Vocal/speech mic

[petsy]

I really need a new microphone to record spoken word and vocals. I need it for normal pop vocals but first and foremost for speech (radio/film) recorded in studio. Most of the time it'll be one or two people speaking (like in a sketch/overheard conversation) but sometimes (rarely) more than that so what I'm thinking is: should I get a mic with selectable patterns or just go with a one-pattern (i.e. cardioid)? I just thought selectable patterns might make it easier to share the mic but it also limits my options - there aren't that many out there. If it's a versatile mic that I can use for other stuff as well - even better.

It's for studio recording through a preamp like the Safe Sound P1 or an RNP and my budget is somewhere around the price of a Studio Projects C3 or similar. 500$ tops. I've looked at the ADK Hamburgs, Studio Projects C-models, AT:s etc. etc.

Btw, Dynamics are fine too, I've looked at the SM7B and the RE-20 and I know they're good. Used an SM7 for broadcast awhile ago but I'm not sure how those mics work when you're two people talking (I'm trying to use one mics only when recording). Maybe it'll work, maybe not.

Any suggestions?

 

[Big Kenny]

C3
CAD M179
set 'em up in omni, they will capture the whole room
Neither are great for vocals but neither are bad either, they both do okay for that application

 

[AGCurry]

C3
CAD M179
set 'em up in omni, they will capture the whole room
Neither are great for vocals but neither are bad either, they both do okay for that application

For dialog, you'll get better results IMO using the figure-of-eight pattern. It's what the radio stations used to do for live shows, using RCA ribbon mics.

 

[petsy]

Thanks. Actually, there are (as you know) several cheap ribbons on the market now. Maybe I should look at a few of those, too.