condenser mic for 250.00

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statecap said:
But as usual when you ask a question on this forum, you have all sorts of people who want to make themselves sound big by making you look small for asking that question in the first place.

Actually, we're trying to help you understand that there is no good way of answering this question. At least not on a board like this one, without the benefit of working with it and understanding your setup and how you plan to use it.

It's a veeeerrrry tired, worn and haggard question that's been asked more than any of us care to count. And unfortunately, there's just no mega-exciting news to report on it. You're still getting the same answers as the last 100 guys who asked the other 100 before them.

Spend a little time with the search function. No, I'm not trying to make myself look "big" as you put it by saying this. I'm seriously suggesting you try the search function. :D It's really a tremendously valuable resource.

And don't think that people are going to do exactly what you suggest by regarding the amount of posts you have as your knowledge equivalent.

That's very true, but I don't remember anyone saying "Hey, I have lots of posts, so I know a lot. :D " Or: "Hey, I just reached 6,000! ! I know more than Harvey now." If that were the case, I'd guess that would make Gidge the smartest guy on the board. :D lol.
 
For the sources you mentioned, I'd see if I could find a AT 4033 used for that price. I haven't used it, but I've heard recordings that I know were made only with one of these, and they were acoustic guitar and vocals only, and they were great recordings. If you can up your budget by a couple hundred, I'd recommend the Rode NTK. I can recommend this from personal experience. I love it on every vocalist I've tried it with, and I also love it on acoustic, especialy strummed acoustic.
 
this isn't a lecture, and it's not meant to be preachy, but it'll prolly come across that way. there are some "universal truths" out there, of which you don't seem to quite aware, so bear with me here and pardon my occasional sarcasm or bad joke. :D

first, i have to second chessrock's suggestion of the search function. you'll get FAR more usable information out of it than you will by asking questions. trust me. things you've asked and are likely going to want to ask have prolly been asked before (let alone several times). just plug in the piece of gear or whatever that you want to know about and let it rip. you'll have to do a little more work this way, but you'll be rewarded for your work in the amount of info you get back.

why "search" instead of ask? it's easy--if you ask, the only people who'd answer your question are the active people on this board. there are FAR more members that have come and gone over the years, and using the search function lets you draw from their opinions as well as the currently active membership. a much larger sampling pool, in statistical terms, if you will.

secondly, the only way to tell what mic is gonna work for your voice or guitar is for you to sing/play through it. we could recommend mics all day (and prolly all night), arguing about capsule size, thickness, the antics of the company's president, neumann's pricing policies, whatever, til we're blue in the face, and we STILL might not find something that works on your voice or guitar, let alone both.

third, you've not said anything about the rest of your signal chain. do you have phantom power? what kind of preamp are you using? keep in mind that your preamp will greatly affect the way the mic sounds. sm57's sound a LOT better through a really high-end pre (think API, Neve, etc) than they do through a behringer board or nady pre. conversely, a $2000 neumann will sound a lot worse though a lower end pre. that might sound like a "duh", but it's something a lot of folks don't seem to realise when looking for a new mic. for some, changing mics might not necessarily be the "right" direction to go in. thus, you've gotta take your whole signal chain into account when looking at "what mic next?"


ok.....as for suggestions.....i like the thought of the AT4033. good overall mic, usually sounds pretty damn good on guitar and vocals (among many other things). don't have one, but i have used one and it's on my list when i start looking at LDCs again (i'm going through a "nice dynamic" phase right now). they go for around $399 new, but used they're a little more manageable. so it's a little out of your budget, but would likely be well worth the extra month of saving.

another option is the already mentioned SP B1 (or a pair). as richie said, it's basically the SM57 of inexpensive LDCs. it's *ok* on my acoustic (i like my 603's better for most of the guitar things i do), and the B1 sucks on my voice (but it's good on a couple other voices i know), so YMMV on that one. but for $80, it's a solid workhorse (use mine all the time), and that's something you can NOT say for the majority of sub-$100 chinese-made LDCs.

