Go Back   Cockos Incorporated Forums > REAPER Forums > Recording Technologies and Techniques

View Poll Results: What is the best budget vocal mic for recording?
MXL V67 7 33.33%
Studio Projects B1 5 23.81%
Rode NT1A 4 19.05%
Audio-Technica AT2020 1 4.76%
CAD M179 4 19.05%
Voters: 21. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-08-2011, 01:57 PM   #1
Guncho
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts: 825
Default What Is The Best Budget Vocal Mic For Recording?

What do you guys say?

Any choices I'm missing in the poll?

How do I add poll choices?
__________________
https://soundcloud.com/guncho

Last edited by Guncho; 09-08-2011 at 02:10 PM.
Guncho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 02:54 PM   #2
djz
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 177
Default

SM58!!!!!
djz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 03:40 PM   #3
bennisixx
Human being with feelings
 
bennisixx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: the woods, Arkansas
Posts: 1,063
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by djz View Post
SM58!!!!!
I prefer the 57
bennisixx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 04:11 PM   #4
jacobestes
Human being with feelings
 
jacobestes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 415
Default

Already, the poll is breaking down.
jacobestes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 05:11 PM   #5
bennisixx
Human being with feelings
 
bennisixx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: the woods, Arkansas
Posts: 1,063
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jacobestes View Post
Already, the poll is breaking down.
any hope that it wouldn't?
bennisixx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 05:17 PM   #6
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jacobestes View Post
Already, the poll is breaking down.
I'd have to tear it down a little further as well. The couple of varieties of the long standing SM57/58 line is hard to beat based on the question at hand. Not only that but it immediately covers lots of other applications that they have a proven track record of doing well. Not to mention if you can't find your hammer you can use a 57 to drive a nail instead.

The other thing I would add is my experience seems to show that regardless of the above, the best mic is 100% dependent on the voice being recorded. A good vocal recording seems to have much more to do with matching the right mic with the right voice than anything else. But outside of that the 58's/57's cover an awful lot of ground in the "all round" category but mileage always varies with this subject.

Karbo
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 05:25 PM   #7
Rachmaninoff
Human being with feelings
 
Rachmaninoff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Brazil
Posts: 447
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by djz View Post
SM58!!!!!
This.
Rachmaninoff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 05:51 PM   #8
Guncho
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts: 825
Default

Really? The 58 is great for live vocals but you would choose it over any budget large diaphram condenser mic for vocal recording?

Here's a comparison I recently did.

http://www.box.net/shared/caqace5yrbqs0k4c2bxj

(Download, extract, highlight all four and right click play)

A=MXL V67G
B=MXL V67
C=Sterling ST51
D=Shure 58

Here's the same mics on an acoustic guitar. Mic E is the Shure 58 with the windscreen removed. Big difference suprisingly.

http://www.box.net/shared/j8ujc1l89xr4veu1lfsi

PS Sorry this thread is not what I wanted it to be. I though I could add to the poll as suggestions came up.
__________________
https://soundcloud.com/guncho

Last edited by Guncho; 09-08-2011 at 05:57 PM.
Guncho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 05:55 PM   #9
Kundalinguist
Human being with feelings
 
Kundalinguist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 4,630
Default

You'd have to own each one to really make an accurate assessment. I "read" good things about the B1 though. And Rode is always good.

However, I think a Shure Beta 58 is an excellent all round utility mic. Shure 57 is kinda muddy for vocals.
__________________
Success is just one more plugin away! And happiness is as close as your next upgrade. (On the interweb: www.rolandk.ca / www.auroraskypublishing.com)
Kundalinguist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2011, 07:35 PM   #10
Untamed Spirit
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Off the Planet
Posts: 303
Default

I have used all those mics on occasion, and by far the most versatile is the CAD M179, although the MXL V67G is pretty good on vocals and can be found for under $100.
The only one of those mics I still use regularly is the CAD M179. you just can't go wrong getting one (or more than 1) in my case. The others will tend to get left in the locker as you upgrade.
Of course, it really depends on the source material and personal preferences too
Untamed Spirit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2013, 05:18 PM   #11
frankie
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guncho View Post
Really? The 58 is great for live vocals but you would choose it over any budget large diaphram condenser mic for vocal recording?

