You've got good ears. You've already recognized that the Beta 58 is one of the best microphones made. Can you sound better on a cheap condenser microphone? Probably not. Can you sound better on an expensive condenser microphone? Probably not but maybe. Really the Beta 58 like it's earlier cousin the SM58 is one of the finest vocal recording microphones you could possibly have. Cheap condenser microphones generally sound like cheap condenser microphones, which could be good if you like the sound of cheap condenser microphones. Most of us don't. But you'll find out that the Beta 58 frequently puts your vocal right where it's supposed to be without any extra noise, rooms sound, distortion, and dogs barking, kids screaming, the Beta 58 won't be bothered by. Cheap condenser microphones will pick up everything you don't want quite well. If the SM58/SM 7 is good enough for Bono of U2, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith & Michael Jackson of Michael Jackson for their platinum selling recordings, it'll be perfect for you also. They didn't use any cheap Chinese condenser microphones on their vocals nor the $5000 + vintage collectors west German condenser microphone. They used the $100 US SM58 or the $325 US SM 7 (on Michael Jackson which is just a deluxe 58 in pro-audio microphone clothing).

I'd love to go to London and missed my opportunity at Air Studios. Maybe next lifetime?
Mx. Remy Ann David

I've found the Beta 58 to be a really hit and miss mic. On some voices it sounds great, but more often than not it doesn't flatter the particular singer holding it. I've had more luck with the regular 58.

Remy's right on about condenser mics picking up lots more sound from the world around you, but that might be exactly why you need one. Mics that are more sensitive give the impression of "hearing farther into the room". What I'm thinking of is that you will probably get the deep vocal tones from fidning the right mic placement more than finding the right mic. You might end up with the mic two feet in front of you at chest height for the perfect sound, but only a really sensitive mic (one that might sound pretty bad right up in your face) will give you good detail from a position like that. Yes, if you are recording in an apartment it will pick up much more of dogs barking, etc., but that's why people still go to big expensive studios.

But yeah, for powerful rock singers, a lot of the time you want a less detailed sound, and the dynamic mics do that. Too much detail can make for very harsh and unbalanced tracks.

In the end, the only thing you can do is try 50 different mics in 100 different mic placements and see what wins.

You don't need a mixer, though. All you need is an audio interface, like a Focusrite Saffire, Avid Mbox, or Presonus AudioBox. That will allow you to connect whatever microphones or line sources you have to your computer.

As for USB mics, there are some good ones out there, but you can't connect them to anything but a USB jack, which means that mic can never be plugged into ANALOG gear in more professional situations. Using an interface instead puts all the inputs and outputs from your recording software in one place, making your life a lot easier.

Yeah, having both Beta 58's & SM58's I'll more often than not choose the standard SM58. But if I want a more condenser like sound with the rugged quality of a 58, I'll grab the Beta. So, [[url=http://[/URL]="http://recording.or…"]bicasaur[/]="http://recording.or…"]bicasaur[/] and I are basically on the same channel here and just like he indicated, it can be a hit or miss on some people where the SM58 is usually a hit on everybody. So better hear/here doesn't necessarily mean better just different with a pronounced similarity to the SM58.

We love these microphones all of us.
Mx. Remy Ann David