothing.

Then I researched audio cards for a bit, and ended up buying a new M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 (partially to take advantage of the 12FXD's 44.1kHz S/PDIF out, but mainly because it was good, budget equipment), new off ebay for about $80.

Originally Posted by Massive Master

(C) I have no idea why everyone thinks you need a condenser to record vocals. Was there some goofy article lately?

Haha, well I explained why I wanted to buy one. I thought that it might help pick up/even out my singing more than a Dynamic mic would. Besides, my Radio Shack mic is dynamic... I want to try something different.

Originally Posted by Massive Master

But when it really comes down to it, you're going to need to up the budget somehow.

Yep. I decided to temporarily hold off on the conpressor and spend a slight bit more... as I really want a good condenser mic. I would have just went with a Behringer B1, since I've heard a lot of good evaluations on it as well as some professional sounding songs... but I had heard a lot of bad evaluations as well. After reading electricabanana's post and the reviews at Harmony Central (a 1, a 2, a 5, 2 7s and a no opinion?), I was pretty much decided not to buy it.

However, since the Studio Projects' B1 had so many good reviews there, seemed like it was an improved version of the Behringer B-1 (or rather, what Behringer is copying?), and someone on these forums saying it worked for them singing heavy metal (and even my vocals aren't that wild), I decided to up my price limit and go with that.

Unfortunatly though, when I got home and checked my email, I had received this from frontendaudio, the site I had ordered from:

Thank you for your order. Unfortunately the B1 is no longer available at this price. Studio Projects has redesigned the B1 at a small price increase to the customer. We do not have any of the old stock left and are waiting on the new units to arrive. I am going to cancel you order so you can try and find the old version of the mic elsewhere. If I can help you in any way please let me know.

Looks like their new version costs $20 more, at $119. Heh, if I can't find anyplace else that has it, looks like I'll be back to deciding on a mic.

[brooklyn23]

ay KJI

I have a alesis 8 track mixer, used for a week, i dont have the box tho, its in great condition will send pics if u want it, let me know well discuss prices

[KJI]

Originally Posted by brooklyn23

ay KJI

I have a alesis 8 track mixer, used for a week, i dont have the box tho, its in great condition will send pics if u want it, let me know well discuss prices

Thanks, but I should already have a mixer on the way.

Now if that was a compressor, I might be interested.

[nbffan]

Shure SM 58 . I picked one up new on ebay for $60. akg another good choice.