Low End Condenser Mics

If one wanted to purchase a condenser microphone, mostly for vocals, for under $100, which one would people recommend?

I know that range will not get a "pro" mic, but still I would like to know which are better in that price range, if anyone here is familiar with them.

For instance, the MXL 990 and 909 are both the same price ($60, including shockmount and case). What is the difference between the two? Any good?

How about the AT2020, about $100?

What other mics would people recommend in this price range?

This one got a great review in Tape-Op a while back.

I've looked at a number of these $100-ish large diaphragm condenser mics (for the most part, they all come from the same couple of factories in China) and they all sound pretty good. If all you're used to is a cheap Radio Shack mic or a beat-up SM58 that was handed down from generation to generation, then you'll probably be impressed. We could nit-pick the build quality but what's the point. For a hundred bucks (or less) these are pretty much disposable microphones that sound pretty good and should produce good results as long as you take care of them. Usually the weakest link is the mic clip or shock mount mechanism that comes with these things.

Look at Cascade Microphones (the M20u is a good example of one of their LD condensers for around a hundred bux).

www.cascademicrophones.com

If you can afford a bit more money, I would check out the Shure KSM27. I use this mic quite a bit a I love it.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002J1K4Y/compmedia

Scott

--
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ORIGINAL: CJaysMusic

The AT2020 audio technica is a great mic for under $100, the C series from Sampson are good also, but the AT2020 is a no brainer
Cj

Is the AT2020 significantly better than the MXL 909 or 990?

Any of the mics mentioned are good choices but if you really want to save some cash and still have a good mic I'd go for this one.

Let me add this, everyone should have a pair of these at this price. If you record live drums, these work surprisingly well as OH. I've used them once for a live recording, just a bar band type thing, and they captured a very real representation of what it actually sounded like. I've got a pair and am thinking about getting another. Well worth the asking price!

There is also the MXL V67. That is supposed be a bang for the buck vocal mic.


That's really funny. I was just rereading through the post and clicked on deleter47's link, same mic.

negative on the MXLs from my experience

CJ's suggestion is the angle I would bend along

-JD

Just curious about the reason for the negative response. Which one?

I've had very good luck with my MXL V67's.(warm sounding) I also am very happy with the CAD GXL2400. (Very clean sounding.)

ORIGINAL: contact@jondunn.org

negative on the MXLs from my experience

CJ's suggestion is the angle I would bend along

-JD

Thanks for letting me know about the dead link. I noticed that deleter47's link is also dead.

The mic I'm speaking of is the MCA SP1. It sells for $39.99 and can only be purchased through Pro Sound and Stage Lighting.
It is actually made by MXL.

If any of you visit Gearslutz you might have heard Jim Williams speak about this mic. He does a mod for it, I think for around $125, that is suppose to really improve on what it already has going for it.

Believe me on this one it really is worth the price and more. For $40 what have you got to lose.

I just recently used it in front of a kick drum along with a beta 52 and am so far really liking the combo. Haven't actually got into the mix yet but it's giving that nice pillowy low end punch I was hoping for.

It's my impression that the main reason expensive condensors are expensive is the CONSISTENCY from unit to unit. I've many times heard fine sounding inexpensive mics... but I've also witnessed radical differences in sound from unit to unit.

When the MXLs first became available a friend bought 2 and *matched* them by carefully selecting capacitors and resistors and rebuilding the circuit boards in the mic's preamp sections.

When he was finished they sounded very good but curiously did not have the low end detail that my AKG 414s exhibit.

have fun,
mike

overall very thin sounding for a large dia-fram condensor microphone

and dreadful on an acoustic baby grande

but I am quite pickey

all the best

-JD

I have a Samson CL-7 which is a little over 100 bucks but it's a fairly decent mic for acoustic instruments as well as vocals.

ORIGINAL: ohhey

ORIGINAL: maikii

If one wanted to purchase a condenser microphone, mostly for vocals, for under $100, which one would people recommend?

I know that range will not get a "pro" mic, but still I would like to know which are better in that price range, if anyone here is familiar with them.

For instance, the MXL 990 and 909 are both the same price ($60, including shockmount and case). What is the difference between the two? Any good?

How about the AT2020, about $100?

What other mics would people recommend in this price range?

I think the Studio Projects B1 is the best one in the low price range. The MXL 990 has a honk to it I don't like. Some of the better MXLs are very good. Even an old 1000 their first good mic was very usable.

Frank:

Agreed on the 990, I prefer the 603/604 much much better. The 60x's bump in a harsh way around 3k. I prefer my CAD E70's but they're about twice the price. One of my students just bought a pair of the SP B1's we're going to do a shoot out with piano and strings over the Christmas break - I'll post if possible...

-D

just an fyi... the samson c01 mentioned above is only $55 shipped from bh photo (I'm waiting for one to be delivered now)...

One quick vote for the MXL v67g.

One quick "no!" for the SM 57.

(That goes for both vocals and acoustic guitar.)

I have not tried the AT2020...but would like to.