At the mo we have a [
="http://rodemic.com/"]RODE[/
] nt1a , but it sounds like it shits itself when my wife
starts to let rip ( a rattly distortion ) , unless she moves back 3 feet or so .
Its definately the mic doing this , I have looked at the gains and nothing is near to clipping
but it still happens.
Honestly, the Rode NT1A is not the best mic, not even for Rode. I've used them several times at client's studios and have always found them to be harsh and brittle in the top end, and muddy and frumpy/loose sounding in the lows... and the client's preamps were pretty decent. One had a Focusrite, the other a Presonus Studio/Live... certainly not Neve's, but very good all the same.
You've mentioned ribbon mics - this may or may not be an answer for you. Not that ribbon mics are one trick pony's as so many people seem to think, (
You can use them on many different sound sources) but they are definitely notable for a
particular sound. If you are looking for crisp, clear highs, a ribbon is probably
not what you want. Don't get me wrong, I love ribbon mics, use them all the time, but they are definitely one of those things that have a sound in and of themselves. This type of "dark" sound may be what you are looking for.. but, maybe not.
If you
are really leaning towards a ribbon, as an option to what Dave mentioned, if you can't afford to go that much right now - there are a few mods out there that can vastly improve the sound of an inexpensive ribbon mic.
The mods can be extensive, from insulating the casing of the mic, removing mesh layers, tightening the ribbon tension, and switching out all electronics, to one as simple as just changing out the transformer; Lundahl makes several different ones, these seem to be the most popular transformers to use for mods, and they really aren't all
that expensive. You need to find the right one of course, because beyond varying in voltage, they also vary in size.
Now, unless you are very good with this kind of work,
don't do it yourself. Ribbons are very fragile, and one tiny slip of the hand will turn your ribbon mic into a coffee table decoration.
There are several well-respected mod experts out there, one of them is Michael Joly at OktavaMod.com - He is widely respected as a mic expert and one of the go-to guys for ribbon mic mods.
A friend of mine had a Nady Ribbon mic (I don't recall the model), and sent it to Joly for a transformer swap out. I've heard it both before and after, and I have to say, it now sounds really, really nice compared to what it originally sounded like, which, honestly, was pretty bad. I'm considering sending him my MXL 860 for a transformer upgrade.
Mods can be expensive, or, not so expensive depending on the extent of the modification. For around $250, you can vastly improve the sound of a cheap ribbon mic. It might not sound like a Royer - and of course, if you can afford one, you should
absolutely get one - but it will sound much, much better than it does
before the mod.
So, if $1500+ is outside your range right now, you can still end up with a pretty nice mic if you have the right mods performed.
That all being said, perhaps what you need is a
good condenser, something in a middle price range....perhaps something like an AT 4047, 4050, or maybe a Neumann TLM 102...
If you are willing to spend up to $1000, my primary recommendation would be an AKG 414. It is perhaps the most versatile condenser out there in it's price range. With a good pre amp, the 414 will deliver beautiful sonics, silky top end, tight, defined bottom, smooth mids. It also has switchable Cardioid, Omni, Fig 8, and Hyper Cardioid patterns, along with 3 position HP - 75, 150 and Flat, and a 3 position pad... 0db, -10, and -20.
The 414 is an industry standard and a workhorse. It sounds fantastic on
everything.
IMHO of course.
