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hey I'm new into recording i want to buy a condenser mic to use it with my Focusrite saffire 6 usb interface for my vocals i've been thinking about the AKG perception 220 or the mxl v67g. i already owned an AKG perception 120 usb but i'll like to try something else and get to use my saffire 6.
are the perception 220 or the mxl v67g good mics for vocals? I'm also considering the Audio-Technica at-2035 or 2020.. can you give me your opinion? the the mic will be used for vocal(RnB,Acoustic,pop) and some acustic guitars...
I'm also looking for a good professionals studio headphones..the Audio-Technica-ath-m50 are the one i have in mind so far. i would appreciate your help . thanks in advanced .
:cool:

Comments

moonbaby Mon, 11/28/2011 - 09:05

There are PLENTY of threads on both of these topics (mics and 'phones) enough to choke a horse...
For MOST people, the ubiquitous Shure SM58 will surpass the el-cheapo condensers you listed. Your budget will only buy a very low-priced LDC, and these tend to be over-sensitive and too bright for most sources. Also, an LDC will tend to bring the room's sound into the picture, and unless you have seriously treated the room's acoustics (and I mean more than just shoving the mic into a clothes closet), this will not sound "better". If you can go more $$, the Shure SM81 is a great SDC that will work well on acoustic guitars and many vocals (especially females').
There was a recent question about headphones here and how comfort is a big deal. Stick to "closed back" designs to minimize "bleed" from the headset to the mic. This is not the most comfy alternative, but are often the easiest to track with. Shure 840 and AKG 240 are good for this. Sony's are too "hyped" and will cause early fatigue, Sennheisers are like clamps on your head. Unfortunately, many people have found the A-T line to be a reliability issue, specifically with cords that go bad way too quickly.

sound-girl Tue, 11/29/2011 - 11:45

i've also heard good things about the shure sm7b i think im going to wait a little bit more untill i can afford it since it's a little more expensive, also the audio technica 4040, and the rhode nt1A, like i said im trying to get a good vocal mic that could also help me with my guitar as well, i currently have a usb mic and my voice sound like if i was talking trough a old recorder, i need something that will give a a clear natural sound ...so far the sm7b is the one for me..what do you think??

moonbaby Wed, 11/30/2011 - 07:20

The SM7b is a great mic for leather-lunged vocalists ( I use mine on guitar amps and some voiceovers), but the design of it makes it more limited. One thing that tends to limit that particular mic is that it really likes to "see" a preamp with a good amount of clean gain available, and that is not likely with your run-of-the-mill converter or lower-end preamp. Speaking of which, you will need to address that if you want to get the signal into your PC , since these other mics do not have USB.
I have (4) A-T 40 Series mics (2-4047's and a pair of 4050's), they are very good quality mics, I'm sure that the 4040 will work fine for you. You might look at the AT4041 which is a great SDC mic, very good on acoustic guitars. There are suppliers out there that offer a package deal on a 4040 and a 4041 together. But I stand by my statement that the room is a very big deal when you are talking LDC's (like the 4040). What type of voice do you have?

Davedog Wed, 11/30/2011 - 09:17

There are very few female vocalists that have a voice that will sound good on an SM-7b. Theres a huge internet hype for this mic right now and thats what it is, hype. Many people are buying this mic completely on the heresay and are being dissappointed that it isnt the next best thing since toast. While it IS a superb mic for SPECIFIC applications its a very picky piece of gear about what its being applied with. As Mooney said, the preamp will have a lot to do with the clarity and crispness associated with the overall sound of this piece. It can be quite incredible....you can record jet aircraft with it without fear of it distorting! But it was originally designed as a close mic for voice-overs and radio broadcast.

As far as your mic search, check out the Kel mic line. I think theres probably something along the lines of your needs and your budget. And they're very well built for their price-point. Kelly voices his mics very well. They just have a quality that a lot of mics in this price range dont have.

sound-girl Wed, 11/30/2011 - 10:49

thanks so much for the comments i'll definitely consider that. im not goin to stick to just one mic that's for sure so just in case i decide to go with the sm7b in the future i now i'll have to get maybe an external preamp since i've read online that it needs at least 70db of gain and my saffire 6 only provides 50db i guess ( im not sure) how does an external preamp works??? is there a good external preapm that work fine with my saffire 6? will it affect the sound of my saffire 6???or should i just buy a separate preamp unit ?? thanks again!!:cool:

moonbaby Wed, 11/30/2011 - 11:14

Sorry, I just re-read your first post. That interface has mic pre's in it, no worries there. The SM7b really needs more gain than that pre will deliver, but from what you've described of your voice, I wouldn't bother with that mic anyway. Any of the other mics discussed should fine with the Focusrite.
Alto? Save your $$ up and get the Kel Song Sparrow. Lotsa bang for the buck.

sound-girl Fri, 01/27/2012 - 22:59

thanks for the advice everyone...i finally decided and i got the smb7...i got it few weeks ago it's an amazing mic ...low noise,very clear..best mic i've tried so far.
all my friends are crazy about it, it's pretty heavy so i had to get a very strong mic stand too...now i have a get a decent preapm so i can use this baby at 100% cuz it needs gain lots of it...but im happy with my new purchase worth every penny =)
i also received the audio technica-ath-m50, they are what i've been looking for,incredible mixing headphones.

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