Microphone Help

[tekenten]

My friend and I want to record at home. We use sony acid pro 4.0 on a good computer with a good soundcard. We have a triple rectifier and a good 2x12 cab. We need to get a good microphone to record with. Im talking about a GOOD microphone. Does anyone know what will produce professional sound?

 

[guitarlover]

Nuemann, any model. You can't go wrong. Starts about a grand each.

Actually, I'll ask the questions that the more experienced generally will:

1) What are you recording?

2) How many things (people/instruments) are you recording at once (live performance or 1 at a time)? Stereo of mono?

3) are you using a preamp or mixer?

4) have you listened to anything, mic-wise, that you like the sound of?

You get the idea. There are as many answers to your question as there are musicians. You need to be very specific. There is a microphone section at the beginning of this forum. I found a lot of answers and good general information there. It'll save you many questions at the very least. Good luck.

Steve

 

[tekenten]

MICROPHONES

WOW!!! A GRAND, thats crazy, im looking more around under 200, this is home stuff, i mean in my house, not studio, but i am looking for something good, something that will give me good quality. Im recording about maybe 2 guitar tracks, i recorded before on my computer but the sound was horrible because i had a bad guitar head and i used a computer mic. I got a new computer with a good sound card and a new head, so all i need now is a good mic. Somewhere under 200, but still good to record good distortion.

 

[tekenten]

MICROPHONES

WOW!!! A GRAND, thats crazy, im looking more around under 200, this is home stuff, i mean in my house, not studio, but i am looking for something good, something that will give me good quality. Im recording about maybe 2 guitar tracks, i recorded before on my computer but the sound was horrible because i had a bad guitar head and i used a computer mic. I got a new computer with a good sound card and a new head, so all i need now is a good mic. Somewhere under 200, but still good to record good distortion.

 

[Massive Master]

Guitars - Shure SM-57 ($100)

Almost anything else, Oktava 219 and/or MC012 (condensers - require phantom power).

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

 

[cominginsecond]

Sennheiser e609 Silver for $99. It is much better than the 57, IMO.

If you can up your budget to $500, you can get a BLUE Baby Bottle, which is excellent on guitar amps and vocals and acoustic guitar. Or, for $80 you can get the Studio PRojects B1, which is great on amp and decent on acoustic and vocals.

 

[noisedude]

But none of these are going to do you any good without a matching quality preamp to go with them. You either need a standalone unit or a mixer. If you buy a dynamic mic such as the 609 or sm57 buy the M-Audio Audio Buddy. For condensers you'll need phantom power and the Audio Buddy is apparently unreliable for this.

Also, when you say good soundcard I guess you're thinking of a Soundblaster of some description. This might be good for gaming, but let me be the one who breaks it to you that it is not for recording. Sorry!

 

[cominginsecond]

Also, when you say good soundcard I guess you're thinking of a Soundblaster of some description. This might be good for gaming, but let me be the one who breaks it to you that it is not for recording. Sorry!

How did you come to the conclusion that he was recording with a cheap sound card?

 

[noisedude]

I got a new computer with a good sound card

Based on his lack of existing knowledge. It's the card that came in the computer, by the sounds of it. He wanted professional sound for less than $200, because anything that was that expensive was pro compared to his computer microphone.

I don't know, I made an informed guess!! If it was one he'd bought for music, he'd probably have mentioned it like he mentioned his Triple Rect.

 

[chessrock]

We need to get a good microphone to record with. Im talking about a GOOD microphone. Does anyone know what will produce professional sound?

WOW!!! A GRAND, thats crazy, im looking more around under 200, this is home stuff, i mean in my house, not studio.

Make up your mind, junior. If you want GOOD, you're going to have to shell out some cash.

In the "less than $200" range, there aren't very many mics that I would consider to be "GOOD," in all-caps lock as you put it. I did pick up an Electrovoice 666 for a hundred or so, and that thing is as good as most anything I've ever used. Other than that, I have a CAD M179 condenser that I listen to quite frequently and say to myself: "Yea, that's a GOOD mic, isn't it?"

