I'm looking for a good starter vocal mic for under $300 USD - is it possible?

TAE said:
As at least 3 others here have attested the SM57 is a great starter mic. IMO the gold standard of entry level recording mics...I am certain 10's of 1000's of professional recordings for instruments and certainly 1000's of famous vocal recordings were ran through a simple sm57.. I have more expensive mics but I do love my sm57's and have done a lot of vocals via them. Every recording of vocals in my link below were done with the 57...except for one with the more expensive mic...good luck figuring out which one that is.. ;)
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I have intentions of buying an SM57, which I may have stated above, but thanks for adding your comment which reinforces my resolve to buy one as the first mic. I have owned one before, but as previously stated I only used it for instrument micing, and almost always used an SM58 for vocals, but that is what my various bands were using. I can see that it is a very capable vocal mic as well, as testaments like yours have shown. Thank you for your comments TAE, and as always all the comments I have received so far are greatly aprreciated.
 
I second that TAE...
I just spent the morning comparing gear here....mainly 3 different preamps, and three different mics.
As usual Im let down when the $3000 setup doesnt kill the $100 setup, it doesnt even make much sense other than just loving a piece of gear for unknown reasons.

If you add in mixing/processing and plugs to a 57...its even less difference. imo.

I have no care which is which, Im not selling anything or vested and attached to any gear...just using my ears. goofing around..
... expecting much more from $1000 stuff over $100 stuff.

But yeah the 57 is $99......been on a lot of Billboard recordings etc.etc.. and some will say they have similar mics even cheaper than the SM57.
 
CoolCat said:
I second that TAE...
I just spent the morning comparing gear here....mainly 3 different preamps, and three different mics.
As usual Im let down when the $3000 setup doesnt kill the $100 setup, it doesnt even make much sense other than just loving a piece of gear for unknown reasons.

If you add in mixing/processing and plugs to a 57...its even less difference. imo.

I have no care which is which, Im not selling anything or vested and attached to any gear...just using my ears. goofing around..
... expecting much more from $1000 stuff over $100 stuff.

But yeah the 57 is $99......been on a lot $300 and buy several mics under
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Thanks CC. I plan on using the $300 and use the first $99 for an SM57. From there, I will decide later using the many tips and comments I have received here including yours. I have it in my Amazon cart waiting for my next paycheck. :guitar:
 
Read the Harvey Gerst thread that grimtraveller linked. I got the ECM-8000 and MXL V67g about a year ago. I use the 8000 for acoustic guitars and the 67g for vocals. I may upgrade when my skills improve, but for now I'm happy with the way they both sound.
 
I was 10yrs late to the V67G and I sprang for the HE edition recently...and man what a nice little mic. $129l
side by siding it today with a $900+ mic and it holds just fine, putting the eq and stuff on it really above its class for a simple LDC cardiod.
reading this weekend someone said even a Neumann 67 needs some eq; nothing wrong with some added eq and comp.

the V67G works well with my interface too. the SM57 might need a little help to center the preamp knob on the interface.
15mv and my interface preamp is fine, no outbaord needed. Also isnt too sensitive in a less than perfect room though 15mv is at the top end for me. Shure KSM32 is 16mv.

Another person mentioned maybe the MXL QC on the 67 is more random, but mine is excellent. A nice compliment to a SM57 or something.

the HE edition has the metal spit shield thats really out of the way and doesnt flop around like my large pop filter....but a foam piece would probably work fine.
Its got a nice shock mount too.
 
Thanks for the added replies guys. I have a question, on the subject of micing acoustic guitars. Would an SM57 be a good start for recording acoustic guitars? That would be a bonus feature if it does a good job with acoustics. I'm guessing, but does mic placement matter more than a particular type of microphone for recording an acoustic?
 
