Newbie here. Help me find a mic for my needs!

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shek

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Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a microphone for vocal singing (covers, for youtube etc.) Thus I would need a microphone that I would be able to record with using my computer. I have looked at the AT2020 but many have said it is not so strong for vocals. The AT2035 looks good but it also requires other peripherals for computer recording that I have not heard in my life about (a preamp, phantom power). Can anyone recommend me a good setup for my needs for quality vocal recording using a computer? Thanks
 
shek said:
Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a microphone for vocal singing (covers, for youtube etc.) Thus I would need a microphone that I would be able to record with using my computer. I have looked at the AT2020 but many have said it is not so strong for vocals. The AT2035 looks good but it also requires other peripherals for computer recording that I have not heard in my life about (a preamp, phantom power). Can anyone recommend me a good setup for my needs for quality vocal recording using a computer? Thanks
Click to expand...


Does this mean that you want to use just a USB microphone and not a real conventional microphone with a (interface/preamp/needed phantom power).

USB microphone = "the Yeti"

conventional microphone set up = MXL V67g and a Tascam US 122 MK11 USB 2.0


These are just suggestions. But would prove to get the job done that your looking to accomplish. ;)
 
These aren't USB mics, but you can look into buying any one of these: Rode NT1, NT1a, NT2, NT2a. Used ones come up all the time on Ebay and the like.

I recorded some vocals through a NT2 and a Neumann TLM 103 the other day, I liked the NT2 slightly better. Pitty, 'cause the NT2 had cost me a fraction of the TLM 103 :(

The best thing about these NT's is that if you ever feel that you've "outgrown" it, you can send it to Michael Joly and he'll turn it into a high-end mic for you:

Award-winning microphone engineering from Michael Joly

NT2 also can be switched to omni, NT2a has even more options apperently.
 
chrisghost said:
These aren't USB mics, but you can look into buying any one of these: Rode NT1, NT1a, NT2, NT2a. Used ones come up all the time on Ebay and the like.

I recorded some vocals through a NT2 and a Neumann TLM 103 the other day, I liked the NT2 slightly better. Pitty, 'cause the NT2 had cost me a fraction of the TLM 103 :(

The best thing about these NT's is that if you ever feel that you've "outgrown" it, you can send it to Michael Joly and he'll turn it into a high-end mic for you:

Award-winning microphone engineering from Michael Joly

NT2 also can be switched to omni, NT2a has even more options apperently.
Click to expand...



Perhaps you should have gone with the TLM 102!
 
Probebly, yeah. I bought the TLM 103 last century (how's that), pre-internet. When you just went into a store and bought the most expensive mic they had, hoping it would turn out all right. You know: "The good old days".
 
Yo Shek! Welcome to the board! Let me break it down for you. In some form, you need: 1. a microphone 2. a microphone preamplifier. This raises the weak mic level output to "line" level, so it can be recorded. 3. an analog to digital converter (A-D converter for short). This turns the analog line signal into digital data, so the computer can understand it.
4. Software to record, edit, and export the digital data.

These are the absolute essentials. The following is not absolutely necessary, but is *very* desirable. In other words, it's a huge pain if you *don't* have it- Namely a way to listen to what you are recording while you are doing it, or to hear what you are singing along with, usually through headphones.

For starters, the sound card in your computer has the first three, and *they all suck*. The "mic" input on your soundcard only accepts cheap mics made particularly for computers, that use what is called "plug in power", and the preamp and A-D converter is designed for making beeps in games, not for critical recording). Real microphones *do not* plug into computers.

So- to solve this problem, there are several possible solutions. Understand that mics, preamps, and A-D converters vary wildly in price, from under $50 to *thousands* for each component. Here are some basic solutions to the problem:


1. Buy a $5000 mic, a $3000 preamp, a $2500 A-D converter, and the complete Pro Tools package. This works great. The only problem is what bank to rob, and whether you have enough left over to pay for the divorce lawyer.

2. Buy a $100 mic, a $150 preamp, a $500 A-D converter, and $50 software This can work too, and it saves on the divorce, too. This solution is going out of style, as there are simpler and more effective solutions out there now.- namely the following 3, which are the real-world solutions for most of us.

3. Buy a USB mic. This is a mic with a preamp and an A-D converter built in. Some of them (the better ones) have a headphone jack for monitoring. This one was suggested above:

Blue Yeti | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Then add Reaper software for about $50, and you're good to go.
Upside- dirt cheap, complete
Downside- Not versatile, not upgradeable, not particularly great sound quality

It should be noted that there are extremely cheap in-line converters that turn any mic into a USB mic, and can provide the phantom power condensers need. At least then, you can use the mic of your choice. Here's an example:

Marshall Electronics MXL Mic Mate / USB | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Upside- dirt cheap- works with any mic
downside- not very good sound, most have no headphone jack. At least the Yeti has a headphone preamp.

4. Buy a 2-channel computer recording interface and a mic. I like these, but there are bizzilions:

M-Audio Fast Track Pro | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Line 6 POD Studio UX2 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

You still need the software, if the interface doesn't come with it.

Downside: A little more expensive than a USB mic
Upside: Much more versatile. Uses whatever mics you want. Better sound quality.

