Affordable mic for home recording?

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

What mic would you recommend for home recording that's not very expensive but gives good results for recording acoustic guitars and amplifiers? Thanks.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I don't know what price range you are referring to "inexpensive" but I would go with the old reliable Shure SM-57.

Chuck Snider R.I.P. · From: West Virginia, USA - Morgantown, WV

I suspect you may get multiple suggestions on this, but I would agree with Jack and suggest the Shure SM57. They are good for mic-ing instruments and amps, are damn near bullet proof, are pretty "flat" (meaning they won't enhance or compensate the input signal like many mics do), and are relatively inexpensive. You can also use them for vocals if you want. I just checked ebay, and you could get a new one on there from $45-$85. As reliable as they are, I would suggest you might also consider getting a used one from ebay for even less. I have 3 of them, 2 I bought used, one I bought new, and they all work very well in most any scenario.

-Chuck
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Craig Stenseth · From: Naperville, Illinois, USA

This will probably get moved to Recording. I have a couple of MCA (sometimes marketed under MXL name) SP1 condenser microphones, at one point they were going for $40.

http://www.pssl.com/!hMScBZx0nbg4p5BCCQvL0w!/Search?q=sp1&by=s

They got a pretty good review in Tape Op magazine, and on their forum:
http://tapeop.com/messageboard/index.php

You will need an XLR connection that supplies phantom power (i.e. most mixers will do this). They sound nice, probably not as bulletproof as a dynamic mic, but more lively sounding.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

The 57 should work fine for micing an amp, but an acoustic guitar gets a bit trickier. As Craig suggests, I'd look for a good condenser mic. AKG makes some that don't break the bank.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I usually use an SM57 to mike an accoustic guitar on sessions in my studio. I've got a couple MXL Condenser mic's and they are too sensitive and pickup a lot of background noises (and I'm in a quiet location). I've tried SM58's and like the 57 better.

I've used the SM57 direct to my Firewire computer recording interfaces and also first through a Presonus BlueTube preamp to get some tube "warmth". I used to use an Alesis io26 recording interface but have upgraded to a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 recording interface. I use Sonar 8.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Jack,
How do you like the saphire ? ....Jim

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

As per Jack----a few years ago I got an MXL large diaphram condenser mic and found that not only did it pick up every pedal rattle from across the room---it picked up a golden retriever whizzing on a fire plug half a block away. Totally unusable in my non-studio room. But much nicer for the sound of acoustic strings or the high breathiness of vocals.

The 57 is far more forgiving as an all-purpose mic in non-pristine situations.

Brick Spieth · From: San Jose, California, USA

If I had to have only one mic, it would be an SM57. Two would be better.

Add a large diaphram condenser later, like a Rode Nt 2.

A pair of small condensers will round things out.

Now you'd have $1000 invested.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Jim, the Saffire Pro 40 is working excellent. Works in both Vista 32 bit and 64 bit. I have Sonar 8 Producer for software.

I can't say much for the Saffire documentation but their Tech Support is terrific and usually answers you the same day (or even hours).

I tried a Presonus Firestudio and sent it back as I was having problems getting it working in Sonar 8 (and according to posts on the Sonar forum I wasn't the only one). It was supposed to be Vista 64 bit compatible but the 64 bit drivers were still in "testing" and no ETA.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Thanks for all the good feedback, everyone!

Anyone have experience with the high-end mics made by Blue? Can't really afford one but wonder how they sound to justify their almost 1k price.

I did a session last week and the engineer used a pair of AKG 414s ... made the Weissenborn sound huge and brought out all the detail in the Asher's sound. He also only has about 40 years experience. Smile

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Thanks for the info Jack ...Jim

Brick Spieth · From: San Jose, California, USA

When starting to discuss $1000 mics, you also have to start thinking about $2000 mic preamps. Believe me when I tell you you can hear the difference.

What also becomes a problem for the home studio is that you start hearing birds chirping and traffic noise three blocks away and then need to do some soundproofing. Even hard drive noise becomes annoying. It's a slippery slope.

There is a lot to be said for using a less sensitive SM57.

Lynn Oliver · From: Redmond, Washington USA * R.I.P.

A nice small condenser mic for acoustic is the AKG C1000S. You can sometimes find them used for less than $100.

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Florida USA

Let me echo what others have said. The SM57 has been a standard of the industry for decades. It is respected because it has proven itself time and again in every type of live and recording situation.

