suggest me a condenser mic

[C.Thep]

I'm a complete noob when it comes to mics, but I'm looking for something around 120 dollars, and I need it to do everything, vocals, acoustic guitar, cello, maybe even micing amps.

Preferably something with a tad of brightness to it, and be able to handle hard death metal vocals and light female vocals. Am I asking too much for one mic?

any advice would help. thanks...

[C.Thep]

would recommend be a more appropriate word in the title instead of suggest?

[rty13ibz98]

$120?....ouch! i like the akg stuff, but $120 is asking way too much out of any condensor for extreme versatility. look at the akg c2000b for a workhorse. its $200, but has stellar reviews. i have one as well, but use my c3000 over it. i have a c1000, c2000, and c3000 as my main condensors. i do have the audix fusions for drums with the overhead condensors and the mxl 900/991 pack. i really don't recommend those, but for the budget...are hard to beat. they are just really mid spiky. not really that true. the akg happen to be clean and therefore less sweet, i just got a focusrite trackmaster pre and that has since made me more confident of my c3000 tracks, bigger and more present. more life, too.


rich

[Rip]

the closest I can come to a recommendation, *cough* i mean a "suggest".. ..

Is an Octava MK012A
From the Sound room.
http://www.oktava.com/inc/sdetail/499

Its important to go through the soundroom because
they actually do quality control tests and only sell the ones that pass.

This mic is used often as a "stunt double" for
A Schoeps MK41/MK4 capsule.

[Drew]

Yeah, a workhorse condensor for $120 is a serious stretch. Are you looking large diaphram or small diaphram?

I'm rather impressed with the pair of AKG C1000s's I have, but the run $199 a peice/399 a pair at Musician's Fiend. And I suspect if you're looking for a vocal mic, you're after a large diaphram...

Doesn't Behringer do a B-1 or B-2 or something for about $99? If you want the condensor sound on a budget, that might be the way to go...

[C.Thep]

what is the difference between a large diaphram and a small diaphram?

okay, the absolute maximum I can spend now is $200.

thanks for the help everyone...

[Jamie]

I have the solution.

www.kelaudio.com

I know I promoted these guys in 3 seperate threads already, rest assured I am in no way affiliated with them whatsoever.

But they are bang for buck for sure.

[Jamie]

And in answer to your question.

Large diaphragm are larger, small diaphragm are smaller obviously.

Google a Neuman U89 for an example of a large, and a Shure SM81 for an example of a small.

There are multiple differences in the way the differently sized diaphragms react. LD will have lower self-noise (better for no hiss on vocals, and when you compress vocals extremely, more silent tracks), but cannot handle high SPL like drums as well.

SDs won't have the breadth of a LD but can handle higher transients like drum peaks, electric guitar amps close-miked. They will also handle very high frequencies better due to the tighter diaphragm so are good for snap, air, and other brittle, piercing (to use some negative adjectives) tones you wish to reproduce.

Go to http://www.dpamicrophones.com/ and select 'Microphone University'. That is a reference for life.

[Rip]

Originally Posted by Jamie

LD will have lower self-noise (better for no hiss on vocals, and when you compress vocals extremely, more silent tracks), but cannot handle high SPL like drums as well.

Thats strange..
Ive been using large diaphram condensers on snare drums
and overheads for years apon years.

I guess I better stop doing that

[Jamie]

NM what you use, they cannot handle high SPLs *as well* as SD condensors.

Thats just physics and an undisputable fact.

For example, DPA quote a 12mm diaphragm as having a max transient SPL of 168Db compared to their 24mm diaphragm handling 144dB.

He asked what the difference was. Thats the general difference, of course there are exceptions to every rule.

Max SPL often differs from mic to mic, and lots of LD mics will now advertise the fact that they break the 140dB or so 1% THD SPL cap that allows them to more readily close mic drums and guitar cabs.

Overheads are scarcely close miking.

As for a snare, when you mic a snare with an LD (I do this myself underneath for capturing the thickness of the sound, with a dynamic on top for snap) you generally operate at a distance of 4-8 inches, whereas you can get down to 1-2 inches with dynamic or SD condensor mics on drumkits.

Disclaimer: mileage may vary, not all mics are the same, try before you buy and distances given are approximate only.

[C.Thep]

thanks Jamie

[Nordhauser]

Neuman is the way to go.

[Rip]

Originally Posted by Nordhauser

Neuman is the way to go.

not trying to give you a hard time..
but why do i have a feeling youve never even heard one..
let alone use one to know why you're saying that.

I dont get why people on this site give opinions
when they should be the ones learning...
not throwing out key words to make it look like they know something.

Sorry, this isnt personal and this isnt the worst example of this on
the board but it drives me up a wall when i read people
just spouting off something to make it look like they are intelligent.

Oh and btw, you spelled it wrong.

[kennydoe]

I bought a MXL 67G last year and it works great for me - I don't do major 'recording studio quality' projects - just this and that kinda stuff. It works great and they're really inexpensive on the 'bay'.