help the idiot buy a mic for his wife

M

marriedtorocker

New member
Hey there-

I know absolute crap about recording equipment, but i am married to a vocalist, and would like to set up something at home for her to be able to work with. She is a high soprano voice. Not looking for anything ridiculous, but want something that is decent for cutting some rough demos, etc. I do a little voice over work, and would like something that works with my deep bass voice as well. I was leaning towards a large condenser type mic, but again know nothing, so let the suggestions begin. this is somewhat of a time crunch, her Bday is in two weeks and I want to get this for her by then. Also, what else will I need aside from the mic and cable? I have read something about a premixer? we have both a Mac and IBM computer, and dont know the chain of things needed to actually get the sound recorded. Okay, if that doesnt make me sound like a complete idiot, I dont know what will. THanks for any and all help. 1-200 price range. Bang for buck is big with me!
 
Take your wife to a music store that has a selection of microphones, and have her try some out. This is the ONLY way she'll end up with a mic she likes. Any mic you buy without her trying it is not going to be satisfactory: the variety of tone color is too great, and the odds are against blindly finding something that she'll like.

Trained vocalists are extremely critical of the sound of their own voices. Trust me on this: I was married to a soprano.
 
buying a mic without trying it out first would be a lot like marrying your wife without trying her out first. just because someone else may have tried her out and said they liked her is no indication that you will feel the same.

lpdeluxe has the right idea.
 
littledog said:
buying a mic without trying it out first would be a lot like marrying your wife without trying her out first. just because someone else may have tried her out and said they liked her is no indication that you will feel the same.

lpdeluxe has the right idea.
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Nice analogy. :D
 
Be aware..
due to health laws the GC I go to (and its stated on the back of the receipt) "can have" a No Refund poilicy on Mics and other mouth saliva, spit, equipment...like harmonicas, mics', tuba mouth pieces and drumsticks.. and what ever else people may spit, druel, or pee-on.

I nearly got caught with this issue once, but they went ahead and refunded me? and I have seen used mics there...I guess its up to them.

maybe, just guessing, if a person had open sores around the mouth and said "hey, I'd like to trade-in this microphone...??"

then maybe GS salesdewd could say..."nope! no refund poilicy on mics! read the back of this receipt.."

makes sense kind of...
 
The problem is that you will not be able to just plug the mic into your PC. You will need a decent sound card like the m-audio 2496 at a minimum. You will also need a pre amp with phantom power for a LDC mic. Ideally, they may let you try some gear and let her pick what sounds best to her. You really need to read up on recording before you buy anything so you don't walk in blind to a salesman that is about to have his car repo'd who needs to sell the gear that will make the most profit, or the guy whose got a month of sales under his belt and knows nothing about your needs.
 
COOLCAT said:
Be aware..
due to health laws the GC I go to (and its stated on the back of the receipt) "can have" a No Refund poilicy on Mics and other mouth saliva, spit, equipment...like harmonicas, mics', tuba mouth pieces and drumsticks.. and what ever else people may spit, druel, or pee-on.
Click to expand...

The health laws issue on microphones is a red herring - a convenient excuse. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to let you test a mic in the store without sterilizing the grill between customers.

I mean drumsticks? For health reasons? Just where do they think people are sticking their sticks?

But it's a perfect excuse to establish a relationship with a real Pro Audio dealer.
 
I am definitly in agreement about the 'gift certificate' route.

I would also recommend really thinking this out. To make a musical demo worth listening to requires a good room and skills with the software too.
 
littledog said:
The health laws issue on microphones is a red herring - a convenient excuse. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to let you test a mic in the store without sterilizing the grill between customers.

I mean drumsticks? For health reasons? Just where do they think people are sticking their sticks?

But it's a perfect excuse to establish a relationship with a real Pro Audio dealer.
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Absolutely!!!
Thank you!!

I had this discussion in another forum that I participate in...

My day job is in healthcare...I work with ID (infectious diseases) nurses and physicians all the time. I have asked several of them 'the pointed question' on this topic...

While it may be a 'grossness' issue, it is most certainly not an 'infectious diseases' issue. Anytime some idiot salesperson tries to pull that on me, I tell them that if they don't give me a return policy on their mechandise, I will take my present and future business elsewhere. I usually tell them to show me a copy of the 'health department reg' that precludes a return policy. They ALWAYS back down.

