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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | What features do I look for in buying a microphone? I will be using it just at home. I don't need a studio quality mic. I just want to avoid buying a POS. I'm looking for a low to mid priced mic that gives bang for the buck.
Ammendment.....I will spend alot more if it will make me sound like Robert Plant.
Brad |
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January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | Well.... if you're wanting to amplify your voice, you're gonna need a mic with good feedback rejecting qualities.
I have no idea what models are which, but I do know that a "stage" mic and a studio mic are different animals. Same thing for voice as opposed to say... drums.
Hoping somebody has a good suggestion for a vocal mic that can be used in close quarters .... and tends to feedback less. |
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Posts: 181
Location: North Carolina | For vocal recording, you will want a large-diaphragm condensor mic. Rode, Studio Projects, and Audio-Technica among others all make good mics of this sort for around $200. A decent Behringer is around $100.
Franklin |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | the russian mics are a good value
Oktava
so are some of the chinese ones
marshall
These mics are copies of classic designs but remember they are ONLY copies. they do work well for the dollar.
Persoanlly I would buy a tlm 103 or a km and have a really good mic for a long time but that is me.
sennheiser 441 is also really good or 421.
why buy a screwdriver that is only going to work half the time when you can buy a snap on that is guaranteed for life? |
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Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | Get a Shure SM58 with an on-off switch. They are propbably used by more professional musicians for stage work than any other model, and for a good reason, they are tough as nails and work really well. They are great for small venues and small sound systems. It's worth a hundred bucks or so for a quality mike that you wont have to worry about. I have a couple SM58's without the switch (I was too cheap at the time to pay extra for the switch, I wish I had), let me know if you want to borrow one to check out or try through my amp.
check it out:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=04061516353406904724809937 4530/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/270104/ |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | shure for recording?
yuk |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Al, why do you need a screw driver when you can have a hammer?
I'd vote for the SM58 but you can tell from the above my expertise level.
maybe one of the ruskies, could be interesting. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Until someone named Paul weighs in I'll add my $.02
Recording and performing ask for two different worlds - recording you get to (must)control your environment more for capturing all available sound while performance you need to limit the sounds you get, sans feedback. Also performance can get rough.
Shure SM58 seems to take a lot of amatuer punishment.
Never go to Radio Shack! ;) |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If you are recording forget SM57s or 58's and the like. There are a handful of very good dynamics available but their cost outweighs their benefits when compared to condensers. For recording vocals and acoustic guitars a good condenser mike is essential. Large or small diameter will work equally well, though generally large diapragms are used for vocals as they tend to sound warmer, while the faster transient response of small diaphragm mikes makes them ideal for acoustic instruments. There's tons of affordable condenser mikes on the market but I'd tend to buy established names & stay away from those with Chinese capsules. AKG & Rode both make great-sounding affordable mikes in small and large diaphragm types. The Octavas can be great but are inconsistent. Bear in mind that condenser mikes need a power-supply. If you don't have a phantom power facility the AKG C1000S & the Rode NT3 will run on an internal 9V battery. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | woody
back in the day the radio shack sm 57/58 copies were not copies but actually realy shure mics. Now they are junk
and the pzm was actually a crown mic. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | (A little outside this issue) Radio Shack, when it started was good stuff for and by enthusiasts. They have turned into a bunch of Cell Phone salesman.
Still disappointing when I go in there. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The old Radio Shack PZM is a fantastic mike. I have a bunch of them, all rewired to run on phantom power. |
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Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Try AKG Mics. They have some really good Stuff for the Money. I used to own 3 of their Studio Condensors. They were great. The Shure Mics are great Road Mics. So if You're looking for a good mic to use when you play out.. if you're singing. The Sm58 will do fine. |
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Location: NJ | . . . but spring for the extra few bucks and get the SM58Beta. |
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Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Excellent Choice Cliff. They are better Mics than the Plain Ole' SM58. I've used those several times when playing out and I really liked them. |
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Location: south east Michigan | What does the "beta" mean it the SM58beta?
Brad |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | $50. |
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Location: Scotland | Slightly better frequency response, slightly higher output, and I think hyper-cardioid rather than cardioid polar response so slightly better off-axis rejection, none of which IMO are worth the increase in cost over the standard models. 58's and 57's are great mikes, but technolgy has moved on in the last 30 years & right now there are much better dynamic mikes available for the same or less dough. Incidentally, at leastr some Shure mikes and certainly the 57/58 capsules, are manufactured in Mexico. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Everybody, thanks for the advise.
Paul T.....would you please give me an example of a newer tech mic your thinking of?
Thanks,
Brad |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If you want a really good dynamic mike for around the same dough as a Shure Beta 57a/58a take a look at the AKG D3700 or 3800 (spec'd at a 20Khz) or the higher-end BeyerDynamic TGX series. There are others. For condensers which can take road-use and relatively high SPL check out the AKG C1000 or Rode NT3 |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Thanks for the advise Paul.
Brad |
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Mic advise please
