So, without trying to brag, my first record has tens of millions of listens on Spotify (Whitley - The Submarine)...my second has far less, my third even less. I've used a U87 on every record except the first. What did we use on the first? A Rode NT1A, all with the exception of the most successful song on that album which was a Rode NT3 I plugged into a tape 4 track Portastudio. Seriously - the gear don't matter kids. I've learned that.
If you are chasing after listeners, you are right - gear doesnt matter. But If you want to sound the best you can/chasing a sound, thats in your head and wants out, gear does (at least could) matter!
Used 87s can go for as low as $1800 in some markets. I had a similar deal pop up and pilled the trigger on it. What surprises me most about it that I was not expecting based on similar microphones by other companies priced above and below it is the gorgeous frequency response from the lows, mids, to the highs. It's just fantastic. So much detail in the mids and the right amount of low end thump and top end shimmer for pretty much most things I record with it. Cannot recommend it enough. 90% of the sound of a microphone is the capsule, and in my opinion, Neumann is still the reigning king of capsules.
It's true but Soyuz is dragging around a big azz stick with their S17 and S23 capsules. Hand machined brass capsules with a tolerance of .2 microns. The former based loosely on the K67 capsule and the latter more closely based on Lomo's redesign of the CK12 capsule.
Personally, I don't record with anything but a Shure SM7B anymore. I have a couple nice condenser mics, but I don't really use them. I find I get better results with the SM7B. For one thing, it does a much better job of rejecting background noise and room reflections. For another thing, I have a very sibilant voice. My S's are out of control on a condenser mic. The SM7B does a great job at taming them. Lastly, I just find it sits in the mix with very little effort. Bear in mind that I'm only using a mic to record my own vocals. If I was recording other singers or mic guitar cabs, I would use a different mic. It's also worth mentioning that most of my music falls in the genre of "rock." The SM7B is particularly suited to rock. All that said, I really think it's a mic that everyone should invest in.
The Rode microphone is a fantastic choice! Very versatile, I love the response, and I believe everyone will be happy with it, as I am, for both vocals and recording speaker cabinets.
Thank you Mike.... Felt like you were speaking my mind.... I already own an SM58 and AT2020 and next on my list is Rode NT1A 5th Gen.... Keep up the good work.... GOD bless always !!!!
Again another excellent video about mics,,,,Mike. The Neumann U 87 is the Holy Grail of studio microphones, but well out of reach for mere mortals. I use a Studio Projects C3 (No longer made) and have for years with great results. But someone once said "All unhappiness comes from comparisons" :-)
News Flash: The Audio Technica AT2020 is not a real LDC mic. It is actually a side-address SDC, but it still sounds impressive. I recommended it to my younger brother for his 1st recording mic and he returned an amazing track that he produced with another pal who has the same mic. They covered a classic Beatles "Two of Us" and just knocked it out of the park. #Impressive
I have been recording songs in my home studio for 30 years now and it gad to be done on a limited budget like most people have. Røde NT1 was the first for me, always good results. As mics became cheaper I used some others but eventually I bought a Røde NT2-A, this mic gecame my workhorse for years, it was money really well spent. Recently I have invested in a mic for live vocals a Røde M2, brilliant. And a Røde NTK valve condenser, which is superb. As you can see Ii like Røde. Best value, very reliable, not made in China and therefore good quality control.
I recorded my singer for years through a large condenser. I did a quickie recording on an IPad using an SM57 hand held ..best vocal sound I ever got it just matched her voice perfectly with almost no EQ, I just dropped a bit of the lower mids, sparkled it up a bit and lightly compressed
I got an SE Magneto for £40 from a second hand shop. Best mic I’ve ever owned for voice over work. No need to have any acoustic foam or tiles on my otherwise bare walls of the spare bedroom, I’m able to record beautiful sounding stuff straight in to a usb mixing desk (Behringer Q1002USB) into Audacity recording software (which is free). It’s an excellent budget mic and set-up.
I've got the RØDE NT-1 (nice and warm), NT-1A (for acoustic guitars) and the NT-1000 it's sits nicely between the two others and it fits my voice well, all at a very reasonable price 😉
I've never heard a Rode that I liked. The AT2020 is actually a great choice for the very low budget range - I'd say at around that price range it's one of the best you can find. It's not like the U87 is the "super end all" of microphones either - it's a rather neutral mic and still may not fit what you're after. It's not particularly airy compared to some of the C12 clones or a C-800G. The 87 is loved because it rarely sounds *bad*, but often other mics sound better. I think another great low budget option is the Sony C-80 - it's closer to the $600 mark, but IMO sounds far better than any Rode or the AT2020.
Another nice halfway point is the TLM103 by neumann, which used the U87 capsule without any of the polar pattern switching. as you said, most people will get away with cardiod for pretty much all applications
Sorry to disappoint you but the 103 does NOT use the U87 capsule! But something ‘similar’. Who would buy the U87 if that were so! It’s caller marketing, or more accurately ‘misleading’🤔
@@John-oi8mt I take your point, I didn't know they were just designed to be very similar and weren't actually copies. also, "sorry to disappoint you" and "it's called marketing" is SO condescending. maybe.. learn a social skill.. or three.
Excellent video, Mike, thank you. I have been using a matched pair of SE Electronic SE8 small diaphragm condensers when recording acoustic guitar, and had really great results. A couple of days ago, though, when I was in a hurry to capture a chord progression before I forgot it, I grabbed the mic I had been using an hour earlier to record a voiceover - the SM7B. I was stunned at how fantastically rich and detailed it was and I've actually used that hasty recording in the final mix. I highly recommend people try out whavetever microphones they have on every source they ever want to record - the results can be unexpected (quite possibly in a bad way as well as a good way, but at least you'll know lol!).
I have an NT1a that is nice and I've just upgraded the guts to an old MXL990 for cheap and it's amazing now. I've only begun using it in the last few days and I'm glad I sacrificed the 990.
Shure KSM 32. Save up the $600 and get it. Here's what happens when you buy $100 condenser mics. You buy one, then you buy another, then another . . . then you have $500 worth of $100 mics that quite frankly suck. The $100-$200 mics are all hyped in the highs to try and sound 'airy.' What happens is that when you start stacking tracks, it's like razor blades in your ears. What you want in a condenser mic is as NEUTRAL sounding a mic as possible. Every mix engineer worth their salt just wants clean, well recorded vocals that they can process however they want without having to do a ton of surgery. Lots of engineers have a Rode NT1 kicking around. They use them for hallway mics when recording drums. The SM7B is a classic as well, but it won't be enough if you're recording all different kinds of vocals. There is always a good use for an SM7B though.
I would agree with all these good words. However, to my ear u87ai is the only mic that keeps your vocal note at the ceiling of the span of the note width at all time. It will keep your vocal tone intact at all time. Unlike all other mics where you insert a ball and get an egg at the other side.
Very good video for people starting out. Mics are really hard to to figure out and probably one of the most expensive gear to spend money on because so many to buy. I think your comment about focusing on the lyrics, the music really is spot on. Get the song right, people will listen regardless of the mic. Lots of low fi hit songs out there.
Mics are hard to figure out because they're very personal. I've gone through MANY of them over the years - some mics just don't work on some voices at all. As long as you're not buying bottom-barrel mics, most of them are fine - but not everyone will like all of them on their voice. One somewhat loved mic I particularly hate on my voice is the AT4047 - it has a huge warming/thickening bump that many people love, but I absolutely hate on my voice. My suggestion is, if possible, find somewhere that will let you test out 3-4 mics, get them in your studio, and figure out which one works best for you.
