Vocal mikes: At3035, NT1-A, B2 pro

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lapieuvre

Member
Hi,

I read the FAQ about which mike is good, I have a shure beta-58 and I think it doesn't sound good at all for recording, the shure sm-58 is even worse...

So I plan on purchasing a good vocal mike for recording in the price range of 300$

The 3 choices the seller gave me:
Rode NT1-A 299.99$ Canadian money
Audio Technica AT3035 289.99$ Can
Behringer B2pro 284.99$ CAN

his choice went for the AT3035 because of less high freq. boost than the other 2, which is better for female voice. I plan to use that mike for both female and male.

What is your opinion and what else is good in that price range? (In Us. money I would say about 225$)

Regards,

Thierry
 
well, I hope you have the option to pick a couple of them and test them at home, with your setup and your gear, with plenty of time to make a decision. A good idea would be to have a couple of friends involved in the decision process, as I found it's difficult to be unbiased on judging your own voice. I might be wrong on this, maybe you should just chose the one you like most; but don't discard the idea, make a little blind test for a couple of friends.

If you want some good advice from the people in here, then I think you should write a little about what kind of music you make, is it Hip Hop or R & B, and what kind of voice you got, bass, baritone or tenor? How is your voice, clean or harsh, are you a screamer or do you croone?

Anyway, a few mics I happened to like lately:

Røde NTK, AT4040 and 4047SV, SP B3 and C1, SE3600
 
I would suggest the Rode if your using it on male and female.

I have to agree with certain mics mentioned, as I too lean twords...

AT4040, AT4047, SPC1, NTK,ADK A-51

Those mics seem to sound best on my voice, depending on what type of song I plan on recording, personally, I like how smooth the 4040 makes me sound, but sometimes the ADK A-51 just has that "right" sound.

I do admit, I use the NTK on just as many, if not more tracks than the 4040.
 
AllOrNothinEnt said:
I would suggest the Rode if your using it on male and female.

I have to agree with certain mics mentioned, as I too lean twords...

AT4040, AT4047, SPC1, NTK,ADK A-51

Those mics seem to sound best on my voice, depending on what type of song I plan on recording, personally, I like how smooth the 4040 makes me sound, but sometimes the ADK A-51 just has that "right" sound.

I do admit, I use the NTK on just as many, if not more tracks than the 4040.
Click to expand...

AllOrNothinEnt, nice to hear that you share my opinion on the NTK and the 4040. Speaking of ADK, do you have the fixed or the multipattern version? I am currently testing the "Model S Vienna", nice clean and balanced sound, great on my girlfriend harsh voice, less on mine, which is more round and clean. I'd like to hear, what kind of things do you use the ADK on? Last but not least, if you got a link to your tunes, I'd like to check it out by myself...
 
The mikes you guys suggest are over my budget by more than 100$ for the NTK, AT4040 At4047,

The use of the mike will be for lead baritones signing, pop/rock music, but also for female tenor/alto narration, but mostly for general use (Backing vocals will be male female). I tried the NT1 and I had ESSS problems. Maybe it is just a question af tweaking the console!

Anyways thanks for your advice it is well appreciated, I'll check out the other mikes you suggested.

Regards,

Thierry
 
Octopus

If you have a Guitar Center out your way, try an Oktava MK319 - it might tame some of that high end problem, but still have the clarity of LDC mics. They're only $50 if you can get them on sale (or convince someone at the store that they are.:))
 
Ok, Thierry.

Getting the cheapest of the bunch, just to get started is ok, you'll need anyway more than one mic.
For a primer the B3 would grant you great flexibility and value.

I don't know what the street prices are in canada, but I'd like to add the Studio Projects C3 and the Z3300 from SE Electronics.

Both would serve you as swiss-army-knife mics while being inexpensive.

The NTK and the 4047SV are in my opinion quite superior in sound as well as in price.

check www.thelisteningsessions.com for A/B comparisons of the above mentioned and more....
 
As for the 3 mics that you mentioned: I didn't care for the NT1 for vocals. Too sibilant. Haven't tried the B2, but I did try the Behringer B1, and it was tinny and sibilant. I own the 3035, and am reasonably well pleased with it.

Here's a review of the 3035.


http://www.mojopie.com/at3035.html
 
calidus said:
AllOrNothinEnt, nice to hear that you share my opinion on the NTK and the 4040. Speaking of ADK, do you have the fixed or the multipattern version? I am currently testing the "Model S Vienna", nice clean and balanced sound, great on my girlfriend harsh voice, less on mine, which is more round and clean. I'd like to hear, what kind of things do you use the ADK on? Last but not least, if you got a link to your tunes, I'd like to check it out by myself...
Click to expand...

I have the fixed version.
I don't have any current tracks that have been recorded with this mic, but as soon as I do record a track using it, I'll upload it, and hit you up with a link.
 
How about "none of the above"? Well within your budget, consider AKG C2000B. Don't let them tell you for about the same, you can get a C3000B which is "better" (bullshit). It will do what you want it to, and a whole lot more. I second the MK319 also, when they're on sale. Within your budget, you can own both mics, and they complement each other quite well.-Richie
 
lapieuvre said:
Hi,

I read the FAQ about which mike is good, I have a shure beta-58 and I think it doesn't sound good at all for recording, the shure sm-58 is even worse...
Click to expand...

sounds like you are not doing something right here... they can sound quite well for recording.
 
"sounds like you are not doing something right here... they can sound quite well for recording. "

Yes but nothing to compare with a real studio microphone, I like the thickness, presence and the clarity of a studio mike. I recorded a 13 years old girl with a beta 58 and there was nothing I can do to get presence. It was really thin sounding.

Thierry
 
I went to test those mikes today and her is what I think of them:

I tested 6 mikes in the range of 279.99$ to 349.99$ in Canadian money. I'll put them from my choice's best to worse:

#1:AKG C2000B, 349.99$ I liked that mike for its rich, bassy FM-radio voice. It fitted my baritone voice which is a little bit lowmid sounding (my voice, not the mike) and I liked what I heard, I sounded like I could be a radio commentator.

#2:Audio Technica AT3035, 289.99$ I liked this mike for its price, and for it had a little less sibilence than #3 to #6. I had the chance to test it in a deesser so i could listen how much sss it removed. (I am a french dude and in that language we have a hard time recording cause of too many sss's in it). It wasn't as rich sounding as the C2000b, but for a rock/alternative voice it is perfect as it is more mid sounding.

#3:Rode NT1-a, 299.99$ I thought this mike was as good as the AT3035, but more sibilent.


The other 3 were less rich souning mikes but still interesting if the prices would go down. the prices were: B2pro 284.99$, M-audio 279.99$, SE2200, 279.99$

You may be surprised by the high prices in Canada, our dollar isn't worth much! :(

Regards,

Thierry
 
lapieuvre:

Yeah, our dollar is also gettin' there . . .

I just picked up ANOTHER C2000B from zzounds.com (with clip & shockmount) for $175 US. You'll use it on a lot more than voice.

It's tough to shop Guitar Center via internet for the $50 Octava 319 but, if you can, try to contact a GC and see if they'll sell/ship it to you. I bought two and still feel like I stole something---what a bargain if you can get it. Another versatile mic.

Good luck,
Paj
8^)
 
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