condenser or dynamic mic in presense of background noise

[sam123]

Hi,

I'm a newbie just before buying an audio interface and a mic. I don't have a studio setting so I'll be recording in my bed room. So is it better buying a dynamic mic since condenser mics are high sensitive and will take background noise (like vehicle sounds, birds). Do the background noises more noticeable in condensers than with dynamics?

Also which gives more warm, fuller sounds if I'm recording vocals (my budget is below $100 for a mic)?

Thanks!

 

[jimmys69]

Typically yes, a condenser mic will likely 'pick up' more of your room sounds, including the birds in your neighbors yard, if you do not have a soundproofed room. They can also cause havoc in an acoustically untreated room. That is not to say that a condenser mic is the wrong choice. More likely to make a crappy room sound like it is; crappy, yes. Will a dynamic mic sound better, maybe. Will a crappy condenser or crappy dynamic make a crappy room sound better than....well you get my point.

What are your goals, and what gear do you already have? That will make a big difference as to what could be recommended. Oh, and the environment you are recording in.

There are possibilities, but it just depends on what it is you expect from such a low budget. Low price does not typically equate to quality, though there are degrees of useful results.

All of it makes a difference.

 

[sam123]

Hi,

I have attached a cover (part) of Comfortably Numb, which I did using a cheap clip mic for both vocals and the guitar. Recorded in my bed room using Audacity, which is the recording environment I have and will have, and ambient noises are even there in this sample. Please excuse my singing, I'm doing them just for fun, not a professional guitarist, vocalist nor a band member.

But I need to have a more warm and fuller sound. That's why I thought of buying an interface and a mic. So what kind of a change can I expect with a interface listed below and a mic below $100, may be condenser may be dynamic which one should I go with?

- M-Audio Fastrack pro
- Presonus AudioBox
-Tuscam US144mk2
- M-Audio Mobile pre


Will I get noticeably high quality (compared to my current situation) with a MXL 990/991 package which I can use for vocals and guitar separately.

So what can you recommend within my budget (below $200 for mics and interface both)? I know I can't expect high quality sound for that amount, but just compared to my current 'gear'?

Thanks!

 

[Ethan Winer]

So is it better buying a dynamic mic since condenser mics are high sensitive and will take background noise (like vehicle sounds, birds). Do the background noises more noticeable in condensers than with dynamics?

No, with certain exceptions both microphone types will have exactly the same noise pickup. Just because one microphone is "less sensitive" than another only means you have to turn up the preamp gain more to compensate. So then both are the same sensitivity. That said, condenser microphones generally have a better frequency response, so they'll pick up more at the low and high frequency extremes. But again, this could be partially evened out by using EQ to make the dynamic mic flatter.

What really affects how much unwanted noise you'll pick up is the mic's directional pattern. That varies from one mic to another, and has nothing to do with the difference between dynamic and condenser. A dynamic mic could have a wide pickup pattern and a condenser might be very narrow and reject noise better.

--Ethan

 

[Steenamaroo]

So then both are the same sensitivity.

This comes up quite often. Ethan is right, but so is Jimmy.


Generally speaking, people get closer to dynamic mics because they can handle it better.
Often they have dense grills and internal foam where a condenser wouldn't.

The act of being closer to the mic increases the signal to noise ratio, where signal is voice and noise is room reflections/ambient sound.

If you work 6" away from a condenser and 2" away from a dynamic, which is what a lot of people do, the condenser is obviously going to pick up more ambient sound and reflections.

There's no substitute for treating your room, but in a pinch, getting very very close to a 58 or something will help.

 

[grimtraveller]

Привет! Мальчикиии, я здесь новенькая ))) я буквально сегодня начала играть в линейку. Подскажите пожалуйста где я могу почитать о эльфах?

Well I would if I could afford them.