BUDGET Microphone Tier List!!
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- Опубліковано 16 кві 2022
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Time for another microphone tier list! This time its for budget microphones specifically, meaning nothing over $350 :)
Videos mentioned:
First Tier List: • Microphone Tier List!!
Make the NW-800 Sound Usable: • How to Make a Cheap Mi...
Andrew Huang's Video: • $22 MICROPHONE VS $360...
Microphones Mentioned:
AMAZON:
512 Audio Skylight - amzn.to/2XU1jc1
Se Electronics V7x - amzn.to/3nwfRIn
Rode Procaster - amzn.to/3rulWWB
Lewitt LCT 440 - amzn.to/3imNwRh
AKG p420 - amzn.to/3vRZKqw
Samson C01 - amzn.to/3nH5f8a
NW - 800 - amzn.to/3mtPGjI
NW - 800 Full Kit - amzn.to/3fNEopa
AT2020 - amzn.to/3tRMYXA
AT2035 - amzn.to/3rhXJAZ
SM57 - amzn.to/2P1pUXC
SM58 - amzn.to/3fbPvI4
NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK
NT1a - amzn.to/3sojfoY
Neat King Bee II - amzn.to/3JOYATU
Behringer B1 - amzn.to/2UlsPgB
E609 - amzn.to/3f9oRzJ
AT4040 - amzn.to/3vpfyC9
SWEETWATER:
NT1 - imp.i114863.net/oeaZVO
NT1a - imp.i114863.net/EaYv22
SM7B - imp.i114863.net/QOx3A3
AT2020 - imp.i114863.net/yRxQW3
AT2035 - imp.i114863.net/7mBkdg
SM57 - imp.i114863.net/LPY3gM
SM58 - imp.i114863.net/DVMzB2
E609 - imp.i114863.net/LPY35a
Samson C01 - imp.i114863.net/NKY3eO
AKG p420 - imp.i114863.net/5bBPmn
Rode Procaster - imp.i114863.net/EaYvGX
Behringer B1 - imp.i114863.net/DVMz1y
512 Audio Skylight - imp.i114863.net/kjPGbM
Se Electronics V7x - imp.i114863.net/9WBaQQ
Neat Kind Bee II - imp.i114863.net/DVMzJq
AT4040 - imp.i114863.net/jWjAGb
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Use this link to get a discount with DistroKid: distrokid.com/vip/audiohaze
In case you want to know what gear I use all the time 👇🏻
Favorite Microphones:
NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK
SM57 - amzn.to/2P1pUXC
Electro Voice RE20 CLASSIC - amzn.to/2UFdyaM
SM7B - amzn.to/3lL4REV
Lewitt 440 Pure - amzn.to/3imNwRh
Austrian Audio OC818 - amzn.to/3CCO0MK
My Audio Interface:
Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen- amzn.to/2P4SXtl
My Monitors:
KRK Rokit 5a - amzn.to/3grczSW
My Headphones -
Audio Technica M30x - amzn.to/3feOfE6
Status Audio CB-1s - amzn.to/3IfcOeX
Hifiman Sundara - amzn.to/3JvDkm1
My Guitar Amps -
Fender Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster (Blonde) - amzn.to/3w9ZuGk
Boss Katana MKII-50 - amzn.to/3dNj40c
Fender Bassman - amzn.to/3hbT4y4
My Synths and Controllers:
Launchpad Pro Mk. 3 - amzn.to/3rl502V
Arturia MicroBrute - amzn.to/31eFSQL
Korg MS 20 Mini - amzn.to/3JjjeLm
Arturia Microfreak - amzn.to/3u1RYLa
Arturia Drumbrute Impact - amzn.to/3i8nL7F
Software and DAWs
Ableton Live (Not an affiliate link)- www.ableton.com/en/shop/live/
Avid Pro Tools - amzn.to/3cjE5QN
These are amazon affiliate links, so I get a percentage of the sale if you buy from these links, it's a nice way to support the channel!
