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OT budget microphones for vocals
Anyone have a solid recommendation of something that works well with their setup? I’m going to plug it in directly to my iPad of course.
Comments
These are insanely good quality mics for their price. They are not going to give you those rich full vocals like a condenser mic would, but for the price, you won’t find a better mic. A decent condenser will run you north of 60 bucks. A good one will be north of 100. When you look at it like that, if you’re on a budget, you cannot beat these mics.
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Unidirectional-Microphone-Connection-PDMIC78/dp/B005BSOVRY
@DrippyFaucet could you define your price range? "Budget" carries a lot of different meanings for different folk...
Hah, no doubt :P I think I would be willing to go up to 100 maybe more if it’s amaaaazing
These are decent for 14?!? Might as well get one for the hell of it.
I've been using one of these guys for 15 years plus and still think it's an awesome value:
https://www.amazon.com/MXL-Large-Capsule-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B000JRPYGE
"Old school tube mellow" is often used to describe the sound of the MXL V67G Large Capsule Condenser Microphone. Designed mainly for vocals, the V67G combines Class A FET circuitry and a transformer-coupled output for an open and pure sound. The V67G comes through with killer vocals even in front of a busy mix and has great stage appeal with a gold-plated round grill and distinctive, vintage body. You'll be amazed by the sound this cleverly-designed microphone provides and pleasantly pleased with the price.
Do you want something with an interface built in or are you plugging into an audio interface first? And what is your budget? You can get very inexpensive mics that will surprise you, and very expensive mics that will disappoint, and vice versa. I bought two akg d3800 dynamic mics in guitar center’s site 2 months ago for 14.99 each used, these were almost $300 each new in the 90’s and I use them on every sound gig now. I also bought the blue encore 100i that were and still are 2 for $89.99, also very very good. And I bought 2 small diaphragm condensers that carry the label lyxpro from Amazon for $89 for the pair, they include cardioid, Omni, and supercardioid capsules for each mic and a case. Those same mikes are available branded as isk audio on isk’s site for close to the same price. You’d need an interface with any option like that, but good deals can be had if you look around.
Isk also makes a usb condenser that is supposed to be very good.
Ive also seen the blue ball microphone (can’t remember which model, maybe ice?) at microcenter for $35.
One final note- condenser is not automatically better than dynamic- plenty of amazing, rich sounding vocals have been done with dynamic mics of all sorts- the singer’s voice is the biggest variable as everyone is different so there is no “best” mic for everything.
I think I would prefer something built in. I just wanna get straight to the point with something that’s clean. I’ll basically be doing weird voice stuff for samples maybe a bit of hip hoppin/light singing
Woah that thing is pretty. Ha, see I never would have stumbled across this. I’m not to hot with the microphone terminology.
Are you finding that using either the microphone in iPhone/iPad or using the headphone mics isn't sufficient for what you are doing?
Anyway I agree with you that something USB that plugs right in is a heck of a lot more convenient than using an interface that allows an SLR to plug into.
@DrippyFaucet, I use a MXL condenser combo that comes with both a small diaphragm condenser (good for instruments) and a large diaphragm condenser (good for instruments and voice).
Listen here:
There’s a direct link for the mics in the video description. They are quite unexpensive and do the job well.
I can also vouch for that one. Excellent value.
The MXL stuff is surprisingly good. I have one I paid under $100 for, and it’s great. The Studio Projects C1 is very nice for about $250. Rode also make some nice stuff in the $250-ish price range.
Having said that, personally I use a Neumann most of the time, since I have one, and don’t usually record audio to an iPad.
Audio Technica 2020 or MXL 770
I feel like I want something that is more directly in my hand or something I can minipulate better than my iPad mic it’s self. It does an okay job but I feel like I could find something nicer for not a whole lot of money
Just be aware that most of the recommendations made so far will also require an interface (if you don't have one already).
Any mic with an XLR connection needs to plug into an interface before it can be used with an iPad. Only mics with a USB or lightning connector can be used directly with an iPad or iPhone.
A decent interface is going to be around $100.
You probably want affordable USB mic, something like the Shure MV5 or the Blue Yeti.
And all non usb condensers will need 48v phantom power to run so make sure, if you choose the interface route, that there is at least one xlr input with phantom power.
A few xlr condensers can be run via internal battery, so not always needing phantom power.
I'm interested in budget microphones for making YT videos (well, my son is). Anyone found any reasonable and cheap USB mics for this sort of thing?
True
the crucial term is the word 'budget'
A microphone is a really simple thing as far as parts are concerned.
What makes it expensive is the precise mouting process and quality assurance.
Production has significantly improved over recent years (since condensor mics have become a true mass product), so the infamous monday or lemon models are rare today.
But still you get what you pay for - I know some really good records made with Rode NT1a mics, but these mics can also be quite harsh with shrieking high mids.
The AT2035 have become quite famous for an entry quality condensor type.
Anything below that price tag is hit or miss imho, as a natural consequence of (highly) cost optimized facilities.
