VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Heather · Guest

Hi all! I am looking into a mic and am on e-bay. There is a
Samson CO1U Podcast PAK KIT USB C01U Mic Microphone NEW and
Apex 420 Studio Condenser Microphone and OSP STM-1300 STUDIO CONDENSER MICROPHONE MIC W/CASE with which I am pretty impressed.
I have been piddling around with getting my equipment together and studying up on things. Also been quite hectic working on my college stuff, which has kept me busy with little else beside work and that. I have ended the year teaching, and did not sign my contract to go back so now that I have quit the teacher gig, I am devoting more time into putting some great effort in voice-stuff and focus on getting my degree in Mass Communications done. Looking forward to seeing everyone again at 2008, exciting stuff.
Any thoughts on the mic, I just want a few cheap ones to play with. Hmmm, ok let’s not go there guys!
My budget is around $100-$150. Need something to get me started. I read a few things on the site here that USB's are not really liked. I have a Inspiron 1520 Dell computer, a sound proof room, and a little more time than I have had, so I want to try out what I can do and build from there. Money Mouth

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

In that budget range I would be leaning towards a Studio Projects C-1....new might be a little out of the range, but on E-Bay you could most likely find one for around that price....welcome aboard BTW!

Edit:Actually if you go to Sweetwater, they have the Studio Projects B-1 for 149.00

Yoda117 · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

another vote for the Studio Projects mics, and also willing to toss the Shure SM7B or R0de NT1-A in there.

That said, you should try to get some time in at a studio or friend's place (if you haven't already) to hear what you sound like on them.

The badge on the case doesn't mean much if it doesn't sound good on your voice Wink

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SomeAudioGuy · Contributor III Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 75 Location: LA

I'll throw in votes for the Audio Technica AT2020, M-Audio Nova, MXL 990, MXL V67G, and AKG Perception 100 or 200, but ONLY if you can try them out first.
I've had good luck with all of those mics, but they are very particular about which voices they play well with.

Now asking about these mics, I'm assuming you have a soundcard/interface/mixer with preamps and phantom power?
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Heather · Guest

"I'm assuming you have a soundcard/interface/mixer with preamps and phantom power?"

Ummm, well the idea of going with a USB excited me on the level of not needing the phantom power? OK, so I am showing my NEWBIE-isms. After conference in Vegas last year, I hit the ground running teaching and working another part-time job, going to college full time, on top of maintaining my rather large family, so the dream of doing this gig got put on the back burner and is just now becoming a reality! Sooo, I am only now pulling things together. As for the sound device, just what came with the computer.
I live in the St. Louis area, so this week-end I am going to look for spots I can try-before-I-buy mics. I need all the advice I can get, and I have been looking through the back logs on this site, too. Just want to learn to crawl first, before I attempt to invest too much and fall on my face trying to run. Ya, know... slow and steady wins the race,… or at least confuses the heck out of the hare!

todd ellis · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:09 am Post subject:

careful with the mxl (and other chinese mics) as there is very little quality control. you might get a good one - you might not. this coming from a person who has had both. i am using a mxl v69 with a nos mullard tube and would put it up against some mics costing 10x more ... on the other hand - i have heard the same mic sound like you are recording from inside a bee hive.
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bobsouer · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:43 am Post subject:

louzucaro · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:14 am Post subject:

todd ellis · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:19 am Post subject:

heather - where in the st. louis area? i'm near carbondale and we have a member in kirksville ... (i THINK kirksville ... right?)
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Yoda117 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:22 am Post subject:

thanks for mentioning them guys. The AT2020 and AT4040 both get nods as well. For the price the AT2020 is an awesome first VO mic (Jeff Kafer has been using his with great success for years).
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Heather · Guest

OK, well, I am close to the St. Louis area, in that I am about 60 miles west on 70 in a town called Warrenton. Kirksville is North, you might mean Kirkwood which is south of St. Louis. it would be great to know someone in the biz, in the area!
On the mic, so far the confirmation is on the AT2020 or AT4040, narrowing things. There are some "packages" on e-bay that are tempting. I almost bought the Samson CO1U Podcast PAK KIT USB C01U Mic Microphone -comes with boom stand, pop-filter, software, and shock-mount for $129. Like the "lets get it all together" aspect of it. But, then again, you all are the techie's and if a bee hive is involved, I'll trust your perceptions-don't want to get stung!

SomeAudioGuy · Contributor III Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 75 Location: LA

Well, I don't know if this will be the most popular idea on the boards, but maybe you should pick up a USB mic to start playing with. Keep your initial investment low while you learn what all this stuff does, and how best to represent your voice. Just make sure you go to Newegg or monoprice to get a REALLY long USB cable.
All of the mics mentioned here will probably do you well (provided you can try out a few, they are budget after all), but you'll have to factor in the added cost of at least an external sound card/interface. Truthfully there aren't any I like under $250 (others might have better advice there), but really anything will be better than recording into the mic port built into your computer.
If you decide to go with a phantom powered mic/soundcard combo, you might want to try calling music studios around you. Ask them what mics are in their cabinet, and if they'd be willing to do a shoot out. I haven't stepped foot in a bigbox store in years (like guitarcenter), so I don't know if places like that still do things like mic shoot outs.

Depending on your budget you could look at something like this Digidesign starter kit.

Tangent:
I didn't know that about shures being made in Mexico. That's too bad. They make my FAVE dynamics (aside from my old MD421), and I was wanting to try out their condensers. No big rush now...
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Well, the vast majority of Shures are great microphones and sound tremendous for the money, imo. I really like the KSM 27/44.

Many of the Chinese mics are QC'ed or assembled in the US. My lovely PR 40 has parts from five different countries (including Indonesia, China, and England) but is assembled in Illinois, and some MXL and ADK models are assembled in the US. On the higher end, Charter Oak use few US parts. Lawson is one of the few US made mic companies that has capsules actually manufactured in the U.S.A.
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SomeAudioGuy · Contributor III Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 75 Location: LA

Good to know. I'll have to check this out.
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