I'm using the Neumann KMS 105 / 104 plus in an untreated room when I record for my clients with a MixPre 3 II. Even with large windows, they pick up very little to nothing from the traffic from outside. So little in fact that I seldomly need noise reduction in post. They seem to reject anything except the voice. Even the reverb is missing. Neumann recommends them for the home studio. (KMS - Kondenser Microphone Stage)
The good old SM58…. I’ve got one I’ve had since around ‘76? Most of the paint is gone, there’s dents on the screen, there’s rust on the screen. Yea, she’s seen a lot over the decades, but still my only stage mic.
So well put. The microphone is way way less important than so many other variables. Going over budget can induce stress than is a creativity killer. I get anxious when I drag out a 10K microphone with some talent and circumstances when I would get a better performance from a 57 and a very relaxed space for the musician.
I've had the Sure drum mic pack that has four SM57 and one Beta52. I noticed a rattle on one of the 57s and Sure's website states the problem and how to fix it. The capsule guard is the source of the rattle or vibration. They say to jamb some pieces of a tooth pick between the guard and the microphone. Also the Beta 52 stopped working. I had to have it repaired at a service center. A loose solder joint. I made the switch to Telefunken drum mic pack. At over twice the cost, the old saying you get what you pay for is spot on. Telefunken has a better sound and build quality with no problems to date.
Had the NT1a sold it and picked up the Neat King Bee2 better suited to my voice. So many quality mics to chose from based on budget, how ever it all comes down to what type of voice you have and the mic that will best suit your voice. Great video thankyou.
@@who_is_dis almost everyone i know in the industry. in fact i was talking to joe barresi and ross hogarth today about what to do with the tlm 103. Overheads or trashcan was the answer....
Great video - switching to a (relatively) cheap condenser mic (a Sontronics STC-2) was a noticeable improvement over using a dynamic mic for me (even thouigh it was the trusty SM58), and is definitely one piece of gear I wish I'd been able to invest in years ago. Also, big shout out to the furniture-as-acoustic-treatment crowd - it's suprising how well just pointing the mic towards the window and closing the curtains works! :)
A lot of people recommend an SM7B, but you're not going to get a modern vocal sound from a 7B, no matter what you do. It all depends on what you're recording though. I personally would never recommend someone to start there, as most likely they're not going to hear what they want. However, mic placement is *very very* important. Depending on the wall, what's between in, what's inside it, what it's made from, will all have a massive impact on the sound. If your ears aren't well trained/you're not critically listening, there can be tons of reflection/buildup in frequencies from your surroundings ruining your recordings without you noticing. Acoustic treatment is always advised - but if you can't afford it (and even if you can), position the mic and LISTEN. A few degrees of angling or a few inches here and there can make a MASSIVE difference to the sound, depending what's behind the mic. Huge rule, always be listening, always use your ears.
When it comes to affordable ribbon mics I have yet to meet anyone who wasn’t surprised at how good the Royer R-10 is for the money. It’s still a chunk of change (around $600 new in the USA) and no, you don’t ‘need’ one. But they are beautiful mics and at well under half the price of the legendary R-121 perform so well many of us would never be able to tell the difference. My mid price condenser mic of all work/alternative to the AKG C414/U87 is an SE 4400a. To each their own. There are several equally excellent and competitive choices out there at well under the $1K mark, generally sufficiently under that with the change you can go get yourself that SM57 you really can’t not have and still have enough left overt for a pop filter and a packet of chips!
FUN FACT ! The capsule in the SM7b is almost identical to the sm57 and sm58 I believe the only diff is a transformer or a capacitor inside to improve bottom end response.
AT2020 is a great mic. I've seen mods for this mic and heard them but stock they just sound great. Honestly, I feel they sound better stock than modded. Great mic for acoustic guitars. Great for overly boomy guitars. I've even made mics from part sourced from no name manufacturers in China. Cheap $40 circuit boards paired with a K47 capsule. got a U87 looking Shell. All totaled $130 Canadian Pesos. and a bit of elbow grease.
AKG C414 XLII has 9 polar patterns, 5 switches but a second press on the switch puts you between polar patterns, a first class mic (a bit airy) but excellent sound and build quality, if you want a mic that will last almost a lifetime go for this at a sub £1000 price, you will never need another mic again.
I'm so impressed with the latest (5th generation) Rode NT1: incredibly low noise floor; 32-bit float prevents clipping and you can connect USB-C if you don't have XLR 🙂
Great info about mics from Mike. I wouldn’t mind having any mic from Neumann, however I am very much aware it’s not required. For the price of a U87, I would be able to replace my current live mixer and all the mics with ones representing a step up in quality.
I have 2 mics, the NT1 (not the NT1-A) and I think it is awesome with my deep male vocals or voice-overs...I also use an SM7B. Both of my mics I run through my Cranborne EC1 preamp (this thing is a beast) and then into my Motu M4. These 2 mic imo are the only mic's I'll ever really need for my home studio. I have an ART Voice-Channel but the preamp in the EC1 is so good I rarely use it.
Sir…I own the NT1A, the U87Ai and the 414s but for my ears the NT1A is by far not a 95% U87Ai or a 414. BTW: at 4:12 you showed the NT1 - my first large condensor and I still love and use it! Much much better than the NT1A and I recommend to save some more money and get this one instead of the NT1A. There is a big chance that it's still in use yearsssss after. Just my thoughts.
I wish influencers like you would mention the Sennheiser e935 more - its well known as the dynamic that 'sounds like a condenser'. It has great detail esp for female voice and its as easy to handle and cheap as the SM58/57. For male voice the AKG D5 has a great radio sound for the money too.
Great video and on the money regarding expense/results. A couple of notes that I've found: Having a range of mics on hand and spending the time to match to the source can result in a ever so slightly better recording which results in less work mixing. Not the same as garbage in/garbage out (which is the result of bad instruments, bad playing, etc) but a higher quality mic generally doesn't require as much finessing in the mix. But sometimes at 58 on vocals IS the right choice - it's all in choosing the right mic for the job. The AT2020 is a little bit exaggerated in the top end similar to the RODE NT1a but I found it spectacular on women's voices - not so much on my own (baritone) voice. The NT1a was also disappointing only my own voice, but I'll bet it shines on many women's voices. The RODE NT1 (for only a little bit more than the NT1a) is a worthy addition to most home studios. But, as much as the mic choice can yield better results - the room itself can make a huge difference on recording vocals and acoustic instruments. I'm working with the singer in a band I play in and set up a recording studio in his garage. The walls and ceiling are all wood planks and the space sounds amazing. I put a RODE NT2 in figure 8 pattern about 3 feet in front of him and an acoustic guitar to record a demo for a song and quite a few professionals we know commented on how great the resulting sound is. They were shocked we recorded in a garage. In a good space for recording, putting a mic on OMNI mode instead of Cardioid can be a really nice way to record vocals because you can get intimate close results and strong 'belting' vocals a little further away without getting proximity effect changing the overall sound of the vocals because of small differences in distance. But if your space doesn't sound great, recording in OMNI will sound terrible. There are some fantastic deals that are really surprising out there. I found an ART T4 Tube Mic used for a few hundred dollars - I bought it and in researching the mic, it seems the mic was based on a so-so copy of a Telefunken tube mic, which a lot of people modded to become an actually good mic and then ART took the modded version as the base for their release. And yes, it is a wonderful mic comparable to many much more expensive mics I've used in other studios. If you're good with electronics soldering, there's a lot of people explaining how to mod mics and selling the upgrade parts.
