cheapest best condenser mic???
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Posted on Aug 04, 2009 10:24 pm
muzika
Music is my boyfriend
Member Since: Jan 31, 2008
hey, ive asked this b4 but it was a while ago, i want to get a good condenser vocal mic, but dont have alotta cash, so the best for the cheapest???? thanks!
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cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Aug 04, 2009 11:56 pm
I think if u have a set budget, u should jsut go to a store and try out as many different mics within that range as possible because a good condensor mic its quite relative to what ur doing and what ur doing it with.
with vocals, each mic reacts to ppls voices differently so it doesnt even matter the price tag of the mic, if a mic works for ur voice then thats the one u need to get.
Obviously there r the more famous brands like Rodes, Behringer, Neumann, Shure. So definitely start with those and work down the list, if it sounds good to ur ears and its capturing wat u like, then its always gonna be win for u.
function wise, u should try to get one with a low cut built in and maybe a pad.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 05, 2009 09:34 am I agree with crux... mics are SO relative to the source of capture. Condensers are going to pick up more details... from your voice, the room, and everything else that passes through it. Pick out one that compluments the source. If your vox/room is 'bright', maybe find one that sounds a bit 'darker'? Achieve a balance, if possible. That said, there are just so many things to consider about the mic itself, the only way to get a grip on one, as crux said, is try a few out. Heck, you may end up with 'the right' dynamic mic? Keep an open mind about it, and choose the one that 'sounds' the best... this may meen keeping the room out of the capture, so...
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Aug 05, 2009 10:15 am Mics are tough to shop for. Not a lot of stores carry much of a selection (around here, all you find are cheap dynamic mics and maybe 1 or 2 condensors). It's tough to find a place that has a selection, much less a setup that allows you to actually test the mics. Buying online has its dangers too, because even though online retailers' selections are superior to brick-and-mortar stores, for health reasons you can't return a microphone after you've bought it. So you have to take a shot in the dark, buy a mic, and eat the expense if you don't like it or sell it for a loss on CraigsList or eBay.
That being said, if you're looking for a cheap condensor, there are a ton to choose from. And I can't say that many of them stand out as unique sounding. Musician's Friend is having a mic sale right now. Here's what they have in the $50-$100 range in condensor mics on sale:
pro-audio.musiciansfriend...708483+7+338406
Here's their full selection of $50-$100 mics:
pro-audio.musiciansfriend...100001+338406+7
If you have a bit more cash, the selection gets better for their promotion:
pro-audio.musiciansfriend...708483+8+338406
And their full selection of $100-$200 condensor mics:
pro-audio.musiciansfriend...100001+338406+8
The ones that stand out to me are the MXL Ribbon mic for $100, the AKG Perception 220 for $180, or the always-budget-friendly MXL 990 for $70. None of them are world-class mics, but they're all good for the money.
muzikaMusic is my boyfriendMember
Since: Jan 31, 2008
Aug 05, 2009 10:30 am hmmm ok thanks guys, ya i have a live mic right now and i just thought that condensors were better for studio recording....I will look at those links, i know there is NO selection where i am am at all literally, theres one music store and they didnt even carry mic chords lol soooo ya...haha
Aug 05, 2009 10:35 am Along the lines of the ribbon mentioned above --
I think (this is just IMO/E, YMMV, etc.) too many people automatically gravitate towards condensers for vocal recording. That happens in marketing, that happens in music videos, that doesn't really happen in real life -
For "instrumental" vocals - Opera, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Barry White - Voices that are musically as much a part of the core than any other instrument, almost undoubtedly, a condenser will be the norm (as they tend to pick up what's actually happening with great detail).
With most typical rock, pop, rap, (etc., etc., etc.) vocals, condensers can get very problematic - especially if they're not in an exceptionally good acoustic space (as they tend to pick up what's actually happening with great detail).
Opera singer from 10 feet away - Sounds great, toss up a condenser. Violin from a yard away - Sounds great, toss up a condenser. Rock vocalist from three inches away - Is that actually what you want to capture? Probably not...
Some sort of dynamic (whether it would be a moving coil, suspended ribbon, etc.) is likely going to be far more friendly and flattering - Less sensitive (in a good way - more sensitive is NOT always better), less inclined to be affected by the space, etc., etc.
