Microphones for home studio

[fattymatthews]

Hey peeps, was wondering if there is anyone out there (which im sure there is) who can give me a couple of pointers what to look for or get.

 

Im just wanting a microphone for small home studio, I aint no professional but i like to get quality stuff that will last and produce good results. I have been looking at the Rode NT-1a. Anyone got pros or cons they can offer about this morel. Or are their better models out their that they can recommend?

 

Thanks

[gschmitt]

Hey peeps, was wondering if there is anyone out there (which im sure there is) who can give me a couple of pointers what to look for or get.

 

Im just wanting a microphone for small home studio, I aint no professional but i like to get quality stuff that will last and produce good results. I have been looking at the Rode NT-1a. Anyone got pros or cons they can offer about this morel. Or are their better models out their that they can recommend?

 

Thanks

ahhhh. a question i think i can offer something to! (not such a computer-wiz) hehe.

 

I like the NT-1a. it's a NICE mic for the price. i borrowed one from a friend for a while to get a taste. so i don't use it anymore; i spent a bit more $$ and got a AKG C4000b (awesome) one thing i noticed about the RODE, though, is there is definitely a bit of self-noise in there. it's not the quietest thing in the world....nor is my matched pair of NT-5s. (they are awesome too, though) that may not be something you can tolerate about it. since it happens on my NT-5s too, i think it's just a characteristic of the less-expensive RODE mics.

 

truth is, you're really limited in that price range. you can get something okay...and the NT-1A is definitely a decent choice, but remember this: your sound's only as good as the signal chain you're using. example: i'd rather record vocals on a shure sm-58 with a killer preamp than a Neumann U87 with something less-than desireable ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

 

im saying this because i was thinking my sound would be way better than what i had with just an sm-58 when i got my AKG, but it really boiled down to the signal AND my ability as an engineer. (i've heard AMAZING recordings with just 57s/58s.) the sound difference wasn't that great...it kind of pin-pointed the fact that i needed to do more and learn a bit more. (don't know where you stand in the ability category, but thought i'd just mention it.)

 

take it easy,

g

 

PS - for cheaper large diaphrams, i've heard GREAT things about the 4040 and the 4041 in AT's 40 series and the 400 model in AKG's Perception series. i'd give both of those a good look before i buy if i were you.

[fattymatthews]

Hey dude, thanks heaps for that. And im glad you got a chance to throw your knowledge out there!

 

I just reading reviews on the AKG C4000b now, looks nice.

 

With regards to signal flow, and mics in general, its all new turf to me. I have a couple of good friends who are singers so i want it to be able to do the job properly. I prefer to save more $$ and put it into something with a bit more quality rather than getting any micky mouse setup. WHich is why i like to get peoples oppinons also!

 

So signal flow which appears to be an important part of the process. I have an M Audio fire wire solo recording interface (at this point you may be grinning) the question is, will this do the trick? I has a nice little button on it that says phantom power and a little orange light comes on with which has 48V written underneath it..... Like i said i know little about mics. Will this do the trick or should i be investing more into this pre amp that you were tlaking about?!

[gschmitt]

Hey dude, thanks heaps for that. And im glad you got a chance to throw your knowledge out there!

 

I just reading reviews on the AKG C4000b now, looks nice.

 

With regards to signal flow, and mics in general, its all new turf to me. I have a couple of good friends who are singers so i want it to be able to do the job properly. I prefer to save more $$ and put it into something with a bit more quality rather than getting any micky mouse setup. WHich is why i like to get peoples oppinons also!

 

So signal flow which appears to be an important part of the process. I have an M Audio fire wire solo recording interface (at this point you may be grinning) the question is, will this do the trick? I has a nice little button on it that says phantom power and a little orange light comes on with which has 48V written underneath it..... Like i said i know little about mics. Will this do the trick or should i be investing more into this pre amp that you were tlaking about?!

sure, man. your phantom power is that 48v. the condensor mics you're talking about need to be powered...they're not like dynamic mics that just plug in passively. they're the microphone equivalent of the bass guitar's 'active' pickups that need 9V battery connected in order to work. now, phantom power is a way for the receiving end of the signal (your M-audio interface) to send power through the XLR cable and provide the power necessary for the mic to work. now, what i DON'T know is whether or not that M-audio unit you have has a good mic pre in it. I use a presonus firepod for home recording and it has some decent mic pres, but in all honesty, the pres you're going to find in interfaces will never compare to some of the better pres you get as standalone units like the avalons, focusrites, etc. (just so you know: i just jumped up into about 2000 dollar territory! hehehe...i'll come back down now) one nice signal chain i keep hearing about is the PreSonus Eureka. From what i've been told, this may be the "poor man's equivalent" to the Avalon 737 (my dream channel strip) .

 

so, short answer to your question: yes, your interface can take care of a condensor, but NO. the 48V has NOTHING to do with a mic pre. it may or may NOT have a pre in it, and if it does, it still wouldn't be a bad idea to get yourself another unit to put in front of the interface. if it DOES have it, you can get by for a while without the external unit. who knows? you may be perfectly happy with what you got in the interface. for me, i got my condensor and realized that a better pre would do me some good. it did, but it still didn't substitute learning what the HELL i was doing in the studio....or i should say: starting to learn what the HELL i'm doing in the studio, since i'm still pretty green here, man.