TBH - I go with the school of "cheap and costly"... You get two mics. A budget level (the Berhinger Shure clones are great) And as good a nic as you can afford - think AKG, Marantz (have one - it's okay, brilliant spoken vocal mic though), Rode are great too ... Maybe a decent external phantom power block if you're not 100% happy with your preamps.. You're good to go. As for recording - find a rehearsal room that isn't charging the earth... Take a laptop and decent USB audio interface with you and something to act as noise baffles and hey presto! Easy vocals... Done that a good number of times.
I have a beat up grand piano in my living room, and I record it with one sole SM57 because it's not a very precise microphone, and any more detailed mic would only pick up all the defects like rattling strings, squeaky pedal, etc...
This was a nicely put together, informative video of something that can start to get very complicated and very overwhelming in a short space of time. Another gold star for Mr Enjo! ✴
I actually challenged myself by using Pyle 57s for every track in a recording. The Pyle 57 is a knock off of the Sure SM57, it has a similar response. However, I bought ten of them for about $100. If you're just starting out and can't afford several SM57'S, try a couple of these.
My Nt1A has never been reliable, I bought it from new and it stopped within a month, I put it on the shelf for months, sent it to rode twice, had the capsules replaced and it stopped working the next day. In my opinion a terrible but wonderful mic when it works. I use an at2020 and it’s a tank. I also use a sm58a and it’s working well.
Well done! Could you do a video on the UA/Townsend modeling microphones? Would this be a good option for a home studio being able to replicate many mics with just one investment?
Just want to say... Im a AT lover... For a Dynamic , my best experiences so far , that even slap the m88 etc.. id the ATM29He.... Its honestly the closest dynamic ive personally used..... (my experience) to a larger condenser mic...
If you care about sound quality (which most musicians these days don't care about) then you DEFINITELY need an multigrand microphone at the least. If you listen to music as MP3 yes you won't tell a difference but if you listen for sound quality, get the u87. It is an investment that will last a life time.
Ribbons are more useful imo than most dynamics or small diaphragm condensers. If I were limited to four mics I’d pick an sm7b, a U87, and a pair of ribbons or alternatively an SM7b, a pair of 87s, and a stereo ribbon 😝
I do just fine with my TLM102, Warm Audio 273, Klerk Teknik 1176 and Pulteq clones into good conversion. Not an expensive chain and it sounds pro. Obviously you need to be able to sing and you want to record in a space that has some kind of treatment, not a plain room.
SM57’s and SM58’s do actually have other differences besides the windscreen. They have different transformers. The 57’s frequency range goes down to 40hz whereas the 58 cuts off at 5hz. The frequency curve is also different with the 57 having a cut starting at 200hz and the 58 cut starting at 100hz. The 57 also had a 10 ohms higher output than the 58. Something about the difference in the windscreens make the 57 more unidirectional than the 58. Small differences, but not exactly the same.
Great video. I do lots of voice overs and the Røde is my go to mic for years. But I also havde none some great voice recordings with a simple Shore SM 58..... so it is all posible.
Excellent video. Great information etc. Just a silly note. I love the SM57 for my live vocals at gigs etc I find the SM58 especially the beta 58 adds too much bass/ proximity effect to my already naturally bass heavy vocal tone. Might be interesting to hear your explanation and experience of the proximity effect and any used advantages of indeed disadvantages Loving your content Well done
My wife is about to step onto a plane back from Germany and will be bringing with her one of these -t.bone SC 450 (which @Mike recommended on a previous video) I’m very excited to hear the difference from the SM58 I have always used!
The problem is that even Clients, who are less at Home in the Recording World, have already heard the name Neumann. Or specifically address the U87. You can put whatever Microphones you want there, and what might even be better suited to the respective Recording Situation. A Neuman U87 is almost essential if you want to “appear” professional.
Hi Mike and I hope you are well. The U87 maybe way out of line for most of us. The productions on microphones, headphones, and DAWs have been a Hugh help. I have 58s, NT1A, a T4 with multiple tubes and wonder if you ever considered a RE20. Found it very useful and if you have maybe I missed it. Keep on Producing Mike! God Bless from Nova Scotia.
Ribbon mics sound fantastic for some use case, but one thing to remember: NEVER EVER send phantom power to a ribbon mic. They are usually very sensitive in this way.
I love the SM57 on my sax as well as my KSM32 on saxes…now that I think about it the KSM32 may be the most expensive microphone I have at the moment lol (I do want to get a ribbon mic though). Thank you for another great video 😊
I was surprised the Rode M5's didn't get a mention. I recently started using a stereo pair with an old NT1 across the room on acoustic guitar, and it's the best recorded acoustic sound I've captured in my 20+ years of recording. I've also used a pair of NT1's with a room mic, and that sounds nice and airy, but the M5's stereo image is just more precise IMO. Love this video though, appreciate another perspective.
Yes, the M5s are nice. What blew me away, though, was a recent purchase I made from a Swedish mic builder who sells the Line Audio CM4 pencil condensers. $70 a piece, hand built in Europe, $90 total after shipping and taxes. And it plays at the same level as a Scheops or Josephson. Check them out if you haven't yet!
The Rode NT1000 is a far better FET choice for 300 and less used. Completely different league than the NT1. Warm also makes a 47jr for the same price $300. I’d suggest looking at a used EV dynamic like the RE20 or PL20. Great all round mic. On the cheap, find a RE15 used. Fantastic mic on everything - just needs a good preamp with lots of gain.
Two o my arsenal mics! sounds fantastic and professional.. You have to know your hardware to know their weekneses and compensate them in the mix or in the recording process.
Fantastic quality video, I found the sound a bit boomy and soft in your recording of this video though, that might be my preference for dialogue though.
There are some great budget mics out there.....but I don't think the Rode NT1A is one of them. Way too bright and sibilant. Avoid at all costs. The standard NT1 is more neutral and pleasing to the ear.
Great video, Mike! That was super informative. On a side note, what do you think of those microphones that emulate high-end studio mics, such as the UAD Sphere?
I feel bad for people, especially young people and their parents going to the sure SM7B. Known in the broadcast industry as the dark horse nobody wants to ride, because it's literally sounds like the $50 Samson q2u (or $20 r21 xle only) Most broadcast studios opt for the electro voice RE27ND, probably one of the few dynamic microphones with the clarity of a condenser. And the EV RE20. The 60's classic. ... The SM7B started out as a blimp style directional. In the '50s60s, some radio DJs started sneaking in these TV mics because of their side rejection and humbucking abilities. The original broadcasting unidine looked like a metallic SM57 and picked up way too much of the buzz from all of the analog equipment surrounding the DJ. Sure found out about this and got into the radio business. They also supplied the White House with some small unidine capsule microphones we now know is the SM57 still used by Presidents. These microphones are known for a slight high-end boost so presidents could have an authoritative voice but still cut through a crowd or a noisy broadcast. As far as Quincy Jones stripping down the old SM7 (a), he wanted Michael to feel comfortable as he did with the unidine $5 capsule used on stage. If you look at the photos, the microphone is stripped down to the bone.. And do you really think that is the only microphone used? There were hundreds of photos taken, with many different microphones. Jackson laid down roughly 50 vocals per song, using all sorts of different microphones. The 47 capsules were there, the '87, the tubes... They even used percussion small capsule directionals on the floor so that they can capture Michael stopping his feet. You don't see Sennheiser plugging those, much superior, microphones. SM7 was used for some of the screaming parts, and because of its DARK, LO-FI, HISS, sound, some studios keep one around for low by background effects. Death metal singers like it. I wish some podcasters did not get the budget used SM7bs you could get for less than 100 bucks before 2018. The company got really greedy, they made the MV7, but I still see that bbd aiming and people's faces. Unless you have a particular type of broadcast, not a good look. No hate, just saying. , done, overdone. As far as the podcasters, They know people are listening through very tiny speakers. The SM7 used to help out with a horrible online compression back in the day.. today, the compression for UA-cam, tick tock, and all the rest of them process your audio to the point where it literally does not matter if you're using a good quality $20 microphone, and yes, there is such a thing. (Samson, Sennheiser, audio tech, Even some Chinese microphones like moano). The truth of the matter is, in the last 5 years, about 50% of analog quality has given way to digital processing. It doesn't really matter what you use. That's why you see all those videos with people talking to lavalier microphones or even their free headset that came with their phone. And it sounds great. That PewDiePie guy started using a cheap lavalier for this reason. Sorry to rands, but when a company charges 400 to $500 for a microphone with a noise level of 20 plus!! That has to be the rip off of the century. Remember, the material for that microphone is about $15. If you really want to, you can print one or have a guy print one for you for 30 bucks.
