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Versatile mic for recording..


Sundance

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Im looking for a good quality microphone for home recording using a zoom digital multi track.

The mic would ideally be used for vocals & acoustic instruments...

Would it be better to get a seperate mic for voice & instruments?

Any advice recommendations would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks

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It's probably just my opinion but I think SM57 is better for voice than acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments.

I have Behringer B1. The real thing isn't that much more expensive so I don't think it makes a lot of sense to get behringer in this case. The real thing being the Studio Projects mics, i think.

Studio Projects B1 or C1 I have seen been recommended and is therefore possibly your best bet but you will need phantom power which I don't know if the zoom recorder has.

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If money's no issue...the Sennheiser MD441 would be an ideal all round choice...great on vocals and great on acoustic instruments, very low noise, high signal handling... it's a dynamic mic but with a frequency response similar to a condensor, plus it looks fantastic

21026_l.jpg

The classics never die

May set you back up to 500 though...or check eBay

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Guest Kilgore Trout
I just did a search for "US podium" in google image search (as the SM57's selling point is always "THE MIC THAT BEEN ON THE PODIUM FOREVER (THE $500 VERSION)) and this image came up. This is off a fucking official state site. Look at his eyes and tell me what he's looking at!!!

2006_01_05_rice-bush_upsie1_600.jpg

condolisa's tidy tho'.

in all seriousness though i got a really cheap condenser mic off e bay for around thirty quid or so and i really like it. it sounds much better than the industry standard sm5o-whatever, and is also bright and airy on acoustic guitars- it's also handy around the house for guitar amps for ambience if you pair it with a good dynamic mic. i would thouroughly recomend a lot of research- there a lot of good internet sites dedicated to home recording and the like, and then a comprehensive search of e-bay- then you can hopefully get something that suits your purpose.

also there are a lot of folk on here that have brains worth picking in PM form - sound ian and spellchecker are two that i can think of off the top o' ma heed th mo...

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Shure SM57
The end.

Why does everyone just say that mic? If you read what he was using it for then the SM47 is NOT at all suitable for that kind of application. If he needed to mic his guitar cab then maybe I'd suggest it... but for vocals and acoustic? SM57 = no no in this case.

I would get a pair of stereo condensors for the acoustic combined with a large-diaph cond. for vocals although this is actually 3 mics so not an option....

You need to be looking at large diaphram condensors for vox and acoustic, and this is especially versatile if you want to do any other instruments and maybe record vox and guitar at the same time. This like the behringer or a Marshall MXL67 or 69 can't remember which will be ideal... look here for advice:

Home Recording Forums

DO NOT GET A SHURE SM57....

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If money's no issue...the Sennheiser MD441 would be an ideal all round choice...great on vocals and great on acoustic instruments, very low noise, high signal handling... it's a dynamic mic but with a frequency response similar to a condensor, plus it looks fantastic

So is AKG C414, which admittedly is about 3 times as expensive so my point maybe isn't valid.

Sennheiser MD421 are the industry standard for toms and the main dynamic mic used in professional studios along with Shure SM7, which is mainly used for vocals.

The classics never die

True and they are probably the mics to get unless you have good experiences with other ones or can try them out for yourself.

May set you back up to 500 though...or check eBay

Nonsense, Thomann has them for 220. Most expensive I have seen them for is around 300.

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haha what a delightful comment... you're recommendation is wrong. You may use a SM57 but there are much better mic's out there to use for this particular applicatoin. FACT.

If he wanted it for other applications not just vox and acoustics then the sm might be a good choice but as it stands and SM is not the correct choice, regardless of how many personal insults you have stuffed up your tighened arsehole

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Guest Kilgore Trout
Well to clear up. We, Genevieve, use an SM57 for vocals and acoustic and i can pretty much say that the results speak for themselves. You actually have to know what you're doing in the recording/mixing area so maybe that's what your problem is.

thats pretty good going, getting good results with that mic. i hate them. well done though for getting something usefull out of it!

