I'm sure you've heard it before, but I'm looking for cheap condensors

[dukedecapitator]

Alright guys, I have a feeling this question comes up a million times a day, but after thouroghly searching the forum for the past 2 nights, I honestly can't come up with a great answer yet. I play drums in a metal band, and we're trying to do pre production for some studio time we have this summer. We've got everything we need except for drum overheads. In previous recording attempts, we just used 57's as overheads, with less than thrilling results. So now we're looking to get a pair that will hold up okay and sound better than the shure's as oh's, but we're not trying to reinvent the recording process or anything. We really don't need anything very high end, just something that will get the job done. The focus here is probably more on cymbals though, since more than likely toms, kick, and snare will be getting drum a gogged in the end anyways. Our aboslute price limit is 200 bucks for the pair, but the less the better since we don't need amazing quality anyways. Thanks guys!

Andy

 

[northsiderap]

Try:

Try some MXL 991s.

From what I hear, they are identical to the MXL603s as far as parts go.

DON'T get the Behringer C2 pair. They will serve you OK for just getting something to listen to, but they are muffled and turd-like.

I know, because I modded one with my own circuit and it opened up like your girlfriend on prom night.

 

[SRR]

MXL 603 or the newer MXL 604.

I know the 604 is $83 or was it $86 at fullcompass, something like that.

 

[dukedecapitator]

Awesome, thanks guys. yeah we were actually looking at the mxl's, just wanted to see if there were any other viable options out there. how are 993's? musicians friend has the stereo pair of 993's for $180 right now. better or worse than the 603/604?

 

[flamin-gitaur]

These are nice for the price. I paid about $150 for mine.

 

[studiomaster]

Studio Projects B1...probably the best mic under $100

 

[PhilGood]

Try some MXL 991s.

From what I hear, they are identical to the MXL603s as far as parts go.

DON'T get the Behringer C2 pair. They will serve you OK for just getting something to listen to, but they are muffled and turd-like.

I know, because I modded one with my own circuit and it opened up like your girlfriend on prom night.

Aren't the diaphragms different, though? 3 micron? Or are they rebadged for Guitar Center and essentialy the same thing?

I didn't go to prom with my girlfriend. I went with someone else because of a fight. That's why she's not my girlfriend anymore.

 

[ErikTheRed]

If you are looking specifically for a drum overhead mic then look at the AKG C1000S. I use a pair of hese for both live and studio work as drum overheads because they come with a handy dandy bit of plastic that changes the pickup pattern from Cardiod (studio) to hyper-cardiod (live).

I have also used a pair of Behringer B5s which also come with two capsules (cardiod and omni). These little mics are better than they should be for the price.

 

[ermghoti]

I didn't go to prom with my girlfriend. I went with someone else because of a fight. That's why she's not my girlfriend anymore.

How do you think he knows how she opened up? jk

B1's work well, I use 'em. I'd like to try Kel HM-1's, they sound more neutral in the clips I've heard.

IIRC, the 603/990 difference is in the chassis and windscreen, not the capsule.

 

[dukedecapitator]

ok, so it sounds like the mxls, studio projects b1, akg's, or behringer b5's are our best bet? any preferences from here on out? keep in mind cymbal sound is the most important part. thanks for all the good info fuys

 

[timboZ]

Matched set of Joe Meek JM27's for $90 shipped. (with shockmounts)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Joe-Meek-JM27-P...399422698QQcategoryZ41466QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I got a set a few weeks back and the are great O/H mics.

 

[Minion]

You also might consider Makeing yourself a Condenser Mic Like I am Doing...

You can Make a Condenser with Just as wide of a Frequency Range as the expensive Condensers (20-20,000hz) But with Just as Flat or Flatter Frequency Responce....

Here is the Frequency Responce of a Beringer B-5:

And here is the Frequency responce of the Condensers I make:

The Berringer has a Signal to Noise Ratio of 76db and mine is 66db which is Just slightly better than Mine.....