If the NT1A is too harsh, the Rode NT1 is perfect. I have both and the NT1 is just magical. Although, the NT1A was my very first "real" mic and will always have a special place in my heart.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Shape audio for sure. Help it fit in the mix. But it won't fix a harsh mic and it won't make a mic sound completely different than it inherently is. If EQ could do that, we could just get the cheapest mic and eq it until it sounds like U47 or a ELAM 251. But you can't eq out saturation, distortion, resonance, and response.
@@HOLLASOUNDS I've been in the sound game for 30 years and EQ can't fix all poorly recorded (or harsh) content - not without compromises. The rule of thumb has always been to get it right at the source and not rely on plugins to fix problems during the mix stage. This saves time, money and computer processing power. The better it's recorded, the fewer plugins you'll need.
@@terrygray7465 The complaint that some users of the NT1A is that it is a bit boosted in the high end which is easily fixed with EQ in My opinion, if I can fix audio recorded with a mobile phone into something that sounds like it was recorded off of a decent studio mic then I'll have no trouble shaping the NT1A audio into the shape of the NT1 if I want. The whole get it it right at the source is mostly about audio fedelity making sure you have enough headroom for the signal to he edited as there is no way to edit of fix a distorted mess.
The Rode NT1 sounds far less hyped than the NT1a and is a better choice in many cases. The AT2020 sounds OK for a $99 mic but is bested by a number of other somewhat more expensive mics like the Rode NT1. If you really only have $99 to spend the AT2020 can do the job fairly well though. The SM7b is decent if you have that kind of money to spend on a mic but you can get 95% of the result with an SM57 for $99 if you know what you are doing with it.
I appreciate all the basic good information about the microphones. but an nt1a or at2020 do not sound like 90% of the u87. the nt1a is okay but doesn't pick up high frequencies that well. all microphones sound relative the same when youre on a budget. a better sound in a microphone will do 80% of a mix when mixing. I mostly get clients with these budget mics and I need too many edits for a decent sound.
mixing songs recorded with a NT1A i always find it to be incredibly harsh. It's not that it can't sound good, but in order to keep the sound "detailed" the way i like it i've had to resort back to the weiss mastering deesser, which ofc sounds great but also annihilates my CPU (compared to something a little more "musical" like the SPL one by plugin alliance). A cheaper more "fake top end" sounding mic might not necessarily be the better option (especially when it comes to internal resonances when singing off-axis) but most times produces less of an ear piercing sound which is not as difficult to make sound good
I find that you really need to use a microphone in a wide range of applications over an extended period to get to know it's strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Rode NT1a and the AKG C414xlii are both relatively bright sounding condensers. However, I find the results that I get from the AKG are almost always superior, and this does mount up when I've used it on several different instruments on the same song. Also, my recording area is far from ideal acoustically, and I find that the other polar patters, or especially combinations of them allow me, usually, to reduce off axis sound to a very low level. As an aside, when I finally bought one high end mic pre it made a huge difference to the quality of the sound I was getting from all of my mics - especially my vintage '60's Beyer M160, which had been a bit lacklustre on acoustic instruments - it improved incredibly and is now a valid option for any source.
Tbh the C414 is a lot more money. You don't *need* expensive microphone, but no one said they aren't useful. I for sure, as a live sound engineer, would choose my Shure Beta 87A over... well almost any vocal microphone used in live production. Fosho. And the C414 over it in a proper studio for vocals, almost no questions asked.
Can confirm. After I sold my studio I got a vocal mic and wanted one that sounded as close to the u87 as possible but at a budget. After several side-by-side checks, the AT2020 was sonically the closest thing to it. The u87 had a little bit more definition, but that's about it. At the price you can't go very much wrong, in any case.
So, without trying to brag, my first record has tens of millions of listens on Spotify (Whitley - The Submarine)...my second has far less, my third even less. I've used a U87 on every record except the first. What did we use on the first? A Rode NT1A, all with the exception of the most successful song on that album which was a Rode NT3 I plugged into a tape 4 track Portastudio. Seriously - the gear don't matter kids. I've learned that.
Love it!
If you are chasing after listeners, you are right - gear doesnt matter. But If you want to sound the best you can/chasing a sound, thats in your head and wants out, gear does (at least could) matter!
Used 87s can go for as low as $1800 in some markets. I had a similar deal pop up and pilled the trigger on it. What surprises me most about it that I was not expecting based on similar microphones by other companies priced above and below it is the gorgeous frequency response from the lows, mids, to the highs. It's just fantastic. So much detail in the mids and the right amount of low end thump and top end shimmer for pretty much most things I record with it. Cannot recommend it enough. 90% of the sound of a microphone is the capsule, and in my opinion, Neumann is still the reigning king of capsules.
It's true but Soyuz is dragging around a big azz stick with their S17 and S23 capsules. Hand machined brass capsules with a tolerance of .2 microns. The former based loosely on the K67 capsule and the latter more closely based on Lomo's redesign of the CK12 capsule.
Personally, I don't record with anything but a Shure SM7B anymore. I have a couple nice condenser mics, but I don't really use them. I find I get better results with the SM7B. For one thing, it does a much better job of rejecting background noise and room reflections. For another thing, I have a very sibilant voice. My S's are out of control on a condenser mic. The SM7B does a great job at taming them. Lastly, I just find it sits in the mix with very little effort.
Bear in mind that I'm only using a mic to record my own vocals. If I was recording other singers or mic guitar cabs, I would use a different mic. It's also worth mentioning that most of my music falls in the genre of "rock." The SM7B is particularly suited to rock.
All that said, I really think it's a mic that everyone should invest in.
I have watched 4,982 videos about choosing the best microphone. This was one is the best.
The Rode microphone is a fantastic choice! Very versatile, I love the response, and I believe everyone will be happy with it, as I am, for both vocals and recording speaker cabinets.
Thank you Mike.... Felt like you were speaking my mind.... I already own an SM58 and AT2020 and next on my list is Rode NT1A 5th Gen.... Keep up the good work.... GOD bless always !!!!
