Condenser Mics

coils & co · Posted: Thu, 4th Feb, 3:17pm Post subject:

I think a Rode NT1A is probably best if you haven't got very much money - you should be able to pick one up for under £150 new

daveconbrio · Posted: Fri, 5th Feb, 1:14pm Post subject:

I got made redundant and bought an SEz5600a II tube mic with some of the money...

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar08/articles/segeminiz5600aii.htm

...and I love it. We'd used one in a studio last spring for Lindsay's vocals, so I knew what I wanted, but figured I couldn't afford it - somehow though I managed to get a couple of hundred of the asking price - it's always worth trying your luck and seeing what deals can be done. I got mine in the Clapham branch of Digital Village - they have branches elsewhere also (one on the south the coast I *think*?).

Lindsay bought an Rode K2 also, after trying out a bunch of different ones in the £150-£400 price ranged. It's real good also. I used the K2 and 5600 for close micing a grand piano for her EP and loved the results. We used both for her nylon and steel strung acoustics also and got a good sound for each.

Also, Lindsay got an Apogee Duet interface for recording with Logic, which we used for some of the tracks on our album that weren't done in the studio - all in all, it turned out to be a great set up. I used the 5600 for vocals, percussion, uke, harmonium, and I'm very pleased with the results. It's a big step up from the sound of the cheaper mics I used on our EP.

Was I scared about spending the money? Sure, but for what we've got out of it I don't regret it at all. That said, I'm a bit mad with money when it comes to music - I'll just spend it, because I know, for me, the finished result is priceless.

r.a. · Posted: Fri, 5th Feb, 1:59pm Post subject:

if budget is an issue, MXL do some nice bits, including double packs and so on

http://www.mxlmics.com/

I have a couple and they're ok.

hardsparrow · Posted: Sat, 6th Feb, 6:32pm Post subject:

Thanks for all yer thoughts!

Just from online research, I was already aware that there was a multitude of possible "correct" answers to my question.. I was really just interested to hear the thoughts of people I know have no hidden motives, and are using mics in a similar context. On that level, the threads been very helpful.

But I think the conclusion is that, unless an incredible bargain pops up on Ebay, I'd probably be best off looking at trying to borrow some mics (since I have no serious money to spend on music equipment at the mo.. when I do, I'm likely to have the same "mad" approach as you Dave - oh, how I miss getting a paypacket and knowing that I could walk to Macaris or Hobgoblin and buy some tasty, if totally unnecessary, instrument!).. and thereby get a feel for what might work best for me once I have some free cash.

Yer!

LMK - me, in a studio? shocked

It would need to be very, veeery late at night! I know a few people who would be happy to record me at their houses, and would get significantly better results than I could (Hi Rich!), but the ability to record anonymously in my house, in my pants, when everyone is out a the shops or something, is really what I'm after!

hardsparrow · Posted: Sat, 6th Feb, 6:33pm Post subject:

(Rich, can I come to your house in my pants?)

daveconbrio · Posted: Sat, 6th Feb, 7:01pm Post subject:

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a wage packet to cover my mad spending...just an overdraft and a credit card.

shocked

You can come over and see me in my pants if you like shhh

Stephen · Posted: Sun, 7th Feb, 7:40pm Post subject:

I thought this thread was going to be about the tins that you can boil up to make caramel.

romanhead · Posted: Sun, 7th Feb, 10:23pm Post subject:

r.a. · Posted: Wed, 10th Feb, 2:25pm Post subject:

r.a. · Posted: Wed, 10th Feb, 2:26pm Post subject:

hardsparrow · Posted: Fri, 9th Dec, 5:49pm Post subject:

Well, from the depths of page 4..

I have just bought an SE Z3300A with some birthday money.

It's ex-demo (from Red Dog), but they're chucking in a pop-shield too.. fingers crossed. It has a one year warranty, though, so should be fine.

But if it is rubbish, then I am going to run Jonnie Common ragged through the courts of this country until he is a penniless miser with only an old pair of another man's pants for a pop shield. Just saying, like..

daveconbrio · Posted: Sat, 10th Dec, 1:58pm Post subject:

Nice one. New mics are fun. I put all my redundancy money into an SE mic a couple of years back and love it to this day. Worth every penny.

Question; when you said 'I just record into Pro Tools via an MBox innit' - is that like this set up here...

http://www.andertons.co.uk/usb-interfaces/pid19683/cid712/pro-tools-recording-studio-fast-track-interface-and-software.asp

A pal of mine was looking to buy that you see, and I wondered just how functional that version of Pro Tools is. Kind of guessing for that price it might be limited in what it does. Though, if it records multi-tracks...that's pretty much all you need right?!

hardsparrow · Posted: Sat, 10th Dec, 2:46pm Post subject:

I assume it would be the same version, Pro Tools LE. I've not found it limited, quite the opposite, but then I guess it depends what you want to do.

It has heaps of plug-ins that I never use (the ones I do use are the obvious things like reverb, EQ, filters, compression.. oh, and lots of pitch shift) and I'm sure there's a lot of functionality that I've not unearthed, even after seven years of using it.

I use Soundforge a lot as well, though, to edit individual sounds. A lot of bouncing back and forth. One thing LE doesn't seem to have is fade in/out, incredibly enough, which can make editing waves in the program a bit pointless.

The only obvious limitation I can see in that Fast Track is the lack of phantom power on the interface.

FilthySwan · Posted: Sat, 10th Dec, 6:33pm Post subject:

Well Paul having been in the exact same quandry as yourself i purchased one of these not 3 weeks ago http://www.gak.co.uk/en/mxl-990/45565 although i got a bundle with a 2nd mic.

And it does help i think, i've been working on singing as well which, while it is still shit it has improved so all in all i'm quite pleased with my investment.

hardsparrow · Posted: Sat, 10th Dec, 8:14pm Post subject: