Condenser Mic and Audio Interface for $120? Is it possible?

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websterhamster

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Hi, I've spent at least a couple days doing nothing but research how to get started recording myself at home, and I finally got frustrated enough to join these forums :) Seriously though, I have yet to see any info out there on the Internet that answers my question.

I am a baritone, and I sing kind of operatically. I tried recording myself with my super-cheap (read: $20) logitech Skype headset and it was actually not bad if you have low expectations, like me. However I needed something with more tolerance for my loud voice on the high notes, and something that would sound nicer.

As I said, my expectations aren't that high, and neither is my budget. For now $120 for a microphone + interface would be the max I can afford, with getting things like pop filters and stands and such coming as I get more money. I'm fresh out of high school and jobs are hard to come by.

My options as I see them are: Get an inexpensive USB microphone for $60 or under on Amazon and with the extra money in my budget get a pop filter, stand, and mount. OR I could spend it all on a microphone and interface and somehow figure out how to use a music stand as a mic stand.

So the question is, what is a good combo of microphone and interface for a beginner with a PC and costs $120 or less? Or what is an OK USB microphone for singing vocals? Raising the budget is not an option.

Thanks for bearing with me on this rambly post and I eagerly await your replies!

~WH
 
That is a tough budget. You could probably get an interface for $120 OR a mic, but both?????

The only answer I see is to inhabit the Cash Converter style shops, our modern equivalent of the Pawn Broker. Do you have such?

In the past two years I have bought from my local CC, a Tascam 144mk1,£60. Tascam 122, £40. A Squire Tele' £99.00 and a 15W Line 6 guitar amp £50. The 122 has failed (accorcing to Son in France) but all else is bangin'.

For a mic you really need a capactitor for "classical" work IMHO and it is fortunate that quite good cap' mics can be had for half the price of an SM58. As for a pop filter? Tights and a coat hanger. Many things can be made into a mic stand with gaffer tape!

I have never used a usb mic but I suspect they would not have the dynamic rage to cope with your voice?

'Tis a shame you are "over there". I have leads and stands in redundant abundance and I would happily loan you the rest if a rig for a year.

Dave.
 
Thanks for the response Dave!

Pawn brokers are alive and well in the US, but not in my area, unfortunately. They're only in the cities.

I am unfamiliar with the term "capacitor", I assume it's different from a dynamic or condenser microphone?
 
Capacitor is just a more accurate term for what's inside a condenser mic. ecc83 is entirely correct to use it but entirely confusing to a newbie!

Now the bad news. I know you said that upping the budget is not an option but, if that's true, then you may wish to put off your venture into home recording until you've saved a bit more. Particularly with your description of an operatic-style baritone voice I simply don't think you could be happy with either the sort of USB mic you could get or a mic/interface combo at the same money.

As pointed out, your option here might be the second hand market. If you don't have a pawn shop nearby, become a regular scanner of eBay. Bargains do pop up. There's always a risk with second hand (though paying via PayPal kinda protects you) but you could potentially get something more suitable for your needs that way. Trying to buy new for your budget will be a waste of money and you'll end up selling it at a major loss.

Now, an outside the box suggestion. While on Fleabay, watch for a used Zoom H4n within your budget--all in one recording with a couple of decent mics built in--and even when/if you decide to invest in quality studio stuff a decent portable recorder is always useful.
 
Craigslist can be your friend.

Got my first interface used for $35 from CL and picked up an inexpensive Behringer condendser from eBay. Less than $100 for both.
 
I find it hard to believe that that Walmart mic is going to give very good sound at all - whether used with USB or thorugh an interface.
The AT2020USB gets good marks from most people (for a USB mic), but as mentioned, when you do move up to a 'real' mic and interface, it won't do you any good.
Ebay is probably your best bet (stay from Shure SM57s, they are probably clones if sold cheaply or 'used').
 
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arcaxis said:
Good reviews at B&H also.
Click to expand...

They all seem to be for folks doing voice-over work. For under $50, I would guess its worth the OP's chance, as unless he gets lucky on ebay he won't get mic-and-interface for his budget.
 
Not a top of the line mic, but something likely better than what you have and may get you started and going for a while
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I had in mind, not necessarily professional equipment, but something that will be useful for me until I can afford better stuff. And I thought I'd put it out there that my main reason for the low budget is I am committed to serving a 2-year full time mission soon (I'm a mormon). And as that costs a lot of money, and there are a few people who are donating a lot to help me, I couldn't justify spending much more.

Thanks for the encouragement, I'll continue to research stuff. Ha, I stayed up until 4am last night doing that XD
 
Well, I got the ATR2100 and compared to my previous mic (which was obviously designed with Skype in mind) it's above and beyond my expectations.

It has a built-in headphone jack for latency-free monitoring, which I like. It also has a built-in volume control, which works for adjusting the monitoring volume, but not any sound coming from the computer.

It feels a little less sensitive than I would prefer, as I have to get pretty close to it for it to hear me well. I turned everything up in Audacity and XP, but it's still quiet. I suspect that when it's attached to an interface with a preamp it'll be better.

I did record some songs on my Irish whistle, which I put on YouTube, but I can't post the link yet. If you search for websterhamster on YouTube you should find it.

When I get a good recording of me singing I'll put that here too, I'm still practicing.
 
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