If we took their logic to the extreme, then nothing that has been touched by, coughed on, in the area of another human being would be returnable.

I worry about infectious diseases more when I handle money, or touch the doorhandle of my local grocery store.

Can you tell I feel strongly about this issue??
 
the reason for the no treturn policy is cuz too many low rent scum bags who can't afford a mic were buying them from GC, doing their little "project" and returning the mic on the 29th day . GC got tired of "renting mics" for free.

If there was such a health law then all the mic rental shops would be out of business
 
recordingpro said:
If there was such a health law then all the mic rental shops would be out of business
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there is a health law; i work at a small music store and we are not permitted to accept mic returns. in order to be able to accept them, you have to be able to send it to the manufacturer to be refurbished, so to speak, ie, cleaned.

but if its the next day, i'll give em and exchange. and yes we sell a couple used mics, no it doesnt make any sense.
 
recordingpro said:
the reason for the no treturn policy is cuz too many low rent scum bags who can't afford a mic were buying them from GC, doing their little "project" and returning the mic on the 29th day . GC got tired of "renting mics" for free.

If there was such a health law then all the mic rental shops would be out of business
Click to expand...

By 'low rent scum bags"...you mean rappers...or gangstas...whatever they like being called now. Same guys who's 'bitches' buy clothes they can't really afford, then return them after the weekend.
 
TragikRemix said:
there is a health law; i work at a small music store and we are not permitted to accept mic returns. in order to be able to accept them, you have to be able to send it to the manufacturer to be refurbished, so to speak, ie, cleaned.

but if its the next day, i'll give em and exchange. and yes we sell a couple used mics, no it doesnt make any sense.
Click to expand...

So this "health law" of yours says you can't return a 2-day old juicy mic, but if the juice is only one day old it's okay? You're a moron.
 
no offense to anyone, but I think I'd prefer a brand new mic in a sealed bag by choice, thanks....all this infectious disease talk and scumbag Rap renters spittle and herpe sored hairsprayed heavy metal screamers on crack? The defense that the entire world is a disease-germ pit, "it doesn't matter" attitude... doesn't win me over.

I'm starting to be a PRO SPITTLE LAW vote now?

Maybe they should say NO REFUNDS on Harmonics, Mics, mouthpieces....

just try to reduce your exposure is best we can do.

I think GC should have to tag the stuff as USED...possibilty some herpe sored hairsprayed HeavyMetal singer stuck this in his mouth or some sweaty skank raper stuck this in his crotch and rubbed his penus on this MIC YOU ARE ABOUT TO BUY....hahahahahahaha
 
Thom IV said:
No disrespect intended Trag, but--prove it.

Where can I find this law? I've done legal research in the past. It's not there.

Tom
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i really dont know. im just an employee and thats part of our return policies. i'll try to see if i can find the official statement we recieved from the health department, but that was two years ago.

im a moron- and your the bigdickhead. i believe ive encountered your asinine comments in the past and i already labeled you as a dickhead, lets not get into this, i dont like you, so back off and go easy with the name calling because it shows your lack of social maturity.
 
TragikRemix said:
i really dont know. im just an employee and thats part of our return policies. i'll try to see if i can find the official statement we recieved from the health department, but that was two years ago.

im a moron- and your the bigdickhead. i believe ive encountered your asinine comments in the past and i already labeled you as a dickhead, lets not get into this, i dont like you, so back off and go easy with the name calling because it shows your lack of social maturity.
Click to expand...

I'm with you, homie. Those two red chicklets lovers are a bunch of illogical idiots.
 
TragikRemix said:
i really dont know. im just an employee and thats part of our return policies. i'll try to see if i can find the official statement we recieved from the health department, but that was two years ago.

im a moron- and your the bigdickhead. i believe ive encountered your asinine comments in the past and i already labeled you as a dickhead, lets not get into this, i dont like you, so back off and go easy with the name calling because it shows your lack of social maturity.
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Don't "like" me??? "Social" maturity???
See there's you're problem squirt...you're using the internet to obtain and/or maintain friendships. The net is for three things:
research
retail and
porn.

Danmed mouth-breathers.
 
TheBigGiantHead said:
Don't "like" me??? "Social" maturity???
See there's you're problem squirt...you're using the internet to obtain and/or maintain friendships. The net is for three things:
research
retail and
porn.

Danmed mouth-breathers.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and internet should not be for red chicklets and low social status dogs like you.
 
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