Deciding between large diaphragm condenser mics

Z

ziggymanis

New member
I'm replacing my old crappy AT2020 with an upgrade.

I have a budget of about $500 or less. I would only use this mic for acoustic guitar and vocals
These are the mics I am currently considering:

sE Electronics 2200a II
Avantone Audio CV-12
Sennheiser MK-4
Rode NT-1000
Rode NTK

I know its relative, but which of these is the best? Or what is the best large diaphragm condenser mic I can get for under $500?

Thanks for any help :)
 
Have you considered using different mics for guitar and vocals? Using two SDC pencil condensors on an acoustic guitar will often get better results than a single LDC. Is your tracking room acoustically trated?
 
My suggestion, as always, is to decide for yourself. Go to a local shop, tell them you want to spend that kind of cash, but you want to take several home and try them. Some shops will let you do that as long as you pay for each mike as you go. Get the most expensive first, then keep returning and getting the next down so you always get gas money :D
Take each home and play with it for a few days. Make recordings. When you have the last mike in your hand, take very careful listens to each recording and possibly post clips here for others' observations. Then get the mike (or mikes as Mike suggested) that best suits your vocal/guitar style.
 
For acoustic gtr's I use a pencil pointed at the 12th fret and a ldc at the bridge. I was using a Bleu Blue Bird until I got the AKG 414.
The bird doesn't sound so good on my voice, but neither does the AKG.

The Blue bird is a nice sounding mic for $300. I like it on my Taki 12 string.
 
A lot of people prefer a pencil at 12 and an LDC at the bridge. Fuzzy's in the majority...

My locker is exactly one MXL2001 and two SM57's. Gotta work on that this year.
 
I recorded a lot with a Rode NTK. I've since switched to an M-Audio Sputnik which I prefer as it is a bit cleaner and has less sibilance.
Bought it used off eBay for 300. New I think you're looking at 500. MSRP was 999 when they first came out.
I'm mostly recording vocals at my friend's house now with an AKG C414 XLS - nice mic but probably outside your price range.
Rode NTK vocal - http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=3681276
Sputnik Vocal - http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=4655736
AKG C414 XLS Vocal - http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12882504
 
BroKen_H said:
My suggestion, as always, is to decide for yourself. Go to a local shop, tell them you want to spend that kind of cash, but you want to take several home and try them. Some shops will let you do that as long as you pay for each mike as you go. Get the most expensive first, then keep returning and getting the next down so you always get gas money :D
Take each home and play with it for a few days. Make recordings. When you have the last mike in your hand, take very careful listens to each recording and possibly post clips here for others' observations. Then get the mike (or mikes as Mike suggested) that best suits your vocal/guitar style.
Click to expand...

In a perfect world you'd do this, particularly since mics and their perceived quality vary drastically depending on the specific voice and application for the mic. I will throw in the CAD M179 as a fantastic mic and it only cost me like 115 bucks, but test out as many mics as you can yourself if possible
 
Hopefully others are getting use out of this thread as the OP still only has one post...maybe he's watching from afar. :)
 
There is no "best". Except for a few real turkeys, it comes down to personal taste. For example, I like a slightly brighter sound than some people while others go for "warmth" at the expense of detail. However, all sorts of factors (the quality of your guitar, the sound of your voice, the placement of the mic and the acoustics of the room all count as much as the mic.

Of the ones on your list, I haven't heard them all but, of the ones I have heard, I consider the 2200a II C the most versatile of the lot and the one able to sound good on the widest range of material. But that's just me. Everyone...and every online reviewer....will have a different opinion.
 
I had a play with the Avantone in store the other day... Nice but was out of my price range and there was a huge sale on the SE2200a II...

I think both sound better than the NT1a but I've not heard the NTK or the 1000
 
Well, it's the Avantone I haven't heard. Compared to to Rode's, I put the 2200a superior to the NT1000 and in the same ballpark as the NTK--but, as stressed above, that's one person's opinion on the mix of material I work with.
 
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