Condenser Microphone Recommendations

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Any recommendations for a condenser mic for vocals for computer recording that isn't too expensive, say, under $300. I have small mixing board and a compressor and Alesis NanoVerb for room reverbs. Recording mostly guy and girl pop-sounding vocals, maybe some acoustic guitar. Currently using a SM57.

― dewey, Monday, 3 October 2005 18:05 (eighteen years ago) link

get an audio technica at4033. fits within your price range and by god it's a fucking great microphone. i love it on vocals more than anything else i've used

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Monday, 3 October 2005 23:47 (eighteen years ago) link

at4033 is a great mic. You might also want to look into some of the MXL stuff (I'm particularly fond of the 2003). Anyone had a chance to mess with one of the Samson condensors w/the USB termination? We get ours in on Wednesday...

― John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 00:09 (eighteen years ago) link

not used it but the 4033 sounds right for you

if you're new to condenser mics DON'T FORGET THE POP SHIELD!!!

it's got less to do with plosive singing than protection of the microphone. condenser capsules are very sensitive to moisture - hence the silica gel packs in most microphone cases. a pop shield at least six inches from the mic ought to keep the breath moisture off the capsule.

don't make the same mistake that i did with my octava mk219a - it'll just die on you suddenly and you'll have to replace the whole capsule.

― john clarkson, Tuesday, 4 October 2005 13:14 (eighteen years ago) link

Thanks for the tips. I'll look into the AT4033. After the initial posting I found some good messages boards at www.recording.org.

― dewey, Tuesday, 4 October 2005 17:03 (eighteen years ago) link

The MXL stuff is great for the money. Their model 990 is a nice mic for the cash, I got it on sale for $60 bucks. I've got another model MXL called I think a V69 or something, it is kind of a Neumann looking ripoff with a larger diaphram for around $100 and the 990 is a much better and brighter sounding mic. I ended up getting a couple more of the 990s, they work pretty well on a drum kit, acoustic, guitar amp or even for vocals.

The only "good" condensers I have are a pair of AKG C1000s and they are swell. They are pretty popular and work with about anything, especially if you want to mic an area, like overhead a kick or to record someone singing and playing the guitar at the same time with one mic.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 02:58 (eighteen years ago) link

I'd like to add a recommendation for the MXL 603 pencil condensers as well. The best Hihat and snare mics I have ever used...and you can buy a hand-matched stereo pair w/shockmounts and a case for $279 USD.

Which reminds me, dewey, if you have any use for a pencil condenser, they also sell something called the MXL pro pac+ that is 1-2003, 1-603s, shockmounts for both, 2-15' mogami cables all in a case for $249.95 USD. Which is GREAT.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 14:56 (eighteen years ago) link

one year passes...

at4033 is listed at 400 at sam ash, which is too much for me, sadly...

can i get a good 250-300 recommendation? i really wanna invest in something great after work today :-)

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 20 March 2007 16:06 (seventeen years ago) link

Have a look at Okatva, they get good write ups.

― Ed, Tuesday, 20 March 2007 16:41 (seventeen years ago) link

what about the at4040 Large Diaphragm?

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 20 March 2007 17:32 (seventeen years ago) link

400 for a 4033 is highway robbery

i don't love it as much as i used to but it's still very useful.

if i was going to spend under 300 now i'd probably look at a shure ksm27

― electricsound, Wednesday, 21 March 2007 07:21 (seventeen years ago) link

I've heard good things about the cad equitek e100, came close to picking one up a couple of times but haven't.

― Edward III, Wednesday, 21 March 2007 15:50 (seventeen years ago) link

OKAY! so i got the ksm27. yes i did! it's good, i like it very much. very much!

― Surmounter, Monday, 26 March 2007 03:36 (seventeen years ago) link

yay!

― electricsound, Monday, 26 March 2007 08:17 (seventeen years ago) link

hehe :-)

― Surmounter, Monday, 26 March 2007 14:40 (seventeen years ago) link

seven years pass...

bump? Any new contenders? seeing a lot on the AKG perception mics and also the AT 2035

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 12 December 2014 21:10 (nine years ago) link

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