Subject:Looking for a new mic

Posted by: toochill

Date:6/28/2006 8:11:03 AM

what are some good mics to use and how much do they run? thanks

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:6/28/2006 10:13:15 AM

What are you trying to mic? Vocals? an electric guitar? a band? a choir? humming birds? (because they don’t know the words) ;-)

Seriously, you need to tell us more about what other gear you have and what you will be using it for. Do you have a sound card or mixer with XLR inputs? Do you have 48v phantom power? Or are you looking for something to just plug into your PC motherboard with a 1/8” plug?

Also, what is your price range? There are good mics in almost every price range, you just want to be sure you get the most for your money.

~jr

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: toochill

Date:6/28/2006 12:52:50 PM

something to plug in the motherboard, i have a mixer but it doesn't have a phantom plug in. i need it to record vocals.

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: Stephan

Date:6/29/2006 4:35:54 AM

I run my mics to the mixer and then use an RCA split stereo cord to 1/8 inch mini jack out to the computer. You may want to think about a phantom mic power adapter as powered condenser mics are much better for recording, especially vocals, there are di boxes that may provide the 48v phantom power.Johnny Roy is correct there are different mics that are better for different purposes but for the most part dynamics are used live and for close micing and condensers more for studio vocals. and XLR balanced cables are quieter due to the extra wire cancelling out noise and interference. there are condensers less than $100 but they get alot better in the $200-$300 range but even a $40 pencil mic (condenser) from Radio Shack may sound better than a dynamic for vocals.

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:6/29/2006 11:33:37 AM

If you are going to plug it into your motherboard sound chip (which are notoriously noisy) then you will be limited by the mic preamps on the motherboard chip (read: that’s not too good). There is no sense plugging an expensive mic into a cheap mobo sound chip. I wouldn’t spend more than $40 on a mic that was being plugged into the motherboard. Your sound is only as good as your weakest link.

You might want to look into the new USB mics. They plug into your USB port and bypass the motherboard sound chip. The Samson C01U comes to mind. It’s a condenser mic and some people say they like it for the price ($79), others complain it’s a little noisy. Not sure if it’s noisier than the mobo sound chip but you can read the reviews for yourself.

You might just want to get a Sure SM58 dynamic mic ($99). You can get really up close with this mic and it doesn’t need phantom power. Just buy a XLR to 1/8” adapter cable. If you want a nice sounding yet inexpensive condenser mic the Audio-Technica AT2020 is an outstanding value at $99 but you will need to have a mixer with 48v phantom power and XLR inputs to use it.

If you are trying to improve your recordings I would seriously consider getting a pro sound card first. You PC motherboard chip is never going to record well. Something as inexpensive as the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 ($99) will really improve your sound and connect to your existing mixer. Since your mixer doesn’t have phantom power, maybe you should get something like the M-Audio MobilePre USB ($149) which will give you a mic preamp with XLR inputs and phantom power then get the AT2020 mic ($99) and for $249 you would be seriously upgrading your sound. (the next investment would be in good monitors)

~jr

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: toochill

Date:6/29/2006 11:39:52 AM

i have a sound blaster soundcard i am using. will one widescreen do the trick as far as monitors go?

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:6/29/2006 6:08:08 PM

> will one widescreen do the trick as far as monitors go?

My bad... I'm sorry I meant audio monitors as in “speakers” ;-) You want speakers that give a flat frequency response so you can trust what you are hearing. Any speakers that are designed for listening to DVD’s like PC speakers are going to color the sound so that it’s big and boomy. Then when you listen to your recording on other equipment it will lack bass (bottom end). Even an inexpensive set of near-field monitors like the M-Audio DX4’s ($199) will make a difference when mixing.

~jr

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:6/29/2006 10:51:03 PM

There is no such thing as a good mic to plug into a motherboard. Such mics are all toys. You need an interface with real mic preamps to take reAL MICS. tHEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT A MIC FOR VOCLS OR GENERAL USE. tHEN YOU NEED TO DECIDE A budget limit. Then we can start talking. ooops capslock.

geoff

Subject:RE: Looking for a new mic

Reply by: feign

Date:6/30/2006 7:14:52 PM

I posed this identical question about mics a couple months ago. JohnnyRoy knows whereof he speaks. I needed a mic to record voice-over vocals. I opted for a slightly more expensive Audio-Technica mic (AT-3035), which can be had on eBay (from legitimate dealers, with full manufacturer's warranty) for around US$135.

Let me tell you that if you want to take the step into good quality sound for your vocals, you need to go all the way. Halfway, which means an inexpensive mic that plugs into your Soundblaster, will only end up disappointing you.

Start with your sound card: the cheapest M-Audio sound card sounds approximately 100,000 times better than the most expensive SoundBlaster. This is not audiophile snobbery speaking, it is a fact. Soundblasters are for people playing PC games on computers with crappy speakers, that is what they are engineered for. Just as JohnnyRoy said about speakers, if you master your mix to sound right through your Soundblaster, and then you burn the recording onto a CD and play it back on a hifi, you won't recognize it. Your Soundblaster-oriented mix will sound all wrong on the hifi.

Second, a mixer that connects either to your soundcard or USB will give you much pleasure, since it provides more than phantom power for your mic. It gives you the chance to plug in electric instruments, or even your stereo, and adjust each one separately in the hardware to make some perfect and professional mixes. My recommendation: M-Audio USED TO make a mixer box called the Omni I/O which was bundled with their Delta-66 sound card. This mixer box has built-in mic preamp and phantom power (whereas the new breakout box that comes with that soundcard does not). You can find immaculate condition used ones, again on eBay, if you search for "Delta 66 Omni".

Third, the mic will make all the difference in the world. I did a LOT of research on which mic to buy and ultimately chose the Audio Technica AT-3035, but mainly because of the environment of my room. The AT-2020 is very highly rated and can be bought on eBay for $79.

If you get a decent mic you'll want decent mic cable with XLR connectors. Especially since you're recording into a computer, remember that computers and even many monitors (I mean monitors you look at, not speakers) generate a noticeable amount of electromagnetic noise. A lot of cable makers have a lot of hype about how much noise they shield. I opted for Mogami cables because their hype was more convincing than the other companies' hype, and they cost no more than the better-known Monster brand.

Finally, get a standard pop filter. You need one to prevent the plosive sounds from when you pronounce P and B. The nylon ones are good enough, though Sound Professionals make a metallic mesh one which supposedly blocks fewer high frequencies than the nylon ones. Some eBay mic dealers even throw in a free pop filter.

Okay, so you may end up spending anywhere between $200 and $500 for the whole setup. But then you'll have a full pro setup at home that will give you much pleasure to play with, and the knowledge that you're getting extremely high quality sound, with top notch equipment that will last you many years.