:) You'll love it
Again another excellent video about mics,,,,Mike. The Neumann U 87 is the Holy Grail of studio microphones, but well out of reach for mere mortals. I use a Studio Projects C3 (No longer made) and have for years with great results. But someone once said "All unhappiness comes from comparisons" :-)
Haha, what an awesome saying Will! I always say "Dissapointment is married to expectations."
News Flash: The Audio Technica AT2020 is not a real LDC mic. It is actually a side-address SDC, but it still sounds impressive. I recommended it to my younger brother for his 1st recording mic and he returned an amazing track that he produced with another pal who has the same mic. They covered a classic Beatles "Two of Us" and just knocked it out of the park. #Impressive
My old Oktava mk-319 is still going strong. It just always works for my voice.
I have been recording songs in my home studio for 30 years now and it gad to be done on a limited budget like most people have. Røde NT1 was the first for me, always good results. As mics became cheaper I used some others but eventually I bought a Røde NT2-A, this mic gecame my workhorse for years, it was money really well spent. Recently I have invested in a mic for live vocals a Røde M2, brilliant. And a Røde NTK valve condenser, which is superb. As you can see Ii like Røde. Best value, very reliable, not made in China and therefore good quality control.
I recorded my singer for years through a large condenser. I did a quickie recording on an IPad using an SM57 hand held ..best vocal sound I ever got it just matched her voice perfectly with almost no EQ, I just dropped a bit of the lower mids, sparkled it up a bit and lightly compressed
I use an MXL 990 and it does everything I need, acoustic guitar, amp, and voice.
I got an SE Magneto for £40 from a second hand shop. Best mic I’ve ever owned for voice over work. No need to have any acoustic foam or tiles on my otherwise bare walls of the spare bedroom, I’m able to record beautiful sounding stuff straight in to a usb mixing desk (Behringer Q1002USB) into Audacity recording software (which is free). It’s an excellent budget mic and set-up.
I've got the RØDE NT-1 (nice and warm), NT-1A (for acoustic guitars) and the NT-1000 it's sits nicely between the two others and it fits my voice well, all at a very reasonable price 😉
I've never heard a Rode that I liked. The AT2020 is actually a great choice for the very low budget range - I'd say at around that price range it's one of the best you can find. It's not like the U87 is the "super end all" of microphones either - it's a rather neutral mic and still may not fit what you're after. It's not particularly airy compared to some of the C12 clones or a C-800G. The 87 is loved because it rarely sounds *bad*, but often other mics sound better. I think another great low budget option is the Sony C-80 - it's closer to the $600 mark, but IMO sounds far better than any Rode or the AT2020.
Another nice halfway point is the TLM103 by neumann, which used the U87 capsule without any of the polar pattern switching. as you said, most people will get away with cardiod for pretty much all applications
TLM102 > TLM103
Sorry to disappoint you but the 103 does NOT use the U87 capsule!
But something ‘similar’.
Who would buy the U87 if that were so!
It’s caller marketing, or more accurately ‘misleading’🤔
@@John-oi8mt I take your point, I didn't know they were just designed to be very similar and weren't actually copies. also, "sorry to disappoint you" and "it's called marketing" is SO condescending. maybe.. learn a social skill.. or three.
Excellent video, Mike, thank you. I have been using a matched pair of SE Electronic SE8 small diaphragm condensers when recording acoustic guitar, and had really great results. A couple of days ago, though, when I was in a hurry to capture a chord progression before I forgot it, I grabbed the mic I had been using an hour earlier to record a voiceover - the SM7B. I was stunned at how fantastically rich and detailed it was and I've actually used that hasty recording in the final mix. I highly recommend people try out whavetever microphones they have on every source they ever want to record - the results can be unexpected (quite possibly in a bad way as well as a good way, but at least you'll know lol!).
Agreed re: the SM7B on acoustic guitar, especially on a rhythm part in a mix.
I have an NT1a that is nice and I've just upgraded the guts to an old MXL990 for cheap and it's amazing now. I've only begun using it in the last few days and I'm glad I sacrificed the 990.
Shure KSM 32. Save up the $600 and get it.
Here's what happens when you buy $100 condenser mics. You buy one, then you buy another, then another . . . then you have $500 worth of $100 mics that quite frankly suck.
The $100-$200 mics are all hyped in the highs to try and sound 'airy.' What happens is that when you start stacking tracks, it's like razor blades in your ears.
What you want in a condenser mic is as NEUTRAL sounding a mic as possible. Every mix engineer worth their salt just wants clean, well recorded vocals that they can process however they want without having to do a ton of surgery.
Lots of engineers have a Rode NT1 kicking around. They use them for hallway mics when recording drums.
The SM7B is a classic as well, but it won't be enough if you're recording all different kinds of vocals. There is always a good use for an SM7B though.
Shure SM57 is incredibly underrated for vocals. Slap foam filter on there and it’s magic.
Add a transformer input preamp and you will discover what magic that the SM57 delivers.
Since that's what Zappa used on stage then you are correct...
I’ve used my 57 for vocals.
nice one... i have a Behringer B-1 and we knock along fine :) you are so right with your perspective on priorities!
I would agree with all these good words. However, to my ear u87ai is the only mic that keeps your vocal note at the ceiling of the span of the note width at all time. It will keep your vocal tone intact at all time. Unlike all other mics where you insert a ball and get an egg at the other side.
Very good video for people starting out. Mics are really hard to to figure out and probably one of the most expensive gear to spend money on because so many to buy. I think your comment about focusing on the lyrics, the music really is spot on. Get the song right, people will listen regardless of the mic. Lots of low fi hit songs out there.
Mics are hard to figure out because they're very personal. I've gone through MANY of them over the years - some mics just don't work on some voices at all. As long as you're not buying bottom-barrel mics, most of them are fine - but not everyone will like all of them on their voice. One somewhat loved mic I particularly hate on my voice is the AT4047 - it has a huge warming/thickening bump that many people love, but I absolutely hate on my voice. My suggestion is, if possible, find somewhere that will let you test out 3-4 mics, get them in your studio, and figure out which one works best for you.
I'm using the Neumann KMS 105 / 104 plus in an untreated room when I record for my clients with a MixPre 3 II.
Even with large windows, they pick up very little to nothing from the traffic from outside.
So little in fact that I seldomly need noise reduction in post.
They seem to reject anything except the voice. Even the reverb is missing.
Neumann recommends them for the home studio.
(KMS - Kondenser Microphone Stage)
The good old SM58…. I’ve got one I’ve had since around ‘76? Most of the paint is gone, there’s dents on the screen, there’s rust on the screen. Yea, she’s seen a lot over the decades, but still my only stage mic.
video is about studio microphones
So well put. The microphone is way way less important than so many other variables. Going over budget can induce stress than is a creativity killer. I get anxious when I drag out a 10K microphone with some talent and circumstances when I would get a better performance from a 57 and a very relaxed space for the musician.
Rode NT1, and AT 4040 and Blue Yeti are My mics ohh and ofcourse My Alcatel phone which despite being cheap actually captures very useable audio.
I've had the Sure drum mic pack that has four SM57 and one Beta52. I noticed a rattle on one of the 57s and Sure's website states the problem and how to fix it. The capsule guard is the source of the rattle or vibration. They say to jamb some pieces of a tooth pick between the guard and the microphone. Also the Beta 52 stopped working. I had to have it repaired at a service center. A loose solder joint. I made the switch to Telefunken drum mic pack. At over twice the cost, the old saying you get what you pay for is spot on. Telefunken has a better sound and build quality with no problems to date.
