Recommendations for Mic?

[Hippie162]

Hi!

Could you experienced lovely lot please recommend to me a mic for recording vocals? My budget is not exactly big lets say maximum £50 but would maybe bid on ebay for the right thing second hand...

I have an audio interface with phantom power and Midas mic input on it, I'm running Cubase artist 9.5 on a laptop.

I am currently making do with a USB Tonor mic which isn't too bad sometimes.. but picks up a lot of hiss which is very annoying.. and obviously I can't input that into the interface, although it can go through the ASIO4ALL on the laptop (as my interface is cheap with no ASIO driver.. I know, sorry..)

Should I be looking for a cardiod condenser specifically ? I would like in the future to record piano and vocal live sessions and only have a small bedroom set up, is there anything you'd recommend that would give a decent recording seeing as I only have one input on the interface? (Unless the USB Tonor can be used in conjunction.. ?

TIA

[Drew Stephenson]

Does your room have any acoustic treatment?
If not, and given your budget, I'd actually suggest getting a stage dynamic, something like an AKG D5, and working it close to maximise the direct signal vs any reflections.
A D5 is also a nice mic to have and keep in your mic locker in the future if you decide to upgrade.
If you do want a condenser, keep an eye out for a used AT2020, one might pop up around your price.

[Hippie162]

No acoustic treatment.. and often children climbing on me or asking if I can help them go for a poo or something

Hence I bought the USB Mic initially so I could record vocals in my car of all places.. I live in the country, nice and quiet in there!

But the interface is USB powered so I figure it should be a portable set up for sneaking in the odd vocal session whether in the bedroom or the car! haha.