List of upto £150 mics for the mic cupboard : some choices from SoS.

[tea for two]

I am considering a handful of mics ideally upto £100 each, stretchable to £150 each, to add to my SM58.

I just did a quick search last night of SoS : forumees, mods, staffs mic recommendations upto £200. Several of these mic recommendations can be had new under £100 and around £100-£150 used.

In alphabetical order here are some SoS forumees, mods, staffs mic recommendations for different use purposes for the purpose of this thread.

AKG D5, Lyra USB.
Aston Element, Aston Stealth.
Audio Technica AT2035.
Austrian Audio OD303.
Beyerdynamic Fox USB.
Blue Yeticaster USB.
Citronics CCU3 USB.
Cortado MKIII contact mic.
Golden Age R1 Active Mk2 Ribbon.
Lewitt LCT040, LCT140.
Line Audio CM3, CM4, OM1.
Mackie EM-USB.
MXL R144 Ribbon, V67, Tempo USB.
Oktava MK012.
Peavey PVM45, PVM45ir.
Rode NT1 5th gen black body, NT-USB mini, NT-USB+ just reviewed May 2023 by SoS magazine.
Samson Satellite USB.
SE Electronics SE-V3.
Sennheiser E865.
Shiny Box 46MX Ribbon.
Shure SM7B, MV51 USB.
Sontronics STC-1, STC-20, STC-3X.
Sony ECM99.
SubZero R1 and R2 Ribbon.
Zoom H2n hand held recorder reviewed by SoS in 2012 with pretty useable MS as well as XY facility.

Preehaps this list maybe of some use to someone.

Also doesn't hurt to use Van Damme cables, Neutrik connectors.

I have missed some mics as I didn't do an exhaustive SoS search.
Spending let's say £50-£100 more would get more choices, however upto £150 used is the limit for this thread list also for me, although ideally under £100 for me.

::

It goes without saying
having decent recording environment, decent performance to record, decent performer/s, decent sounding instrument/s, decent mic technique both performing alongside us recording with our choice of mic array mic placements, matching as much as possible mic to instruments/s singer/s, keeping a level head,
these makes recordings a whole lot better easier regardless of how relatively inexpensive expensive the mics and recording interface.
There's lots of SoS magazine articles, book from Mike Senior, SoS forum posts to help us in this.

[Kwackman]

Second hand AKG451 for under £150?
Didn't think you could get them for that- another pension asset let down!

[Drew Stephenson]

You might find a Beyerdynamic M201 second hand for £150 occasionally but they tend not to come up for sale very often because they're such useable mics.

[tea for two]

Second hand AKG451 for under £150?
Didn't think you could get them for that- another pension asset let down!

Oooops
Mods if you would remove the AKG451.
Ta very much.

[zenguitar]

Mods if you would remove the AKG451.
Ta very much.

Done

Andy

[Wonks]

NT1 4th gen. Same as the 5th minus the 32-bit interface and USB port. Saves a lot of faffing about with changing Windows ASIO drivers if you already have an AI.

If it were me, I’d sub-divide the list into dynamics, condensers and ribbons and within those divisions I’d divide further with vocal or instrument mics and stage or studio as their primary purpose. I’d have no idea what sort of mic an ‘ABC 234a’ was unless I had one myself, or it was an industry standard.

[James Perrett]

No Audix? The OM5 just about squeezes into your price range.

[sonics]

If it were me, I’d sub-divide the list into dynamics, condensers and ribbons...

That, otherwise it's not useful IMO. The list needs to organised.

[tea for two]

Done

Andy

Aaah sweet Zen

::

If it were me, I’d sub-divide the list into dynamics, condensers and ribbons and within those divisions I’d divide further with vocal or instrument mics and stage or studio as their primary purpose. I’d have no idea what sort of mic an ‘ABC 234a’ was unless I had one myself, or it was an industry standard.

Fo sho would been more helpful.
Started out that way then got distracted in traffic lol
also late night blearyness

::

If it were me, I’d sub-divide the list into dynamics, condensers and ribbons...

That, otherwise it's not useful IMO. The list needs to organised.

Main thing was shifting through years of SoS forum posts to locate them reading up opinions of them.
Which then provides this handy list for anybody : so they don't have to shift through years of posts and opinions.

Shirley don't call me Shirley lol thereafter it's easy enuff for someone to giggle search them to find out what types of mics they are as well as their usual uses.
Thing is people also use mics for all sorts whichever works for whatever purposes for them.

[tea for two]

Just a few more from SoS forums to add to
the above Beyerdynamic M201 recommended by Drew, Rode NT1 4th gen recommended by Wonks, Audix OM5 recommended by JP.

AKG D202.
Audix D1, D2, D6.
MXL 603.
Thomann t-Bone RB500.

[shufflebeat]

SE Electronics - v7
Audio Technica - at2021

[Mike Stranks]

Ah! Up to £150...

As you were...

[tea for two]

Ah! Up to £150...

As you were...

For charity store thrift store shoppers as myself.
Although I dare say could pick up a bunch of yummy mics from this SoS forum recommended mics list.

[djangodeadman]

When you find an SM7B (that doesn’t come from China) for under £150, please let me know.