Had the NT1a sold it and picked up the Neat King Bee2 better suited to my voice. So many quality mics to chose from based on budget, how ever it all comes down to what type of voice you have and the mic that will best suit your voice. Great video thankyou.
That’s why I use harp mics for my voice
I've noticed such an upgrade from my TLM 103 to my U87AI that I gave my 103 to a friend. Totally worth it for me!
Yeah, i agree - I jumped from the 102 and the difference is enormous 😂
That's cause the TLM 103 is an overhead mic
@@mirkomarkovic3438 Says who? 😂
@@who_is_dis almost everyone i know in the industry. in fact i was talking to joe barresi and ross hogarth today about what to do with the tlm 103. Overheads or trashcan was the answer....
Great video - switching to a (relatively) cheap condenser mic (a Sontronics STC-2) was a noticeable improvement over using a dynamic mic for me (even thouigh it was the trusty SM58), and is definitely one piece of gear I wish I'd been able to invest in years ago.
Also, big shout out to the furniture-as-acoustic-treatment crowd - it's suprising how well just pointing the mic towards the window and closing the curtains works! :)
Many albums by big name bands have used a regular sm58 on vocals. Same diaphragm as the sm7b
A lot of people recommend an SM7B, but you're not going to get a modern vocal sound from a 7B, no matter what you do. It all depends on what you're recording though. I personally would never recommend someone to start there, as most likely they're not going to hear what they want.
However, mic placement is *very very* important. Depending on the wall, what's between in, what's inside it, what it's made from, will all have a massive impact on the sound. If your ears aren't well trained/you're not critically listening, there can be tons of reflection/buildup in frequencies from your surroundings ruining your recordings without you noticing. Acoustic treatment is always advised - but if you can't afford it (and even if you can), position the mic and LISTEN. A few degrees of angling or a few inches here and there can make a MASSIVE difference to the sound, depending what's behind the mic.
Huge rule, always be listening, always use your ears.
When it comes to affordable ribbon mics I have yet to meet anyone who wasn’t surprised at how good the Royer R-10 is for the money. It’s still a chunk of change (around $600 new in the USA) and no, you don’t ‘need’ one. But they are beautiful mics and at well under half the price of the legendary R-121 perform so well many of us would never be able to tell the difference.
My mid price condenser mic of all work/alternative to the AKG C414/U87 is an SE 4400a. To each their own. There are several equally excellent and competitive choices out there at well under the $1K mark, generally sufficiently under that with the change you can go get yourself that SM57 you really can’t not have and still have enough left overt for a pop filter and a packet of chips!
I’ve been loving the Sennheiser MD441 for vocals. Not cheap but not terribly expensive either.
Probably the most useful mic of all: it can be used on literally everything.
11:10 They kinda are great in a home studio if you record brass or wind instruments.
FUN FACT ! The capsule in the SM7b is almost identical to the sm57 and sm58
I believe the only diff is a transformer or a capacitor inside to improve bottom end response.
AT2020 is a great mic. I've seen mods for this mic and heard them but stock they just sound great. Honestly, I feel they sound better stock than modded. Great mic for acoustic guitars. Great for overly boomy guitars. I've even made mics from part sourced from no name manufacturers in China. Cheap $40 circuit boards paired with a K47 capsule. got a U87 looking Shell. All totaled $130 Canadian Pesos. and a bit of elbow grease.
AKG C414 XLII has 9 polar patterns, 5 switches but a second press on the switch puts you between polar patterns, a first class mic (a bit airy) but excellent sound and build quality, if you want a mic that will last almost a lifetime go for this at a sub £1000 price, you will never need another mic again.
If you think the XLII is a bit airy, checkout the XLS (flatter response w same quality)
Unless you meant airy in a good way 💯
I'm so impressed with the latest (5th generation) Rode NT1: incredibly low noise floor; 32-bit float prevents clipping and you can connect USB-C if you don't have XLR 🙂
I used the Blue bird for years and loved it but I just got a Neumann Tlm 103 Nickel and love it sooooo much
Great info about mics from Mike. I wouldn’t mind having any mic from Neumann, however I am very much aware it’s not required. For the price of a U87, I would be able to replace my current live mixer and all the mics with ones representing a step up in quality.
I have 2 mics, the NT1 (not the NT1-A) and I think it is awesome with my deep male vocals or voice-overs...I also use an SM7B. Both of my mics I run through my Cranborne EC1 preamp (this thing is a beast) and then into my Motu M4. These 2 mic imo are the only mic's I'll ever really need for my home studio. I have an ART Voice-Channel but the preamp in the EC1 is so good I rarely use it.
Sir…I own the NT1A, the U87Ai and the 414s but for my ears the NT1A is by far not a 95% U87Ai or a 414. BTW: at 4:12 you showed the NT1 - my first large condensor and I still love and use it! Much much better than the NT1A and I recommend to save some more money and get this one instead of the NT1A. There is a big chance that it's still in use yearsssss after. Just my thoughts.
I wish influencers like you would mention the Sennheiser e935 more - its well known as the dynamic that 'sounds like a condenser'. It has great detail esp for female voice and its as easy to handle and cheap as the SM58/57. For male voice the AKG D5 has a great radio sound for the money too.
Great video and on the money regarding expense/results.
A couple of notes that I've found: Having a range of mics on hand and spending the time to match to the source can result in a ever so slightly better recording which results in less work mixing. Not the same as garbage in/garbage out (which is the result of bad instruments, bad playing, etc) but a higher quality mic generally doesn't require as much finessing in the mix. But sometimes at 58 on vocals IS the right choice - it's all in choosing the right mic for the job.
The AT2020 is a little bit exaggerated in the top end similar to the RODE NT1a but I found it spectacular on women's voices - not so much on my own (baritone) voice. The NT1a was also disappointing only my own voice, but I'll bet it shines on many women's voices. The RODE NT1 (for only a little bit more than the NT1a) is a worthy addition to most home studios.
But, as much as the mic choice can yield better results - the room itself can make a huge difference on recording vocals and acoustic instruments. I'm working with the singer in a band I play in and set up a recording studio in his garage. The walls and ceiling are all wood planks and the space sounds amazing. I put a RODE NT2 in figure 8 pattern about 3 feet in front of him and an acoustic guitar to record a demo for a song and quite a few professionals we know commented on how great the resulting sound is. They were shocked we recorded in a garage.
In a good space for recording, putting a mic on OMNI mode instead of Cardioid can be a really nice way to record vocals because you can get intimate close results and strong 'belting' vocals a little further away without getting proximity effect changing the overall sound of the vocals because of small differences in distance. But if your space doesn't sound great, recording in OMNI will sound terrible.
There are some fantastic deals that are really surprising out there. I found an ART T4 Tube Mic used for a few hundred dollars - I bought it and in researching the mic, it seems the mic was based on a so-so copy of a Telefunken tube mic, which a lot of people modded to become an actually good mic and then ART took the modded version as the base for their release. And yes, it is a wonderful mic comparable to many much more expensive mics I've used in other studios.
If you're good with electronics soldering, there's a lot of people explaining how to mod mics and selling the upgrade parts.
very informative the key ? ive been in the business 40 years and i found this informative and useful nice job thank you
TBH - I go with the school of "cheap and costly"...
You get two mics.
A budget level (the Berhinger Shure clones are great)
And as good a nic as you can afford - think AKG, Marantz (have one - it's okay, brilliant spoken vocal mic though), Rode are great too ...
Maybe a decent external phantom power block if you're not 100% happy with your preamps..
You're good to go.
