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fletch88
New member
hey people i basically want a mic for sole use of recording vocals at a high standard okm i was gonna get the mxlvg67g but ive come across the shure sm68 so just wondering is this mic good lol?
scrubs
Not of sound mind
The Shure website doesn't mention an SM68. Did you mean the SM86? If so, that is a condenser intended for live performance, not necessarily for recording. If you want a cheap condenser for recording vocals, the MXLV67g, Studio Projects B1, and Audio Technica AT2020 are probably all decent choices.
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fletch88
New member
cool ok would the mxlvg67g get very clear vocals because thats what im after really. you know i had a really cheap 10£ microphone and i thought i sounded amazing on it so all these really good ones must be amaaaazing lol
also just wonmdering what kinda microphone do you think mainstream artists like green day, blink 182, james blunt, etc used to record their vocals with?
also just wonmdering what kinda microphone do you think mainstream artists like green day, blink 182, james blunt, etc used to record their vocals with?
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MOTU
New member
I figured the 68 was meant to be 58...that seems more likely to me for some reason. The 58 is a good choice...not quite 10£ cheap...but good for the £.
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fletch88
New member
thanks dude 
thats wjhat i meant lol
thats wjhat i meant lol
scrubs
Not of sound mind
fletch88 said:
The V67g is reputed to have a somewhat hazy midrange that works for some voices, but not others. Personally, I've never used it. The AT2020 may be the ticket for you, although its bass response is not as good as the others. The Studio Projects B1 is thought to be an all-around good performer for vocals and acoustic instruments in the $100 US range.
As for what your favorite artists are using, you can almost certainly bet that they are tracking vocals with mics by the likes of Neumann, Brauner, BLUE, Soundelux, etc. - many of which cost several thousands of dollars each. They are also recording in studios with acoustically treated rooms and using other very expensive equipment (preamps, compressors, EQs, etc.), not to mention that their albums are recorded, mixed, and mastered by professionals in the industry. I did see a Green Day documentary once where it appeared Billy Joe was singing into a Neumann M49 in the studio.
Basically, I think you can get a decent semi-pro sound out of inexpensive equipment, but reproducing the qualities of your favorite recordings on a tight budget may prove to be quite difficult. Good luck.
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fletch88
New member
thanks that was really useful, im looking at the microphones you recommended to me just now at the moment, but jsut wondering well i made a mistake at the start, i emant the SM58 not the sm68 lol how is that performance wise for recording. i read that bono from U2 even uses it 
lol 
lol
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jonnyc
New member
fletch88 said:thanks that was really useful, im looking at the microphones you recommended to me just now at the moment, but jsut wondering well i made a mistake at the start, i emant the SM58 not the sm68 lol how is that performance wise for recording. i read that bono from U2 even uses it
Well shit loads of people use it for live and some even for recording. However its just how the mic sits with the voice. Some people sound great thru it, some dont. Bono's probably one that does. I have a BLUE mic that often loses to my mxl, but on the people it works on it works very very well. A 58 would be a good choice simply for its versatility. You can use it in the studio or live. You can unscrew the top and use it like a sm57, whatever. Not to mention you'd be hard pressed to break it.
scrubs
Not of sound mind
fletch88 said:i read that bono from U2 even uses it
Yes, that is a commonly quoted celebrity endorsement. You may also read that madonna has used it. The reality is that microphones have to be paired with the source. No one single microphone is going to work well for every voice/instrument/situation. Listening to early U2 records, it is certainly concievable that Bono used the SM58 -- the vocals are midrangey and lack the clarity you would expect from a good condenser. However, that mic suits his voice and gives him the sound he wants (also, I've read that he prefers a handheld mic and likes to track his vocals in the control room, without headphones -- the SM58 has better off-axis rejection to minimize bleed from the monitors in this situation). SM57's and 58's are frequently used for "scratch" vocals when the band is laying down instrumental tracks. Occasionally, those scratch vocals will be kept because they captured a great performance -- not necessarily for their sound quality.
Once you buy one mic, you'll find that you want more...and more...and more. Soon, you'll be looking at ribbon mics, small and large condensers, large diaphragm dynamics, etc. with utter unquenchable gearlust. Then come preamps, and monitors, and outboard processors, and the list goes on. Welcome to our world.
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fletch88
New member
thjanks for the help i think im deciding on the AT-2020 mic
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MOTU
New member
fletch88 said:thjanks for the help i think im deciding on the AT-2020 mic
Obviously it's up to you in the end, but the Studio Projects B1 is ~ the same price and generally gets high praise for a LCM in the $100 range, plus I believe it comes with a shockmount, which is a very nice thing. You'll be much happier if you use a shockmount. ( http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--STUB1 ) My disclaimer is that I've never used one myself, but the FAQ section indicates that many hold them in high regard.
Perhaps you can go to GC and check 'em out for yourself. That's really a better test. The best is bringing it home and using it for a few weeks!
Here's some data from the FAQ section regarding good Value/$ mics: http://www.hr-faq.org/