The Berringer has a Sensitivity of -38dBV and mine have -45dBV so most all of the Specs are Very Close.....

You can make a Single Element Condenser for about $10 to $20 depending on the Quality of element you use and the Housing You use.....

I built My First one a Couple Days ago just to see if it would Work and to my surprise it Worked and it sounds better than all of my Dynamics and Just as Good or better than my Peavey EC-10 Condenser and I didn"t even use a Very Good element in this one...I am going to Order the Parts to make about 30 of these Mics with Different elements for different Uses.....


Cheers

 

[up-fiddler]

My choice for cheap overheads would be the mxl991s. I use them for O/H and mandolin and fiddle. They are great on all three but I don't use them for anything else because they thin out in a hurry on anything else. They are cheap and good for very limited uses. Not a great all around mic. (But they are cheap.) Do you have phantom power?

 

[timboZ]

This is the set that I built a while back. (the TapeOp ones)

 

[Minion]

timboZ: That is a Strange looking Mic...The Ones I make Look Like Real Mics and use a simular Wireing but I use Different Elements than the Ones on the Tape Op Site as they don"t make those kind anymore and the newer ones are MUCH better and have a Much Lower SNR than the Older Elements.....

Cheers

 

[sheepshears]

timboZ and Minion

do you guys have any links/learning resources you could reccommend for someone intereseted in building mics? i have pleny of electronics esperience but its never occured to me to try building microphones.

 

[travelin travis]

timboZ: That is a Strange looking Mic...The Ones I make Look Like Real Mics and use a simular Wireing but I use Different Elements than the Ones on the Tape Op Site as they don"t make those kind anymore and the newer ones are MUCH better and have a Much Lower SNR than the Older Elements.....

Cheers

care to share any details about your home made mics?

 

[travelin travis]

Try some MXL 991s.

From what I hear, they are identical to the MXL603s as far as parts go.

DON'T get the Behringer C2 pair. They will serve you OK for just getting something to listen to, but they are muffled and turd-like.

I know, because I modded one with my own circuit and it opened up like your girlfriend on prom night.

how good are the c2's with the new circuits in them? did you put the alice circuit in these mics? i heard your "hillbilly on mushrooms" sound clip recorded with the c2's. i'm assuming the mics were unmodified for that recording.

 

[ErikTheRed]

If you want a pair of condenser mics for use as drum overheads - which was the original text of this thread - then you cannot use Behringer B2s. Why? These are large diagphragm mics and are NOT designed for the sustained high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL) that the Behringer B5s are. The diaphragm sze is the key here. The B2 (which I have never used) has a large diameter diaphragm whilst the B5 (which I do use) is much smaller and can stand having the crap beaten out of it by drummers. The mic I would buy for this duty if I were on a budget (which I am) is the AKG C1000S. This mic is bloody amazing. I have used it for recoding vocal and as a drum overhead mic. I've also used it in place of an SM58 for vocals once.

Large diameter diaphragm mics are designed for (mostly) recording voices and if you use them in a constant high SPL environment then you will destroy them over time.

 

[travelin travis]

This is the set that I built a while back. (the TapeOp ones)

what is that you're using for the mic bodies?

If you want a pair of condenser mics for use as drum overheads - which was the original text of this thread - then you cannot use Behringer B2s. Why? These are large diagphragm mics and are NOT designed for the sustained high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL) that the Behringer B5s are. The diaphragm sze is the key here. The B2 (which I have never used) has a large diameter diaphragm whilst the B5 (which I do use) is much smaller and can stand having the crap beaten out of it by drummers. The mic I would buy for this duty if I were on a budget (which I am) is the AKG C1000S. This mic is bloody amazing. I have used it for recoding vocal and as a drum overhead mic. I've also used it in place of an SM58 for vocals once.

Large diameter diaphragm mics are designed for (mostly) recording voices and if you use them in a constant high SPL environment then you will destroy them over time.

the only behringer mic's mentioned so far are the C2 and C5, not the B2. so using ldc mics for amps and drums will destroy them? ldc's are used alot for overheads.