Vocal mic in the $500 - $1,000.00 range

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Jack Hammer

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Vocal mics seem to be one of the most ubiquitous pieces of gear made. The choices are numerous. So, when you can only get one mic and you want it to be a good one, what do you do?

I have just about settled on the Neuman TL103. It seems like you could hardly go wrong with this choice. But still, there are those SE5000 and SSE5500 which I believe are tube, then there are other tube offerings for about the price.

As I understand the issue, one of the important types of mics a studio should have is a good qualitey tube condenser for vocals.

So, the question is this, for the many of you that have been down this road (that's road not rode - he, he, little mic joke there). but seriously, for those of you, how have you resolved this issue. By the way, I realize that over a lifetime, you can always purchase a different mic next year, etc. and so forth but, assume this choice must be your mic for life.
 
OK this is one of those replies that people complain about, because it doesn't say "Get a ______, it's the best".
First of all, you need a vocal mic, but for whose voice? Yours? One particular singer? Anyone who walks in? There is NO repeat NO 'best' vocal mic in any price range, and even getting close to the 'universal vocal mic' is particularly problematic in your budget. I'm sure you know the names of a dozen or so mics under $1000 that various people swear by, but until you hear them in your recording space on the voices you'll be recording, you'll never know if you like them or not. I suggest calling a retailer that stocks 5 or 6 of the usual suspects, and let them know up front you'll be buying 1 of them, but need to hear them 2 or 3 at a time in your own room before you know which one. If you're up front with them, they should be willing to accomodate you.

Scott
 
I recently picked up a Blue Dragonfly (couple months ago) and so far I'd have to say it was the best thing I've done for my project studio since I got in to recording. And I'm hesitant to share that, because I know a good mechanic doesn't give away his tools and magicians don't share their tricks and bla bla bla. But they're such a good company, that they deserve all the outspoken and vocal praise they can get, so I'm passing that along.
 
As you've already heard, you have asked the great unanswerable question. No matter what mic you got, I can find the singer that makes it sound like shit. Personally, I'm a fan of B.L.U.E, also. I like KIWI, Dragonfly, and Bottle (ouch- $4500).
I also like Neumann U87 and U47. I'm sure Soundelux and Beyer have wicked offerings also, although I've never used them. And when all of that fails, a Shure SM7 may be right for the job at hand.-Richie
 
In that price range, i would definitely audition the Audio Technica 4060 as a contender for your "go to" vocal mic.

If you had an extra grand, I'd recommend the Lawson L47.
 
Buy a Shure SM57 used for $60 bucks and use the rest of the money to get the best session singer(s) the balance will buy!

Based on end-user reports (I've read a lot!) here are some other microphones choices that seem to work for "most" singers under $1000;

1) EV RE20 dynamic (so what it's not a condenser, it's great!)
2) Studio Projects C series (the series that helped drop TLM-103
prices)
3) Shure SM57 (don't laugh! Needs a GOOD pre to work well)

For "tubes" try the following;
1) Studio Projects TB-1 (supposed to be relatively "neutral")
2) Studio Projects T-3 (If for YOUR voice=serious consideration)
3) Rode NTK (another popular choice)

For recording DIFFERENT singers one reasonable way to go then;

1) Get a new EV RE20 from www.bswonline.com for $400
2) Studio Projects TB-1 for around $300 (ya wanna tube right?)
3) Something else you liked, (try a Beyer ribbon too!),
or use the rest of the $$ towards a better mic pre.
 
How about the AEA Large Ribbon Geometry Mic 9RCA knock-off).

But, by the way, at the moment, I wold say the decision is between the Neuman TLM 103, AT 4047 9I believe (this is the model) or, the B.L.U.E. baby Bottle.

The only other choices I am considering is the Studio Projects Tube model or Lawson L57. h yeah, there is the SE5000 or 5500. So, that about sums it up.

My basic position is this. For recording my voice, the Rode NT1 that i have is sufficient becuase I can't sing very well. I use so much processing on my voice that it hardly matters what microphone I use.

Also, if I write a great song and record everything nicely balanced and play the parts well and, all of the performances are clean and well executed, nobody will ever say "Aha, this would have been a hit and we would have put this song out or on our next release but...you did not use a super hydro-injected, dual distributed, master pattern cardio-vascular, condensed and evaporated mic so forget you buddy".

