deciding on microphones..help

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:35 am

As I am on a budget, I posted this in the budget gear area. I am wanting a decent condenser microphone to be able to record vocals mainly, but also acoustic guitar and electric (paired up with my sm57) when needed.

I have been looking at a few different kinds. I guess my limit is $200-$250. I know that's not much, but I have been looking for used on ebay as well and seen some good deals. The problem is with all the choices, I don't know what to get, and maybe people who have used some of the ones I name can help me out.

Here's what i've been looking at:

-AT3035
-Rode NT-1
-Studio Projects C1 or C3 (don't know much about this brand hoping someone can tell me about it)
-CAD trion7000 ribbon microphone
-AKG220

Hopefully you guys can make me aware of other ones I may wanna look at as well. thanks

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:53 am

You're already looking at all of the suggestions we would make. There is no best. But at your price point, you have many lovely choices. You might also want to consider many of the Russian & Chinese condenser microphone bargain? Especially since many budget oriented microphones frequently get their capsules from China, regardless of country of origin of the physical microphone. Bottom line is, you can never have too many microphones as they are your palate of colors. Most good recordings revolve around microphones selection & placement more than anything else. More than anyone's analog-to-digital converters, preamps, software, consoles, plug-ins, etc.. So, of the microphones you're looking at, I suggest all.

Too bad Coca-Cola doesn't make microphones??? Yeah! Microphones with built-in cocaine.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:57 am

One thing i've been thinking about: My singer tends to sound kind of nasaly when he records with a condenser mic. I usually have to compensate with EQ. What kind of results will a ribbon mic give me? Only problem with that is that most of the are pretty expensive...

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:23 am

Remy...

Where would one (e.g. me) find Chinese and Russian mics? How would I know what to look for in brand name (am I looking for a brand name at all?) and that sort of thing?

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:53 am

Um, probably Russia & China along with Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, etc. by brand names that have been around for six months or so. Which really aren't brand names. You can't be a brand name unless you've been around a while. And I don't mean for two years, I mean 10, 20 or, more. Unfortunately there is a sucker born every minute and people love advertising hype. You've got to just start collecting and then collecting more don't forget a few more and hey... That one looks good also, I think I'll try it.

Bottom line, I've given away numerous microphones to friends I just don't like. The microphones that is not the friends. My friends like my crappy microphones. I can even make good recordings with them but I don't like them. The microphones that is not the friends. It's the crappy music I don't like with the good microphones. That's where crappy microphones make sense and crappy friends don't. Makes sense that is.

No crappy friends making nonsense. This message brought to by no crappy microphones or friends for President. And I approved this message.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:44 pm

Are you referring to "new brands" such as Sterling Audio. What others are you referring to?

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:12 pm

Look, there are a lot of good boutique microphone builders out there. So don't get me wrong. Money can get you what you want. There were a lot of good sounding, inexpensive microphones & expensive microphones to audition at the AES convention last October in New York. But who's going to be around next year? What's going to happen if you need a part to a microphone you bought last year? That's not to say a microphone isn't great sounding. Regardless of who makes it. But I have seen plenty of boutique microphones of affordable quality that utilizes any one of many Taiwanese manufacturers capsules. That's an unknown crapshoot. But cheap microphones can be a great thing as you don't get really upset when one gets busted. You merely buy them by the bag. And..... They're disposable.

I still have and use my 8 Radio Shaft PZM's right along with my Neumann U67's. I just don't get upset when one of those 8 gets killed.

Any microphone is a good choice, when used properly.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:39 pm

All of the companies on your list have been around for a decade or more.

Of your list, if you can swing the Studio Projects C3 it will be your most versatile due to the multi patterns.

Look used and you might find an ADK Vienna or an A6. They sell new for 300 so its not a lot more for you to consider.

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:35 am

Remy: if you need more friends, I'm good at taking crappy microphones from crappy people. I'm good at taking them from good people, too, though those are harder to find, I think.

Just buy up whatever I think sounds good, then pawn it off to some budding musician when I find that it sucks?

Sounds like fun. I like microphones, mmm.

Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:07 am

I'm a shamelss fan of the AT3035, I own 3 of them and use them on a wide variety of sources, especially vocals. They're not fizzy in the high end like other low cost condensers. FYI, they've been discontinued, but you might one at www.soundprofessionals.com , they've been on clearance there for $99.

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/AT3035

How about the CAD M179? I've never used one, but read favorable things, multi pattern for $179.

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