If any of these mics peaked you're interest, they're all linked in the description :)
*piqued
*your
lmao
*Important Points about the Criteria*
When he said budget i expected 75$ and below and he starts it off with 270$. That had me surprised not going to lie
That’s not budget , thats brokeget
Right? anything over $150 is of "budget" category
Quality audio gear is expensiveee
@@theperiidot It really isn't. I truly mean that. Gear-Tube has everyone thinking they need super high-end boutique gear to get the job done well....all of it is complete bullshit. If you have a guitar and amp already, a $50 Mackie EM89 will get you great guitar tones with your cab (far better and fatter than an SM57). Pair that with whatever drum software you prefer, a bass guitar and bass amp sim (which is easily be found for free) and a cheap condenser for your vocals, and you're set. If you already have instruments and a half-decent computer already, 500 bucks for mics, an interface and software will do it. The rest is all about optimizing your computer to handle audio (in the case of Windows users).
The procaster was originally more marketed towards local radio stations who didn't had the budget for expensive mics + processing hardware which is why it sounds the way it does.
The goal was probably to make it sound presentable over the air enough to compete with larger stations. Hence the weird bump in the lows and the sharper highs (which get cut off a lot over FM.)
And for the price it does a dang good job of it through broadcast processing.
Having said that, it works pretty decently on instruments like sax and trumpets. Otherwise I couldn't find other things to record with it.
Got it for 100 bucks from a radio DJ so I can't complain. Plus it looks cool-ish on the desk.
But yeahh I wouldn't recommend it for music. At all.
Interesting! I never all that, super helpful info thank you :)
I was surprised to see the AT2035 as as noisy as the AT2020: It is vastly less noisy, 11dba vs 20dba. I also find it smoother on the high end. No surprise, given the much larger diaphragm. Others have noticed the improvements in their reviews. I can tell in samples from the videos. Good note on the electrical buzzing....I had to drop my SEV7X for the noise floor buzz...in my house. Switched to the Sennheiser E835: they have many models with humbucking coils.
The SEV7X does great at open mic events..
Great list. I use the NW-800 for my streams and its think its pretty damn good for my use case
Thanks for this, you're giving some helpful context.
Follow up question: Does the list change much if you use a handy recorder instead of a stand alone interface? A lot of folks use a Zoom H5 because it's a mic, an interface, has some useful features, and has the possibility to improve your mic with phantom powered xlr ports. When thinking about what mics to use with the zoom, it makes me think you wouldn't want to use a really expensive mic with it, because the analog-digital converter noise is a bottleneck, but on the other end of the distribution, there are some mics that are probably not worth it if you already have the zoom's xy capsule. Is there a sweet spot? Maybe this is it's own video. Thanks.
Good question! and to be honest, I dont really know! I don't have much experience with portable recorders, so I'm not sure how much it would change, need to look into it more :)
I know this is a list of generalist microphones and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone as a first mic but the Electro-Voice 635A is a must have IMO. Being a news gathering mic, it’s aggressively mid rangey but sometimes that comes in handy. For the price, it’s well worth having in your locker
I'll have to check it out!
@@AudioHaze I agree. I just got an EV 635 n/d- and I run it into a Cloudlifter. It is amazing sounding. OMG best mic I ever had and I had many including the Procaster, SM7b, TLM 102 ect........
The mic SLAYS ..... ua-cam.com/video/k97bj_6avR0/v-deo.html
Lol wait what the first list wasn't budget? I thought it was because the only extremely high end expensive mic there was the u87. Will there be another tier list with maybe less budget friendly mics like Sony c800g, AKG c12, Manley Ref C, or the other really good Neumann mics like the u47? It would also be great to hear your thoughts on newer mics like the Telefunken TF11, Peluso mics, Golden Age Mics, or even the really popular Warm Audio mics haha. Just curious
I have the old version NT1 set and the V7X as well. Totally agree with your points on them :)
Right? Why did they ever replace that shockmount?? Such a shame, must have been good for margins
Great list .. I wish you could take a look at the SE X1S . I had this mic and and NT1 I sold the NT1 Just because I couldn't justify having two at the time and the X1S seemed to have better value to me. Vocally i think It suited my voice better .. But from someone who has had much more mics than me I would love to see a short review
Yeah I really want to check out more Se stuff they seem to be really solid! Hopefully in the future :)
The SE X1S is found by some to be harsh, but it isn't as sharp as the AT2020...for example. Some people are actually "low on sibilance" ....it is good for that. I get a similar benefit on my Rode NT-1A.
