Key Of Grey

Photo courtesy of Rode

February 3rd, 2010 – Darren sent me an email asking for condenser microphone recommendations he could use for recording vocals; he wants to spend between $100 to $200. As I was writing a response, it occurred to me that others might be looking at buying microphones as well. So thanks to Darren for the question, and I hope it’s alright that I posted it up!

Since you’re looking at recording vocals, you’ll want to look at condensers with large diaphragms. My favorite mic brand is Neumann (especially the TLM102 and 103), but they’re pretty pricey. Right now, I am using an M-Audio Sputnik tube microphone and it sounds great. Of course, it’s way more than what you’re looking to spend, but if you’re looking at microphones that cost $100 to $200 dollars, you’re in luck because there are still a lot of great mics in that range:

* I like M-Audio products quite a bit. They have the Nova which is a pretty basic mic at $100.
* Audio-Technica is also a pretty good bet. I’ve used them on vocals and overheads. The AT2020 is $100, but if you want to spend a little more, the AT2035 has a high pass filter to get rid of any low frequencies you don’t want to record and it’s $150 with the shockmount. The AT2041 package is an even better value at $20 more, and you get the AT2020 and a AT2021 small condenser in case you want to record some ambient room sounds at the same time.
*Studio Projects is a budget brand, but I’ve used them before and they’re pretty decent. The B1 is $120, but the B3 is the better one in their product range at $160. It allows you to switch polarity (cardioid, omni, figure eight) which is pretty good value at the price-point. With the switchable polarity, it could be pretty versatile for recording stuff other than vocals.
*AKG has a new budget line called Perception. The pricing is pretty good for AKG but more expensive than the others I listed. The Perception 220, is $180. I haven’t listened to that series specifically, but I’ve had good experiences with AKG.
*At the risk of being unpopular, I might also suggest taking a look at Behringer. On principle, I do not like to support their company because they blatantly steal designs (they once cloned a Mackie mixer, to the point that they copied a little easter egg that a Mackie engineer had printed onto the circuit board), but they are very inexpensive, and I find their B2 Pro microphone to be surprisingly good. You can find them for $150 shipped free on Ebay.
*The Rode NT1-A is an awesome microphone for the money, but it’s a little out of your range at $230. It’s one of those mics that you don’t grow out of, you always have it in your collection. So if you can stretch your budget a little, it’s an excellent choice. Of course, you can find some used ones on Ebay for way under $200.

Some things to keep in mind when you decide between these microphones are whether or not there is a lowcut/highpass filter switch, whether there’s a switch for attenuation (usually 10db reduction) for loud sound sources, and whether you can switch the polarity. Of course, having all these options on a mic means that it will be more expensive, but having them allows you to use the mic in a variety of situations, and on a variety of sources.

Out of all the microphones I suggested, I can’t recommend the Rode NT1-A enough, however since it’s slightly out of your price range, the next best thing would probably be the Audio Technicas quality wise. The AT2035 is the better of the mics, but the AT2041 has the best value since it includes two different mics in the same package. Make sure that the one you choose includes a shock-mount, because many large diaphragm condensers are weird sizes and it’s just easier to get one from the manufacturer when you buy the mic.

What mics would you guys suggest that Darren take a look at? Also, I love answering reader mail, so send in more questions guys and gals! Thanks Darren!