Regarding iDevices the Apogee mics are great performers, the recent model being a colaboration with Sennheiser (afaik). Sennheiser is the owner of Neumann and at least somewhat cares about reputation. AKG as a part of Harman seems way less concerned about heritage - so you can't entirely rely on a famous brand.
The new release of SE Electronic's SE1-X is another affordable model with high reputation.
Unless you have some kind of treatment in the room you are recording in, then get a dynamic, not a condenser, dynamics pick up much less room.
Up to £100 then go for any 57/58 or replica (They pretty much all have the same response, some just have better build quality)
Personally i would suggest getting a cheap 58 replica like the Behringer XM8500 and a USB mic pre/interface.
If over £100 then start to look at a large dynamic for broadcast like the Rode procaster etc.
For what it’s worth I can vouch for the Pyle mics. They are insane on the bang for buck scale. I have 2 of the SM57 copies & one of the SM58 copy.
These Shure clones are essentially 57’s & 58’s without transformers, a mod that is pretty common practice to the bonafide mics change the frequency response & tone. I have a few real Shure SM-57’s stock with transformers and compared them to the Pyle copies and to me the Pyle’s are slightly, VERY slightly, brighter. But overall on what I tested and experimented with (snare, Fender Champ amp, acoustic guitar aimed at soundhole & 12th fret and vocal) it’s amazing how close the Pyle’s really are.
For an untreated room, recording close vox and an electric guitar amp with a dynamic will work okay. But if I were @DrippyFaucet I would abandon the plug & play road and buy a decent interface. Tascam makes an iOS ready interface called the iXR where no Camera Connection Kit is needed. I use their US-2x2 which does need the CCK (but with the USB 3 CCK you can charge the iDevice too so I prefer it). Both have MIDI in & out, phantom power, really nice HDR preamps, etc.
Tascam is just one company, there is a huge small interface market to choose from, most are very good and under $100. As long as they’re class compliant they’ll work with iOS with the CCK. I know a plug & play, mic only solution sounds nice but having an interface is just so much more versatile. And they’re so small using one isn’t going to impede your setups mobility.
With a phantom powered interface you’ll then be able to use condenser mics and like the interfaces, that market is huge with great mics out the ass. As @lukesleepwalker said, MXL makes really good mics for under $100. I have an Audio-Technica AT2020 that is a great mic and can be had for under $100.
Hope that helps a bit. Yeah an interface/mic combo will cost more than some USB iRig type mic, but you’ll be happier in the long run in my opinion.
Be cool...
I agree, I also favour dynamic mics over condenser. A dynamic mic is relatively ‘deaf’, which I think is a good thing. It only picks up a small field around it, whereas a condenser will pick up what’s going on out in the road, people talking several rooms away, radio or songs on the telly (which will cause problems), and as mentioned, the acoustic profile of the entire room (which of course is ideal if you actually want to capture a room ambience – very useful technique for video postpro work). A dynamic mic can cost a lot, or not a lot. I think this is one area where the laws of getting what you pay for are easily violated. I suggest that the difference between the sound of a good Shure or Sennheiser, or an older AGK (I used to have one in the 90s) and the sound of a clone or counterfeit, or any relatively cheaper anonymous mic that isn’t an outright toy, is marginal. There are definite audible differences but I think they largely don’t matter – they’ll all pick up a voice good enough to do the job.
I consider the difference between a cheaper mic and one costing five times as much with a name brand on it are mainly in the quality of the shockmounting – expensive ‘proper’ mics don’t pick up anywhere near as much handling noise as a cheapo one. If you get a budget or rip-off mic, and never hold it handheld but keep it on a stand which itself is isolated (to stop foot sounds on the floor from picking up) you should be okay until you can get another better one. Even the counterfeit ones work as mics, they’re not empty or anything like that, which is why a lot of people who have rip-off fake SM58 or SM57s (and Sennheisers are also heavily faked) don’t even know it. If they don’t, it probably doesn’t matter after all.
I generally prefer dynamic mics (wich includes ribbons) over condensors.
They are not cheap alternatives but serve high quality recordings really well, if(!) they are connected by a proper interface/preamp.
If you can't tell the difference between a SM58 and a Behringer 8500 it may be due to that reason, not because the clone is cloned so well.
The Shure unidyne capsule (same in 57/58) surprises me time and again with it's compact, well defined tone and a stunning resolution. Without a dedicated preamp available, an Audient interface does a good job, wouldn't hold my breath on a (low cost) Tascam, Zoom, Steinberg, Focusrite...
Their input channels are designed for condensor mics, seriously... it makes a fundamental difference if the source is inductive (dynamic) or capacitative (condensor).
I'm a big fan of vintage dynamic mics by AKG, like the D1000 (the 'better' 57, may be spotted in old Hendrix or Bowie videos) or the D224 dual capsule, D19 etc and their OEM capsules for Uher and Telefunken.
(AKG today is a part of Harman International, so forget about them - the traditional production lines are closed, it's just a brand)