Here's a comparison I recently did.

http://www.box.net/shared/caqace5yrbqs0k4c2bxj

(Download, extract, highlight all four and right click play)

A=MXL V67G
B=MXL V67
C=Sterling ST51
D=Shure 58

Here's the same mics on an acoustic guitar. Mic E is the Shure 58 with the windscreen removed. Big difference suprisingly.

http://www.box.net/shared/j8ujc1l89xr4veu1lfsi

PS Sorry this thread is not what I wanted it to be. I though I could add to the poll as suggestions came up.
I just downloaded and listened to the clips, to me, the MXL V67G sounds the best out of all of them. The V67 (if that is really it) has too much of a sizzle and that is the same with the Shure. The Sterling ST51 sounds almost like the V67G but not quite.

Do you have the CAD M179 by any chance? I would love to hear a sample of it competing with the ones you already listed above.
frankie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2013, 05:26 PM   #12
Guncho
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts: 825
Default

I don't sorry. They don't seem to come up used very often.
__________________
https://soundcloud.com/guncho
Guncho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 11:55 AM   #13
Panic
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 989
Default

I've heard good things about the MXL v67, but never used one. Honestly, though, based on my experience with "budget" condensers, I'd rather just use an sm57 and save up for something like a used C414, or AT4050.
Panic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 02:55 PM   #14
beingmf
Human being with feelings
 
beingmf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jazz City
Posts: 5,065
Default

The B1 is most likely still the best in the list. However I basically agree with everybody who prefers a dynamic – though not a 58 or 57.

Sennheiser MD421, Electrovoice RE-15, Prodipe TT (can it get more, erm, less "budget" than this?), Beyerdynamic M69, Chinese ribbons... all far better mics than those cheapo condensers...
__________________
Windows 10x64 | AMD Ryzen 3700X | ATI FirePro 2100 | Marian Seraph AD2, 4.3.8 | Yamaha Steinberg MR816x
"If I can hear well, then everything I do is right" (Allen Sides)
beingmf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 04:35 PM   #15
Coachz
Human being with feelings
 
Coachz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 12,770
Default

i just bought a shure sm7b last night for $299. Should be sweet.
Coachz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 05:58 PM   #16
Smurf
Human being with feelings
 
Smurf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,173
Default

MXL V67G.....
__________________
Yep's First 3 Years in PDF's
HP Z600 w/3GHz 12 Core, 48GB Memory, nVidia Quadro 5800, 240GB SSD OS drive, 3 480GB SSD Sample/Storage drives, 18TB External Storage, Dual 27" Monitors
Smurf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 06:03 PM   #17
Cosmic
Human being with feelings
 
Cosmic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Online
Posts: 4,896
Default

AKG C535 EB
__________________
it aint worth a bop,if it dont got that pop
Cosmic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2013, 07:30 PM   #18
serr
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,562
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guncho View Post
What do you guys say?

Any choices I'm missing in the poll?

How do I add poll choices?
Neumann TLM-103
serr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2013, 01:03 AM   #19
G-Sun
Human being with feelings
 
G-Sun's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Norway
Posts: 7,318
Default

SM 58
__________________
Reaper x64, win 11
Composer, text-writer, producer
Bandcamp
G-Sun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2013, 02:05 AM   #20
beingmf
Human being with feelings
 
beingmf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jazz City
Posts: 5,065
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by serr View Post
Neumann TLM-103
Definitely not
__________________
Windows 10x64 | AMD Ryzen 3700X | ATI FirePro 2100 | Marian Seraph AD2, 4.3.8 | Yamaha Steinberg MR816x
"If I can hear well, then everything I do is right" (Allen Sides)
beingmf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2013, 03:52 AM   #21
Chris Martins
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 207
Default

I'd have to agree on the SM7b being a great recording mic, especially compared to entry level condenser. It's clear, it's articulate, and it takes volumes like no condenser mic will. I'd recommend it over mostly anything in the 0-1K price range for vocal recording in a home or project studio. If not, the Beta 58A is also a great choice. I'd use condensers on acoustic guitars but not on the voice in most cases, and I do own a couple of nice condensers...
Chris Martins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2013, 04:37 AM   #22
l0calh05t
Human being with feelings
 
l0calh05t's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Darmstadt, Germany
Posts: 673
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Martins View Post
I'd have to agree on the SM7b being a great recording mic, especially compared to entry level condenser. It's clear, it's articulate, and it takes volumes like no condenser mic will. I'd recommend it over mostly anything in the 0-1K price range for vocal recording in a home or project studio. If not, the Beta 58A is also a great choice. I'd use condensers on acoustic guitars but not on the voice in most cases, and I do own a couple of nice condensers...
Another +1 for the SM7B. Can't go wrong with that mic, and much nicer than all cheap condensers I tried.
__________________
Raw data for raw nerves | 1.05946309...
My Blog | My free VST plugins | WDL-OL CMake fork
l0calh05t is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2013, 06:17 AM   #23
Sanskrit
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: in the studio
Posts: 287
Default