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haha what a delightful comment... you're recommendation is wrong. You may use a SM57 but there are much better mic's out there to use for this particular applicatoin. FACT.

If he wanted it for other applications not just vox and acoustics then the sm might be a good choice but as it stands and SM is not the correct choice, regardless of how many personal insults you have stuffed up your tighened arsehole

Of course there are better mics out theres oh exalted power metal man. But i think you'd be hard pushed to find one that's more versatile and has as sturdy build quality as the SM57 at the same price.

The guy was after all asking about a good mic so unless he has around 500 to spend then you're on the wrong page ;)

Good, affordable, well made, versatile mic= Shure SM57. FACT.

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Which Thomann site are you visiting?? SENNHEISER MD441-U - U.K. International Cyberstore

My mistake

I thought you were speaking of the MD421. Sorry.

That was the page.

SENNHEISER MD421U-2 - U.K. International Cyberstore

SM57 is versitile but isn't the be-all and end all of microphones. I wouldn't even say it is the most versitile. The microphones I have found to be particularly sucesfull on a range of applications are actually large diaphram condensors (AKG C414 and Behringer B1).

The best guitar cab mic'ing results I have had were actually when most of the sound came from AKG C414, I also preferred the sound of Behringer B1 over the SM57 on the guitar cab. C414 also gave me the best acoustic guitar sound (when mixed with the pickup and distance mic's)

Behringer B1 also doubles as a good bass drum mic (particualrly for the non-kick side).

It is certianly worth having a few SM57s but there are other microphones worth concidering also.

I am not even the biggest fan of SM57 on Snare. Small diaphram condensors such as AKG C1000 often do a better job, in my opinion.

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I think I'll throw in my tuppence worth before this gets ugly.

My initial thought would be a large diaphragm condenser but I'm pretty sure the Zoom won't have phantom, so it's either something like a AKG C1000 (I'm sure they take batteries) or a dynamic mic. I'm also pretty sure the Zoom won't be at the cutting edge of sound reproduction so spending more than about 150 with no plans to upgrade your recording facilities is pissing money away.

With no idea what the vocalist sounds like it's hard to recommend a mic, it really does depend on the voice.

SM57's, jack of all trades, master of none. If I was allowed one sub 100 dynamic mic it would probably be the 57, but more because it's versatile and I know what I'm getting with it than anything else.

The MD421 may be the industry standard on tech specs but I'm struggling to remember the last time I saw one. If you were to insist on me naming an industry standard tom mic it would have to be the ubiquitous senny604.

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The MD421 may be the industry standard on tech specs but I'm struggling to remember the last time I saw one. If you were to insist on me naming an industry standard tom mic it would have to be the ubiquitous senny604.

I was referring to being industry standard for recording toms in professional recording studios, not live. The Sennheiser E604 are primarily live microphones, although sometimes used in studios.

I think the above post by Soundian is probably the most useful so far on this thread.

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Guest Kilgore Trout

i like this thread, it's like a gibson versus fender debate. on the plus side though at least nobody has said "mike" instead of "mic"- which is allways a bad sign.......

fit kinda mike is good for recordin shoutin' like whats on the first sepultura cd? whits a fantom power...

rawk!

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Of course there are better mics out theres oh exalted power metal man. But i think you'd be hard pushed to find one that's more versatile and has as sturdy build quality as the SM57 at the same price.

The guy was after all asking about a good mic so unless he has around 500 to spend then you're on the wrong page ;)

Good, affordable, well made, versatile mic= Shure SM57. FACT.

The 2 mics I suggested are less than 100 so I suspect that you don't actually know what you are talking about... you have used a SM57 and thats about it correct? So you think you now know what to recommend?

What has actually happened is that you are wrong, soundian who is a well-known and respected sound engineer agrees with my suggestion of a large diaph. conderser - however it should be noted that this really does depend on phantom power capabilities.