As for recording - find a rehearsal room that isn't charging the earth... Take a laptop and decent USB audio interface with you and something to act as noise baffles and hey presto! Easy vocals...
Done that a good number of times.
I have a beat up grand piano in my living room, and I record it with one sole SM57 because it's not a very precise microphone, and any more detailed mic would only pick up all the defects like rattling strings, squeaky pedal, etc...
This was a nicely put together, informative video of something that can start to get very complicated and very overwhelming in a short space of time.
Another gold star for Mr Enjo!
✴
Great advice!
Have you ever tried the Aston mic line? I am really liking the Aston Spirit. Great price point, really good specs and performance
This is as good a review and comparison as I've seen. Informative, with very useful information. Subscribed!
I actually challenged myself by using Pyle 57s for every track in a recording. The Pyle 57 is a knock off of the Sure SM57, it has a similar response. However, I bought ten of them for about $100. If you're just starting out and can't afford several SM57'S, try a couple of these.
Waiting for my sp1 pair to ship to me. Looking forward to using them!
My Nt1A has never been reliable, I bought it from new and it stopped within a month, I put it on the shelf for months, sent it to rode twice, had the capsules replaced and it stopped working the next day. In my opinion a terrible but wonderful mic when it works. I use an at2020 and it’s a tank. I also use a sm58a and it’s working well.
Well done! Could you do a video on the UA/Townsend modeling microphones? Would this be a good option for a home studio being able to replicate many mics with just one investment?
Just want to say... Im a AT lover... For a Dynamic , my best experiences so far , that even slap the m88 etc.. id the ATM29He....
Its honestly the closest dynamic ive personally used..... (my experience) to a larger condenser mic...
If you care about sound quality (which most musicians these days don't care about) then you DEFINITELY need an multigrand microphone at the least. If you listen to music as MP3 yes you won't tell a difference but if you listen for sound quality, get the u87. It is an investment that will last a life time.
nope
Ribbons are more useful imo than most dynamics or small diaphragm condensers. If I were limited to four mics I’d pick an sm7b, a U87, and a pair of ribbons or alternatively an SM7b, a pair of 87s, and a stereo ribbon 😝
Straight forward and informative. Thank you for getting to the point.
I do just fine with my TLM102, Warm Audio 273, Klerk Teknik 1176 and Pulteq clones into good conversion. Not an expensive chain and it sounds pro. Obviously you need to be able to sing and you want to record in a space that has some kind of treatment, not a plain room.
Honestly, that's all good gear!
SM57’s and SM58’s do actually have other differences besides the windscreen. They have different transformers. The 57’s frequency range goes down to 40hz whereas the 58 cuts off at 5hz. The frequency curve is also different with the 57 having a cut starting at 200hz and the 58 cut starting at 100hz. The 57 also had a 10 ohms higher output than the 58. Something about the difference in the windscreens make the 57 more unidirectional than the 58. Small differences, but not exactly the same.
I would like to know where this info can be found because according to Shure, the differences are the grill and a frequency bump at 5kHz. That's all.
Great video. I do lots of voice overs and the Røde is my go to mic for years. But I also havde none some great voice recordings with a simple Shore SM 58..... so it is all posible.
A sm58 (in good shape) is perfect for recording vocals.
All you need is a cheap big membrane condencer usb mic from gear4music end of story. The neuman u87 is good I tried it but so are many mics today.
Excellent video. Great information etc.
Just a silly note. I love the SM57 for my live vocals at gigs etc I find the SM58 especially the beta 58 adds too much bass/ proximity effect to my already naturally bass heavy vocal tone.
Might be interesting to hear your explanation and experience of the proximity effect and any used advantages of indeed disadvantages
Loving your content
Well done
The Shure Beta series mics do have different frequency response from their non-Beta counterparts, so that's an important consideration.
Have a t-bone sc450 from Thomann which is amazing value for money.
Recored brilliant vocals and guitars with this👌🏻
100% - fantastic microphones!
My wife is about to step onto a plane back from Germany and will be bringing with her one of these -t.bone SC 450 (which @Mike recommended on a previous video) I’m very excited to hear the difference from the SM58 I have always used!
The problem is that even Clients, who are less at Home in the Recording World, have already heard the name Neumann. Or specifically address the U87. You can put whatever Microphones you want there, and what might even be better suited to the respective Recording Situation. A Neuman U87 is almost essential if you want to “appear” professional.
Hi Mike and I hope you are well. The U87 maybe way out of line for most of us. The productions on microphones, headphones, and DAWs have been a Hugh help. I have 58s, NT1A, a T4 with multiple tubes and wonder if you ever considered a RE20. Found it very useful and if you have maybe I missed it. Keep on Producing Mike! God Bless from Nova Scotia.
Ribbon mics sound fantastic for some use case, but one thing to remember: NEVER EVER send phantom power to a ribbon mic. They are usually very sensitive in this way.
I think you can w newer ones now daze
I love the SM57 on my sax as well as my KSM32 on saxes…now that I think about it the KSM32 may be the most expensive microphone I have at the moment lol (I do want to get a ribbon mic though). Thank you for another great video 😊
Thanks for watching again! I've never recorded a sax, but it strikes me that a ribbon blended with an SM57 may work well.
I do preffer ksm 32 on vocals than the U87. I always use it on sax as well. It work on everything without the aggressive trebbles of the u87.
Check out the Royer R10 for a good affordable ribbon mic.
I’ve been loving my Earthworks Ethos.
I want an old Telefunkin U47! Zappa said they smell funky!😜
I love'my akgc414...but the SM57 can do anything!!!
Thanks Mike, great video! I bought a Lewitt about a year ago (LCT441), and it's a very good and versatile mic.
I was surprised the Rode M5's didn't get a mention. I recently started using a stereo pair with an old NT1 across the room on acoustic guitar, and it's the best recorded acoustic sound I've captured in my 20+ years of recording. I've also used a pair of NT1's with a room mic, and that sounds nice and airy, but the M5's stereo image is just more precise IMO. Love this video though, appreciate another perspective.
Yes, the M5s are nice. What blew me away, though, was a recent purchase I made from a Swedish mic builder who sells the Line Audio CM4 pencil condensers. $70 a piece, hand built in Europe, $90 total after shipping and taxes. And it plays at the same level as a Scheops or Josephson. Check them out if you haven't yet!
Thanks for the video and best regards from Germany. You should consider the LEWITT Pure Tube. Thanks.
The Rode NT1000 is a far better FET choice for 300 and less used. Completely different league than the NT1. Warm also makes a 47jr for the same price $300. I’d suggest looking at a used EV dynamic like the RE20 or PL20. Great all round mic. On the cheap, find a RE15 used. Fantastic mic on everything - just needs a good preamp with lots of gain.
You forgot to mention that a high end microphone recording aplified by a high quality preamp can make the source sit better in the mix!
Thanks for mentioning budget friendly alternatives for us up and coming players.
Excellent the way you put that into perspective. Thanks
Two o my arsenal mics! sounds fantastic and professional.. You have to know your hardware to know their weekneses and compensate them in the mix or in the recording process.
Hi, Mike. Thank you for that detailed video. It's very handy for my studio. What type of mic would you recommend for a small choir?
Fantastic quality video, I found the sound a bit boomy and soft in your recording of this video though, that might be my preference for dialogue though.
Aston Spirit is my go to microphone for vocals
First time watching your video. What do you think of RODE NT1. Thx
There are some great budget mics out there.....but I don't think the Rode NT1A is one of them. Way too bright and sibilant. Avoid at all costs. The standard NT1 is more neutral and pleasing to the ear.