In the end, any on eof the above mics will do nicely. It is becuase of this rahter than in spite of it that it is so difficult to choose.

The comment that the BLUE company is a good company has made a bigger impression on me than any of the technological jargon mongerring or cast-in-stone absolute opinions.

And, after all that, I still look forward to whatever input I can get.

So, in advance, thanks for any help y'all can give!!!
 
I'll second the vote on Rode NTK... it smokes. The reason? (Purely opinion) the dedicated power supply is a really good gain staging box by itself, which means you only need to eke out a few more db's of gain to give you a useable level.

This means you can use a relatively cheap pre (like a DMP3) and get good results; you don't have to crank the DMP3's gain nearly as much.

People compare it favorably to the TLM103, and I've heard a number who prefer the silkier top end on the NTK.

I do like the 4047/SV, but it is a darker mic without the smooth, extra top-end of the NTK.

I've tried the SM57 on vocals (natch, without a "great" pre)... and it gives my vox a serious lithp! :eek:

I'd love to audition the B.L.U.E. mics; hopefully Stephen Paul will recover from his health/emotional difficulties... (he says, selfishly :o)... so that his dream mic will become reality.


Chad
 
God, I can't even get one mic to work for me all the time (or one pre for that matter). Most of my first album is being tracked with NTK and C-3. I was working on a psychedelic version of George Gershwin's "Summertime" tonight, and we put up almost every mic in the cabinet. In the end, the clear choice to 5 sets of good ears was AKG C2000B! Go figure...Richie
 
It occurs to me that I have been asking this question in a sort of void or, that I have been asking you to aner in a void. one or the other. A seemingly helpful if not invaluable factor is the type of pre amp I have. the preamp is a Universal Audio 2-610. Also available, a dbx 376 channel strip and 24 Mackie pre amps in the mixer though I would be less inclined to record vocals off of thos pre amps if not absolutely necessary.

Givenl that information, would the choice of mic change. One other factor, i already have an SM57. It is not really good for my voice because I am not a singer and sing very softly. In my limited opinion, the SM57 seems better suited for a singer tha can really belt it out.
 
Instead of paying $1000 for one mic, I'd buy a few for $1000. Listen to the Studio Projects C-1, $200, The Rode NT1000, $300, Octava MK319, $99, Shure KSM32, $500, ETC.....

You really should listen to a bunch, but If I had $1000 to spend I really would think about two or three of the ones I've listed instead of putting it all in one basket.

Blessings, Terry
 
Hmm, with a thousand dollars, I'd see if I could get a store to sell me a Neuman TLM-103 and a Rode NTK. That should almost be doable for them, and you'd have a couple of very different, very good mics, one with a ton of presence, and one with a ton of warmth, both very smooth.
Cheers, RD
 
you have a couple different options.


check out www.prepal.com to see what some of the mics you want have been going for on ebay and elsewhere.

on a rare day, you can pick up a blue kiwi for under $1,000. please note i do mean a rare day.

the rode classic and classic ii both go in the price range when used.

there's the nuemann tlm 103.

audio technica makes some nice mics in its different series. you could put together a nice mic cabinet with a couple of small condensors from the 30 series, a large condensor from the 40 series and add an sm57.

here's a great article on putting together a mic cabinet:

http://www.piemusic.com/mp/micproj.html

steve
www.piemusic.com
 
I had the same question

.. but a little more complicated. Anyway, I went for versatility, after having sucked up knowledge from every post I could find in this forum. I want to record vocals, vocal solos, acoustic instruments, piano solos, and small chamber ensembles, and the occasional jug band. I came in at under a thousand bucks - a C3, a pair of B1s, and a pair of MXL 603s with shockmounts. So I used the balance and picked up a used Blue Tube and a DMP3 for a variety of color. I already had an SM57 and a "pseudo58." This gives me a box of tricks for nearly any small group or solo I will be likely to encounter - for just about a grand.
 
The TLM-103 is a great choice at any price but if youre looking for a mic on say...crack for instance, check out the dragonfly or the blueberry. Couple that with an RNP or Buzz MA2 and you have the fastest mic/pre in the west. Everything else will sound like its got foam on it.
 
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