5. My solution: buy a standalone recorder that also acts as an interface. I like this one:

[url=https://en.audiofanzine.com/pocket-recorder-multitrack/zoom/H4/user_reviews/]Zoom H4n | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders![/url]

Downside- it *looks* like more money, but...
Upside- Comes with built in mics, *and* can use other mics as well. It is portable, and can record by itself and then download to computer, or record direct to the computer. Comes with software.
Of course, this standalone concept can be taken much further, as in:

Tascam 2488neo | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

or dumbed down for less money, as in:

Zoom H2 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

OK- back to the original question- What mics to use. There are basically dynamics, which include ribbon mics, and condenser mics. Each have their own supporters, but if you have to plug into a cheap preamp, I prefer condensers. Dynamics have lower output, and when you crank up a cheap preamp, it tends to make noise. Dynamics do have advantages, though, as the better ones cost several hundred dollars. The best condensers are several thousands. There are perfectly useful mics of each type, though, that are affordable. This mic was mentioned above, and for a cheap condenser, it rocks:

Marshall Electronics MXL V67G | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

I like these 2 a lot, although they are more expensive:

Blue Spark | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Akg C 2000 B | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

This is the standard cheap dynamic that folks will refer you to:

Shure SM57-LC | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

I personally prefer this:

Sennheiser E835 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Last- headphones- get some good ones that give you good isolation. Personally, I like these:

Sennheiser HD-280 Pro | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

and these:

Audio-Technica ATH-M50S | Sweetwater.com


Hope all of this helps- Richie
 
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Hi Richie,

Thank you for the reply. SM57 seems to have the best sound in voice tests on youtube. If I were to order the SM57 what else would I also need aside from Reaper software to just begin recording quality sound and being able to load it on my computer?
 
with the sm57 you are going to need an audio interface. thewy metioned it above as a/d converter. same concept. They are what you plug the mic into to get sound to the computer. If you only need one input, this may owrk:

GuitarCenter

This is great because it has a pre amp, a headphone output (if you would want to use it), phantom power (if you were going to use a condenser mic), out puts for speakers (probably wont need for voice overs or whatnot), and a usb jack to hook it up to the computer. It even comes with a lite version of pro tools to start recording. (pro tools is a very nice software)
hope this helps. BTW sm57 is a nice mic IMHO.
 
Yo Shek! Read what I wrote again, more carefully. What you need is an audio interface. This is a combination unit which contains mic preamps, and an A-D converter. It will also have a headphone input, outputs for monitor speakers if you get them later. All you need then is a mic cable, a mic stand, and some headphones. I recommended this, which comes with Ableton Lite and Reason software, which should exceed your present needs:

Line 6 POD Studio UX2 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Of course, it will work with Reaper just as well.-Richie
 
Thanks Richie and Tyson.

Tyson, with regards to the audio interface you posted:
"This is great because it has a pre amp, a headphone output (if you would want to use it), phantom power (if you were going to use a condenser mic), out puts for speakers (probably wont need for voice overs or whatnot), and a usb jack to hook it up to the computer. It even comes with a lite version of pro tools to start recording. (pro tools is a very nice software)"
If I simply require the bare minimum (thus without any headphone output or phantom power since I am using the SM57, no speakers...just USB, no software) to record my voice with my Shure at a decent quality (with the bare pre amp) to record into my computer, is there any cheaper audio interface available?

If so, I would simply need to buy this audio interface, an SM57, a microphone cable and I can begin recording right?

Thanks
 
Thanks Richard. So would this have the same quality conversion as the previous audio interfaces you posted when it is recorded to the computer? Thanks
 
Probably not. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for.-Richie
 
chrisghost said:
Probebly, yeah. I bought the TLM 103 last century (how's that), pre-internet. When you just went into a store and bought the most expensive mic they had, hoping it would turn out all right. You know: "The good old days".
Click to expand...

Ah the good old days I've probably got a few years on you ...... for when god said *let there be light* I got to throw the switch! :D
 
I see Richard. Any other interface below 90$ that is reputable for it's sound quality?
 
I've already given you my best bets. It's not that there is some black line, like "this $25 preamp sucks, but this 27$ preamp is "reputable". There's a whole continuum out there. My main preamp goes for $2500. Normally, if I'm using a dirt-cheap micro-preamp, I'm using the one in my Zoom recorder. It is what it is. I use cheap preamps as well as top shelf ones. On your obviously low budget, I'd immediately start looking at used gear. Craig's list- ebay. Anyway, here's what you seem to be asking for right now:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=41562&Category=Audio_Interfaces

No phantom power, one mic in, one high-z in (guitar, bass, etc.) and a headphone jack. I don't as a rule, recommend the Lexicon units. There are some reports of operating system incompatibilities. My main issue with the Lexicon- it works fine, but don't drop it. It is more delicate than robust- not road gear. If you're nice to it, maybe it will be nice to you.

Finally, if I was on your tight budget, I'd take this advice- Don't be swayed by the hype of SM57. Sure, it's a perfectly good cheap dynamic that is a stock-in-trade of every $100 dance band, and has some studio applications There are a host of cheap dynamics, new and used, that will do that job or yours just as well as an SM57. Here's a lovely, $22 brand-new knockoff of an AKG dynamic:

Behringer XM8500A | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

I own one of those, and it will do your job just fine. I am shocked by how much it does not suck at that price. I'd just buy that, some cheap headphones and the Lexicon Alpha and get to work. Or spook around pawn shops looking for a used SM57 *or whatever* used stage mic. The SM57 is not a magic bullet. Don't spend $100 on it. Good luck-Richie
 
I used the AT2020 for 3 years but a few months ago I bought the Blue Yeti and it's an awesome microphone. You can get it for a great price on Amazon with free shipping.
 
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