Good starting microphones

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChrisThePlant
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ChrisThePlant

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I've read the "why there's no best mic" article that's stickied (somehwere), and learned a few things. There were a few mics listed in that article, and I'm wondering everyone's take on them.




I've got a relatively low budget (was going to spend $700 on a mic- AKG C 414 XL II - before I realized it was probably over the top). I understand that I'll want a large dia mic, a small dia mic, and dynamic mic, etc.

I'd like something better than "just the basic" mic. I plan to do a bit of rap/hip hop recording and soon be getting into acoustic guitar and vocal recording. What would you all recommend?
 
So, is your budget $700? Are you doing just hip hop vocals or are you doing live instruments too? These are things we need to know.
 
Shure SM7b (should be everyone's "must have" multi-purpose vocal workhorse), Cascade M20 (freakishly decent and ridiculously cheap "vanilla" LDC), a pair of Avant CK-1's. You can probably get all of those for around $700.
 
+1 for shure sm7b (or similar).

Great mic for covering a lot of bases, especially hot vocals.

For acoustic guitar I use shure sm81s more often than anything else. I have used oktava mk012s before and loved them, but it was in a really nice room so I can't put it all down to the mics.

If you're just doing acoustic guitar and vocals, I'd consider leaving out the LDC all together.
 
Not sure about leaving out the LDC.....I'd go..

1 x SM7B
1 x SM57
1 x NT1-A

maybe?????

That should bring you in just under $700 and maybe go for another NT1-A and SM57 when you can..
 
Guess the days of suggesting the MXL V67g are gone :(
 
moresound said:
Guess the days of suggesting the MXL V67g are gone :(
Click to expand...

Never....they're like gold dust over here in the UK....Charge £125.00 which is just shy of $200, and thats without carriage...and you never see them going second hand :(
 
Well there's you budget microphone buy then, to cover most of your bases.

Sure sm7b
Sure sm57
Mxl V67g
 
Maybe a SDC in the future when he desires to record guitar.
 
Richie2708 said:
Not sure about leaving out the LDC.....I'd go..

1 x SM7B
1 x SM57
1 x NT1-A

maybe?????

That should bring you in just under $700 and maybe go for another NT1-A and SM57 when you can..
Click to expand...

Capt Hair said:
Well there's you budget microphone buy then, to cover most of your bases.

Sure sm7b
Sure sm57
Mxl V67g
Click to expand...

Why are you guys suggesting a 57 on top of the sm7b? He's only planning to do some rapping, acoustic, and singing...I can see maybe having a 57 if he was gonna record other stuff, but I think it's overkill otherwise.


For $700ish dollars I'd get either a Shure sm7b or Electro-voice re320, and then a Sennheiser MK4. That should leave you with some jingle left over too for extra cables and whatnot!
 
Oh yeah cables, stands and what have you - the hidden costs! Forgot about those. I never remember about that for I have 14 gazillion of those things.
 
moresound said:
Oh yeah cables, stands and what have you - the hidden costs! Forgot about those. I never remember about that for I have 14 gazillion of those things.
Click to expand...

Feel free to send about 2 or 3 gazillion down here to VA if you ever have to get rid of some :D
 
guitaristic said:
Why are you guys suggesting a 57 on top of the sm7b?
Click to expand...

+1 for this.
I expected a few guys to be pro LDC. That's cool, it's all personal preference, but i don't see the need for a 57 for rap vocals and acoustic guitar.
 
Its because a 57 can double up as a instrument mic. Its very versatile and will cover most bases..Maybe for SDC I'd suggest 2 x NT5's
 
I would mic the guitar with the SM57 about 12" away aimed at the 12 fret. Use the LDC to pick up room ambience and use the SM7B as a vocal Mic. I thought this would get a great sound. But I do like the re320 as well :)

Eventually I would replace the sm57 with an sdc or 2. But for an extra Mic I assumed you can't really beat having an sm57 laying around.
 
I know that the SM7b gets hella love around here and for good reason. And I do believe that you amongst all here who actually have one will agree with this.....This mic requires a very good mic pre and some knowledge of gain-staging to be really effective. Now dont argue too strongly, I've owned a couple myself including one that had no letter at the end. And its not a critique of the mic I'm imparting, its just not a beginners mic. The OP would be better off with something like a Heil PR30 for a LDD mic and if he's doing acoustic guitar then a SDC of some sort. The NT5 is nice mic....012 Octava...AT2021 is very decent for almost no money...

The point being plug and shoot for the less experienced is always better. The Heil requires little more than plugging it into a mic pre and whackin away. Where-as the SM7b requires a mic pre with some serious gain without adding noisefloor to the process.

I'm just saying........And everyone should own an SM57. Makes my stock go up in value.......
 
cavedog101 said:
you amongst all here who actually have one will agree with this.....
Click to expand...

Duno if that's for me or not, but yeah, sm7b needs a good solid pre to really shine. I was disappointed with mine for ages until I upgraded.

Never actually used a 57 on acoustics before so i can't vouch, but I've used EV 635a mics to great effect.
 
Guess we all have to start somewhere with a set up.
So yeah if you need training wheels don't jump in the deep end of the pool and get the Shure SM7b .....
..... it's a big boy toy. :D
 
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