Jumping into the deep end, face first!

[Raymeous]

Hello everyone!

I've been a musician for almost 30 years now (damn I'm getting old) and play guitar, bass, keys, and drums (sort of). In any case, I am finally getting off my lazy butt and building my home studio.

So the goodies list:

2011 iMac running ProTools 8 (I did purchase the PT10 upgrade, just need to set it up)
Monster Pro2500 (keep my stuff safe)
Eleven Rack
Muse Receptor (for future plug-ins)
Novation SLMKii Zero (Used for $100!)
Yamaha HS80's studio powered monitors
AKG K240 headphones
Sony 7506 headphones
Rode NT2a
Shure SM57
20 year old Carvin CM68 (Shure 58 clone)
...tons of amps, guitars, basses, old Roland boards and a 5 pc Sonor kit

Gear for the future:

PreSonus 1818VSL (for doing more than track at a time recording)
... a few more mics for the kit, possibly the AKG D112


Even though I'm listing gear here, I do understand that gear only matters up to a point. The skills of the engineer are what makes for a great recording. If I upgraded my NT2a to a Neumann U87, my recordings would still sound like *poop*. There is no "magic bullet" to make up for lack of skill.



I know this trip with be long and frustrating at times, but with a little help (that would be you guys/gals) and determination, we can write great songs, and make some recordings to be proud of.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Wow, that's one hell of a list man!

Maybe i missed it, but was there a specific question you wanted to ask, or just opinions/advice in general?

Either way, my opinion would be;

Get your space nice and acoustically treated (the DIY boards have soooooo much info it's a veritable gold mine)
The presonus is cool, but there's plenty of audio interfaces out there that may suit you better (although i am a big advocate of presonus)
Mic's are my personal obsession so i always thinking having more mic's is cool. As you said, a D112 or similar for kick, a pair of SDC's for overheads/acoustic guitars/stereo recording, and a nice ribbon for electric guitar/acoustic guitar/room mic and you'd have more than enough to work with

 

[Raymeous]

Thanks for responding.

Don't feel bad, you didn't miss anything. I didn't really ask any questions although there are always a few bouncing around in my head.

Recently, I've been doing a lot of reasearch, part of which includes attending Guitar Center's free recording classes on ProTools and GarageBand. Through that I've met a group of other home studio newbies, and somehow ended up being the defacto "leader" if you will, since I've apperantly done the most research. In other words, I now have a half dozen people texting and emailing me on a daily (if not hourly) basis, asking questions about "What's the best_____?" or "What should I do?" as if I had all the answers.


Back on topic....

While I'm not currently in a band, it would be nice to be able to record a full drumset or even a trio. If I go with the Glynn Johns 4 mic set up I'd need to get a new interface. The PreSonus would give me 8 XLR inputs via USB which would be useful if I ever decide to go back to a Windows machine.

So as hinted at before I can use my SM57 for the snare, and the NT2a as either a mono overhead, or as a room mic, but I think I'd still benefit with a mic specifically tailored for the kick.

Mics I've been considering:
Behringer C2 pair - Simple and cheap for left and right overheads. I know they are by no means considered a great mic, but I can pick them up with the cash in my wallet today and get started recording tonight. If I end up replacing them later, which I probably would, I'm only out $60 and now have some back ups which could go towards hi-hat mics or whatever.

Audix FP7 drum mic kit - No thinking required mic kit has two pencil condensers for overheads, a kick mic, a snare mic, and 3 tom mics, all in a handy metal case. Goes for around $500 after tax . Audix seems to have a decent rep although it's for the nicer DP series, but still.

The AKG D112 - Kick mic I've seen at just about every gig I've ever played where they mic'd the drums, plus it's less than $200.

After the mic's the next gear purchase would more than likely be a PreSonus Eureka, ART Pro Channel, or something along those lines.

So in summary I'm looking at a larger interface, a few more mics for the drum kit, and an eventual channel strip/mic preamp. It's not a huge list, but it will keep me busy.



Any thoughts or suggestions, experiences, or tips, in regards to micing techniques or in regards to the mentioned equipment, would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Through that I've met a group of other home studio newbies, and somehow ended up being the defacto "leader" if you will, since I've apperantly done the most research. In other words, I now have a half dozen people texting and emailing me on a daily (if not hourly) basis, asking questions about "What's the best_____?" or "What should I do?" as if I had all the answers.

