Suggestios on condensor mics?

[mavsbball]

Hey guys i was wondering if anyone could suggest any good mics for recording and that could be used live that are not extremely expensive. thanks

[idiotbear]

Shure SM57 (not a condensor, but an absolute must for both scenarios).
Samson CO2 condensor

[Pingu]

1+ on the SM57. If you only have the money for one mic, it's the one to get. I have used mine to record everything from guitar and vocals to melodica and xylophone with consistently excellent results.

[fuzzjunkie]

if you want it for live use, then you want a dynamic like the SM57...a true workhorse. Condensers will pick up too much of the room...good in the studio, chaos on stage...and create feedback problems.

you won't find a good condenser in the under $200 range...you won't even find an average one...but if you'll settle for horrible, there are several made in China choices...the AT 3035 is about as low as I would go, but you'd have to go over $500 for a decent condenser.

I would check out dynamics by Shure, Audio Technica, and Sennheiser in that range. If you want a really good dynamic, the Electro Voice RE-20 is a great mic at $500...but that amount just gets you into the average range of condensers where the excellent ones start at $2000.

[eggwheat]

Or an SM58....it's exactly the same mic as a 57 but with a different pop-shield..if you unscrew the pop shield off a 58..it becomes virtually identical to a 57. So essentially you get 2 mics for the price of one.

[northern_dirt]

dynamic md 421..

condensers.. hmm AKG 414s.. arent too expensive.. well depedns on what you call expensive..
for live though youd prolly want to go small diphram..

[JJ Gabor]

Or an SM58....it's exactly the same mic as a 57 but with a different pop-shield..if you unscrew the pop shield off a 58..it becomes virtually identical to a 57. So essentially you get 2 mics for the price of one.

I didn't realise these were the same mic

[eggwheat]

yeh..they are the same..the pop shiled is the bit that changes the sound.

[northern_dirt]

yeh..they are the same..the pop shiled is the bit that changes the sound.

True.. BUT.. when you take the ball off of a 58..
it doesnt have the same small grill as a 57

It is very very close, but still not an exact sound..
also Id not want to twack a balless 58 with a drum stick, though a 57's front grill could take it.

[eggwheat]

The difference, if any, in my opinion is miniscule..I certainly cannot hear any difference at all..It's a well known and well discussed fact that they are essentially the same mic....The shure sm57 is also only very, very slightly better protected than a 58 with the grill off. The shures are so damn tough anyway. ..I would never worry about using a 58 without a grill on it..

[northern_dirt]

The difference, if any, in my opinion is miniscule..I certainly cannot hear any difference at all..It's a well known and well discussed fact that they are essentially the same mic....The shure sm57 is also only very, very slightly better protected than a 58 with the grill off. The shures are so damn tough anyway. ..I would never worry about using a 58 without a grill on it..

I killed one that way

[soundhack]

my favorite condensor under $500 is the david josephson c42 ($400). really better than most neumanns sennheisers etc


if you are looking for drum overheads, check out the avenson sto-2 pair ($550 for 2!)

these are omnis, so they will pick up everything. really great for acoustic instrument miking as well (esp. acousitc guitar)

i haven't tried them, but there is a lot of good word about the peluso condensors - only $350 a piece - i think these are based on the scheops cmc6


condensors are not ideal live mics though. they generally don't hold up well to abuse. however, they are fine if you treat them right.

[ugly casanova]

won't you get serious feedback problems with a condensor on stage?

i would definitely go for a shure 57.

[soundhack]

won't you get serious feedback problems with a condensor on stage?

i would definitely go for a shure 57.

condensers can be just as directional as dynamic mics, just make sure you have cardioid or hyper cardioid patterns - the main problem for live use (besides the fragility) is that most condensers clip at high volumes... so if you get them too close to the singer or drum, you can have problems.

however, when i need something to cut through a live mix, a condenser (with its increased high frequency response) can be just the thing. especially for unamplified string instruments (violin, mando, etc.)