whats a good quality mic for 400 or lower
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
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1st thing that comes to mind is the Blue Baby Bottle and Rode NT2A bundle.
But, anything marked down to $399.99 that was once $599.99 or more. For $400 in 2014, you can find a mic that was expensive and considered high end a few years ago. It's still the same quality.
If I remember right, I paid $400-500 for my C3000b(could be wrong, just remember considering it one of my 'better mics"), it's like $150 now.
But, anything marked down to $399.99 that was once $599.99 or more. For $400 in 2014, you can find a mic that was expensive and considered high end a few years ago. It's still the same quality.
If I remember right, I paid $400-500 for my C3000b(could be wrong, just remember considering it one of my 'better mics"), it's like $150 now.
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Djrtelevision
New member
Audio Technica, Blue Sparkle, and Sterling Mics. are all superb to start with
baby bottle by blue is pretty nice, honestly though, I would get on guitar center's website and look for a used neumann tlm 102. You might find one around your price range and THAT my friend is an industry professional microphone. (entry level) but still comparing sticks to swords at that point.
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
Moderator
JMO, I'd go with the much cheaper MXL 4000($200) over a TLM 102. The 103 is completely different. The TLM102 is a good mic, hell, a great mic, maybe I'm biased because to me it will always sound like a generic 103. Plenty of others will give it praise, maybe it's the environment I used it in, mic could've been broken, but the 102 seemed harshly clean for a lack of better words from me recording with it. We actually traded it out with an MXL 4000 halfway through the session and everything instantly came together.
I've only used the 102 once(again, the one I used could've been dropped, or whatever), but I thought it was the go to based on the 103. It sounds like a rejected 103 to me. Like when something goes wrong on the make line they label it a 102 and sell it for half price, lol. Mind you, it also has to do with amps, environment, and other things. Both sound like top line gear, I just think the 4000 has more of it's own sound instead of the "fake it til you make it' sound of the 102. 103 is amazing, I'd dare say better than the U87.
I've only used the 102 once(again, the one I used could've been dropped, or whatever), but I thought it was the go to based on the 103. It sounds like a rejected 103 to me. Like when something goes wrong on the make line they label it a 102 and sell it for half price, lol. Mind you, it also has to do with amps, environment, and other things. Both sound like top line gear, I just think the 4000 has more of it's own sound instead of the "fake it til you make it' sound of the 102. 103 is amazing, I'd dare say better than the U87.
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I use a 103 in my studio, It is amazing my friend. Your right that the 102 is very clean but thats really what your going for... let the preamp and the vocalist do the colorization of the sound and then let your engineer work their magic. I don't like MXL too much because they are so high freq... then again, if your recording somebody with a large diaphragm and a deep voice it could work out. Everything has its application and some mic's work better for those applications. However, if your looking for a mic thats very solid and consistent no matter who you put in front of it, Id take the neumann over the MXL any day. Not to mention the Neumann is built like a tank and carries a heck of a warranty.