Next time, before you wade in spouting insults check that (a) you know what you are talking about, (b) that the other party doesn't know what they are talking about and © you remembered to bring a leg to stand on.

Final comment:

The SM57 is a Good, affordable, well made, versatile mic like you said... yes well done. Infact I myself use it all the time.

HOWEVER, the chap came asking for a versatile mic and by versatile he SPECIFED ACOUSTIC and VOCALS. The perfect choice for these 2 applications is a large diaphram condenser and NOT a dynamic like the SM57, good as it is you can simply get a better mic.

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The 2 mics I suggested are less than 100 so I suspect that you don't actually know what you are talking about... you have used a SM57 and thats about it correct? So you think you now know what to recommend?

What has actually happened is that you are wrong, soundian who is a well-known and respected sound engineer agrees with my suggestion of a large diaph. conderser - however it should be noted that this really does depend on phantom power capabilities.

Next time, before you wade in spouting insults check that (a) you know what you are talking about, (b) that the other party doesn't know what they are talking about and © you remembered to bring a leg to stand on.

Final comment:

The SM57 is a Good, affordable, well made, versatile mic like you said... yes well done. Infact I myself use it all the time.

HOWEVER, the chap came asking for a versatile mic and by versatile he SPECIFED ACOUSTIC and VOCALS. The perfect choice for these 2 applications is a large diaphram condenser and NOT a dynamic like the SM57, good as it is you can simply get a better mic.

I have actually been in recording bands for over 10 years and used 100s of different mics (so i'm probably a little more qualified to comment than you young man). That one (the SM57) suits our sound and is also useful in our own studio and live, we have established that through recording over a 2 year period in this particular band (Genevieve) and in the 8 year recording stint i had in a previous band (Undertow) and the other bands the respective members of Genevieve (SolarPolarBear, Slipstream and Hauller/Lucas/Screaming Nebraska) have been in. That amounts to between us a minimum of 10 years recording experience each.

Our experiences run from home recording to professional studio recording within the band with one member of the band having previously recorded studio sessions for Aereogramme (a tiny bit above recording your own tinny washed out guitar metal band in your mates garage) as well as several local bands.

We record the particular type of music the guy specified with that sort of mic with good (and recognised) results so i think i'm as qualified as the next man to have an opinion of relevance on that particular mic and tell someone of my positive experience with it.

You read what you wanted to read in Soundians post. I seem to remember him saying that if he was to only own 1 dynamic mic under 100 that the SM57 would be the one due to it's versatility and given that both myself and soundian (the noted experienced sound engineer) are certain that his zoom unit won't have phantom power a large diaphragm condensor wouldn't be suitable for the job anyway.

The real question as far as you're concerned (notice i understand the difference between you(a)'re and your as well) is are you so arrogant that you can't accept another persons opinion? Notice that i didn't say all other mics are shit and that he should ONLY use the SM57, it just so happened to be a mic that i think would be useful (in the long term) and suitable for a job that i've been involved in 100s of times.

Grow up.

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The real question as far as you're concerned (notice i understand the difference between you(a)'re and your as well) is are you so arrogant that you can't accept another persons opinion? Notice that i didn't say all other mics are shit and that he should ONLY use the SM57, it just so happened to be a mic that i think would be useful (in the long term) and suitable for a job that i've been involved in 100s of times.

Ah great post, and a well presented arguement, which would have been GREAT except YOU did this earlier:

You actually have to know what you're doing in the recording/mixing area so maybe that's what your problem is.

In fact the phrase I would use to describe this comment is: "you [are] so arrogant that you can't accept another persons opinion"

Well I'm glad we've got this sorted, basically you have presented yourself as a twat, and have continued to fill out that first impression and finished it off with a lovely spot of hypocrisy. Lovely work friend. Just brilliant.

PS. You are 26?? I am barely over 3 years your junior and you talk to me like I'm 14 when in fact you are acting like the teenager... well I'm glad this display is in the public domain, it's too good to go unappreciated!

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