Looking to buy a quality condenser mic!

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carryonsteve

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Hi everyone,
Music is my passion but I don't want to shell out thousands of dollars to record at a recording studio to have my songs recorded.
I rather invest that money in my own equipment to be able to get my own decent recordings that are studio quality.
I know a lot more goes into a quality recording besides the mic, but having a good mic is good place to start.
I need a nice large diaphram condenser mic for vocals, that will give me a crisp quality sound. Any recommendations?
Max price I would spend would be about $1500. Used or new I don't care. Thanks!
 
It all depends on your voice.

It might be asking a lot but are you able to demo any mics?

Do you already have recordings of yourself that we can listen to?
 
$1500 is a very nice budget for one quality LDC. There is a Neumann TLM67 Multi-pattern LDC listed on GC's used site for $1,259.00. They sell new for about a grand more.
 
You should really try to get to a store that will let you audition mics.

Not every mic suits every voice and you could be letting yourself in for a huge letdown
if you just throw money out with trying something first.
 
AT-4050. Multi-pattern and a great LDC. I've used it on vocals, guitar upright bass. Around 800 I think. Best sounding LDC in that range IMO. But as stated above u need to try it on your voice. I haven't heard it sound bad on anything tho.
 
Well, rather than trying to find a "one size fits all" microphone, I'd approach this in a different way. I'd buy a couple of mics to give me options for different styles/mixes.

The two mics I'd probably buy would be:

sE2200A II (the multi pattern variant). Have a multipattern mic opens a world of options when you're recording. In terms of sound, it has a lovely crisp and clear tone without dipping into harshness. I have the original sE2200A and it's a lovely sounding mic--more often than not I use it in preference to my much-more-expensive Neumann TLM103. I've had a chance to audition the Mk II mulitpattern version and, in cardioid, it's pretty well identical to the originals I have.

Then, for a second mic:

Rode NTK Tube mic. This'll give you the extra warmth that tube mics provide. It's still a nice clear sound (not quite as crisp as the sE) but somehow warmer and smoother than the standard condenser mic sound. It would be a perfect alternative to the sE.

Having two different mics, especially one with switchable patterns, opens lots of doors and provides lots of alternatives when recording. You could do a lot worse than these two mics!
 
Bobbsy said:
Well, rather than trying to find a "one size fits all" microphone, I'd approach this in a different way. I'd buy a couple of mics to give me options for different styles/mixes.

The two mics I'd probably buy would be:

sE2200A II (the multi pattern variant). Have a multipattern mic opens a world of options when you're recording. In terms of sound, it has a lovely crisp and clear tone without dipping into harshness. I have the original sE2200A and it's a lovely sounding mic--more often than not I use it in preference to my much-more-expensive Neumann TLM103. I've had a chance to audition the Mk II mulitpattern version and, in cardioid, it's pretty well identical to the originals I have.

Then, for a second mic:

Rode NTK Tube mic. This'll give you the extra warmth that tube mics provide. It's still a nice clear sound (not quite as crisp as the sE) but somehow warmer and smoother than the standard condenser mic sound. It would be a perfect alternative to the sE.

Having two different mics, especially one with switchable patterns, opens lots of doors and provides lots of alternatives when recording. You could do a lot worse than these two mics!
Click to expand...

That's a great idea. Especially with your budget. Except you may want to consider a multiple-pattern LDC and a dynamic mic like an SM-7 or RE-20. That would give you some versatile options for sure. I recently used a TLM-103, I was extremely disappointed.
 
Elton123 said:
That's a great idea. Especially with your budget. Except you may want to consider a multiple-pattern LDC and a dynamic mic like an SM-7 or RE-20. That would give you some versatile options for sure. I recently used a TLM-103, I was extremely disappointed.
Click to expand...

This would be my recommendation too. I too was not very impressed with the TLM 103 the few times I tried it.

I would give another thumbs up to the AT 4050. When I go to a friends studio to work here and there, it is still the "go to" mic I use. There are much higher dollar mics available there, but the 4050 seems to work more often than it doesn't for voice, acoustic, overheads, percussion, second mic on guitar cab, etc...
 
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