mic choices for less than $200

[guitar junkie]

ok so i am getting more and more into recording of my own stuff here and its getting to where i think i need some better mics for my vocals and guitar.
what i have on hand right now is as follows.

AT4040 (sounds good as an overhead on drums and does ok with my violin but sucks with my not so tenor voice)

AKG D770 (this has been my "go to mic" ever since i got it from my brother used with my 4 track tape sounds good for most things my vocals sound a little thin but hey its not an LD any way)

Shure AR101 (does not get much use sounds real sharp and brittle but that works for an effect sometimes but still a really cheap mic i think it was $75 with stand and cable at Guitar Center)

shadio rack (its a toy sucks for anything you want to try but it makes an ok lofi sound with the EQ settings right)

i am looking at having a little money soon and it seems that my choices

Studio Projects B1

MXLV67G (i hear this is a really bright mic so it may not be much good to me)

Studio Projects B3 (this one has more pickup patterns cardioid/ Omni-directional/figure 8)

now what else is there out there?
and what about some stereo mics who makes anything that i can afford?

thanks guys now i go to work i will check this tonight. thanks

 

[malcolm123]

I would get the B1 and the V67g based on your list and budget.

The V67g is not a bright mic in my opinion. It seems just the opposite to me.

Malcolm

 

[timboZ]

CAD M179 Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone

http://www.frontendaudio.com/Combo CAD.htm

 

[chessrock]

Studio Projects B1

MXLV67G (i hear this is a really bright mic so it may not be much good to me)

Studio Projects B3 (this one has more pickup patterns cardioid/ Omni-directional/figure 8)

now what else is there out there?

I don't really think you're going to get anything that's a significant departure from what you already have. If anything, these Chinese mics you're considering are a likely step down from your Audio Technica.

If you're looking for something that's a little less accurate and forgiving on vocals, then why not look at some nice dynamics? Shure SM-7 comes to mind. Or if you want to keep it in the Audio Technica line, how about the 4047? Really nice vocal mic there. If you like the Studio Projects stuff, then what about a nice tube mic like the T-3?

I guess I just don't understand the desire to take a step down rather than up. Sideways, I could see, if you were looking at something different enough from what you have, which I'm not certain you are.

 

[noisedude]

I got an SP T3 to shut up all the people who told me I spent too much time hyping up cheap mics. The mic is absolutely great, I've not heard a mic in the price range that sounds like it ........ however, that price range is probably higher than you are looking right now, so ....

Chessrock's probably right on the dynamics. I have a Beyer M400 that I love to pieces, and an old Shure 545D Unidyne III which was the original SM57 ... also a keeper. The Sennheiser E835 is a truly versatile dynamic. I record with a friend who has a couple of EV N/D767s which he gets very good sounds from.

Chessrock is also right that you already have a good, clear and detailed mic in the AT4040. Whilst I would happily have my B3 over the AT any day of the week, I'm not convinced they're so different that the sideways buy makes economical sense for you. You should decide what you're trying to do - upgrade, or get different flavours? You can get some very different sounding mics - particularly those dynamics - for not a lot of money, or you can start saving for something like an AT4050 that would be a definite upgrade from what you have.

That would be my approach anyway!

Nik

 

[guitar junkie]

ok the reason why i am wanting to buy some more mics is i have a couple reasons for it. one is flavour yes. the other is the AT4040 is a nice mic and on a lot of things i have recorded with it are steller! but it is a bright mic IMO and the high end is good for my fiddle and banjo as well as some other things and a lot of other singers but when i started recording i was about 16 and i was a tenor and needed a clean high detail now that i have grown up a little more i droped about 4 notes from my singing range and have become less of a girly boy the AT is just not sounding as good with my singing as it used to. i would say that also i am going to be recording more bands and am going to want to make more selection in studio for the guys. i have worked with 57's live but never in studio i should at least get one sometime soon. my needs also seem to lean on getting an X-Y rig going for acoustic guitar. the B1 seems to be well respected same with the XML mic the B3 has more pickup patterns to choose from. i am looking at picking one of these mics out with some money i have coming on a deal.

 

[noisedude]

For the cheapest, most versatile x-y, get two B1s. They have a pretty wide pattern, so they're dead easy to pick up and get using. The B3 on cardioid does not strike me as being particularly bright, certainly not in a hyped way anyway. Have you considered working with subtractive EQ'ing to tone down the brightness of the AT4040?

 

[guitar junkie]

For the cheapest, most versatile x-y, get two B1s. They have a pretty wide pattern, so they're dead easy to pick up and get using. The B3 on cardioid does not strike me as being particularly bright, certainly not in a hyped way anyway. Have you considered working with subtractive EQ'ing to tone down the brightness of the AT4040?

yeah the X-Y of two B1's sounds like it would be a good idea but... my studio is small and it has a computer in there that makes a little racket and with two hot mic's like that it could be a lil problem. as far as EQ on the AT4040 i have done that and it sounds sort of better but it does leave me with a few limits while mixing.. i am one of the guys who is getting to think that your mix is only going to really be as good as the first tone that was put into the board.

what about a pair of small SD mic's i see a few sets out there that are not bad in price and people that give feedback on zzounds.com sometimes will be pretty honest it would seem... CAD has this package of two SD mics and an LD mic for i think about $299 which is what i am ending up looking at in budget for this round LD for vocals and SD for guitar and my best guess is that it will be used for OH on drums later down the road... so what do people think about CAD?