Hmm this seems oddly familiar I never minded as it made me research stuff more to answer my friends, and tbf they have since developed their own specialisms of which i can now pester them on (mainly mastering and live sound)

While I'm not currently in a band, it would be nice to be able to record a full drumset or even a trio. If I go with the Glynn Johns 4 mic set up I'd need to get a new interface. The PreSonus would give me 8 XLR inputs via USB which would be useful if I ever decide to go back to a Windows machine.

So as hinted at before I can use my SM57 for the snare, and the NT2a as either a mono overhead, or as a room mic, but I think I'd still benefit with a mic specifically tailored for the kick.

Mics I've been considering:
Behringer C2 pair - Simple and cheap for left and right overheads. I know they are by no means considered a great mic, but I can pick them up with the cash in my wallet today and get started recording tonight. If I end up replacing them later, which I probably would, I'm only out $60 and now have some back ups which could go towards hi-hat mics or whatever.

Audix FP7 drum mic kit - No thinking required mic kit has to pencil condensers for overheads, a kick mic, a snare mic, and 3 tom mics, all in a handy metal case. Goes for around $500 after tax . Audix seems to have a decent rep although it's for the nicer DP series, but still.

The AKG D112 - Kick mic I've seen at just about every gig I've ever played where they mic'd the drums, plus it's less than $200.

After the mic's the next gear purchase would more than likely be a PreSonus Eureka, ART Pro Channel, or something along those lines.

So in summary I'm looking at a larger interface, a few more mics for the drum kit, and an eventual channel strip/mic preamp. It's not a huge list, but it will keep me busy.



Any thoughts or suggestions, experiences, or tips, in regards to micing techniques or in regards to the mentioned equipment, would be greatly appreciated.

Yep, i completely agree, and i'm guessing you've already done your research, i was just saying that there are other 8 in's audio interfaces that may be worth looking at (Tascam US1800 gets a lot of cred from some users around here and the Motu 8 pre is cool, although as i said i'm a big advocate of Presonus)

In terms of mics, as always, they all have pro's and con's and every body has their own preferences and experiences with different mics.

My experience with the one's you've mentioned are;

Behringer C2 - honestly? not the worst mic's i've ever used! The guitarist in my band bought 4 (2 stereo sets) mainly to record his acoustic guitar and we ended up using them for several projects as drum overheads and room mics. We also used them live for drum overheads a couple of times. The thing i found was when using them they seemed ok and with careful positioning and some EQ to tame the brashness they worked. However, when we were recording our first album the first drum tracks had C2's as OH's, then i borrowed a pair of sE1a's from work and the difference was astonishing! I wouldn't instantly dismiss the C2's but i'd be tempted to hold on to your money and look at the Shure SM81, Oktava MK012's, or the sE1a's

Audix F series drum mic set - there was a discussion a while back about these and the general consensus seemed to be save up and get the D series set instead. My personal experience with both sets is limited but for the price and the fact you already have an SM57 it might be more cost effective and, subjectively, "better" to pick up and D112 or similar and a nice pair of SDC's

D112 - *sigh* the mic that seems to have caused the most internet audio arguments. Some love it, some loath it, some just get on with it. Personally, i'm not a huge fan but after using it for so long i find it's easy enough to work with. At work every year we do a series of experiments with our students where we put every mic in our mic cupboard on every source we can find to see how they sound. Every time we do it i find myself disliking the D112 a little bit more. That said, i still use it and don't turn my nose up too much when some suggests using it. As i said, if you've used it and know how it sounds it's easy enough to work with and get more than decent results. The alternatives? The original D12, Audix D6, Shure Beta 52, Sennheiser MD421, EV RE20, Audio-Technica ae2500, or even a lowly SM57. Add them to the list to research/play with and take your pick. They all work fine really, they just have their own personalities and preferences

The preamp/channel strip thing is the thing i've been looking at a lot recently to add some more "colour" to my rack. The one's you've mentioned get some good rep around the net, and things like the Joe Meek Three Q, GAP Pre-73, Warm Audio WA12, Focusrite ISA One and FMR RNP all get a lot of rep as well. Granted some are just preamps, some have a more "channel strip" approach, but they all have quite distinct flavours.

