JayCartay

What do people recommend? I've been using a Behringer C3 LDC to get me started with recording but I find that my vocals often come through a bit muffled with it. I know it's dirt cheap, so I know the answer is to upgrade.

I'd like to spend upto £150 for a used mic. I've read that the MXL 2003a is good if you get the revoiced version, but I don't know how to ID that from the old version. I also read good things about the Oktava MK-319.

Are they worth pursuing or is there anything else I need to think about? If it can also do acoustic guitars well that would be a bonus but not essential.

gumbilicious

lucky you, i was just on the the UK amazon so i could look up the price as i am not too familiar with bps.

i use this for quite a bit of recording, and brand new it comes in at 145 bps.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Techn...&sr=1-1-catcorr

it has a cardiod shape, -10 dB pad (for really hot signals), and an 80 Hz high pass filter (to roll off some of that noise). it is a condenser mic so you'd need phantom power for whatever device you are gonna use it with.

unfortunately i don't have any vocals recorded with this mic yet, but i recorded about all all of this with my 2035 (i actually have a set of them):

http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/...sic/play1141448

if you wanna go used there is a better version with adjustable mic patterns (AT2050), if you wanna go cheaper there is one without the LP filter and pad (AT2020). both should sound very similar to the AT2035.

if you want a dynamic mic that doesn't need phantom power and can fit in your hand, then i use shure SM58's. those come in under budget too, you can get those for like 50 bucks used.

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JayCartay

Hi, I actually have an SM58 which I use for recording electric guitars. I take the shield off it to mimic an Sm57. I don't really try it for vocals but perhaps it's worth giving a go.

Black'n'Tan

SM58 is better for live vocals, of course, but occasionally professionals use them for studio vocals, as well. Usually as a last resort, but it can give great results in the right situation.

We use an SM58 for vocal scratch tracks. We only liked the result of that on 1 of the 7 or so songs we've recorded so far, and then we still blended it with an LDC for doubling the vocal. It was just for a demo. It's a cover, so we don't have it posted online anywhere for you to hear.

Usually the SM58 works out better for male vocals, or at least that's the impression I get.

I really wouldn't recommend that for accoustic guitar, though.

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Metalloy

SM57 is a cheap upgrade.

oneblackened

For vocals? Try an sE LDC of some sort.

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Reincaster

hmmm, 150 pounds? Not sure what the market is like where you're at, but you can probably find an EV RE20 or Shure SM7b if you look hard enough. Killer vocal recording microphones. The RE20 deals really well with plosives and proximity effect. If not, the RE320 is a cheaper neodymium model, but works extremely well. The upside to the EV's is that they work great for Kick drums and guitars.

Nothing wrong with a 58 and some compression/lowcut.

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JayCartay

I've ended up buying an MXL 2003a from the States for £101 all in. Just waiting for it now :-)