I've got the V67, the 179, an sm57, an NT1a and an AT4050. I'm with the camp that says which mic is best depends on the voice/source. I recently put up a shure condenser, ksm something, on a female vocalist: sounded quite shrill. A dynamic on a somewhat nasal low tenor would probably be too dull. I used to really dig condensers on my voice, tenor, but I'm moving steadily towards dynamics. For folks that are sort of a one-man recording show, I'd find the mic that suited their voice/guitar whatever, best. For the low end studio jack, like me , I think an assortment of mics is best. (I want to add a ribbon soon....)
Also, if I may, this link is quite informative for those considering either an sm7b or 57. Whenever I'm feeling a little sm7b envy, I read through this again:
http://www.3daudioinc.com/3db/showth...istening-tests
Sanskrit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2013, 09:35 AM   #24
jiff 41
Human being with feelings
 
jiff 41's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: WALES, UK
Posts: 811
Default sm7

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanskrit View Post
Also, if I may, this link is quite informative for those considering either an sm7b or 57. Whenever I'm feeling a little sm7b envy, I read through this again:
http://www.3daudioinc.com/3db/showth...istening-tests

VERYinteresting??
__________________
"I started out with nothing & i still have most of it left"(seasick steve)
jiff 41 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2013, 10:04 AM   #25
Nip
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Sweden
Posts: 1,541
Default

SE Eletronics X1 maybe.

Otherwise medium budget - Shure SM7B
But you need 60dB gain in your preamp.
__________________
-- Windows 11 Pro, i7-12700F 2.1GHz 32G, RME Digiface USB Audient ASP800 Lexicon MX200, Reaper 4.78 --
Nip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2013, 03:31 PM   #26
Tedwood
Human being with feelings
 
Tedwood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: South Coast UK
Posts: 14,303
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nip View Post
SE Electronics X1 maybe.

Otherwise medium budget - Shure SM7B
But you need 60dB gain in your preamp.
I have a SE Electronics X1, and it's very nice. It sounds real nice. Also better than the nt1a I own.

Very well reviewed
__________________
The grass is greener where it rains

Last edited by Tedwood; 01-13-2013 at 02:42 AM.
Tedwood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2013, 03:59 PM   #27
franV
Human being with feelings
 
franV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,987
Default

For a untreated room i would go with this combination.

Heil PR22
Rane MS1S pre-amp
franV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2013, 07:04 PM   #28
Toft
Human being with feelings
 
Toft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 287
Default

+1 for the Heil, though I prefer the PR35 for recording (PR22 is good live).

I have also used the Studio Projects B1 and Shure 58, and although they do what you expect for what they are, in my untreated room with my voice and instruments, the PR35 is way, way more useful.
Toft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 11:58 AM   #29
franV
Human being with feelings
 
franV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,987
Default

Beta 58 Vs Heil PR22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W2z3B_o12Q

From this you can hear the Beta has a bit more warmth while the Heil PR22 has more clarity.
franV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 12:14 PM   #30
franV
Human being with feelings
 
franV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,987
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Toft View Post
+1 for the Heil, though I prefer the PR35 for recording (PR22 is good live).

I have also used the Studio Projects B1 and Shure 58, and although they do what you expect for what they are, in my untreated room with my voice and instruments, the PR35 is way, way more useful.
+1 for the PR35.
Although it is not really a budget mic, costing about $100 more then the PR22.
But still, PR35 is really superb mic if your budget allows it.
franV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 12:48 PM   #31
pixeltarian
Human being with feelings
 
pixeltarian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Minneaplis
Posts: 3,317
Default

Apex 460
http://diyribbonmic.com/diykits/
http://www.naiant.com/
http://www.karmamics.com/shop/

Also, there's this company that doesn't have any distributors and they make maybe like 3 mics and that's all they sell. I remember one has a blue LED on it. I also remember a lot of people said they were awesome for the price, but I can't remember the name of the company. shoot. maybe it'll spark something with someone.

