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soundwave604
New member
Looking to purchase a condenser by this weekend, used to use a at 3035 and wanna upgrade. question is....which one of these should I get?
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soundwave604
New member
note....these are the best mics my local music shop has under $600 so im picking from one of these.....
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P. Glaser
New member
Typically the first response would be this question: What are you using it for?
Paul
Paul
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soundwave604
New member
Typically the first response would be this question: What are you using it for?
Paul
mostly male vocals...rock, hip hop and some acoustic as well.
WhiteStrat
Don't stare at the eye.
A couple things:
1) (This is nitpicky, sorry) not everything in that list is a condensor; you've got a couple dynamics in there as well.
2) Very few folks will have experience with all those, decreasing the likelihood that you'll get good comparative information. Instead you're likely to get "I've only tried these 2, and I like this one!" (Kinda helpful, but doesn't tell you much about the mic in comparison to the other 4 or 5).
Oh by the way--that's exactly what I'm gonna do. The only mic on your list I've used for male vox is the SM7b and I love it.
1) (This is nitpicky, sorry) not everything in that list is a condensor; you've got a couple dynamics in there as well.
2) Very few folks will have experience with all those, decreasing the likelihood that you'll get good comparative information. Instead you're likely to get "I've only tried these 2, and I like this one!" (Kinda helpful, but doesn't tell you much about the mic in comparison to the other 4 or 5).
Oh by the way--that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
The only mic on your list I've used for male vox is the SM7b and I love it.
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soundwave604
New member
A couple things:
1) (This is nitpicky, sorry) not everything in that list is a condensor; you've got a couple dynamics in there as well.
2) Very few folks will have experience with all those, decreasing the likelihood that you'll get good comparative information. Instead you're likely to get "I've only tried these 2, and I like this one!" (Kinda helpful, but doesn't tell you much about the mic in comparison to the other 4 or 5).
Oh by the way--that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
ya, i have a freind who owns the shure ksm and the guy that works in the store reccomended the nt2a, while ive read the at 4047 works wonders as well and the sm7b has been used by many artists.....
it's so hard to decide. im kinda leaning towards the nt2a cause it's on sale right now and the quality is supposed to be pretty damn good for the price....with many people calling it the best mic around it's price range, so ya, tough choice but I only have like 3 days to decide now.
WhiteStrat
Don't stare at the eye.
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guitar zero
c = b#
Anyone here used this mic? It has me really interested as a vocal mic, and I found this add for just under the $600 mark. It gets great reviews, but....
http://www.audiolines.com/M-Audio-Sputnik-p-16056.html
http://www.audiolines.com/M-Audio-Sputnik-p-16056.html
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soundwave604
New member
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ok, that didn't help at all....lol
jimmy2sticks
New member
the sm7b is not a condenser mic.
WhiteStrat
Don't stare at the eye.
Yep, covered that in the first post after the OP.
Turns out he knew it too.
cnix
Member
If I were you, I would just buy used, a Studio Projects T-3. Look over at GS, you can pick one up for under $250, and if not totally satisfied, swap out the tube for a NOS tube and you will have a really nice mic that rivals mic's in the $1500 range.
jimmy2sticks
New member
Yep, covered that in the first post after the OP.
Turns out he knew it too.
oops! sorry!
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soundwave604
New member
3 votes for the sm7b eh.,.....isn't it mainly used for broadcasting and voice overs? Would it really work better for vocals then the shure ksm or rode?
pohaku
New member
As noted above, like others, I only own two of the mics on your list, but from what I know of them and the others listed, and your proposed use, I'd take the SM7 assuming you have a preamp that will drive it. I have a couple SM7s and they seem to get picked for vocals over my much more expensive condensers with appalling frequency. They've beat out my AT-4050s, GT MD1a, GT MD3, Beyer MC834, Neumann Gefell M582h, AKG C535eb, AKG C414 and Audix VX-10 among others. They've also beat out some other dynamics like the Beyer M88, EV RE-20 and Sennheiser MD441. I've since picked up a vintage U87 and a couple more Gefells, so we will have to see how these fare against the SM7. My original SM7 was getting used so much I bought a second one.
How good is your room? A dynamic mic like the SM7 will be much more forgiving if you don't have a good room. Condensers tend to pick up all the extraneous noises and faults in your recording environment. If you don't have a good treated room, I'd be inclined to get a dynamic mic and of the ones you've listed the SM7 is the best and most broadly usable of the lot.
If you really have to have a condenser, it's a personal taste thing. I'd probably take the 4047 out of the listed mics. I have a couple 4050s and they are extremely useful mics. The 4047 is voiced a bit differently with a midrange centered sound and is cardioid only, but you will likely use the cardioid pattern 98 percent of the time anyway. I generally find Rode mics a bit on the bright side, but if I was going to get a Rode, I'd probably get the K2 rather than the NT2A. I'm generally not an AKG fan with a few exceptions -- C535eb for live vocals on some voices and the ubiquitous C414 (some models of the C414 for some things - usually instruments rather than vocals). The MD421 is best known as a go-to mic for toms. Interesting on some voices and horns, but definitely a more limited application mic. I understand that the MkII model is voiced somewhat differently than the original MD421 as well (I have an MD421).
YMMV.
How good is your room? A dynamic mic like the SM7 will be much more forgiving if you don't have a good room. Condensers tend to pick up all the extraneous noises and faults in your recording environment. If you don't have a good treated room, I'd be inclined to get a dynamic mic and of the ones you've listed the SM7 is the best and most broadly usable of the lot.
If you really have to have a condenser, it's a personal taste thing. I'd probably take the 4047 out of the listed mics. I have a couple 4050s and they are extremely useful mics. The 4047 is voiced a bit differently with a midrange centered sound and is cardioid only, but you will likely use the cardioid pattern 98 percent of the time anyway. I generally find Rode mics a bit on the bright side, but if I was going to get a Rode, I'd probably get the K2 rather than the NT2A. I'm generally not an AKG fan with a few exceptions -- C535eb for live vocals on some voices and the ubiquitous C414 (some models of the C414 for some things - usually instruments rather than vocals). The MD421 is best known as a go-to mic for toms. Interesting on some voices and horns, but definitely a more limited application mic. I understand that the MkII model is voiced somewhat differently than the original MD421 as well (I have an MD421).
YMMV.
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soundwave604
New member
thanks, very helpfull. I have a well constructed sound booth which keeps everything but someone banging hard on the door out, so little sounds getting in is not an issue. Is the dynamic still preferred over the condenser in this case?
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MCI2424
New member
pohaku
New member
That realistically gives you the condenser option, but of the mics you've listed, I'd still take the SM7. What preamp are you using?
Seafroggys
Well-known member
Yes, I am one of those people that have only used one mic (NT2a) but I love it! It works on every male vocal I've tried. Not harsh sounding at all. Very clear and smooth.
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soundwave604
New member
well i have the same pre/card that ive been using the past 4 years which is the echo gina 3g......not many people have heard of it but it definitely does the job and worked well with my previous 3035.
is the sm7 really THAT good.....I havent heard one test run on it yet though ive heard the shure ksm32sl which sounded great and the at 4047 which sounded good as well but not as good as the shure ksm to me. I have also read that the rode nt2a won the mic of the year award back in 06 out of 80 or so different mics and people have been saying good things about it.
man o man is this a tough one.