 

[Steenamaroo]

2011 iMac running ProTools 8 (I did purchase the PT10 upgrade, just need to set it up)

Don't yet.
I can't guarantee this is how it works, but I'd hold off registration until PT11 is released.
That way there's a good chance you'll get the amnesty upgrade.

 

[Raymeous]

The mic saga continues....

JUSTSOMEGUY:

Being the Go to Guy -

I have pretty much the same perspective as you on this. Being your friends "go to guy" does add some extra pressure, but it keeps me pluggin' along and moving forward and always thinking about it. They'll ask me a question, at which point I start mulling over the pros and cons of their hypotheticals, and by doing that I think (hope) I gain a little extra understanding.



Interfaces -

Yup I looked at the Tascam as well as the MOTU (I have the Ultralite MKii but I want more XLRs). What I'd really like to get is the Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56, but with all the other stuff I need/want to get, it's a bit out of range for now. Once I can justify it by having finished some more recorded tracks, I'll look at it again.



The Mics -

C2's - Didn't figure anyone would say "Wow those mics are amazing!", but they could make for a nice stop-gap filler to my "mic locker" until I can afford to get a pair something nicer. I'm not sold on these perse but they were a quick fix idea.

Audix D series - the nicer version of the F series correct? Sort of a C class verses E class Benz issue. So I did the math on the FP7 and DP7 drum mic kits last night, using the prices from Sweetwater. Here’s what I found: The FP7 kit goes for $460, for $800 in mics if purchased individually. The DP7 kit sells for $900, for $1,200 in mics. The FP7 kit is a slightly better overall savings, but the D series seems more like a permanent mic solution whereas the F series seems more like you might want to upgrade eventually. I’m just not sure a grand is in the budget for this at the moment, but I’ve been known to just go for it anyway.

"D112 *sigh*" (that good huh?). Is it simply a "vanilla" mic? What I mean is that it’s kinda like vanilla ice cream. Vanilla is fine, but there are far tastier options. I'm guessing the D112 has a rounder profile where something like the Audix D6 would have a more “tight” and "modern" (scooped mid) voicing. I am just guessing here, but does that sound like a fair assessment?


Kits vs. individual mics -

Now with all this talk about mic packages I do understand that the ideal would be to pick out my microphones on a case by case basis such as the Royer ribbons or Neumann TLM102 or something like that, but to be honest the budget won’t allow me to be that picky. I’m in that trade off place, like I imagine most of us tends to be in, where I have to find that balance between quality and costs.



Down to the fundamental question -

Let’s take it from a different perspective: I’m looking to have mics for male/female vocals, guitar/bass cabs, and drum sets (kick, overheads etc…) I currently have the Rode NT2a, a SM57, and a Carvin Shure SM58 clone. What 3 to 5 (under 1k each) microphones would you add to this? For any recommendations, please let me know why you like them, i.e. pros/cons.




STEENAMAROO:

AVID is doing a thing where if you purchased and registered PT10 after a certain date (early April if I remember correctly) you will be able to download PT11 for free.



Again thank you guys for your assistance with my newbie questions. I've only been here a short while and already you two have gotten me thinking.

 

[lovesinging25]

Man this site definitely isnt for me Im not a musician in any capacity.

 

[Justsomeguy]

JUSTSOMEGUY:

Interfaces -

Yup I looked at the Tascam as well as the MOTU (I have the Ultralite MKii but I want more XLRs). What I'd really like to get is the Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56, but with all the other stuff I need/want to get, it's a bit out of range for now. Once I can justify it by having finished some more recorded tracks, I'll look at it again.

Tbf, i've said it before and i'll say it again, buying an Audio Interface was the second hardest audio gear purchase i've ever made in my life, only just behind monitors. I'm guessing as you have the Ultralite that you're using firewire, in which case my money would go towards a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 - 8in, 8 out, 2 headphones, and an additional 8 in and 8 out via ADAT and something like the Behringer ADA8000

The Mics -

C2's - Didn't figure anyone would say "Wow those mics are amazing!", but they could make for a nice stop-gap filler to my "mic locker" until I can afford to get a pair something nicer. I'm not sold on these perse but they were a quick fix idea.