@@jaimesk1688 Thanks for the insight
Am i the only one who read se x1s as sexis
Glad that I chose lct440 as my 1st mic as a beginner. I’m eyeing for sm57 to be my next one I guess those two would be a great combo and will cover most uses..
It would ABSOLUTELY be a great combo!
@@AudioHaze thanks! You played a big role on why I chose these mics..
Great Review! Love the 440 pure. Of my 40+ mics from $100-$1,500 the the 440 is in my top 5!
Yes for sure! Absolutely killer mic all around :)
It's killer!
What other "budget" mics do you like?
I got a NW700 and totally agreed to your commentary on the 800 it's literally the same... I used it for nearly a month for my zoom instrumental class and it is great with the de-noise feature xD
Yeah you can really get some good work out of them with a little finessing!
I buy the nw700 just because every mic testers have it for the meme use but i found it really useful for my online classes 🤣 really worth that $25ish working with Volt 276
4 of mine made your list (I think they were ones I saw either your review of or “Bandrew’s”): SM 57 and 58, NT1 (I exchanged the 1a for it because as you mentioned, it has a crispness I don’t much care for), and the AKG P420. Great budget mic list!
Thanks TC! And a solid collection :)
@@AudioHaze Thanks! And I love my RE20!!
also fwiw I didn't percieve the self noise on the Samson C01 until I saw your video. I didn't discern pre-amp vs the high noise the mic was giving off, and it became crystal clear after watching. Forget the haters, you were right. And I would've loved to love it at the price.
Yeah its unfortunate :( it does sound pretty great beyond that issue though!
I really like the NT1 as pretty good flat and quiet microphone for vo. in a treated space and via a Dbx286s and an Audient id22. But I'm minded to upgrade some time so I'm still watching reviews! I'm quite positive about the Procaster, for me it's quite flattering, I use a fet head on it. Also it was about $140 equiv when I bought it in UK. Haven't tried the SM7b so maybe it's oodles better The NT1a I haven't used since I got the NT1. Used a TLM 103 in a studio last year in a drama and loved it. But the award winning producer/engineer might have had something to do with that!
Nice! Yeah I seem to be in the minority on the procaster I guess :)
Hi! Good showdown. I'd be fond on suggesting the Beringer XM8500 as a good entrance and would be curious about what you think of the Donner DC87.
Keep on with the good work!
The Neat King Bee II is definitely a shining star. It could be argued to be in A tier because of grounding issues in earlier units, and also because its accessories are somewhat problematic in their performance (shock mount has resonance, pop filter changes tone)
Thats true! I heard about, specifically the grounding issues, just judging off of the unit I received though, it was absolutely killer :)
That early grounding issue was actually paint overspray on the threads where it screws together, which could be fixed by sanding away the excess paint. But it was caught and corrected very early on. I use a different pop filter than the one included. While its functional it does color the sound a bit. But the KB2 is a great mic in any locker, budget or not.
@@RamirezFlores I use a metal screen pop filter...works great. I think the Bee pop filter is so close to the capsule it limits the efficiency in pop vs hi-end. No problem: just get a regular popper.
@@jaimesk1688 Definitely. I would recommend anyone getting the KB2 to get a pop filter.
Hi great video I hear you talk a lot about Budget mics I was wondering if you ever checked out the Shure sm 48 and what you think of it
I've just found your channel. Great video! I'd like you to review the Tascam TM-80. I've heard very good things about it. Keep it up!
I'll see what I can do!