 

if i may, you should try another forum that's recording specific. one of my favorites that i've gotten ALOT out of is audiominds. try it out. mac's a freaking recording library full of information and experience....and one hell of a good guy, too!

[robgb]

I recently picked up a Heil P30, which is a dynamic mic that, believe or not, sounds a lot like a condenser. A lot of broadcasters use Heils.

 

For economy, there's the Studio Projects line. A B1 condenser is reasonably priced and sounds very good. Then there's also a tried and true Shure SM58 -- another dynamic.

 

What I like about dynamics is that they don't pick up as much room sound, which tends to be a problem if your space is limited, you're surrounded by computers and gear and don't have a vocal booth.

 

I tend to use a noise gate and noise reduction in post, but life is easier with a dynamic -- even if the sound isn't as crisp and clean as a condenser.

 

Except for the Heil...

[michael.lee]

I'll second the AT4050 as a fantastic workhorse mic.

 

For preamps, you should check out a little company called FMR. They make something called the Real Nice Preamp that is, just that. A really nice preamp for a very nice price.

 

The AT4050+the RMP is the best sub $1,000 package I've heard for good, clean, jack-of-all-trades signal chain.

[gschmitt]

I recently picked up a Heil P30, which is a dynamic mic that, believe or not, sounds a lot like a condenser. A lot of broadcasters use Heils.

 

For economy, there's the Studio Projects line. A B1 condenser is reasonably priced and sounds very good. Then there's also a tried and true Shure SM58 -- another dynamic.

 

What I like about dynamics is that they don't pick up as much room sound, which tends to be a problem if your space is limited, you're surrounded by computers and gear and don't have a vocal booth.

 

I tend to use a noise gate and noise reduction in post, but life is easier with a dynamic -- even if the sound isn't as crisp and clean as a condenser.

 

Except for the Heil...

great point about the "not having a sound room" thing. i was in another forum this week discussing with a recording heavy why he prefers his shure sm7b to his neumann u87 almost 90% of the time. now, he didn't mention that room sound thing, but it DOES point out that we're all pretty quick to jump at large diaphragm condensers and totally discount the huge benefits of good dynamic mics. he said the majority of agressive vocalists or guys who can belt a bit simply sound better through the sm7b and a good preamp than they do with the U87. i'm a bit of loud singer, too...and when i recorded my CD, i used the U87 on everything, but i - at times - would change the way i sang b/c the mic was just TOO PRISTINE during a part where i was pushing a bit more. i'm wondering if a good dynamic would have been a better choice...at least for some vocal parts in my disk.

 

fattymathews, you may want to check out the sm7b by shure. i know i do!

[fattymatthews]

Hey everyone thanks heaps for the imput. Thought this was going to be amorning of logic but rather its turned into a morning of google. So now its back to dynamic mic? Man, head swell with mic guff..

[Eric Wikman]

Thriller was recording with the sm7... so it's proven to get a great vocal sound.

Although the pre-amp does make all the difference.

I would buy a great pre-amp first, then start with the mics.

The UA6176 is a killer pre-amp/compressor that can be used with almost everything.

[teamworkmammal]

heres is imho, the cheapest way to get top notch sound.

 

oktavamod mk219- has a great vintage neumann sound and is VERY cheap. only thing to look out for on this mic is its 120 db rating, which is rather low. great for vocals and acoustic instruments, but a poor choice for a raging guitar cab. add an sm57 to this and you should be good.

 

FMR Audio RNP. Fantastic dual channel preamp also very cheap. do a search for it and you'll quickly find out how much people love this thing.

 

also, mercenary audio carries a modified sm-57 thats supposed to be pretty indistinguishable from an sm7b. and its half the price. maybe check that out too.

[dkgross]

I love the Rode mics, fwiw...great value and quality for the $.

[gschmitt]

I love the Rode mics, fwiw...great value and quality for the $.

totally. i don't want any of what i've been saying here so far to be misconstrued as a dislike for those mics. my matched pair are AWESOME. simply put.

 

The UA6176 is a great channel strip, but we're up in the 2300 dollar range! anything available for us guys here on earth? lol.

[gschmitt]

Hey everyone thanks heaps for the imput. Thought this was going to be amorning of logic but rather its turned into a morning of google. So now its back to dynamic mic? Man, head swell with mic guff..

hehehe. go get some ice for the head and chill for a second, man. these are all OPINIONS. from what i've been reading, some very knowledgable ones, though. the best thing you could do is go to a store with a listening booth (like B&H camera in NYC or any other good music shop) and try out mics in your price range....and compare them with some "standards" like the U87 or C12VR....that's what sold me on my AKG. take it SLOW!

 

what I'd do right now.....check your user manual in the M-AUDIO unit to see if you have a mic pre. if you do, get yourself a decent mic that you heard in a good sound booth....call some local studio owners and see what they use.....take the mic and use it and PRACTICE RECORDING!!!! track, and track, and when you're done with that, TRACK some more!

 

no matter how valuable our advice is, only THEN will you really have a good idea of what else you could use to make your tracks sound better........and don't discount buying yourself a good amount of plywood, fabric and insulation material, busting out the tools and making a vocal booth! (hehehehe...had to throw that in there...sorry!)

 

good luck, bro!

[triplets]

Don't forget Marshall Electronics mics. They are very affordable and comparable in sound to the top brands.