One word of warning. Do NOT buy from random Amazon sellers, the SM57 is the most counterfeited mic in the world. Buy from a well known retailer on line who have a dealership to keep. Very few dealers known to Shure sell on Amazon. A few do, but check their websites. In fairness I have one counterfeit one and it is VERY difficult to tell until you hold it in one hand and a real one in the other, and say one two into it! Please, don’t use Amazon for Shure, it’s so risky.
 
rob aylestone said:
One word of warning. Do NOT buy from random Amazon sellers, the SM57 is the most counterfeited mic in the world. Buy from a well known retailer on line who have a dealership to keep. Very few dealers known to Shure sell on Amazon. A few do, but check their websites. In fairness I have one counterfeit one and it is VERY difficult to tell until you hold it in one hand and a real one in the other, and say one two into it! Please, don’t use Amazon for Shure, it’s so risky.
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Warning heeded, Rob. Thank you for the heads up.
 
You pretty much can't go wrong with a 57 with its versatility and durability. You can use it for acoustic guitar. It would just be a matter of finding the sweet spot in placement. There are some budget friendly condensers out there. The Rode NT1 as suggested would be a good starter condenser. And could probably get both with your $300 limit. The MXL line of condensers I believe are good starter condensers. They don't get much love in these forums but I was able to get good results with them and they are affordable. I have a V63M I got at a pawn shop that works well with my voice and still use often.
I'd also suggest applying for a Sweetwater card. They are always having 24 and 48 month interest free sales on gear to cardholders. So a $99 mic would only be a few dollars a month. It has afforded me to buy gear without having to put out the money all at once.
 
Yeah...as some have said already.....don't overlook the MXL V67 series. I've had one for several years now and despite other more expensive LDC mic purchases I've made......the V67 holds up well.

Mick
 
Thanks PJ and Mickster. From what Rob Aylestone said, there are a lot of very capable mics and so your comments show that many agree with that.
 
I was just running a bunch of borderline-gearhead-ocd tests....and these very mics are nearly the same ones being discussed....V67G and Shure 57ish 545.
(with a $$WA47tube)....also through three main preamps, interface, ISAOne, ISA430mk1, (ISA One has selectable Z) and Interface Mic Preamp.

Whats shocked me again in conclusion of the weekend test/comparisons is that recording them all dry, there seems miniscule differences.
And to then put on the MIX ENgineer hat, er..headphones, adding gates, eq, comps ITB, the difference is less than miniscule between the mics and preamps when polished with plugins.

*application: this is all based on my male vocal and nothing else with the mics. Im not doing far distance violins or percussion, or recording a symphony here...just a electric bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal hobby stuff at most.

but seeking some $$$$piece of magic gear never seems to happen and the Shure 545 in this case, with plugin polish, works ..can I say "just as good" as the others? wow?
:wtf:

I'll toss this in too, the sounds of the three preamps (with 1400ohm +/- 200 micpre input) didnt sound magically different either.
The Dynamic mic,545 did max out my interface preamp gain for soft standard db talking while the outboard (ISA One) had a lot more gain and is a great tool for $300used.

I agree too, with the gang, that many mics will work.......the more gear I try the less the difference there is.
I find it as much fun these days running tests as playing music. Ive had access to a PayPal account that I could finally try out $2000 pieces myself and compare here in the bed-closet room. I dont keep the gear much only for curiosity and hobby fun.

enjoy the journey! I'd still grab a SM57 for a excellent industry standard to compare too. Then the V67G shows a cheap mic can hang with the big dollar mics. The power of the plugins make a huge huge impact for almost Free, in comparison to the old tape days where expensive rack gear and consoles were needed to "polish" things up.
 
CoolCat said:
I was just running a bunch of borderline-gearhead-ocd tests....and these very mics are nearly the same ones being discussed....V67G and Shure 57ish 545.
(with a $$WA47tube)....also through three main preamps, interface, ISAOne, ISA430mk1, (ISA One has selectable Z) and Interface Mic Preamp.