Thanks for for this tier list! Just subscribed - and just purchased a 440 Pure for some introductory VO work (I don't want to drop a grand - or even 6 or 700) on a mic until I see where all of this goes). Hope this mic works well with my voice (which is far darker/warmer/more resonant than it is sibilant) and that the highs aren't too harsh. 😄
yo! what do u think bout 440 for now? it's been a year though
Yes how's it?
I stumbled upon your channel today and really like your content. Just wanted to know whether you have done any videos on whether or not Blue Yeti is overrated/worth buying as of today.
Thanks so much man! Really appreciate that :) I haven't done a video on the yeti yet no, but hopefully soon!
@@AudioHaze Eagerly expecting your video on the Yeti.
Strangely, the two mics I own are the Samson C01 (F tier) and SM57 (S tier). For spoken word, I always grab my Samson.. maybe it's just my voice, but the SM57 always sounds tinny, sizzly and sibilant, no matter how much I EQ in my untreated room (not an expert audio engineer by any means either!).
This is great overview for budget mic thank you for creating this, could you create another with usb mic only tier :)
btw your voice with SM7b pick up quite a lot of echo than usuall, i wonder why is that?
Thanks! Maybe someday, but I would need to test wayyyyyy more USBs :) and it’s so reflective because I added a decent amount of compression, a high shelf, and it’s an untreated attic space above a garage (not my usual room! But I’m traveling)
@@AudioHaze ahh i see thats probably it :) , anyway looking forward for another review !
You really think that the Neewer is better than the Procaster?!?
Your Procaster rating is my only disagreeing point. It’s a poor man’s re20!
Same here. I really like my procaster for my voice and have literally zero complaints from friends on discord in the near decade I've owned (around 7-8 years old) it.
For budget microphones that are my favorite is the behringer xm8500( for 20 bucks it punches above it weight class) and the rode podmic
Im ngl at first I didnt like my AT2035 bc I thought I sounded trash in it so surely it was a mic problem right? wrong... After a long time without using it and instead using an SM58 in my friends house and a Senheiser e845 at church... When I came back to my AT2035 I fell in love with it! ifk what happened maybe I just got used to my voice which i hated it in recordings... But now I absolutely love it, especially cuz of the sound isolation, man I tried a NT1 and although I liked it I could hear MUCH MORE reverb and room noise in it... So honestly my AT2035 is doing just perfect for me rn especially cuz I cannot get much sound treatment in my room cuz its rented, it works well with any audio interface unlike dynamic mics for me (dont get me wrong I love how I sound on them however I dont have an amazing preamp to main a dynamic mic) So yeah oh it also helped to be sad in the beggining and blame the mic cuz that made me do TONSSSS of research lol I can pretty much name any mic I see in any video now and kinda guess how they more or less sound lol
Nice! Yeah its a solid and really very good for room rejection :) glad you ended up enjoying what you got! Always best to make do with the tools you have before you decide on just buying more gear
Can i use the lewitt lct 440 pure even if my room is not well acoustically treated? since it is a condenser mic. Thoughts on se electronics dynacaster vs lewitt lct 440 pure? It is almost a same price. Thanks in advance more power on your channel.
Its actually remarkably good at room rejection for a condenser! Even with how bright it is
I would be interested to see what you think about handheld condenser mics. In particular handheld condensers from Sennheiser and Shure
Yeah I'll have to try some out! The only ones I have experience with are the Neumanns
I discovered the $50 Mackie EM89D on guitar cabs while watching Kyle Bull's channel and it's become one of my forever mics. It's absolutely S-tier on a guitar cab.
E609 and e906 are different mics and not just that because of that high band switch. You were showing 906 and talking about 609. Do you have a preference between the two?
Lewitt lct 440 pure vs at4040 Wich one would you get?
I was in one of those moods the other day and picked up a sm58 just because I knew it was great for most things, and honestly I will just stick to that until the day I make at least 1 euro out of anything that come out of it 😂
What Tier the Tlm would be in if it would come with the shock mount? Here in Germany we have the Tlm 102 Studio Set for 679 Euros.
Thank you for your time!