Since it's inception, there is no question that there have been great improvements in mic design over the years and along with that comes specialization. Vocal, kick drum, guitar, steel etc., etc. Many other mics sound good, if not downright incredible! The selection is huge ..... and often bewildering.

But it's tough to go wrong when you use a 57. It's an inexpensive workhorse.

Robert Cook · From: Collierville,TN

I'm just another advocate of the Shure SM57 because it works and if you drop it from four or five feet; it still works. When it finally gives out you can replace it for under a C-note.

I record the initial track very dry with the 57 and then double it. I'll take the second track and either run it through a mic-simulator or add a touch of reverb or delay to get the fuller sound.

You can experiment all day long with multi-tracks as long as you're happy with the initial take.
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Larry Weaver · From: Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Chalk up another +1 for the SM57. In my home studio, I've had great results with it tracking all kinds of electric and acoustic rigs. Best bang for the buck imho.

Recently I was getting ready to track acoustic guitar for a friend in another local band, and to my surprise he asked me to use my cheapie Behringer ECM8000 instead of the 57. I had used the Behringer only for room measurements and the such but he said he loved it for tracking his Martin, so much to my surprise again, it worked great. Go figure!

Jonathan Cullifer · From: Gallatin, TN

Audix I5. I like the high end better than the 57. 57 works okay though.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I've used 57's and 58's for decades, and they are very reliable, inexpensive, durable and good both for studio or stage.

But if you want something more sensitive, I highly recommend looking at the *really* inexpensive MXL mics.

I was given a set of SM58 clones (their "Fox" line) which run about half the price and are close enough that most people cannot tell the difference - but the real winner in my book is the MXL990. It's a condenser that looks somewhat like an AKG or Neumann - and it comes with a shock mount and case for under a hundred bucks! When I got it I figured it was just a visual thing, and the guts would be junk. Man, was I wrong. It's extremely sensitive and well-balanced. At home I plug it into an ART Tube MP preamp with phantom power, an inexpensive Samson optical compressor, and an MAudio Mobile Pre USB. With garageband on the Mac it does a fantastic job with acoustic instruments, and unlike a lot of sensitive condensers work great for micing an amp (a Deluxe Re erb, My 35-watt Holland or Vibroverb - something in that power range. I would not use it in front of a cranked 100-watt amp!).

IAt the time I got 'em my son was an engineer at NRG in Hollywood, and I called him and asked him if he knew about them. He laughed and said they use them any time a rowdy band that appears to be rough on equipment is recording. They keep the things in AKG cases, set them up and the band can wreck them instead of a $4,000 mic. Personally, his opinion was that they are the best mic in the under-$500 range and will give more expensive ones a run for their money.

MXL (aka Marshall Microphones - not the same as Marshall Amplifiers) now makes a full line of budget mics, as do several other makers. They are definitely worth a look for use in a home studio.
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Brent LaBeau · From: North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

I love my Blue Baby Bottle ($400 street), and have used the Blue dragonfly with mmassive results.
Also the Rode N2-A is awsome. In a blind shootout with a Neuman U87 the Rode was the hands down winner with warmth and clairity in spades.
You won't go wrong with either of these LDCs.
And a couple of 57's, too.

Rev.

Richard Chapman · From: Saratoga, New York, USA

Get a 57. When you find out what you don't like about the sound, you will be ready to look at other mikes and still have a trusty 57. I started there and now I have about 15 mikes. I still use my 57's all the time for lots of things. I own 3 of them.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Great real world info in this thread and extremely helpful. The forum comes through yet again.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Hi Andy,

Here's some completely different advice.

I pretty much only use ribbon mikes for recording dobros and weissenborns or amplifiers.

My favorite is the AEA ribbon 84, which at $800 isn't cheap, but is way cheaper than expensive condensers.

There are many other great cheap ribbons, including the Shiny Box ribbons (find them on the internet) which has a a basic model for $150, for a little extra bucks you can upgrade the tranformers.

Note that you need a mike pre with a decent amount of clean headroom for most ribbons.

Ribbons are without a doubt better for amp miking than anything else (IMHO). Ribbon mikes can also be great for acoustic miking, depending on your preamp and tonal preferences.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Ben,

Ribbons have very low output, so there can be noise if you don't have a high gain low noise preamp.

My personal favorite is my Neve 1073 clone (Chameleon Labs), but the RNP (Really Nice Preamp) is almost as good. That's less than $400 for a two channel. Cheaper preamps might be great too, but it depends on the preamp.

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