Great video, Mike! That was super informative.
On a side note, what do you think of those microphones that emulate high-end studio mics, such as the UAD Sphere?
Legend for "Shure".......
nice pun, Sir lololol
my AT2020 still holding best even after 8 years+++
I feel bad for people, especially young people and their parents going to the sure SM7B. Known in the broadcast industry as the dark horse nobody wants to ride, because it's literally sounds like the $50 Samson q2u (or $20 r21 xle only) Most broadcast studios opt for the electro voice RE27ND, probably one of the few dynamic microphones with the clarity of a condenser. And the EV RE20. The 60's classic. ... The SM7B started out as a blimp style directional. In the '50s60s, some radio DJs started sneaking in these TV mics because of their side rejection and humbucking abilities. The original broadcasting unidine looked like a metallic SM57 and picked up way too much of the buzz from all of the analog equipment surrounding the DJ. Sure found out about this and got into the radio business. They also supplied the White House with some small unidine capsule microphones we now know is the SM57 still used by Presidents. These microphones are known for a slight high-end boost so presidents could have an authoritative voice but still cut through a crowd or a noisy broadcast. As far as Quincy Jones stripping down the old SM7 (a), he wanted Michael to feel comfortable as he did with the unidine $5 capsule used on stage. If you look at the photos, the microphone is stripped down to the bone.. And do you really think that is the only microphone used? There were hundreds of photos taken, with many different microphones. Jackson laid down roughly 50 vocals per song, using all sorts of different microphones. The 47 capsules were there, the '87, the tubes... They even used percussion small capsule directionals on the floor so that they can capture Michael stopping his feet. You don't see Sennheiser plugging those, much superior, microphones. SM7 was used for some of the screaming parts, and because of its DARK, LO-FI, HISS, sound, some studios keep one around for low by background effects. Death metal singers like it. I wish some podcasters did not get the budget used SM7bs you could get for less than 100 bucks before 2018. The company got really greedy, they made the MV7, but I still see that bbd aiming and people's faces. Unless you have a particular type of broadcast, not a good look. No hate, just saying. , done, overdone. As far as the podcasters, They know people are listening through very tiny speakers. The SM7 used to help out with a horrible online compression back in the day.. today, the compression for UA-cam, tick tock, and all the rest of them process your audio to the point where it literally does not matter if you're using a good quality $20 microphone, and yes, there is such a thing. (Samson, Sennheiser, audio tech, Even some Chinese microphones like moano). The truth of the matter is, in the last 5 years, about 50% of analog quality has given way to digital processing. It doesn't really matter what you use. That's why you see all those videos with people talking to lavalier microphones or even their free headset that came with their phone. And it sounds great. That PewDiePie guy started using a cheap lavalier for this reason. Sorry to rands, but when a company charges 400 to $500 for a microphone with a noise level of 20 plus!! That has to be the rip off of the century. Remember, the material for that microphone is about $15. If you really want to, you can print one or have a guy print one for you for 30 bucks.
Hello... you've got two channels?
If my chemistry teacher had explained organic chemistry the same way u explained this.. I'd have definitely passed with merits.
If the NT1A is too harsh, the Rode NT1 is perfect. I have both and the NT1 is just magical. Although, the NT1A was my very first "real" mic and will always have a special place in my heart.
I'm not sure why people have problems its easy to shape audio with basic EQ.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Shape audio for sure. Help it fit in the mix. But it won't fix a harsh mic and it won't make a mic sound completely different than it inherently is. If EQ could do that, we could just get the cheapest mic and eq it until it sounds like U47 or a ELAM 251. But you can't eq out saturation, distortion, resonance, and response.
@@HOLLASOUNDS I've been in the sound game for 30 years and EQ can't fix all poorly recorded (or harsh) content - not without compromises. The rule of thumb has always been to get it right at the source and not rely on plugins to fix problems during the mix stage. This saves time, money and computer processing power. The better it's recorded, the fewer plugins you'll need.
@@terrygray7465 The complaint that some users of the NT1A is that it is a bit boosted in the high end which is easily fixed with EQ in My opinion, if I can fix audio recorded with a mobile phone into something that sounds like it was recorded off of a decent studio mic then I'll have no trouble shaping the NT1A audio into the shape of the NT1 if I want. The whole get it it right at the source is mostly about audio fedelity making sure you have enough headroom for the signal to he edited as there is no way to edit of fix a distorted mess.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Cutting the grainy high end of of some condensors is tough to do because you can throw the baby out with the bath water...
dont go for a new 414 , but for an Austrian Audio . this is the new " real AKG " made in Austria , by the original AKG people .
The Rode NT1 sounds far less hyped than the NT1a and is a better choice in many cases.
The AT2020 sounds OK for a $99 mic but is bested by a number of other somewhat more expensive mics like the Rode NT1. If you really only have $99 to spend the AT2020 can do the job fairly well though.
The SM7b is decent if you have that kind of money to spend on a mic but you can get 95% of the result with an SM57 for $99 if you know what you are doing with it.
I appreciate all the basic good information about the microphones. but an nt1a or at2020 do not sound like 90% of the u87. the nt1a is okay but doesn't pick up high frequencies that well. all microphones sound relative the same when youre on a budget. a better sound in a microphone will do 80% of a mix when mixing. I mostly get clients with these budget mics and I need too many edits for a decent sound.
also SM7B has not been used in MJ's thriller. it was the SM7 , which sounds totally different.
mixing songs recorded with a NT1A i always find it to be incredibly harsh. It's not that it can't sound good, but in order to keep the sound "detailed" the way i like it i've had to resort back to the weiss mastering deesser, which ofc sounds great but also annihilates my CPU (compared to something a little more "musical" like the SPL one by plugin alliance). A cheaper more "fake top end" sounding mic might not necessarily be the better option (especially when it comes to internal resonances when singing off-axis) but most times produces less of an ear piercing sound which is not as difficult to make sound good
great video, Mike! So right on
I find that you really need to use a microphone in a wide range of applications over an extended period to get to know it's strengths and weaknesses.
For example, the Rode NT1a and the AKG C414xlii are both relatively bright sounding condensers.
However, I find the results that I get from the AKG are almost always superior, and this does mount up when I've used it on several different instruments on the same song.
Also, my recording area is far from ideal acoustically, and I find that the other polar patters, or especially combinations of them allow me, usually, to reduce off axis sound to a very low level.
As an aside, when I finally bought one high end mic pre it made a huge difference to the quality of the sound I was getting from all of my mics - especially my vintage '60's Beyer M160, which had been a bit lacklustre on acoustic instruments - it improved incredibly and is now a valid option for any source.
Tbh the C414 is a lot more money. You don't *need* expensive microphone, but no one said they aren't useful. I for sure, as a live sound engineer, would choose my Shure Beta 87A over... well almost any vocal microphone used in live production. Fosho. And the C414 over it in a proper studio for vocals, almost no questions asked.
Audio Technica Pro 37 is a great small diaphragm condenser for the price.
That’s right. I want a mic that helps me write melodies like Gershwin!
Excellent, well-balanced advice, Mate! 👍 Thanks much.
Can confirm. After I sold my studio I got a vocal mic and wanted one that sounded as close to the u87 as possible but at a budget. After several side-by-side checks, the AT2020 was sonically the closest thing to it. The u87 had a little bit more definition, but that's about it. At the price you can't go very much wrong, in any case.