[tea for two]

Aaaah There's fakes of Neumann mics fakes of Shure mics.
I'd say avoid £150 Shure SM7B being sold as new.
I've seen couple used genuine SM7B sold around £170.

[djangodeadman]

I've seen couple used genuine SM7B sold around £170.

I’ll keep my eyes peeled, in that case.

[tea for two]

I should been clearer.
New and Used upto £150.
Although a few on the list are upto £200 used.

SoS : forumees, mods, staffs mic recommendations upto £200. Several of these mic recommendations can be had new under £100 and around £100-£150 used.

[Sam Inglis]

I haven't used most of the new mics on your list, but if you're patient, you can often pick up some good deals on older mics on eBay and the like, as long as you don't mind the inevitable element of risk.

AKG C451 / CK1 combos do sell for around £150 or less sometimes. There's a lot of them about! The AKG D202 and 222 are very nice dynamic mics that should be affordable within this range too.

Some of the classic Beyer models also tend to be good value. You'll be lucky to find an M88 or M160 for £150, but you might well pick up an M67, M69 or M201. Those are all good mics. I love the Opus 65 kick drum mic too.

Calrec capacitor mics are worth a look and can be good value. Avoid the 600-series models that need a dedicated PSU, though, and be aware that some of them are 'speech cardioids' with inbuilt low cut on the capsule.

There are various Sennheiser and Grundig mics that are supposed to have the same capsule as the classic MD409. It's a bit of a minefield but you might get lucky.

Also don't ignore the humble Shure Beta 57...

[tea for two]

For recording nature sounds on my last week acquired Fostex fr2le
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/fostex-fr2le
I was briefly searching for low cost omnis.
I stumbled upon this article. Has photographs.
https://mindful-audio.com/blog/best-mic ... ife-sounds

The author utilises Sound Devices MixPre in :
Amazon Rainforest, Namib desert to record sand dunes with Senny MKH8020, MKH8040;
Borneo Rainforest with DPA 6060;
active Volcano, Borneo Rainforest, rain drops on leaves with Lavalier omni mics Lom mikroUsi,
Clippy Em272 lav for other nature recordings.
Author summarises pros cons for these different mics at end of article.

Author's conclusion.
"What’s the answer though?!
My answer is most of the time Lom mikroUsi (if you can get them) or Clippy EM272. Once you’ve outgrown these and can afford to upgrade, it’s worth looking at MKH8020s, MKH8040s, an 8060, a Telinga parabolic maybe."

::

I couldn't find for sale the authors recommended omni lav Lom mikroUsi €90, looking up its specs I found omni lav Movo Lv-xlr1 has stated better specs for SNR 80dB as well as sensitivity -24dB, than Lom mikroUsi.
From Movo Lvm-xlr1 I'm not expecting the earth, reading their stated specs with a pinch of salt.
So yesturday I purchased online for £10 each brand new a pair of Movo Lvm-xlr1 omni xlr lavs.
https://www.movophoto.com/products/lvm- ... al-lav-mic
They have generous 9ft cable, their own LR44 battery an attraction even though they'd consume lesser power.
Movo have other xlr omni lav Lv-6O, Lv-8D, Lv-11C, Lv-110D, however I wanted to gingerly tread without going overboard.
Movo have various mics including multipattern Vsm-7, wireless, usb, smartphone mics; handy accessories.

[Arpangel]

SM57, find myself grabbing that for lots of things lately, and not even noticing after I've recorded stuff.

[tea for two]

Lavalier :

Dpa 6061 Core omni lav £449 each.
https://www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk/dpa ... l-ta5.html
Stated specs : Self Noise 26dBA, SNR 68dB, Sensitivity -44dB, Dynamic Range 102dB, SPL 144dB, 20Hz-20kHz.

Movo Lv-xlr1 omni xlr lav £32 each (I paid £10 each brand new in box).
https://www.movophoto.com/products/lvm- ... al-lav-mic
Stated specs : Self Noise 14dBA, SNR 80dB, Sensitivity -24dB, stated specs better than DPA6061 although I'm taking Movo specs with a pinch of salt.
Movo Dynamic Range 105dB & SPL 119dB I'm guessing these two, 35Hz-20kHz.
Movo arrived chuffed it on Fostex Fr2le.

Clippy Em272 omni xlr lav stereo matched pair £137.
https://micbooster.com/clippy-and-plugg ... phone.html
Stated Specs : Self Noise 14dBA, SNR 80dB, Sensitivity -28dB, Dynamic range 105dB, SPL 119dB, 20Hz-20kHz.
These Clippy Em272 better stated specs than Dpa6061, apart from SPL better on Dpa6061 and bandwidth being same.

Compared to Line Audio Omni1 £135 each.
https://www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk/lin ... omni1.html
Stated specs : Self Noise 18dBA, SNR 76dB, Sensitivity -42dB, Dynamic rage 115dB, SPL 133dB, 20Hz-20kHz.

Numbers aren't everything. Dpa6061 probably has a smoother richer sound tone. Still ....

[ajay_m]

I recall years ago a live Sound on Sound session at one of the music shows where they recorded a female vocalist with a few mics ranging widely in price. The AT2020 which, as the presenter said "costs less than the VAT on some of the other mics here" produced a lovely airy recording which was widely preferred by the audience.
I still have mine and it's a great mic that also doesn't look cheap.