low budget mic comparison

T

travelin travis

New member
I just did a low budget mic comparison using my old beat up Yamaha guitar. This is all the mics I have right now and I used them all:

Oktava MK012
MXL 603
Joe Meek JM27
ADK Hamburg
M-Audio Nova
MXL 2001
EV 635A
Shure 545SD
Radio Shack unknown model sm58 style
Audio Technica ATM25

The signal chain is Yamaha guitar > noisy untreated room > M-Audio DMP2 preamp> M-Audio 1010LT sound card > Cubase SX.

I pumped some white noise into the room using my monitors to match the recording level of each mic. It's the only thing that came to mind and I don't know what the hell I'm doing anyway. I strived to match the signals within a 1 db peak. The mic position was about 12 inches from the 14th fret of the guitar.

It's hotter than hell here so I'm not turning off the A/C. You know it's hot when the locusts are out all day making that fked up racket that they make. Also, my recording pc and monitor amp (with fan) are in the same room.

I learned that the amount of mic gain can really make a mic sound different. The higher the gain, the more of the character of the mic you will hear, be it strengths or weaknesses. For example, the brightness of the 603 is'nt so apparent at low gain. All of the clips in this comparison were recorded with moderate to low gain settings. I need to reset the jumpers on my 1010LT so that I can use more preamp gain. Also, I learned that I hate dithering.

Enjoy low budgeters. I'm doing a 1010LT / AC97 sound comparison next. After that will be a comparison of a handful of low budget mic preamps (vtb1, dmp2, dmp3, mp105, behringer mx mixer) if I can get the noise down here a bit. Then 24 bit truncated to 16 bit vs. 16 bit all the way.

Here's the mic comparison: http://www.soundclick.com/gearcomparisons
 
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Hey, I just wanted to say that this was really helpful.

For the price the JM27 definitely sounds good enough. Based on the samples here I've just bought a pair.
The Oktava sounds nice (a flatter response?) but overall for my needs right now I can't see the difference in sound being enough to justify the extra cost. Thanks!
 
I'm somewhat surprised at how well the ATM25 and Radio Shack mic did. They were about as good as the Shure545 for that chunky dynamic sound. I was not impressed with the EV635 sound.

The condensers all did a decent enough job, except maybe the 2001, which sounded thin. I liked the hamburg best of the ldc's.
 
I aggree, that radio shack one sounded pretty good.

Thanks for the Insight. I think I will try something like this soon.
 
deSilhouette said:
Hey, I just wanted to say that this was really helpful.

For the price the JM27 definitely sounds good enough. Based on the samples here I've just bought a pair.
The Oktava sounds nice (a flatter response?) but overall for my needs right now I can't see the difference in sound being enough to justify the extra cost. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, that these mics can sound VERY different thru different pre's. Even low budget pre's. That will be next. It's kind of odd but I notice a much bigger difference in these mics thru the cheapo pre's on my behringer mixer. Go figure. Maybe it's hyped frequencies at play. The dmp2 makes the jm27, 603, and mk012 sound very similar.

scrubs said:
I'm somewhat surprised at how well the ATM25 and Radio Shack mic did. They were about as good as the Shure545 for that chunky dynamic sound. I was not impressed with the EV635 sound.

The condensers all did a decent enough job, except maybe the 2001, which sounded thin. I liked the hamburg best of the ldc's.
Click to expand...

I like the hamburg on solo acoustic guitar out of all my mics. I could'nt see using the atm25 on acoustic but the radio shack would probably work. The 635a is omni and would probably benefit from a good sounding, quiet room. I'm sure all the mics would. I do like the 635a for some vocal stuff.

djhead said:
I aggree, that radio shack one sounded pretty good.

Thanks for the Insight. I think I will try something like this soon.
Click to expand...

The radio shack was a freebie and that's always good. Djhead, I would be interested in hearing it if you decide to do a comparison. I think it's a pretty helpful thing for us guys that can't afford everything under the sun.

Thanks for responding guys. I'm glad my time was'nt completely wasted. :)
 
Today, after work, I will be doing it. Pretty sure it will just be me or my guitar player rocking an American Standard Strat through a 'Boogie.