another thought is an MXL603 or an Oktava mc-012 (both SDCs--usually $50-100 each) for the guitar (or a pair of em), and using the sm58 you already have as a vocal mic. then save up for a "better" vocal mic. the difference between my B1 and my pair of 603s on my Martin was stunning, with the 603s sounding far better. some folks (and guitars) like the mc-012s better. YMMV.

some might recommend that you put that $200 into a 6 month CD and saving another $200 and getting a nice used dynamic like an RE20 or SM7 (among others). plus, at $400 you'll have a lot more choices of "traditionally better" mics in the LDC area.


hope this helps some,
wade
 
Audio Technica AT4040 are less than $250 new daily on eBay. This is a high output, LDC type.

I own one.
 
Cavedog,

Sorry if I irritated you. That was never my intention. I do own several Sm58's and have used a few 57's. I also own a B1. To my ear, the 58 sounds very dull compared to my B1. That doesn't mean the B1 will sound better on everyone's voice than the B1. I thought I made that clear. It definately sounds better on my voice than the 58. I've heard that a really good pre will make a 58/57 sound totally different. I don't know, I only have a Mackie VLZ and a DMP3. For live work, I really like my 58's although I prefer my SM86's more. Truth is, if I where him, I would buy a B1 and a MK012 or a MXL603. He could get both for under $200. I really like the way my acoustic sounds using a 603 and a B1 together.

I have never had the chance to try a Soundelux so you are way ahead of me there. I can only comment of what I own or have tried and altough I've been a singer and a musician for more than 30 years I've only been into recording for a couple of years now so you've certainly trumped me there. :D

No hard feelings I hope. I disgreed with something you said. I didn't mean anything personal by it.

Blessings, Terry
 
statecap said:
I didn't ask WHY you thought that.

I know you guys made your peace & this is water under the bridge, just wanted to be the voice of the many like me trying to learn & don't say much. We appreciate such thorough posts.

"Just use the SM57" is par for the course.
Here's to you, Mister Complete Answer Giver!
 
Hey midipunk--Why don't you just be a reader and not a GD smart-ass. It's quite clear you haven't got a clue. Just listen and learn. Don't TRY to act as if you actually have anything to add.

To the others in this thread that have offered helpful information...thanks...

And to some of you that didn't put in your .02 on this subject let me say this. Hell must be frozen...because as I said before it seems all you get here is smart-ass answers from people who just want to be something they're not. Instead of actually helping others you want to be so damn inquisitive as to "what's your signal chain", "what mics you got at this time" "what is your favorite color in socks", blah,blah,blah. NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!!! Nobody asked anything more than what's there in black and white.
But there are a few on this site that act mature enough to treat others as they would want to be treated. With respect. Thanks Tex, teej, chessrock. And then there are people like Blue Bear Sound who thinks he is Gods gift to this site. If you are so fucking brilliant and have so much to offer, than what the hell are you doing talking to us peons???
Your answers do nothing but belittle the person on the other end reading the thread he/she started. Maybe you need a little humbling yourself.
This will be the last you hear from me and I'm sure you are all glad of it. I just have had this on my mind for a long time and it was "time to vent" But hey...looks like I'll have the last word in because I won't see another comment on this site ever again. Does that bother you Blue Bear Sound??? Wouldn't you like to just reach through this screen and choke me??? Well...you continue giving some of the others your load of crap. It just doesn't work for me. I'm sure you will all have your chances now to bitch and complain and call me all sorts of childish names or say (what you think) is some wise and grand and historical comment. But when you do, think about how YOU sound.

And for Christs sake, will you people learn how to fucking spell?
(ever heard of a dictionary?)

