Microphone buying advice, please

[timyoung99]

Hi all

I am looking for some advice re: buying a microphone and would be really grateful if anyone can help.

Here are my requirements:

1. Budget = up to £300
2. Condensor microphone with cardoid pattern
3. Capable of being attached to http://www.dv247.com/microphones/beyerdynamic-st-238-50-anglepoise-mic-arm-g-clamp--36329
4. Suitable for male vocal (fairly deep and loud voice) and accoustic guitar.
5. Lookig for a warm, rich sound, but also capable of being eq-ed.
6. The microphone will be used in a project studio without any sound treatement.

Thanks in advance.

[Smellthevalve]

4. Suitable for male vocal (fairly deep and loud voice) and accoustic guitar.

Did You mean recording both at the same time?
Also, how much weight can the anglepoise arm take? For example the Sennheiser MK4 (worth looking at) is nearly 500g

[timyoung99]

Hi

No, not both at the same time.

Max weight of mic arm stand is 0.8 kg.

Thanks

[ConcertinaChap]

6. The microphone will be used in a project studio without any sound treatement.

Could I suggest you think about sound treatment. Even if it's no more than the traditional couple of duvets hung around the place you'll find it makes a really useful difference.

CC

[damoore]

There is no way I would be trusting an expensive (even a 300 quid) mic to that stand. I have had lamps with similar clamps, and they would come off the table every so often.

The other issue is there does not seem to be any mechanism for counterbalancing for different weights of mic - so sagging is likely to be a problem. Given that as you are in an untreated room, you may want to add a reflection filter as well, that would add yet more weight.

The other issue with the lamps was that the springs would every so often go "boing". Being a mic stand, perhaps they have found a way to prevent that, but if not its going to make tracking amusing.

[Mr.MixAlot]

I would check out the ADK Thor or Odin. I've had awesome results with both of these mics on male vocals and acoustic guitar. The ADK Vienna is very nice as well but quite a bit brighter than the Thor or the Odin. Happy hunting!

[Tim Gillett]

3. Capable of being attached to http://www.dv247.com/microphones/beyerdynamic-st-238-50-angl...

Those articulated arms are very commonly used in radio and voice over studios. They're fine so long as the springs reasonably counterbalance the weight of the mic being used. It's probably rarely a perfect match in weight but if there are knurled wheels on the boom, they can be tightened a little to stabilise things. Some arms have built in clutches at the elbow joints to stabilise them.
We used such arms in voice over studios for decades with very few problems. We used Shure SM81's (with lots of extra pop filtering for voice recording!)and the weight balance was reasonably good from memory. I found the main issue was mechanical transmission of noises to the mic through the desk the boom was attached to. That can normally be dealt with by adding the normal isolating attachment mount to the mic. As mentioned, there can also be a bit of spring "boing" noise when you move the arm but normally you arent moving the arm when the mic is in use.
These boom arms are good for getting the mic to exactly where you want it, and to do so without having to get out of the chair you are sitting in but just moving the mic itself by small amounts. Especially good where the talent is reading from a script, and the mic has to be juggled quite a bit to find the right compromise for best mic position, minimising acoustic reflections from the desk and avoiding mic shadows falling on the page.

[John Willett]

the Sennheiser MK4 (worth looking at) is nearly 500g

I would agree that, at the budget stated, the MK4 should be near the top of the list.

[Mike Stranks]

A few thoughts...

* If you're sure you want to use an anglepoise-arm then a decent mic shockmount is essential - not one of the £10 specials on EBAY. The Rycote is the obvious example, blending effectiveness and value-for-money. You probably also need to think about some form of shock-absorber at the clamp - I use several layers of foam-rubber at both 'sides' of the clamp.
* I don't know the size of your recording space, but your statement about "no acoustic treatment" set the alarm-bells ringing! As Concertina Chap says, you really do need to think VERY seriously about this. It's only after putting in significant amounts and types of acoustic treatment that my space has become usable with a condenser mic. Without it you might as well just get a 'live' vocal mic. I spent quite a bit of time - and money - before I was happy with my space. But as CC says, it can be done with duvets quite effectively.
* We've been here before recently in another thread, but the relationship between mics and voices is a quirky thing. What "works for me" may be totally inappropriate for you. It at all possible you do need to try some mics in semi-reasonable acoustic conditions - not hand-held in the middle of a busy shop!

HTH. Mike

[4TrackMadman]

I am a fan of Audio Technica for being fairly enutral and easy to eq. I was going to suggest the AT4040 but that is ridiculously expensive in GB from what I saw on the site, so with that in mind AT4030 or AT2050.