Need condenser microphone Recommendation, Multi Purpose

[topman20000]

I am setting up my home studio, and would like a recommendation for one or more for two different applications: video game voice over, and clean opera vocals.

Recommendations can either be for one multipurpose microphone, or two sepparate microphones for each application

Here are the conditions.

Studio: Home studio (working on building a vocal booth)
Applications:
1. Video game voice over.
2. Clean Opera vocals for Dramatic Baritone (D2-G4 range)

Build: Large Condenser
Budget: $300 max, or reasonably priced knockoff of Neuman brand

Investment: Long term

 

[cyrano]

Why a "large condenser"?

Because everyone on the internet seems to use one? Even if most budget LDC's arent't LDC's in reality?

The build format of most LDC's is just a disadvantage. Pencil mics usually perform better with the same capsule. You do need that LDC basket kind of build for a figure-of-8, or a ribbon mic. For everything else, it's just fashion. And the funny thing is, that it's a fashion stemming from broadcast, where they usually have a dynamic mic in that case...

When recording classical music, SDC's are preferred for their accuracy. A renowned manufacturer like DPA doesn't even make LDC's.

The same goes for cardioids. Live sound reinforcement NEEDS those. Studio recording doesn't. Omni's sound more natural, unless you're in a noisy environment. Omni's have no proximity effect. If you really want that dark-brown radio voice, go for a cardio and eat it. If not, especially if you're looking for a "universal" mic, get an omni. Or get one of those pencil mics with two heads: omni and cardio and see what works best for you.

 

[pcrecord]

Seriously, I could name 12 mics and it won't help you a bit.
Please go in a pro studio or a store and try them. Mics are like gloves, the best fit for a person is a nightmare for another...
That's why I carry many mics in my studio. Some signers will sound amazing on a SM58 and others on a T47 or T12 (DIY kits). I also have KSM44 - 32 and many others..

 

[kmetal]

AT3035, avantone cv-12, akg 214, sure sm-7 [dynamic] would all be good choices. For my money, id get an sm-57, and an AT3035, and redirect the remaining $100 to some guerilla room treatments and weed.

 

[paulears]

I've always thought it quite amusing that the 'best' mics are the ones we all own, and our 'best' list changes with each new purchase, with one of our old 'best' dropping of the list.I'm sure we all have mics that seemed a good idea to buy on paper, but never use. AKG D202 and 170 mics - old and certainly vintage, but just tricky to use - although the 202 does work quite nicely for voiceovers, if my usual ones all got lost or damaged. Oktava 319s - a pair bought long before anyone thought of copying them. I have an old Shure 545, but years of spit has made it rather dull. I sold the STC 4065s because they were worth lots of money as collectors microphones and sounded absolutely horrible to my ears. I have plenty of Chinese mics, and the ones styled after the old AKG451, complete with annoying micro thread are really nice with omni, hyper and cardioid capsules. I bought an EV for voice work without proximity effect, and while it works fine, I find myself reverting back to the old favourites - using the EV for problem solving. I do a lot of live work, so often grab an SM86 or 87, because I like their sound. I use 57s - but really just because they're kind of a safety blanket.

I always wanted a U87, but could not afford one, I bought a pair of AKG414s instead, and now I've actually used a U87 for the first time last month on a project, I'm really glad I never bought one. Based on my ears now, I didn't like the sound. However, if I'd bought one twenty years ago, I bet I'd have loved it.

 

[pcrecord]

I always wanted a U87, but could not afford one, I bought a pair of AKG414s instead, and now I've actually used a U87 for the first time last month on a project, I'm really glad I never bought one. Based on my ears now, I didn't like the sound. However, if I'd bought one twenty years ago, I bet I'd have loved it.

I'm guessing many mics of the past ain't so pleasing today. Back when we recorded on tape, some of the praised mics were hyped on the high frequencies.
With the audio interfaces today those hyped frequencies aren't pleasing. Unless you have a highend preamp that will sweeten those highs or still recording on tape of course...

 

[Boswell]

...Unless you have a highend preamp that will sweeten those highs or still recording on tape of course...

...or using Harrison Mixbus as a component in your DAW arsenal. I've been slightly taken aback by what MB can do for tracks that have high frequency shrillness. A lucky find was that passing a rogue lead vocal or instrumental track through MB before combining with the other tracks either in Samplitude or through an external analogue mixer can work wonders for ear tiredness in the resulting mix in a way that conventional EQ does not achieve.

 

[Keith Johnson]

Bit off topic....

