Mid-level condenser mic for guitar cabs, acoustic, double bass and vocals

[roscoe5]

I hope it's okay if I ask a mic question here.  Mics are practically a Helix accessory to me these days ;)  There is a lot of good audio engineering experience here as well.

 

I'm looking for some advice on either a great sub-$300 condenser mic for guitar cabs, vocals, acoustic guitar and double bass.  Alternatively, I am interested in upgrading my AKG Perception 420 with a Microphone Parts RK87+cap kit.

 

http://microphone-parts.com/collections/mod-kits/products/akg-perception-mod-kit

 

My AKG P420 mic has an issue with signal strength and low end.  It "works", but I really have to crank the mic gain 75% up on Helix, my iRig Pro Duo, line 6 UX-2 or UX-8, and Eleven Rack to get an acceptable level (I do have 48V phantom power on).  Even then, there is a noticeable loss of low end that is very apparent when I try to capture an IR with it.  To be honest, I bought it used a very long time ago and never really used it.  I don't think it has ever worked right.

 

I took the P420 apart to make sure I could do it and check the cap type (per the Microphone Parts instructions).  When I pulled the capsule out, I saw it was pretty spotted.  I read some articles about cleaning lightly with warm, distilled water, but just upgrading the capsule to get a much better quality U87'ish mic sounds good to me.

 

I don't think I can score a C414 on my budget, but a C214 is doable.  It seems like the main difference is the single cardioid pattern of the C214 vs multiple pattern options of the C414.

 

As I really don't have a lot of experience with condenser mics, I'm open to other mid-level options that can perform well.

[SymphonicDischord]

I'm a little surprised that no one has replied to you yet with all the bedroom engineers that seem to frequent the forum. But I guess that's why we have a Helix, so we don't have to mix things anymore.

 

As far as mics the Blue Baby Bottle is right around your budget and I've heard good things about it even on a guitar cab. It's got a high spl and apparently it's sound is supposed to be fairly neutral which you may or may not like. I don't have any experience with it personally but I do own a Blueberry, Spark and Ball and I've found all three to be quite usable for various applications and the build quality seems to be there.

[ricksteruk]

I think the AKG C214 is a great mic.  It really doesn't sound a lot different to the 414.

 

I have a pair of old Rode NT2 that have been my main home recording mics for about 18 years now.  They always sound good to me.  The NT1 is similar sounding but with a fixed cardiod pattern - I've used those quite a bit too and I think they work well - and have very low self noise.

[roscoe5]

Good input so far, thanks. They all have some strengths.

 

I've never considered Blue mics. They look promising. I need to research them a bit.

 

I do like most cab models and IRs with a C414. Thats why the C214 is really appealing.

[mileskb]

I hadn't seen this thread before.  But I'm not sure I can help.  "under $300" is "economy" not mid range..  and  for "guitar cabs, vocals, acoustic guitar and double bass" I would have likely four different mic scenarios.

 

How having said that...

- For guitar cab, I use a Sennheiser e609.  I use it because since I purchased them, I find they re-create what I'm hearing from the cab and they can handle high pressure.  I routinely hang them over cabs get them just shy of the grill cloth.   I haven't noticed anyone using them for making IR's, and I can't imagine why not, especially on a budget.   I didn't get them for price, I got them because of all the mics I tested at NAMM several years back for mic'ing cabs, these seemed to be the truest.

 

-  Acoustic Guitar.  You really don't want to skimp here.  A Rode NT2 is nice, but if you can swing it...  Nuemann TLM103.  It just seems to have the right amount of everything.  

 

-  Vocals,  Again, Rode NT2 or my favorite, Studio Projects C3.   I also have a T3 and a Nuemann M149 which are both tube mics..  but I've leaned heavily on the C3 for vocals over the years.

 

-  For the double bass...   a piezo pickup is nice, but the TLM103 or the M149, or even the T3 to do the bulk of the work.  The key with a large diaphragm tube mic, at least the ones I've mentioned, is you can get far enough away from the instrument to hear the tone, without the rubbing of the strings and creaking of the wood.  It's a fine line...   It helps if it's a nice flat room, but more often than not, the room adds a "feel" as long as it's not hurting the tone.   Tube condensers are VERY sensative and VERY dynamic so unlike lets say a regular dynamic mic that when you move it away from the source is sounds "distant"... you can get a large tube condenser pretty far away, and it still sounds like your on top of it.

 

My thought/knowledge on under $300 condenser mics is that not only are they very similar, in many cases they are the same.  There are a couple of factories in China (at least as of a few years ago) that made the bulk of them.   Studio Projects sets them selves apart because they are audio guys.  They set out to match the classics like U87, C12 etc.. and time after time in mic shootouts, experts couldn't tell the difference or in fact many times they picked the SP thinking it was the "original".

 

My bottom line on Microphones...  forget looking at specs..   Get recommendations from people who have used them that you trust, then check the specs to make sure you're not going to hurt them.   Then try them.  I have three sources for microphone info. Alex at LostArtVintage.com for classic ones, the folks at SoundPure.com who do microphone shootouts of their own so they know what mics do what, why and how, and a FOH engineer that I know who puts microphones through very demanding circumstances on a daily basis.