Where would you scale the AKG 214? I know it's a little bit pricier than the other ones but I got a used one for $280
I LOVE that mic! High A tier if not S tier! Just a bit out of budget for this vid
You should check out the Sennheiser MK4! Easily my favorite mic that can be picked up used for around $200
My vote for this. The MK4 rarely gets much love out there, and I think it’s good review material.
Never understood all the hate for the MXL 990. My unmodified Blackout can impersonate a pricey Neumann or even an RE20 remarkably well, albeit with a little more noise (which to be honest isn't that bad if you're using a half-decent interface, in my case an Arturia Minifuse 1). Edit: I also like my XM8500, a very solid performer for AUD$30. Maybe they just have quality control issues in some cases.
Yeah the 990 is pretty great! Perhaps I was a little harsh on it with the self noise measurements knocking it down a class, the tone is wonderful
I agree the SM58 is boring but I will not blame it for that. If anything, I would blame the Shure 565sd for inspiring it. I do have a bias of preferring the look of the 565sd though because I like Freddie Mercury and the grill design with the silver handle looks flashy and classy at the same time. I wish more people reviewed it though because many people say it sounds exactly like a modern 58 and others claim it is way better than a 58
buying the Lewitt LCT 440 pure - did some research saw it's great for male singing vocals/rapping, virtually picks up no background noise, and pop mic works fantastic + great price point.
I just need to find a good mic stand / to figure out if I need an interface
Did you find a good mic stand and figure out if it requires an interface? I'm curious because I was planning on getting a rapping mic and I just so happen to be male.
where would you rank a SE Dynacaster?
The lewit is okay. For myself its just not as detailed as other mics like the Guage or Warm Audio.
Sm57 is a beast
Not as detailed?? I get it maybe bright but for me its super duper detailed
Great vid!
youtube notifs dont work ig lol. I feel like the AT2020 should be in between C and D (if that's even possible lol) its in the weird realm between good and "there's so many problems with the mic that can be solved but might cost a little more money"
Oh no! Yeah notifications can get iffy and yeah its a bit divisive, I personally like its tone though! Maybe I'm in the minority tho
@@AudioHaze yeah the tone is awesome but the sibilance, bad room rejection, bad plosive rejections just requires more money to fix yknow?
I've only had the privilege of using a few of these mics, the sm57, sm58, P420, e609, MXL 990...I am generally not a fan of most of them. I like the sm58, but hate the sm57. I think the P420 worked best as an instrument mic. It picked up distorted guitars really well. He's spot on with the e609 and the e906. Both of them felt really muffled and restricted if the volumes weren't high enough. I think 990 just sounds weird and colored.
a BUDGET tier list is what I like to hear!
Yessir!
Please, try out the AKG P120
I would have loved to see where the Rode Podmic ranked in this list.
Need to check it out eventually :)
Can anyone point me to some reviews on the Audio-Technical AT3035?
No TM1? Yes is a behringer, but sounds good and has a VERY low self noise.
The King Bee is pretty great. I love mine
SUCH a solid mic :)
I wish there were chapters in this video. So we can look up a particular mic.
That moment when you realize your mic is in F tier lol, I bought it when I knew nothing about audio gear, I just wanted to record music. Plus with a nice denoiser you can get rid off that annoying self noise, FL Studio and Reaper have a pretty good built it denoiser
And honestly its still super usable! Work with what you got, any of these can make great results with enough production experience
@@AudioHaze Totally agree, although I admit sometimes it can be a little annoying that you have to fix the file everytime, but ey. Gotta work with what you have. For music production you can get away with a little noise since it will hide under the track anyway, but when I'm doing VO work... I gotta take that extra step lol
Great video.
I was wrong on a few guesses.
I have a question but i doubt others will care about what to use for teaching live classes at a college, so i will email my question.
I'll check it out soon!
@@AudioHaze Thanks!
Okay. I really like this channel
Love the 16:10 aspect ratio!
Thanks! That was purely an accident lol
Thank you!