Whats shocked me again in conclusion of the weekend test/comparisons is that recording them all dry, there seems miniscule differences.
And to then put on the MIX ENgineer hat, er..headphones, adding gates, eq, comps ITB, the difference is less than miniscule between the mics and preamps when polished with plugins.

*application: this is all based on my male vocal and nothing else with the mics. Im not doing far distance violins or percussion, or recording a symphony here...just a electric bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal hobby stuff at most.

but seeking some $$$$piece of magic gear never seems to happen and the Shure 545 in this case, with plugin polish, works ..can I say "just as good" as the others? wow?
:wtf:

I'll toss this in too, the sounds of the three preamps (with 1400ohm +/- 200 micpre input) didnt sound magically different either.
The Dynamic mic,545 did max out my interface preamp gain for soft standard db talking while the outboard (ISA One) had a lot more gain and is a great tool for $300used.

I agree too, with the gang, that many mics will work.......the more gear I try the less the difference there is.
I find it as much fun these days running tests as playing music. Ive had access to a PayPal account that I could finally try out $2000 pieces myself and compare here in the bed-closet room. I dont keep the gear much only for curiosity and hobby fun.

enjoy the journey! I'd still grab a SM57 for a excellent industry standard to compare too. Then the V67G shows a cheap mic can hang with the big dollar mics. The power of the plugins make a huge huge impact for almost Free, in comparison to the old tape days where expensive rack gear and consoles were needed to "polish" things up.
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Thanks CC
 
you say "strong vocal, pop or heavy metal."....you'll be fine with a dynamic and not need a outboard preamp probably.
if you add a booster everythings covered. Cathederal Pipes makes a nice one.
im a Shure fanboy, they cover a lot of spaces, built well, sound great and have brand name placebo imo.
SM, PG, KSM, ....a mic for everything and tank tough built.

Then theres the vast quantity of MXL types, SDC. LDC's put so many choices at us its something else. China made but with classic mic designs.
Cheap. Sound great. My son showed me a great drum video and the dude had a 5 pack drum mic set $179! so theres that to confuse you too...lol
 
When you don't have any really nice, expensive and special mics, you really believe they will make your recordings so much better. Then you buy them and discover the differences are far, far more subtle than you expected, and then you start to wonder if you really could have bought more useful things with the money. I opened a box today and found my old AKG D202 - years old and forgotten about. I plugged it in and it's rather nice.
 
rob aylestone said:
When you don't have any really nice, expensive and special mics, you really believe they will make your recordings so much better. Then you buy them and discover the differences are far, far more subtle than you expected, and then you start to wonder if you really could have bought more useful things with the money. I opened a box today and found my old AKG D202 - years old and forgotten about. I plugged it in and it's rather nice.
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I see what you're saying Rob. I will explore as I go. And thanks CC. I'm seeing it isn't as cut and dry as I previously thought. Right now, I am using my friend's SM57 and it is doing what I need.
 
Spot on! One day you'll go to use the 57 on something new and for the first time find it doesn't suit. I find them lacking if you try to record flutes - somehow they record the fundamental tone, but the harmonics don't get captured too well and make an expensive flute sound quite cheap. That's when you invest in a nice condenser.
 
rob aylestone said:
Spot on! One day you'll go to use the 57 on something new and for the first time find it doesn't suit. I find them lacking if you try to record flutes - somehow they record the fundamental tone, but the harmonics don't get captured too well and make an expensive flute sound quite cheap. That's when you invest in a nice condenser.
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Thanks for the tip Rob. I will remember that.
 
CoolCat said:
I was 10yrs late to the V67G and I sprang for the HE edition recently...and man what a nice little mic. $129l
side by siding it today with a $900+ mic and it holds just fine,
Click to expand...

What $900 microphone are you talking about? While the V67G is a decent microphone - it's not without it's faults. You have to EQ it to get it to an acceptable sound,
 
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