Good quality inexpensive microphones

IceCube · 02-05-2013, 10:50 AM

I have been looking for microphones to do some home recording from my band and I was wondering what people recommended. I have looked all over the internet and I saw some reasonably priced microphones but I was concerned with the quality, any way I was just wondering what people recommended for the following instruments for £30-£50 price range -per microphone-, Vocals, electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Saxophone, Bass, Clarinet, Violin.

stevesonthebay · 02-19-2013, 08:11 AM

im also looking for a mic to do vocal and acoustic guitar recording. i have a lexicon interface with cubase recording software. the interface has a mic input via an xlr connection. at the moment i am running all mics and instruments through a Yamaha powered mixer connected to the interface which is then connected to my computer. i am using a couple of mics i already had i think they are pretty cheap dynamic mics with a 1/4 in jacks into the mixer. the mixer has preamp s for the mics which brings the signal up to line level. i get reasonable quality and levels but find a bit of interference comes through. it seems i have to put the gain up a fair way on the mixer and the interface to get the volume levels up and this brings in a hiss sound. if i turn it down a bit it lessons but there is still a little noise. i haven't tried the xlr connections yet on either the mixer or direct into the interface. i would hope that they might improve it. i tried the 1/4 in mic direct into interface and it lacked volume. im thinking that i either need a pre amp to power the mics or the interface or mixers xlr connectors are powered so this is the better connection. as for mics Ive read that a condenser mic the bigger the diaphragm the better for voice recording and not sure yet whats best for equipment (acoustic guitar) recording. not sure about dynamic mics i think they are better for live work but can also be used for studio work. maybe both together. this is my next piece of equipment im working on. a lot of the time its experimenting to find whats best. my budgets not big so there will be some compromise on quality from the best but im sure there's a setup that's affordable and can give a pretty good result. the setup at the moment is ok can get some pretty good results from a couple of cheap mics.

02-05-2013, 10:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
IceCube Groupie Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1	Good quality inexpensive microphones I have been looking for microphones to do some home recording from my band and I was wondering what people recommended. I have looked all over the internet and I saw some reasonably priced microphones but I was concerned with the quality, any way I was just wondering what people recommended for the following instruments for £30-£50 price range -per microphone-, Vocals, electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Saxophone, Bass, Clarinet, Violin.

02-19-2013, 08:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
stevesonthebay Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 66	im also looking for a mic to do vocal and acoustic guitar recording. i have a lexicon interface with cubase recording software. the interface has a mic input via an xlr connection. at the moment i am running all mics and instruments through a Yamaha powered mixer connected to the interface which is then connected to my computer. i am using a couple of mics i already had i think they are pretty cheap dynamic mics with a 1/4 in jacks into the mixer. the mixer has preamp s for the mics which brings the signal up to line level. i get reasonable quality and levels but find a bit of interference comes through. it seems i have to put the gain up a fair way on the mixer and the interface to get the volume levels up and this brings in a hiss sound. if i turn it down a bit it lessons but there is still a little noise. i haven't tried the xlr connections yet on either the mixer or direct into the interface. i would hope that they might improve it. i tried the 1/4 in mic direct into interface and it lacked volume. im thinking that i either need a pre amp to power the mics or the interface or mixers xlr connectors are powered so this is the better connection. as for mics Ive read that a condenser mic the bigger the diaphragm the better for voice recording and not sure yet whats best for equipment (acoustic guitar) recording. not sure about dynamic mics i think they are better for live work but can also be used for studio work. maybe both together. this is my next piece of equipment im working on. a lot of the time its experimenting to find whats best. my budgets not big so there will be some compromise on quality from the best but im sure there's a setup that's affordable and can give a pretty good result. the setup at the moment is ok can get some pretty good results from a couple of cheap mics. __________________ Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us.