When recording classical music, SDC's are preferred for their accuracy. A renowned manufacturer like DPA doesn't even make LDC's.

Umm....yes, they do...maybe not what you'd call a 'traditional' LDC...but for the purpose of accuracy:

https://www.dpamicrophones.com/ddicate/4041-large-diaphragm-microphone

I've always thought it quite amusing that the 'best' mics are the ones we all own, and our 'best' list changes with each new purchase, with one of our old 'best' dropping of the list.

Although I can totally see where you're coming from, I tend to buy things that augment rather than replace. I tend to use quite a few wide cardioids in the course of what I do of which I have 3 1/2 flavours (Neumann KM143-A, Schoeps MK21 (used in conjunction usually with CMC6 bodies) and Line Audio CM3...the 'half' is the Schoeps MK22 which lies midway between the MK4 cardioid and the MK21 wide cardioid / sub omni)...I have a preference for what I point at various things but I don't necessarily rank anything as 'best'....but I could use all three for most things where I want that polar pattern

I always wanted a U87, but could not afford one, I bought a pair of AKG414s instead, and now I've actually used a U87 for the first time last month on a project, I'm really glad I never bought one. Based on my ears now, I didn't like the sound. However, if I'd bought one twenty years ago, I bet I'd have loved it.

I just borrow or rent U87 / U89 if I'm working on a project where I think I'll benefit from them...the 'traditional' wisdom about the U87, of course, is that it maybe won't give a stellar performance on some / most things, but you will in general get something that fits into a mix well because of its inherent ability to take EQ well etc. Again, though, I own alternatives (for example I have some Beyer MC740s) which I can make do very similar things - this isn't because I consider them to be 'better', just that there's such a a degree of flexibility in them that I can point them at disparate sources.

 

[cyrano]

Bit off topic....



Umm....yes, they do...maybe not what you'd call a 'traditional' LDC...but for the purpose of accuracy:

https://www.dpamicrophones.com/ddicate/4041-large-diaphragm-microphone

Yeah, sorry, forgot about that one. It's their only one, I believe.

It doesn't look like a typical LDC either. DPA knows why.

 

[kmetal]

I've always thought it quite amusing that the 'best' mics are the ones we all own, and our 'best' list changes with each new purchase, with one of our old 'best' dropping of the list.I'm sure we all have mics that seemed a good idea to buy on paper, but never use. AKG D202 and 170 mics - old and certainly vintage, but just tricky to use - although the 202 does work quite nicely for voiceovers, if my usual ones all got lost or damaged. Oktava 319s - a pair bought long before anyone thought of copying them. I have an old Shure 545, but years of spit has made it rather dull. I sold the STC 4065s because they were worth lots of money as collectors microphones and sounded absolutely horrible to my ears. I have plenty of Chinese mics, and the ones styled after the old AKG451, complete with annoying micro thread are really nice with omni, hyper and cardioid capsules. I bought an EV for voice work without proximity effect, and while it works fine, I find myself reverting back to the old favourites - using the EV for problem solving. I do a lot of live work, so often grab an SM86 or 87, because I like their sound. I use 57s - but really just because they're kind of a safety blanket.

I always wanted a U87, but could not afford one, I bought a pair of AKG414s instead, and now I've actually used a U87 for the first time last month on a project, I'm really glad I never bought one. Based on my ears now, I didn't like the sound. However, if I'd bought one twenty years ago, I bet I'd have loved it.

I had the Exact same experience with the U87. I owned a 414xls, but always wanted the 87, based on reputation. I had access to one for years at the studio, and never used it on lead vocals. Acoustic guitars sound amazing on it, Kik drums sound excellent, Group Vocals sound good, VO work as well. the TLM102 smoked the 87 on vocals. It was more like what i imagined an 87 would be as vocal mic. The 87 is still a nice mic to have around, but i think there are far better choices as a holy grail type mic. My personal favorite is the akg C-12v.

i also sold all my old stuff. most of it. rode/at mics, gone. i sold my 57's even, and the 414 is on its way. amps, gone. Starting from scratch rid me of the racks and bins of mediocre, gigged on project studio, live gear. It cleared space, freed money, and allowed me to buy new stuff without compromising cuz 'well then id have to upgrade this too' routine.

i no longer have any desire to own tons of gear. its far easier to book a studio, rent servers, ect ect. As cool as mics are, they just sit there most of the time, unless live, or tracking is your primary thing. you can get alot done with a couple tired and true mics, and some di's and triggers.