Signing off
Statecap
 
statecap said:
Instead of actually helping others you want to be so damn inquisitive as to "what's your signal chain", "what mics you got at this time" "what is your favorite color in socks", blah,blah,blah. NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!!! Nobody asked anything more than what's there in black and white.
So you want information, but you aren't willing to give us any in return to better help you.

OK, then I'll remember that. Next time you have a question I just won't answer. I encourage others to do the same.
 
statecap said:
Hey midipunk--Why don't you just be a reader and not a GD smart-ass. It's quite clear you haven't got a clue. Just listen and learn. Don't TRY to act as if you actually have anything to add.

To the others in this thread that have offered helpful information...thanks...

And to some of you that didn't put in your .02 on this subject let me say this. Hell must be frozen...because as I said before it seems all you get here is smart-ass answers from people who just want to be something they're not. Instead of actually helping others you want to be so damn inquisitive as to "what's your signal chain", "what mics you got at this time" "what is your favorite color in socks", blah,blah,blah. NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!!! Nobody asked anything more than what's there in black and white.
But there are a few on this site that act mature enough to treat others as they would want to be treated. With respect. Thanks Tex, teej, chessrock. And then there are people like Blue Bear Sound who thinks he is Gods gift to this site. If you are so fucking brilliant and have so much to offer, than what the hell are you doing talking to us peons???
Your answers do nothing but belittle the person on the other end reading the thread he/she started. Maybe you need a little humbling yourself.
This will be the last you hear from me and I'm sure you are all glad of it. I just have had this on my mind for a long time and it was "time to vent" But hey...looks like I'll have the last word in because I won't see another comment on this site ever again. Does that bother you Blue Bear Sound??? Wouldn't you like to just reach through this screen and choke me??? Well...you continue giving some of the others your load of crap. It just doesn't work for me. I'm sure you will all have your chances now to bitch and complain and call me all sorts of childish names or say (what you think) is some wise and grand and historical comment. But when you do, think about how YOU sound.

And for Christs sake, will you people learn how to fucking spell?
(ever heard of a dictionary?)

Signing off
Statecap

Oh, by the way, you're worse than a 3 year old brat crying for candy. "I want free information, I don't want to have to provide any information, and I WANT IT NOW!!!"

You're a troll, and if I were the moderator if this site, you'd never post again.
 
fuck me for caring and trying to help, eh? sure, why not.

first off, if you care about your sound and what you're recording and if you have the first clue as to what you're doing, you'll know that your ENTIRE signal chain is EXTREMELY important. that's why it's a CHAIN. one weak link screws the whole thing. if you don't know that or can't understand that, then nothing we say can or will help you. i personally don't give a rat's ass what you're running--hell, i have no way of knowing whether you were even being truthful or not. sometimes i wonder if these people who say they have $10K invested have more than $10 invested.

point of the matter is that to help, we have to ask questions. questions that you, obviously, would rather not answer. whatever. just know that sometimes people look to upgrade mics when other areas could really stand to use the attention instead. and a lot of times people look to spend the cash in their pocket before they piss it away, and they rush to bad (or at least rash) purchases.

when you take your car to the mechanic (you DO have a car, don't you?), and he asks what it's doing, you don't curse him out for asking questions, do you? BlueBear never even weighed in on this thread, so i have no idea why you felt the need to drag him through the mud. sure he's a little heavy handed at times (who isn't?) but he always asks pertinent questions.

i'm with cominginsecond.....next time you ask a question, i'll just not help instead of being bitched at for asking for more information. i get enough PMS once a month at home, and between you and jskillz, this childish nonsense is getting a little old. maybe WE need to talk to your dad and have him lecture you on how to behave in public and how to treat strangers, b/c his mic lectures sure didn't stick. :D


wade
 
I'm forwarding this thread to Santa, you might want to research capturing sound with coal.
 
hahahhahhaa

"I'm forwarding this thread to Santa, you might want to research capturing sound with coal."


That's freakin hilarious:D :D :D

-mike
 
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