Well... you know my gripe with the LCT 440 Pure. But since that is very subjective, never mind. I like htat chart. And i agree with pretty much all of your placements. By the way: I completely agree with you on the RODE Procaster. I own that one myself, but I didn't use it ever since i got myself the Shure Beta 58A. The Procaster sounds abysmal on my voice, compared to the Shure Beta 58A. Talking about which: Since you added the SM58 to the fold - which was surprising to me, I personally would add the Beta 58A to it as well. I would place it before the LCT 440 Pure. No, not out of spite towards the 440, but because of the background noise rejection. In fact, depending on the direction of the noise sources, the Beta58A even has the capability to go first place, because it has a super cardioid pickup pattern, as opposed to the cardioid pickup pattern of the SM57.
Yeah I really need to try the Beta 58A, but I purely didn't put it on the list because I'm not overly familiar with that mic :)
I have to assume that since the Blue Yeti wasn't on this tier list that it belongs in G tier
Hahahha
What a Great list, I just bought new mic :)
Enjoy it!!
Where is the King of Budget the XM8500? :(
Believe it or not I have yet to try!
Beutiful video, however, where's the AKG P120?? 😃😃?? Is it trash? okno im joking
Danke!
Thank you Rainer!
thoughts on q2u xlr
Still need to check it out :)
After watchin a ton of your vids I think the SM57 is going to be my first XLR my I'll buy. I'm only a vocalist but it I get the Impression that it can take all kinds of voices and tones well, I'm not sure what specifically what mic my voice fits well with but I think SM57 is a safe way to go
Dude enjoy it! Happy recording, make some awesome stuff :)
@@AudioHaze Can you respond before I make a mistake. I wanted a mic around $300 to record vocals up close. I feel weird recoding if it's not right in my face. A couple suggested mics besides sm7b?
That Lewitt LCT 440.
I wish ppl stop calling things that don’t cost a arm and a leg budget
Is his audio a little screwy?
Maybe a bit too much bass
budget set up, Behringer XM8500 and Presonus Revelator io44, or Presonus Revelator Dynamic
and you are done.
Why don’t you have an “E” tier? That bothers me for no real reason. 😂
Most tier lists don't have it, I'm assuming because it creates a larger contrast on how significantly lower mics are.
lesgooo
To record acoustic guitar: Rode NT1
To Record singing: LCT-440-Pure
To record guitar amp and snare drum: Shure sm57
To sing live: Shure sm58
I do not like Lewitt. Always too harsh
NT-1 is an easy S for me. MXL 900 is insaaanely good for the price as well. Also a big fan of literally just lewitt as a whole, their budget mics are all amazing.
Behringer XM8500 is hands down the worst cheap mic i think i’ve ever seen. I’ve had multiple people i know have the thing die within 5 minutes of unboxing, and one buddy of mine had a fireworks show built in… it would spark if he turned on phantom power!
Great video bro beans, i love the content you put out.
Thank you my friend :) yeah I still haven't checked out the XM8500, I'll need to! SO many people are mentioning it in the comments haha
@@AudioHaze dude i swear it's cursed. i''ve been around people who swear by it, you listen to them, actually sound like they're talking on an xbox 360 kinect, and then i got guys who get it, and it's already dead. I think it's truly impossible to get a good one.
Same goes for the behringer c-1, half the guys i know had the craziest ground issues with it... one guy picked up a local radio station on his cable. Behringer is something else sometimes.
Alsoooo, that 7500 subs is coming up reaaal quick.. Need a discord mod? ;) lol
I am a skinny mic man
better than a skinny mic boy thats what I always say
I feel like Rode should discontinue the procaster. It's such an odd microphone. I feel like it was meant to undercut the sm7b by being cheaper. I'd rather get the podmic over the procaster.
Yeah its a bit of a strange one, but i see so many people using it, it must be successful!
But the procaster sounds sooooo much better than the podmic :D as an owner of both and an re20, on my voice atleast the podmic sounds very thin and boxy. The re20 sounds the best, but i picked the procaster over the sm7b in a side by side in the shop for my voice. That said, with some eq you can go with any decent dynamic
disliked. Expected budget mics, got budge mics.
Hahahaha are budge mics not good enough for you???
Really bad tier list