Last edited by pixeltarian; 01-14-2013 at 12:59 PM.
pixeltarian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2013, 08:07 PM   #32
spindlebox
Human being with feelings
 
spindlebox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 146
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanskrit View Post
I've got the V67, the 179, an sm57, an NT1a and an AT4050. I'm with the camp that says which mic is best depends on the voice/source. I recently put up a shure condenser, ksm something, on a female vocalist: sounded quite shrill. A dynamic on a somewhat nasal low tenor would probably be too dull. I used to really dig condensers on my voice, tenor, but I'm moving steadily towards dynamics. For folks that are sort of a one-man recording show, I'd find the mic that suited their voice/guitar whatever, best. For the low end studio jack, like me , I think an assortment of mics is best. (I want to add a ribbon soon....)
Also, if I may, this link is quite informative for those considering either an sm7b or 57. Whenever I'm feeling a little sm7b envy, I read through this again:
http://www.3daudioinc.com/3db/showth...istening-tests
Wow, those Frequency analyses are pretty telling. I've always been pretty happy with my 57's!! Though I'm starting to use Senn e906 on Guitar cabs now more, though tomorrow I'm going to use both!

PS, I voted for the NT1A. I use it for just about everyone that comes through here, including myself, and it's just a great take every time. I have the MXL V67 and I prefer the RODE. I use the V67 for a drum room mic most often.
__________________
HP ENVY DESKTOP 795; Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700 - CPU @ 3.20GHz, 3192 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s); 32GB Ram; 64 bit - Windows 10 - MOTU 16A (2) & Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 (1)
spindlebox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2013, 09:30 PM   #33
dea-man
Human being with feelings
 
dea-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,290
Default

Shure 57 or 58.
__________________
"F" off.
dea-man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2013, 09:31 PM   #34
yep
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,019
Default

It has been several years since I last tested cheap vocal mics, and the marketplace may have changed since, but the MXL V67G is the most "expensive-sounding" $100 mic I have ever tried.

It's not my favorite mic in the world, and it's not necessarily my go-to mic for anything, but in my opinion it gives a big, detailed, spacious, "expensive" sound: massive proximity effect without too much mud, slightly crunchy/
"crispy" articulation, and big "airy" detail. I'd rather use a U47, but if the U47 was broken or out for repairs, a V67G is not a terrible substitute, for like 1% of the price.

MXL has some newer and more-expensive mics that I haven't tried, and there are people offering mods with upgraded components, and so on. I can't really comment on those, and I don't really know the 2013 landscape of cheap condensers.

Sometimes an SM57 is the best mic for a vocal track. Fancy or expensive mics are not always "better". Different mics sound different, and sometimes the best mic for a job happens to be a very expensive one. Other times, not.

A V67 is a very inexpensive way to add a "big" sounding large-diaphragm condenser mic to your arsenal. In a dense rock mix, I might pick it over, say, a U87: it seems to have a little more "cut" and presence. In a sparse and spacious naturalistic mix, the V67 might sound a little overdone: not "bad", but kind of "recorded"-sounding.
yep is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2013, 11:52 PM   #35
lexaproductions
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,126
Default

For Bang For the Buck, I would go with these guys:
http://www.kelaudio.com/

I actually have several of their microphones in my Mic Closet...
lexaproductions is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2013, 12:24 AM   #36
OldG
Human being with feelings
 
OldG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northants,UK
Posts: 195
Default

Red 5 Audio valve mic - http://www.red5audio.com/acatalog/Va...crophones.html
OldG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2013, 12:34 AM   #37
Cosmic
Human being with feelings
 
Cosmic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Online
Posts: 4,896
Default

I got an MXL 2003 last week for 50 quid used.

And I can safely say that it ROCKS for my vocals.


I love it.

I'd be interested in hearing the v67 off the back of the 2003.
__________________
it aint worth a bop,if it dont got that pop
Cosmic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2013, 12:49 AM   #38
Panic
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 989
Default

I've seen a few well regarded folks speak well of the V67 now. Makes it quite the temptation at $100, in spite of me.
Panic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2013, 12:53 AM   #39
Cosmic
Human being with feelings
 
Cosmic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Online
Posts: 4,896
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by aste View Post
I've seen a few well regarded folks speak well of the V67 now. Makes it quite the temptation at $100, in spite of me.
Chinese LDCs are super decent these days.Just like the guitars.

They've plenty practice making them!

My 2003 is classy..I shit you not.Sounds massive..and lovely smooth top end.
I still want the v67 now though!
__________________
it aint worth a bop,if it dont got that pop
Cosmic is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.