Buying a used mic

J

jcouturemusic

New member
I have about $200-300 to spend on a condenser mic for vocals.I was interested in a new rode nt1a for $230, but then i found a used rode nt2 for $250(NOT nt2-a). I couldn't find too much info on the Nt2 besides that it from 1990s and costs about $600. If anyone knows more please tell me.

So is the huge savings worth buying a used mic? Also what should i look for when i go to check it out? How do i tell if it is in good condition and sounds good?
 
I've trusted sellers on ebay for a few mic purchases without seeing the mic first.

You can't go too wrong with buying used dynamics, so long as they work and aren't fake SM57s or the like... things like older version MD421s still sell for quite a lot even if its almost battered to pieces and battle-weary from years of studio abuse, because if they still work they'll probably still sound as good as new. Its just one of the benefits of the dynamic microphones. Obviously if its going to be used close-up for vocals then give the grill a good clean with some kind of antibacterial wipe before you put it into action!

Condensers on the other hand are a bit more risky... the membranes are very easy to damage and can have a buildup of dust/dirt, tar from cigarette smoke and deposits from saliva, etc, that has an effect on their performance. Even with a well cared-for condenser, by the time its a few years old the deposits on the membrane can easily outweigh the mass of the membrane itself, which will obviously change its characteristics somewhat. It is possible to very carefully clean a diaphragm, but its a bit risky and you need to be confident with what you're doing - I've never attempted it :p

As I said, I've made several microphone purchases from ebay and never had a problem. I did get an NT1000 which had a tiny bit of tenting on the diaphragm (where a tiny particle of dirt inexplicably gets lodged between the backplate and membrane, pushing the membrane away from the backplate like a little tent), however I compared it to another NT1000 and found no discernible difference so concluded it wasn't worth worrying about... got it at a bargain price anyway :)
 
The good benefit of purchasing new would be the warranty.
Other than that a used microphone has some miles on it to be considered.



:cool:
 
I bought a used NT2a from my local music store about two years ago, and it's worked beautifully. It was modded so that the switches on the front (recording patterns, etc) didn't work anymore, but it still recorded beautifully. I believe I paid around $150 for it, and I consider that a bargain considering how well it still works.

There aren't really any specific things you can look out for when testing it. If you like the sound and think the price is right, then I'd say go for it.
 
Laptop plus interface. Or a field recorder. All I do is make sure that it works. And there's nothing noticeably wrong with it. You can generally tell if the guy knows something is wrong with it. He'll be slow in setting up a meet, or quick dropping the price to half if you ask for it.

If it is what it's advertised and works, you should be able to get a good mic like a rode repaired or replaced by the manufacturer even if you weren't the original owner. Just make sure that it's a mic that you want. That the price is right. And that it works. If you don't have a means to test it, then have him test it with a vocal say "this" and record it with that mic to prove to me that it works, then we'll meet up. Not that you know if he used that mic, but it should prove that he at least knows how to use a mic.
 
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