Mics to be A-B'd:
Shure SM57
Oktava MK319
Cascade M37
Some CAD mic (got for free at garage sale)
Budget Shure P48 ( i think)

Im excited now :)
 
djhead said:
Today, after work, I will be doing it. Pretty sure it will just be me or my guitar player rocking an American Standard Strat through a 'Boogie.

Mics to be A-B'd:
Shure SM57
Oktava MK319
Cascade M37
Some CAD mic (got for free at garage sale)
Budget Shure P48 ( i think)

Im excited now :)
Click to expand...

Awesome. I'm looking forward to it. Which 'boogie' will you be using? I was looking at a DC5 for a while but never decided on it.
 
wow, fantastic!

i too have to say that i was kind of taken aback by the radio shack mic! it sounded better than the EV IMHO....

i like the shure 545, i bet it would sound great with the bass rolled off. the joe meek sounded pretty good too. the hamburg, mxl 603 and octava all sounded a little harsh in the highs (pick noise in particular), but that could be the pre-amps doing, or maybe just mic placement, room, etc. they did sound more "open" than the rest.

thanks man, very cool of you to do this!
 
xistenz said:
wow, fantastic!

i too have to say that i was kind of taken aback by the radio shack mic! it sounded better than the EV IMHO....

i like the shure 545, i bet it would sound great with the bass rolled off. the joe meek sounded pretty good too. the hamburg, mxl 603 and octava all sounded a little harsh in the highs (pick noise in particular), but that could be the pre-amps doing, or maybe just mic placement, room, etc. they did sound more "open" than the rest.

thanks man, very cool of you to do this!
Click to expand...

all the mics sound better with the lows rolled off when put in front of the old yamaha. it's pretty boomy when recorded......it's an el cheapo plywood guitar :D . if you want to see what the 545 sounds like with the lows rolled off, drop the clip into your recording software and give it a try.
 
Realitic 33-1070b

I don't know what radio shack mic you have but I've been recording acoustic guitar with the 33-1070b omnis, made in Mexico. These work great for me.

I put a stereo pair both close (6") one at the 12th fret and one on the bridge. I'm using a 603 center channel over the shoulder. ( about 18" above the bridge)

These mics go cheap on ebay. I got mine for $30 a pair.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
hairylarry said:
I don't know what radio shack mic you have but I've been recording acoustic guitar with the 33-1070b omnis, made in Mexico. These work great for me.

I put a stereo pair both close (6") one at the 12th fret and one on the bridge. I'm using a 603 center channel over the shoulder. ( about 18" above the bridge)

These mics go cheap on ebay. I got mine for $30 a pair.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
Click to expand...

I did'nt know that was the model number...........33-3001, made in the Phillipines, unidirectional. It's built pretty heavy and solid. I'm guessing this is a realistic too although it's not on the mic.
 
Some of the mics sold at Radio Shack are made by AT...... I got one very similar, and if I look really close, it says Audio Technica on it....I use it for talkback.

I was surprised at how the EV sounded, worse than all the others. They have some mics I really like, but I'm not as fond of them as I used to be. I'm slowly gravitating away from N-Dym's and Beta's....
 
soundchaser59 said:
Some of the mics sold at Radio Shack are made by AT...... I got one very similar, and if I look really close, it says Audio Technica on it....I use it for talkback.

I was surprised at how the EV sounded, worse than all the others. They have some mics I really like, but I'm not as fond of them as I used to be. I'm slowly gravitating away from N-Dym's and Beta's....
Click to expand...

I know the 635a sounds terrible in the clip but it really was'nt placed for best sound. It was placed where all the others were placed. Also, I think the second half of the sound clip using the 635a might work in some situations. It is the only omni in the bunch and picking up alot more noise and crappy room sound than any of the others. To tell you the truth, the 635a is one of my favorite sounding mics. You could'nt tell by that clip though.
 
I think you should do

a mic comparison just for recording locusts. I love that sound. It just says 'summer' to me.
 
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