DarrenVocal
New member
Hmm.. It seems you have quite a love for the microphone too!
Hmm.. It seems you have quite a love for the microphone too!
Justsomeguy
Quiet is the new Loud
D'you know what, i really did. I think part of it was sentimental but, like an SM57, i never found anything it really sucked at. I ended up with mics that did most jobs better but kept the C01 around because you could chuck it at nearly anything in a pinch and it'd come out ok. Plus, there was a guy i recorded a lot for a while who had this horrible, thin, brittle sounding acoustic and the C01 was the only thing i had that worked for that guitar. I'm also glad that it's getting a lot of use again in my friends hands as i don't like gear collecting dust
Seidy
New member
+1 for SE mics and AKG 220.
I'm not really a fan of NT-1a, sounds horribly bright.
I'm not really a fan of NT-1a, sounds horribly bright.
S
sixer2007
New member
I picked up a used Sterling Audio ST51 that I've loved on several voices, acoustic guitar, and as a drum room mic.
Does anyone else have any experience with it? For $100 new, it doesn't sound half bad to me.
:: Sterling Audio ::
Does anyone else have any experience with it? For $100 new, it doesn't sound half bad to me.
:: Sterling Audio ::
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
I completely on the virtues of the sE2200A--I own several and love the sound to bits. I've stopped recommending them in here 'cause I think I was getting boring about them!
However, unless prices where you are are super cheap, I don't think they fall into the budget specified for in the original post.
Hmmm...that said, the sE X1 has most of the same virtues for less money. Depending on your dealer, that one MIGHT squeak into the budget and would certainly be a choice from me.
J
JHutch420
Banned
ummmmmmm since when wasnt condeser's the new industry standard......? js lol. More crisp, better quality.
Steenamaroo
...
Industry standard is pretty much a bullshit term that's only used when something's for sale.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
"Industry standard" is just a polite way of saying the industry is a bunch of lemmings.
(Condensers are my "spare bedroom standard" though.)
J
James K
Member
The Oktava MK219 is a great mic. I use it on pretty much anything that isn't a close miked guitar cab or drum and it always does well.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
So "more crisp" equals "better quality" now?
I think condensers turned into the "industry standard" with rappers because they looked cool. Put a 7b or RE27 in front of them and they change their minds pretty quickly on what actually sounds better in a mix...
I'm not saying condensers don't have their part here and there -- Some voices, some applications actually sound better in the mix when using overly-sensitive mics. And the (arguably) "best" condensers tend to have frequency responses of most of the legendary vocal mics but with much more sensitivity (look at the FR of a Sony 8000 -- nearly identical to a Shure SM7b, similar in flavor to a RCA 44, etc.).
Condensers on vocals happen, sure. It's never been an "industry standard" by any stretch.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
I'd also quibble with the phrase "industry standard" but, in the professional recording studios where I've worked (almost all UK), LDCs have predominated on vocals by about 99 to 1. Note that I said recording studio...things like the 7B and the RE20 have huge pick up in the American radio industry.
This is probably a good place to bore everyone again with my pet theory--there's a cultural difference in sound tastes between the USA and Europe, probably caused by radio. Large dynamics are ubiquitous in radio studios all over the USA and people grow up getting used to that sound as the norm. However, go to a British (or German or French or whatever) radio studio and you'll almost certain see some form of condenser in use. Sometimes it's and LDC, other times SDC--but large dynamics are very rare. Therefore, Brits and Europeans grow up thinking a brighter, crisper sound is the norm.
Of course, neither view is "right"...it's just down to what you like, probably determined by what you're used to. Interestingly, the same stretched into monitors. When I moved from Canada to the USA in 1976, the common studio monitors all sounded over-bright to me. However, after some years, my ears attuned to that sound and a lot of American-produced monitors (including ones I used to really liked) now sound a bit dull and over-warm to my ears. Again, neither is "right"...it's just down to what you're accustomed to.
Can you tell I'm bored to make such a boringly predictable post?
This is probably a good place to bore everyone again with my pet theory--there's a cultural difference in sound tastes between the USA and Europe, probably caused by radio. Large dynamics are ubiquitous in radio studios all over the USA and people grow up getting used to that sound as the norm. However, go to a British (or German or French or whatever) radio studio and you'll almost certain see some form of condenser in use. Sometimes it's and LDC, other times SDC--but large dynamics are very rare. Therefore, Brits and Europeans grow up thinking a brighter, crisper sound is the norm.
Of course, neither view is "right"...it's just down to what you like, probably determined by what you're used to. Interestingly, the same stretched into monitors. When I moved from Canada to the USA in 1976, the common studio monitors all sounded over-bright to me. However, after some years, my ears attuned to that sound and a lot of American-produced monitors (including ones I used to really liked) now sound a bit dull and over-warm to my ears. Again, neither is "right"...it's just down to what you're accustomed to.
Can you tell I'm bored to make such a boringly predictable post?
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
I use and am pretty happy with the Studio Projects B-1, for both vocals and acoustic guitar, although I admit that my experience with LDCs is very limited so I haven't too much experience to use for comparison purposes. It's well within your price range and seems pretty versatile.
I do at times detect some upper mid harshness that imparts an almost metallic quality to the signal, which I take to be sort of a given with less expensive Chinese LDCs, but maybe that's an unfair categorization and any harshness could simply be user error.
I do at times detect some upper mid harshness that imparts an almost metallic quality to the signal, which I take to be sort of a given with less expensive Chinese LDCs, but maybe that's an unfair categorization and any harshness could simply be user error.
C
Chater-La
New member
Hi there! There are also these mics under $150 !
S
savo123
New member
I'd recommend the sE electronics sE2000 MKII, have used it multiple times for vocals with good result. Great mic for the value it is.
brassplyer
Well-known member
MXL 990. Inexpensive and works on everything.
T
tailored suit
New member
Boy are you spoilt for choice! I would recommend the SE Electronics range. Absolutely superb mics. Went to the launch of their 4400 at Air Lyndhurst in London a couple of years ago. They has all the usual suspects connected through their Neve desk (Telefunken, Neumann, AKG etc etc). The 4400 was as good as any of them! I felt, BETTER than many. Even their cheaper range are extraordinarily good value.
keithersgsx2003
New member
I second this...This is the same mic that I use and it works just fine. It's more about technique than your mic anyway.
My AKG is plugged into a Peavey 14 mixer....which is then connected to a Delta 1010...then Sonar 7XL. It's good enough for my taste..I'm not a perfectionist.