Boy, this is a toughy!

Solaris is cheaper, but the Bluebird is prettier?

Me, for that kind of money? I'd go with a really good dynamic 3-500 bucks(US). EV RE20, Sennheiser 421, Shure SM7, or to be different the Beyerdynamic M99(Beyer's version of the same thing, not as often seen - which can be "cool"). Find the best price on ANY of the above WITH the factory shockmount!

Leave the condenser for when budget is not such an issue -- and even with a great condenser you'll find times the dynamic is "better". Inotherwords, you want both anyway, get "the best" of at least one type, now...

Teddy G.

I can buy that. But what if I bought a $300-500 condenser and $300-500 dynamic ? Need both for the experience.

I force feed knowledge through experience, trial and error and you get the idea. This stuff is really easy to learn on paper but now it is time to invest in the science; I already have those willing to invest in my voice. So I need some real opinions on the equipment stated, which of those dynamics is better ? which condenser ?

"Looking like a fool" by asking questions is why people don't see you coming...
I don't mind asking questions that seem simple, part of the learning process.

All of the dynamics I suggested sound the same. Yes, I'll get arguments - you don't have to listen to them. ANY of them will be wonderful......

Large Diaphram condenser-wise, I haven't heard any $300 condensers(And I don't want to! I don't like most $3000 condensers!). By the way, what mic pre? Can make a difference!

The Brauner Valvet(One which I DO like!) and the Millennia Origin mic pre I'm holding out for(Gonna steal the change out of my wife's pockets and save up!), will be around $6000...

Other than that, I hate to talk you out of spending ALL your Christmas money, but, go get a great dynamic - now, then save up a whole lot more and get a great mic pre, then save up a whole lot more and get a great condenser. If you must spend your "other" 300 NOW, put it into the room you will use this stuff in -- deaden that place down to nothin'......

TG

Teddy, you're right about that M99...I used one in Tampa for a narration a couple of years ago and fell in love. I think it had a warmer sound than
my trusty RE20, more like my 4047. But I could never find a dealer who carried it, which resulted in my discovering the AT4047.
Anyway, the 2 mics listed would be some of the last ones I'd recommend for what Bliss is wanting them for. I have had very sorry dealings with the Bluebird on my "deep voice" in a small room that the mic totally "sucked up". In other words, the mic's gain and pattern pulled in too much of the room. Other Blue mics (i.e., the BabyBottle) that clients brought in to my place did the same. And M-audio mics are so-so, designed more for the "home computer recording" niche. These mics also tend to emphasize sibiliance and consonant-smearing, in a feable attempt to add "presence".
Besides the mics Teddy listed (all great,BTW), you might look at a Sennheiser shotgun. These are big with narration recording at studios like NPR. They REALLY ignore the room, but they do take a certain amount of "working them" to get it right. The mics Teddy listed are much more forgiving in this regard. And for my 2 cents on a LDC...LAWSON, baby!

Ok, so forget the serious condenser for now until my buck is up. I may still get a cheapo one just to have and compare differences but I won't go for the $500 condenser.

My booth will be a cube built with office panels, sound absorbing ones. More details on dynamic mic poll post.

I have to use a USB interface also, complicated story, but I just can't replace my PC right now...which is what I would have to do. The only thing I can add is memory at this point. Was looking at the Omega or a M-Audio. All I need is the USB to keep up with a $500 dynamic mic for now, any thoughts ?

Already have AA 1.5 plus willing to buy another program soon, Roland's DM-20 Monitors, AKG k240 headphones, not to mention a library of music beds and effects with minimum 16-bit quality. I know AA 1.5 inside and out from doing production at a couple bo-dunk stations in the sticks and the old Prophet system at a Clear Channel AM in Boise.

These are really excellent points Teddy and Moon...thanx.

This is "the order of events" you must save for/spend on:

1. Pick the software you are going to use - everything you buy, computer-wise, everything you do forever after depends on it.

2. Computer. It must be capable of running that carefully chosen software - that's all. It does not need to be the fastest, most expensive machine - most of mine is off-the-shelf parts from the local computer store - carefully chosen. If your computer is not ready - STOP - spend only on it, until it is.

3. The interface/sound card. I went with a Lynx card - no "semi-pro" / "prosumer" garbage! A compromise on the interface/SC is the worst possible thing you could do - soundwise. If it's a toy, get a SoundBlaster. If it's your life, get something MUCH better!

4. Mic preamp(s). Elsewhere MB, recommended the Grace 101 - hard to beat, for the price. Pro! Will help you get everything out of all your mics.

5. Mic(s). You might do great with just one fine condenser, but, "fine" costs "fine" money - don't let anyone kid you(You must, ASAP, HEAR some of the great ones!). Until then you should have the best possible dynamic. Fortunately, the best possible dynamic is one of the least costly things you will need.

6. Speakers. Do the best you can here, but you can "learn" a fairly sad set of speakers and do good work with them - upgrade as you need.

The only other things are the room and you... The room you can work on as you can to make it better and better. This can be a few bucks here a few bucks there, no need to spend BIG COIN for a speaking voice room, it just needs to be DEAD, not pretty... You, is up to... you......

TG

Any external USB interfaces work well ? I have the PC with the speed if an external USB will do, and I can learn any software, just no available PCI slots at he moment. If I yank one occupied PCI, I have to yank others and the motherboard....it's a joke. Don't get me started on Vaio Desktops.

But the PC is something I will replace, and go all out on, after a few bucks roll in. Will the Grace 101 or a good pre work with the Edirol UA-101 or any other external ? Or is that to many stops in the recording process ?

Of course. To start, anyway, you can certainly get a USB-type thing. It'll get you going... And I'm also not infering here that some of the cheapest mics, condenser or otherwise, aren't maybe fine, at least for now. Best to stick within a limited budget until you hear how "things" sound, understand a little better how "things" work and build on that. It would be a complete waste to go out and buy multi-grand's worth of stuff right now... If I had not spent 35 years working on about every "fine"(And far from fine) mic/pre known to humanity, I would never have "heard" the difference my favorite ones make... Just keep the goals in mind...

TG

A buddy of mine has the Bluebird, and it is a good mic. But the studio my old band recorded with the producer had an M-Audio Solaris, which is what I did my vocals with. It sounds amazing. With a soild preamp and some good equalizing you can get some great sounding vocals with the Solaris.