You want an amazing mic for peanuts? FatHead II. Freakishly decent. That said, it's no SM7b, but it's still way out in front of most ChiCons out there for typical vocal applications.
muzikaMusic is my boyfriendMember
Since: Jan 31, 2008
Aug 05, 2009 11:02 am well i do hit some pretty high notes, i would say im more of a leanne rhimes voice, but my songs are a variation or pop, pop/rock, dance, and some techno even, and even some slower more vocal projecting songs...I want a mic that will give me that nice crisp soft sound u know..I will post of one my songs up, its not edited nor mastered, no is it even the full song yet....something im working on....check it out:)
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Aug 05, 2009 11:10 am I think the point MM is trying to make (and the others as well) is that a condensor is generally much more sensitive to the subtle background noise and acoustic reflections of your room.
So if your room is well-treated and acoustically sound, a condensor is a great mic choice. But if your room is not acoustically treated and has lots of unwanted echoes, reflections, weird reverb, street noise, background noise, etc., then maybe a dynamic will be a better choice because they dont tend to pick those subtle details up as easily as a condensor mic does.
muzikaMusic is my boyfriendMember
Since: Jan 31, 2008
Aug 05, 2009 11:23 am ahh ok dynamic ay, i will look for that cuz i dont have a accoustically treated room, but dynamic mic will give better sound then a live mic, softer crisper sound for when it comes to the studio? i have a audix om2...
muzikaMusic is my boyfriendMember
Since: Jan 31, 2008
Aug 05, 2009 11:30 am off topic here, but how do i get a clear sounding mp3 on here?
HippieRockstar Vatican AssassinMember
Since: Mar 20, 2009
Aug 06, 2009 11:47 am To upload music.. go to -> My Account -> Manage My Songs. Getting the MP3 "clear" is all you!!!
Just wanted to throw out there that my vocalist uses this relatively cheap Cardiode Condenser mic designed for vocals (which does a decent job):
AT2020
It's like $99 on Musiciansfriend.com. But be aware it requires external phantom power.
muzikaMusic is my boyfriendMember
Since: Jan 31, 2008
Aug 06, 2009 05:53 pm ahh thanks for the mic info, ya i know hwo to uplaod my songs , just not sure how to clear up an MP3..
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Aug 06, 2009 06:37 pm I think MM's point was that people that have AMAZING vocal talent will benefit from a good condensor, whereas people with meager talent (like me) would do better with a less sensitive, and more forgiving mic.
Sometimes, this can mean a dynamic, with less sensitivity.
( i'm just thinking out loud here )
that said, i've heard good things about the at2020 for the price. I think Noize uses one on and off, and likes it.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Aug 06, 2009 06:48 pm Quote:
...just not sure how to clear up an MP3...
That's where your mixing skills come in! although I'm not sure what you mean by a "clear sounding MP3". Does the MP3 sound OK on your computer?
Start a new thread about your MP3 problems and we'll help out however we can.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 06, 2009 07:09 pm I will have to agree with Massive on this. A ribbon might work perfectly for you. It is much more forgiving in many environments and does indeed give a much smoother sound.
A very good mic for the price can be found here. www.seemics.com/products.html
Scroll down to the K6.
Aug 06, 2009 11:21 pm Quote:
I think MM's point was that people that have AMAZING vocal talent will benefit from a good condensor, whereas people with meager talent (like me) would do better with a less sensitive, and more forgiving mic.
Eh... More about the application. If the voice is "an instrument" (such as an opera singer, or Mariah Carey - Something along the lines where you want to pick up exactly what's there - which is relatively rare - then a condenser can be just the thing. For a nice up-close, "in your face" rock vocal, a dynamic can be much more flattering to the voice.
The best vocalists I've ever recorded were through dynamics if I wanted the sound to be a little more "condensed" -- and condensers if I wanted it to be more "dynamic" (if you see the pattern here -- While we're on the subject, notice that you use active direct boxes for passive sources and passive boxes for active sources...). It didn't matter if they were good or not - It mattered which type of mic flattered their voice and served the mix. That said, most of the time, I'm grabbing a solid dynamic (specifically, the SM7b or to a slightly lesser extent, the RE20 or 27ND).
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Aug 07, 2009 09:09 am That's what I meant, it must have not conveyed correctly =/.
