Any general microphone recommendations?

[AlRob]

I want to get into recording a little bit. Simple production type stuff: acoustic guitars, vocals. Looking for a good, versatile microphone for under $1000. Any recommendations? Im planning on purchasing a small digital multitrack recorder.
Thank you I appreciate the help.

[chazguitaz]

yes -
a great workhorse mic is the AT 4050 - clean - not very colored. good for recording acoustic instruments and has nice top and tight bottom. I run a professional recording studio and this is a regular go-to mic for me. Great for the money. I would recommend budgeting for at least two mics. If you need to capture a stereo source or have two people playing you'd be frustrated with just one.

I will note though - that the microphone is a small part of capturing a good source...

- you should have a room that's acoustically treated (if it's under 8'x8'x10' you may need to kill virtually all reflections and put very thick (4-6") bass traps on a couple surfaces. The music you record sounds like the room you record it in! you can't "fix" audio that's captured in a small sheetrock-ed room or a room with low ceilings.

- the mic pre is also a very important factor. if you're using the built-in mic pres on most home-recording devices, or on an mbox or m-audio interface, you'll be missing a lot of depth and headroom so make sure to choose with that in mind.

- the A/D D/A conversion is an important element as well. try to get a device that is known to have decent converters.

Anyway, I suggest that more than just looking for a mic, you should look at what you want to do as a whole, and budget for a whole system (recording device/interface, mics, mic pres).

[Ramblin Hymns]

I like the akg 414 for an all round mic.It covers everything you asked for and it is a mic that just about all studio have.That was the first mic I bought and did not regret it.Great mic.It is nessasary to have one mic to do it all.It will be your number 1 mic for a while.I think your getting a recorder that you mix master and burn your CD in the same unit.

[chazguitaz]

Hear hear! the 414 is a GREAT workhorse -- I will add to that -- that the C 414s that were made up till the 80s are basically a C12 capsule in a smaller body and are FANTASTIC microphones, but anything made after they stopped using the C12 capsule is really not worth buying. i.e. the "reissue" 414 -- not really a reissue. it just has the same body.

If you're going to buy an old one from someone, I'd be very wary. The capsules do degrade over time and they're relatively fragile. I bought one on ebay once and the seller shipped it to me in a box that wasn't packaged well enough. The mic arrived and the capsule was completely shot. Fortunately I got a refund!

If you can find one in good working condition that's a C 414, you're in business!

[AlRob]

Thank you for the suggestions and comments


- the mic pre is also a very important factor. if you're using the built-in mic pres on most home-recording devices, or on an mbox or m-audio interface, you'll be missing a lot of depth and headroom so make sure to choose with that in mind.


Does that mean I should select a recorder that has the ability to bypass the built-in preamp sections, so I can consider a good mic pre-amp in the future? Do any of the portable recorders have a preamp bypass?

[Big Boss Man]

I use a Shure SM7B for vocals and an SM81 for acoustic guitar. I got them for $550 in a Musician's Friend sale. They are a pretty good pair of mics for the price.

[chazguitaz]

Does that mean I should select a recorder that has the ability to bypass the built-in preamp sections, so I can consider a good mic pre-amp in the future? Do any of the portable recorders have a preamp bypass?

Can you be a little more specific? Are you going to be doing your recording at home, or is the portability factor paramount?

If it's not important that it's portable, and you have a computer, why not set up a software-based system that you can use at home? That would be easier to work with editing-wise and more flexible for growth.

If portability is the main factor, I'd go for something that's all-in-one. you don't want to lug around mic pres with you.

Most important I think would be for you to have a solid idea of what exactly you want to do with your recording setup, and buy your gear based on those needs.

[kludge]

If your target is a small digital multitracker, $1000 is probably total overkill on a mic. You could buy several inexpensive mics and get a lot more flexibility. Or buy a much better set of monitors with a cheap mic.

[teleharmonium]

Hear hear! the 414 is a GREAT workhorse -- I will add to that -- that the C 414s that were made up till the 80s are basically a C12 capsule in a smaller body and are FANTASTIC microphones, but anything made after they stopped using the C12 capsule is really not worth buying. i.e. the "reissue" 414 -- not really a reissue. it just has the same body.

That's not quite right. Only the original model C 414 made in the early 70s which had a different bottom that went into a combination mic clip and output connector, and the first few hundred model C 414EB with silver colored bodies, had the CK-12 brass capsule as used in the C12.

Most C 414EBs from the 70s up til now, and all of the later model variants (C 414EB P48, C 414B - ULS, C414B - TL, etc), which if I'm not mistaken includes every version that has ever been made with the black finish, use the same nylon capsule they use today.

[AlRob]

Can you be a little more specific? Are you going to be doing your recording at home, or is the portability factor paramount?

Thank you much for your help - Yes this is for home only. You make a good point about using a computer. I don't know much about the software and interfaces involved so I thought the self contained recorders might be easier. Maybe I should rethink my options :dunno