Tbf as a stop gap they're more than usable and when i was starting out this is was the kinda approach i took, but the older i got and more i did i started using the mantra of "Spend more, buy once. Spend less, buy twice". It's not a perfect mantra and i genuinely understand what you mean about just wanting to get something and crack on with it, but for not a lot more money there are other mics that you will still use even when you've got a couple of U87's and an original C12

Audix D series - the nicer version of the F series correct? Sort of a C class verses E class Benz issue. So I did the math on the FP7 and DP7 drum mic kits last night, using the prices from Sweetwater. Here’s what I found: The FP7 kit goes for $460, for $800 in mics if purchased individually. The DP7 kit sells for $900, for $1,200 in mics. The FP7 kit is a slightly better overall savings, but the D series seems more like a permanent mic solution whereas the F series seems more like you might want to upgrade eventually. I’m just not sure a grand is in the budget for this at the moment, but I’ve been known to just go for it anyway.

As i said, my experience with both sets is limited, but i totally agree with your assessment of the two sets in terms of the F series being a better saving but the D series being a more permanent fitting.

"D112 *sigh*" (that good huh?). Is it simply a "vanilla" mic? What I mean is that it’s kinda like vanilla ice cream. Vanilla is fine, but there are far tastier options. I'm guessing the D112 has a rounder profile where something like the Audix D6 would have a more “tight” and "modern" (scooped mid) voicing. I am just guessing here, but does that sound like a fair assessment?

Lol, the sigh was mainly that i've read and been involved in far too many arguments on the internet about kick mics, and the D112 is the often the route of these arguments. Tbf if it were vanilla i'd be happier with it. When i've A/B's it against a bunch of mics (not even "kick mics", just mics we've tried on kick) the D112 sounds muddy, sloppy, and the hyped top is brash and weak sounding. But, as i said, because it had it's place as the "industry standard" kick mic, you learned to use it and get on with it. Yeah, the D6 has a "modern" sound as you said which is great for rock and metal but certainly not an all rounder. One of the friends to whom i was a "go to guy" for years now runs a live sound company and he's got my D112 on permanent loan and he's in the middle of checking out other kick mic's and the D6 is the top of his list atm but he says he'll still use the D112 to fill in the gaps the D6 won't do.

Kits vs. individual mics -

Now with all this talk about mic packages I do understand that the ideal would be to pick out my microphones on a case by case basis such as the Royer ribbons or Neumann TLM102 or something like that, but to be honest the budget won’t allow me to be that picky. I’m in that trade off place, like I imagine most of us tends to be in, where I have to find that balance between quality and costs.

Down to the fundamental question -

Let’s take it from a different perspective: I’m looking to have mics for male/female vocals, guitar/bass cabs, and drum sets (kick, overheads etc…) I currently have the Rode NT2a, a SM57, and a Carvin Shure SM58 clone. What 3 to 5 (under 1k each) microphones would you add to this? For any recommendations, please let me know why you like them, i.e. pros/cons.

Right, this is obviously just my opinion and tastes, but if i had you mic collection and wanted to add mic's to fill your needs, i'd look at - a pair of SDC's (for overheads, acoustic guitars, room mics, stereo micing in general), a kick mic, and either one really nice LDC or two very different soundings LDC's to cover bases.

SDC's - there's plenty to choose from but the ones that are price conscious and would happily keep you going for a very long time;

Oktava MK012's
Shure SM81
sE1a
Avantone CK1

Kick mic - Honestly, any of the ones i said earlier would do a great job and even my bitching about the D112 is my own taste really, so have a listen, have a play, see what you like

LDC's - Depending on what route you take, but there are lot of great LDC's under $1000 (well, under £800, i don't know the $ conversion but that seems about right in my head)

AKG C414
Neumann TLM102 or TLM103 (second hand the TLM103 should be under $1000)
Avantone CV12
sEZ3300a
sE4400a
Rode NTK or K2

 

[Steenamaroo]

STEENAMAROO:

AVID is doing a thing where if you purchased and registered PT10 after a certain date (early April if I remember correctly) you will be able to download PT11 for free.

Cool. I wasn't sure of their dates but you seem clued in.

I'm guessing the D112 has a rounder profile where something like the Audix D6 would have a more “tight” and "modern" (scooped mid) voicing. I am just guessing here, but does that sound like a fair assessment?

I'd say no. The d112 is very scooped sounding to me.
Mine never gets used for kick. (sm7b/md421/re20)

It's actually pretty impressive for that over-done radio voice sound.

I guess people use it live because it's cheap and it's got plenty of boom and click.