I know like 20 more guys are going to come on here and tell you to get something by Marshall or Studio Projects. To be honest with you, it's all junk, and you'll learn why the longer you use it. Even if it's all you can afford -- the CAD I just mentioned is around $200 and you can probably pick up an Audio Technica 4033 or even a 4040 used for around that range. Those are also both good mics. Lower-case good, but still "good," and occasionally even caps-lock good in certain situations.

 

[noisedude]

And to think I was accused of being lofty and presumptious!!

Oh well, I guess I more or less agree with you, and if I was doing your job I'd probably even be happy with your opinions on the cheap Marshall and SP mics.

But still, wouldn't he be better getting a $100 mic and a $100 pre rather than blowing it all?

By cheap buy twice. That has never sounded like a bad thing to a spending junkie like myself.

 

[Henri Devill]

Re: Re: Microphone Help

I know like 20 more guys are going to come on here and tell you to get something by Marshall or Studio Projects. To be honest with you, it's all junk

Get a MXL...ahh I couldn't resist Maybe you can find a Senn.421 used for about $200 or so..Good luck




Don

 

[Harvey Gerst]

If he's talking about just one mic that can do a lot of things well, it's hard to beat the Shure SM-7. And 5 years from now, he can probably sell it for about what he paid for it.

Most inexpensive condensers are really more situation-dependent; it requires a little more knowledge about the actual sounds that the mics will be used for. At that point, you might find a Marshall or Studio Projects mic that will do a good, perhaps even great, job.

 

[cominginsecond]

If he's talking about just one mic that can do a lot of things well, it's hard to beat the Shure SM-7.

What sources do you like an SM-7 on, other than vocals, Harvey?

 

[chessrock]

If he's talking about just one mic that can do a lot of things well, it's hard to beat the Shure SM-7. And 5 years from now, he can probably sell it for about what he paid for it.

I think I paid $600 for mine. Oh well. I agree 100%, though. I don't know what they're going for on ebay, but if you can find one for less than $200, you'd be making out like a bandit. That one really is a caps-lock GOOD mic. I think I've seen some Beyer M88's going for $200 or so -- another GOOD mic, by the way.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

What sources do you like an SM-7 on, other than vocals, Harvey?

Into a good preamp, there's not much this mic can't do. We've used it on snares, hihats, sax, vocals, guitar amps. Like the SM-57, it doesn't really suck on anything, and sometimes, it beats the hell out of all the other choices.

 

[Warhead]

The CAD M179 is seriously cool for less than $200.

I like the AT3035 also, but it's cardioid only and the CAD gives you variable patterns etc.

I want an SM7, that mic's getting a lot of chat lately. I'm on a gear buying rampage right now and cannot be stopped...uggh

War

Warren Dent
www.frontendaudio.com

 

[chessrock]

The CAD M179 is seriously cool for less than $200.

I honestly can't understand why that mic isn't talked about and recommended more often.

Seriously, guys. This thing really is almost exactly how Harvey described the SM-7.

If ever there was a "doesn't really suck on anything" condenser, I'd say the Audio Technica 4050. At least amongst the ones I've worked with. But I wouldn't complain at all if all I had was the 179. It's quite a sleeper, and compares surprizingly well to a 4050 for a $200 mic. I use it a lot.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally posted by Warhead
The CAD M179 is seriously cool for less than $200.

I honestly can't understand why that mic isn't talked about and recommended more often.

Seriously, guys. This thing really is almost exactly how Harvey described the SM-7.

If ever there was a "doesn't really suck on anything" condenser, I'd say the Audio Technica 4050. At least amongst the ones I've worked with. But I wouldn't complain at all if all I had was the 179. It's quite a sleeper, and compares surprisingly well to a 4050 for a $200 mic. I use it a lot.

Well, I'm still pissed at Equitek for screwing me over on the CAD E-200, so unless somebody wanders into the studio with one, I'm not likely to seek it out. Sounds like it might be a good mic though, from all the positive comments I've heard.

 

[chessrock]

Yea, I heard about all that, Harvey . . .

And I gotta' be honest, I do feel kind of dirty using it sometimes.

But damn, Harvey. One of the best parts about that thing is the continuously variable pattern switch. I can't give that thing up. Now I heard through the grapevine you might have had something to do with that.

Should I feel even dirtier, now?