Yo Deedee! Welcome to the board! First, the disclaimer, then my best suggestion:
Disclaimer. Mics are like shoes, they either fit or they don't. No one can look at your face and tell you what shoe will fit. No one can listen to your voice and tell you what mic will make you sound good. Also, mics have to be right for the job. No matter how good the toe shoes are, they suck for playing ice hockey. All *we* can do is recommend mics that work for *somebody*. All *you* can do is- never pass up a chance to try out a mic you've never tried, because it might turn out to be the holy grail. And- buy respected mics that are on the equipment lists of professional studios. That way, if they don't work out for you, they are easier to re-sell, because you know they are good for recording *something* or *somebody*. Always remember- there's no mic so good that it can't make *somebody* sound awful.
All that said, my best advice (given that you are looking at mics like Blueberry, which don't come cheap) is: Look for a used AKG C414B-ULS or C414TLII. They will cost a lot less than a new C414. Also consider a used Neumann TLM103. I recommend these because they are a little bright with very little color, the opposite of a tube mic. The cheap version would be a B.L.U.E. Bluebird or B.L.U.E. Spark. The midpriced version would be
Audio-Technica AT4040. These are "just the facts, Ma'am" mics. If you suck, they will not airbrush you, and if you are really in the league of a Beyonce, they will reveal that. These are mics that are not forgiving, but they are real clear and crisp. You have to deal with it. Also, for stage use, look around for a used AKG D3800 tripower, which can be found for about $100, or shell out the big bucks for
a Neumann KMS104 or KMS105. That's the same deal in a handheld stage mic. All you have to do is be that good, because all of the above are mics you can't hide behind. Hope that helps. Best of luck,-Richie
