What other Great Value Mic's are there?

[cavedog101]

Just stepping in with my 12 cents worth(inflationary 2 cents)...Whilst visiting one of my fav recording supply outlets recently, i managed to witness the shure reps demo of the new $299 sm27.....This is a for real cardioid condenser and is as smooth as the u87 i spent many hours with....it has the crystalline quality of a 414 without the toppiness....in a simple hearing of someone else speaking into it while i listened under cans, you hear all of the throat and chest articulation.....at $300 (give or take a few bucks depending on location) I'd say it has all the characteristics one would want in a medium budget yet high quality mike...for us 'budgeteers' its a winner!..Maybe Harvey has heard one too??plus its built like a shure.....hammer tough!!!

 

[Executivos]

If you can find a Soundelux U97 (they're discontinuned), check it out. I got one of the last new ones. 4 patterns LDC (Cardiod, Omni, Hypercardiod, and Figure-8) for less than $600. Mercenary Audio carried them so it doesn't suck. I'm pretty happy with mine on vocals (in Cardiod) and Acoustic Guitar (in Omni). Soundelux also makes some pretty $$$ mikes, so although this is a budget mic, it's no slouch.
Disclaimer - The only other LDC I've used is the AT-4033, but the U97 sounds much better than the 4033.

These pop up on Ebay once in a while, so be on the look out!

-Evan

What is the deal with that mic? I was visiting a really nice pro studio in venice (with a band called allister) and the producer was using a sound delux u97 with modifications...I'd never heard of it so I asked him. He said it's pretty much the only mic he uses. Seeing the equipment they had I'd think he has to access to just about any mic he'd want....

 

[gordone]

What is the deal with that mic? I was visiting a really nice pro studio in venice (with a band called allister) and the producer was using a sound delux u97 with modifications...I'd never heard of it so I asked him. He said it's pretty much the only mic he uses. Seeing the equipment they had I'd think he has to access to just about any mic he'd want....

In my limited experience, it's a great mic! Why more people didn't know about this one, I'll never know. It's a shame they discontinued it Like I said, I got one just as they were being discontinued (Mercenary Audio actually didn't have any, and I had to snag it elsewhere), mine is #28, so I have a feeling they didn't make too many of them. I've seen a few pop up on Ebay at decent prices, so keep looking!

Don't know about any modifications, mine's just a plain stock U97.

-Evan

 

[cavedog101]

I didnt post this recomendation based on vanity....i own 7 sm57's an octavia that falls in the upper halfof the 10bd of its range(tried lots of em before buying from the 'evil empire' git.cent.) he spent a lot of hours with a u87, shure sm81's,sennheizer 421's 441's 416's....lots of mics....shure sm27 is my choice for the bargain vocal mike out there........

 

[bongolation]

Hey, guys, I was in GC the other day and saw one of the Oktava ribbon microphones in the display case! $399...

I suppose this means that they'll be importing them in enough quantity to start having them as featured sale items, probably for under $300. This sounds interesting.

I was writing elsewhere about Oktavas today. I still think that a _good_ MK219 at $99 is unquestionably the best microphone deal in the country. Oktava's QC is a crying shame, but if you can pick though a few to get some good ones, it's a no-brainer.

Most of the cheaper condenser microphones that I see now are all just the same generic Chinese core mic (with the same QC problems Russian mics have) that are tweaked and packaged differently under different names. The Soviets took their domestic microphone design very seriously and came up with a lot of unique designs. It will be interesting to see some of these finally start coming in at bargain prices.

 

[Henri Devill]

Bongolation,Do you have any details on that Oktava ribbon?Thanks....

Don