 

[chessrock]

Junkie, I'm going to do you a favor and steer you away from all this B-1 business.

Just get yourself a couple of Oktava MC-012's for stereo mic'ing the accoustic. And an Oktava MK-319 for vocals. If you're worried about bright mics, and you want something mellower in the high end, the Oktava will get you there just fine, and for right around the same money or less. Seriously.
.

 

[Robert D]

Junkie, I'm going to do you a favor and steer you away from all this B-1 business.

Just get yourself a couple of Oktava MC-012's for stereo mic'ing the accoustic. And an Oktava MK-319 for vocals. If you're worried about bright mics, and you want something mellower in the high end, the Oktava will get you there just fine, and for right around the same money or less. Seriously.
.

Then pick up an omni capsule for one of the 012s and you've got a great set of mics that will cover a lot of ground, and that you'll always keep around.

-RD

 

[guitar junkie]

Junkie, I'm going to do you a favor and steer you away from all this B-1 business.

Just get yourself a couple of Oktava MC-012's for stereo mic'ing the accoustic. And an Oktava MK-319 for vocals. If you're worried about bright mics, and you want something mellower in the high end, the Oktava will get you there just fine, and for right around the same money or less. Seriously.
.

ok this sounds pretty good where can a guy get them these days? i have not seen them online much at the normal places to look for stuff like musiciansfriend and music123 zzounds or sweetwater does guitar center still have them? i have heard great things about them alright but i have not found them... also what is the QC with them these days? people used to hate emm.
the only reason i have looked at the B1 thus far is that it seems people around here and in other places like them a lot i am not sold on MXL much at all but i have seen some folks who like them. so many mic's are out there to try and look over and stuff so its all a matter of researching it out ahead.

 

[Richard Monroe]

I generally support the above statement regarding the Oktavas. In general, they rock. (MC012 and MK319) Here's a black horse for you- AKG C2000B, one of the most versatile cheap mics I own. Wow-
I thought I was the only one who uses D770! A very useful cheap dynamic.-Richie

 

[Big Kenny]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7337450906&category=15198

 

[guitar junkie]

I generally support the above statement regarding the Oktavas. In general, they rock. (MC012 and MK319) Here's a black horse for you- AKG C2000B, one of the most versatile cheap mics I own. Wow-
I thought I was the only one who uses D770! A very useful cheap dynamic.-Richie

hey thanks for the tip! i kind of think that oktava might be the way to go but i just have to find them and DO NOT DO EBAY many of my friends do though but i like to take things home with me the very same day i shell out bucks for it. although i may have to order through fullcompass or zzounds but ebay is not my thing and also i have no credit cards at my age...

yes i have been happy with the D770 and i might try and find two more of them sometime.... its a great little mic and i just used it to get a live recording of a Mesa Boogie amp and it sounds great! better than the one we used an SM57 on and less blead in the tracks (it was a live show multi tracked through my firepod) over all i have liked most of the AKG stuff that i have used and i have seen some of the big names at work using them for vocals and stuff...

now what do people know about Electro Voice mics?
they have some nice looking specs and the prices are not out of line if they are any good.. any body?

 

[Richard Monroe]

EV is one of those companies, like AKG, that builds some very ordinary mics, and some truly extraordinary mics. RE20 is simply a multi-purpose monster. If you want to do Oktavas, and you're willing to pay the premium price for ones that are really matched and fully tested, just contact Taylor Johnson at The Sound Room.-Richie

 

[bongolation]

Just get yourself a couple of Oktava MC-012's for stereo mic'ing the accoustic. And an Oktava MK-319 for vocals. If you're worried about bright mics, and you want something mellower in the high end, the Oktava will get you there just fine, and for right around the same money or less. Seriously.
.

I'd consider that good advice except that it's getting hard to find Oktavas any more, at least not dirt cheap. I cherry-picked and stocked up when they were, and don't regret it. A decent example of a MK-319 is quite nice for most male vocal, especially a baritone or a "richer" voice.

The MC/MK-012s are just a no-brainer for acoustic.

 

[guitar junkie]

this is a mic i saw early on when getting started in this mess.. i have found it cheaper in some other places but its an EV N/D468 i know that its only got 2 people giving feedback to get the five star rating it has there but i have seen it on the EV website that its in the gear list for more than one band on tour and in studio. rejection is a factor that i need to keep in mind here i and i am told this one does that very well indeed. still i have not heard much about it. see what you think http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=141/g=home/search/detail/base_id/35412

ahh so many mics so little money

Ritchie.
your black horse mic looks like its going to be in the list to select from in the end as it does look good! thanks