 

[Raymeous]

Ok I'm back from my research. Well, the internet version at least as I haven't been dinking around with the actual mics yet.


At this point I'm leaning towards the Oktava MK012 matched pair and the AKG D12 VR mics.

Oktava MK012's - They have that whole multiple capsule thing, which means that they could be more versatile and adjustable than some of the "more affordable" options. Of course the removable/replaceable capsules also means that I have the chance of losing them. The good news is that it all comes in a wooden case. Nice. When snooping around for info on the MK012's I ran across a mic mod for them. Have you guys heard of the Michael Joly mod for the MK012's? What's that all about? Has anyone tried one of those mics before?

AKG D12 VR - I also felt that the AKG D12 VR sounded interesting. Apparently it's a multi pattern condenser AND dynamic in one mic. I didn’t realize anyone made something like that. Sounds fun.

These mics are admittedly a little more than I was intending to spend, but they do feel more like a solid investment as opposed to just a temporary fix.

So with those mics added to the collection, I could do the AKG D12 VR on the kick, my current Shure SM57 on the snare, with the pair of Oktava MK012’s for overheads. The nice thing here is that when I get to the point where I want to mic the toms individually, I will be adding to the collection, not replacing a cheaper version of something. All I need to do now is come up with around $1,000 for the 3 mics, extra cables, and some boom stands.



The hardest part of all of this, besides the limited budget, is keeping in mind that I am NOT making a pro studio. It's a home studio. I don't need to go out and by a collection of $3,000 microphones to get the job done. Those expensive microphones are still quite sexy and call my name, but I just have to be strong. Even though I don't have a huge budget for this, I still want to try and avoid buying a bunch of cheap "toys", and getting into the regret and upgrade game.



Thanks again for your support and patience with my thinking out loud.

 

[Steenamaroo]

AKG D12 VR - I also felt that the AKG D12 VR sounded interesting. Apparently it's a multi pattern condenser AND dynamic in one mic. I didn’t realize anyone made something like that. Sounds fun.

I'm not sure that it is.
It's a dynamic mic but if presented with phantom power the characteristics change.
I can't recall exactly what happens (google will know) but I think it has some kind of onboard eq that phantom engages.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Oktava MK012's - They have that whole multiple capsule thing, which means that they could be more versatile and adjustable than some of the "more affordable" options. Of course the removable/replaceable capsules also means that I have the chance of losing them. The good news is that it all comes in a wooden case. Nice. When snooping around for info on the MK012's I ran across a mic mod for them. Have you guys heard of the Michael Joly mod for the MK012's? What's that all about? Has anyone tried one of those mics before?

The name may have come up a thousand times or so Yeah, the Joly mod's get alot of praise and, although i've only ever heard the clips on his site, i'm very impressed. if i had the money i'd send some his way.

Also, i really wouldn't worry too much about losing the capsules. Just make sure you put them back in the nice wooden box when you're not using them and you'll be fine. I've used a pair with 16 year old students students for four years and although they manage to break a lose pretty much everything else we still have all the capsules and a working pair of Oktava MK012's

AKG D12 VR - I also felt that the AKG D12 VR sounded interesting. Apparently it's a multi pattern condenser AND dynamic in one mic. I didn’t realize anyone made something like that. Sounds fun.

I'm not sure that it is.
It's a dynamic mic but if presented with phantom power the characteristics change.
I can't recall exactly what happens (google will know) but I think it has some kind of onboard eq that phantom engages.

I'm pretty sure Steen is bang on on this. There is a duel element kick mic by Audio Technica which has a dynamic and condenser capsule which have separate outputs (the AE2500) but the mic is quite pricy at £530 (it is pretty awesome though!).

So with those mics added to the collection, I could do the AKG D12 VR on the kick, my current Shure SM57 on the snare, with the pair of Oktava MK012’s for overheads. The nice thing here is that when I get to the point where I want to mic the toms individually, I will be adding to the collection, not replacing a cheaper version of something. All I need to do now is come up with around $1,000 for the 3 mics, extra cables, and some boom stands.

Sounds good to me

 

[Raymeous]

On the D12.

Where I got my info from was on the Sweetwater site, which was probably a cut and paste from AKG.

