Microphone upgrade......help...

[albino]

Ok guys heres my deal:

I record hip hop music and my setup right now includes only a Fostex MR-8 recorder and a SM58 mic. I can record decent stuff with this but I feel like I need to upgrade. Heres what Im thinkin:

I want to get a low priced condenser microphone (thinkin MXLv67) and a preamp (probably ART Tube MP OPL or Studio).

Now my question is will this improve the quality of my vocals drastically? I dont want to throw down a couple hundred dollars if it will only slightly change my recordings. Please dont tell me to save up and get this $200 mic or preamp because I dont see that happening. Anyway, I would appreciate any comments you would have. Thanks alot.

 

[DigitMus]

If that's all the money you're willing to spend, I say "Don't bother!" If you want a dramatic improvement in your sound (beside the difference that time, study and experience will give you) you need to spend more than a couple hundred dollars. Just the pre-supposition implicit in your question - i.e. that buying slightly more expensive equipment will significantly improve your recordings - says that you need to learn more (by reading, doing, experimenting, etc.) before you buy more. When you DO get ready to move up in equipment quality, don't go incrementally, but buy a couple of steps up. Not only will you learn more, and have higher quality stuff, but you won't have to turn around and upgrade again for quite a while.

Scott

 

[jet-rocker]

The V67 is a good Harvey recommended mic. I've got one. It's pretty good.

Sonusman recommends the Tube MP, and Michael Jones has got nice sounds with his Art stuff. (I think) Others hate the Art gear.

Neither of these things are high end, but I'd bet that they'd stay with you long after the MR-8.

-Jett

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Albino, welcome to the board! I think you will find that a condenser and a cheap preamp won't dramatically improve your sound, what it will do is be *different*. It isn't just "This is groove, so this must be more groove". A condenser mic is a whole different animal. Learning to use one will make you a better recording artist, even if the recording sucks for a while.
When you sing to an audience, you really sing to a mic, right? You give people what they want, but the mic is your mistress. If a mic is an audience, a condenser mic is a music critic. It'll ruthlessly expose all your flaws, and print them in the morning paper. Don't take it personal, she does it to everybody. From what I hear, the V67B is well priced as an entry level condenser. Hell, for 1 signal, you could just go with M Audio Audiobuddy for a basic pre.
Will it give you that breakthrough sound you're looking for? Probably not. What it will do is force you to come to terms with the condenser mic, which is a good thing for every vocal artist to do. In the end, you may find you prefer that 58, because it's user-friendly.-Richie

 

[albino]

thanks alot fellas. your advice was helpful. i appreciate it.