"Three active filter modes -
You can coax four distinct kick drum sounds out of the D12 VR, making it perfect for any recording studio or live sound application. Without phantom power, the tone is the pure, uncolored signal of your kick drum. But apply phantom power to the D12 VR, and you get access to three active filters. The first filter adds a low-end boost that beefs up your sound. The second filter provides a midrange cut, making room for other instruments in a busy mix. And the third filter actually combines the first two along with a high-end boost that enhances presence and snap."

It sounds like the mic is more variable than a usual plug and play microphone. While I may have misinterpreted it as both a dynamic (no phantom power) and condenser (with phantom power), it is probably using the same elements and diaphragm. Again, just a guess. To me, the versatility is a double edged sword. The more knobs and switches I have at my disposal, the more likely I am to waste time messing things up. However it also means that there's an increased "longevity" to the microphones usefulness, which my wallet would appreciate.

 

[Steenamaroo]

It sounds like the mic is more variable than a usual plug and play microphone. While I may have misinterpreted it as both a dynamic (no phantom power) and condenser (with phantom power), it is probably using the same elements and diaphragm.

As which? Both?
I haven't had one in bits, but I've no reason to believe that the moving parts are any different to your average dynamic mic.
It'll be a heavy diaphragm with a coil mounted to it. The coil moves freely within a magnetic field to generate your signal.
All that mass has to move to create a signal, whereas with a condenser (capacitor mic), a thin metal film moves relative to another one, altering capacitance.

It's the difference between blowing a hair away and blowing a matchstick away, kinda.

This is why dynamics are generally less sensitive, and generally don't have the same extended high frequency response as condensers.

Of course there are exceptions and tailored responses, but that's the fundamental difference.
The D12VR is a dynamic mic with bells and whistles, but it's still a dynamic.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Tbf the "phantom power" to change the circuitry of the mic seems to be the new "cool" thing to do. There's at least one valve mic (and i can't remember for love nor money what it's called again) where sending phantom power to the mic's dedicated PSU changes the sound of the mic by, i think, switching in another set of circuitry.

This is from the Soundonsound review of the D12vr;

"the D12VR is a large-diaphragm dynamic cardioid mic, and it leans heavily on the looks of the classic D12"

and then later in the same review;

"We’re also told that it has a patented, phantom-powered active filter circuit, but that it can work as a passive mic. It cancels out impedance differences between itself and other equipment when phantom-powered, it has an internal bass chamber (like the original), and the transformer enhances the audio signal at high SPLs."

So, as Steen said, it is still a dynamic mic, but with variable active or passive circuitry. It's similar to Blue's Encore 200 which is also a dynamic mic but when phantom powered turns on an active circuitry to boost the output signal and do some other witchcraft.

To me, the versatility is a double edged sword. The more knobs and switches I have at my disposal, the more likely I am to waste time messing things up. However it also means that there's an increased "longevity" to the microphones usefulness, which my wallet would appreciate.

Tbh i sometimes feel a similar way about gear where you have alot of different options. Don't get me wrong, versatility is always a bonus, but there is sometimes too many choices. For example, i have Altiverb 6 as my main reverb. It's incredible! Sometimes however i find myself spending ages and ages trying to find the perfect reverb for a source but often make the mistake of finding one that i think "yeah, that's cool, but what about this one!?!?" and before i know it i'm further away from where i wanted to be. In these cases i ditch altiverb, patch in my original microverb and make the most of the whole 14 options i have!

With the D12vr i've not tried it but, so far, i've not seen wonderful reviews.

 

[Raymeous]

Lol! Yes I get that the D112 VR is a "powered" dynamic and not a condenser, and I agree with you both on that. Like I said, I was kinda stumped on the concept at first, but after the initial post about it Steenamaroo set me straight.

There are pluses and minuses to any mic I would choose to get, so I think I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet, pick one and move on. After I have that point of reference, I can start asking more informed questions about future recomendations.

"I have mic "X", but the top end is sounding a little harsh. Would mic "Y" sound a little smoother by comparison?" That sort of thing.

 

[Justsomeguy]

There are pluses and minuses to any mic I would choose to get, so I think I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet, pick one and move on. After I have that point of reference, I can start asking more informed questions about future recommendations.

^^^This^^^

I often feel this is the best approach; Research and try stuff out, get some general advice, narrow down your choices, research a bit more, pick one or two and just go for it.

As Moresounds sig says "Any mic you buy will be perfectly suited to your needs, until you use it long enough to learn that it's not"