3 Cheap Mics That Beat the Expensive Ones

[@somedood6621]

Hey can you turn the music up louder, feel like moshing to your commentary

[@chuckyc378]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@LeonTodd]

Great to see some love for the SM7b! It's fantastic on guitars and as a hi hat mic too. Stellar video as always.

[@voa23]

Nice to hear that Leon have heard many diss the SMb, you think it would do well on a John Hard Preamp going into an Apollo Twin Duo?

[@drmedwuast]

it’s just a worse SM57 for 3-4 times the price

[@chrisw5742]

@@drmedwuast I was gonna say just use an sm57. I was just listening to a recording I made of a singer many years back who used one. Sounds great still.

[@chrisw5742]

Now I use a Behringer SB 78A mic blended with a ribbon mic for the lows. And now I get all the sound the high end mics could only dream for. My ribbon going into a cloudlifter. I have it turned down a lot and no reverb on it. It is only for the bass sounds. The SB 78A gets the mids and highs.

[@calimusic2007]

I own a Neumann TLM 107 ($1699) and the Shure SM7B and I have to say that I find myself tracking vocals with the Shure 90% of the time. Thought I was crazy for choosing it but like you said Jordan, it sounds great especially in a home or small studio. I run it through an Avalon M5 or Heritage Audio DMA73.

[@kidsonicofficial]

It's funny you mentioned the E604s. When I did my BTEC Diploma at college, we used E604s on toms. I'll tell you the mics we used on Drums. Kick - AKG D112 (Known as the "Egg Mic") Snare top - SM57 (Same goes for the bottom mic) Hihat - AKG C414 (it was the same for the Ride and Crash cymbals) Toms - Sennheiser E604 Sometimes we'd do the room mics, and on those occasions we used one AKG C12 that our college had for the overheads. All of that was going through an Allen & Heath GSR24M.

[@FirebrandVOCALS]

Background music too loud dude ...... but great video man 😎👊

[@TerraMagnus]

I'd argue that mic reviews should have zero background music and... demos of the mics.

[@ethancheng1595]

especially music that HAS WORDS/singing omg so distracting

[@Nasumbati]

Thanks for the video man.

[@Dessme]

Yes too loudly and something I hate. Am out.

[@1davidpeter]

Sorry, you were seriously difficult to hear with all that awful background noise - how can anyone take your sound recording credentials seriously when you’ve got your lecture track mixed up with a rock concert?? Then you lost me completely when your first Cheapie was over 300......

[@piratewhoisquiet]

Can't say I'm surprised that a low sensitivity dynamic mic works better than a U87 in a small or not very treated studio

[@robrobusa]

Especially if you wanna do metal and screaming, i guess?

[@snotvlek4721]

yeah, what a surprise... that part of the video wasn't that great

[@ramspencer5492]

The SM7 surprisingly... Often ranks high in big studios too.. When people are trying out Mike's it'll very often be like around A lot of people's second favorite.... It takes EQ well too. It's really not a bad choice at all... Especially in a room that's not very well treated. It's really not a bad choice for a lot of people.

[@rmv2333]

Moreover, I think your approach is the right one. Who cares about the price of the gear used? What matters is the "price" of the song, if it rocks, it freaking rocks!

[@BillRayDrums]

I just bought a matched pair of Behringer C2s for overheads and am absolutely floored by how great they sound. $60 for the set AND they come with a stereo bar.

[@robgracia509]

yes they work awesome

[@milkpossumsound8935]

I work in rooms that have U87s, U67s, U47s, M49s, etc... etc... I find that for most cases, there is a significantly cheaper alternative that works just as well as the big boys. Source is what matters most.

[@lylaznboi01]

Although I have those expensive mics at the studio I work out of, I use the mics I use at home because I just felt like it sounded better. There are probably $10,000 worth of mics at the studio, but I get better quality out of the box with just $1500 worth of mics. I use the SM7b you mentioned for vocals and hi hat, I actually use the Audio Technica ATM230 instead of the Sennheiser 421, and for SDC, I've been using the Aston Starlights. They're all pretty affordable and they sound great.

[@robertoj.fernandez2189]

Great advise dude, I may add two philosophies that I Follow regarding mics or gear in general. 1.- Some clients look for high end gear in Budget studios, rather than your skills as an engineer. Sale your sound not the gear or where you did it. If you are looking for outstanding wacky awesome result your actions should be equal as well. 2.- Be aware of your potencial market, is no good to have a million dollar studio without potential clients before you build it. If you are staring up better be with attitude and quality that becomes your trademark. Don’t spend too much money on gear that you can’t market in your price range or lease you’re working on budget and in deficit that will eventually kill you. Keep bringing more videos, and greetings from CDMX.

[@saltydog8913]

I have found that I really like my U87 much better after I figured out to engage the -10 db pad. This made it not quite as sensitive I believe and allowed my to push my 1073 a little harder and really add some of the Neve colour to the track. Much happier after I started using this concept. I do want to try the SM7B though as I have heard lots of positive reviews on this mic.

[@jolyoncox]

Solid, user-based information. The internet should have more of it. Good job.

[@MrRoberacer]

Option B: make the room sound good. The reason the SM7 sounded better was because of the limitation on detail. That also translates to lost detail on the source as well.

[@rcrighter4319]

Sennheiser FTW! Their drum mics are the bomb. Did HUNDREDS of live shows using them.

[@simonsmith2642]

What do you think about going work horse. 4 piece kit. SM57 all around, beta 52 on kick, Sm81 over head. And a couple of whatever out in the room mid side? Keep it simple clean workhorse. Live or studio should do the job, reliable, and sound pro.

[@rmv2333]

I'm in love with the Sm58. Best and cheaper purchase ever! The 57 sounds good but I'm all for the 58!

[@jeetray11]

I am trying to figure out a simple setup to record guitar, banjo, mandolin. Just the solo instrument. My room is a rectangular narrow room with wood walls and ceiling, carpet floor, room full of computer, instruments etc. No treatment. I have tried a number of large condensers (Rode NT1-a, Lewitt 440, Roswell K87), small condenser pair (Rode M5). Then I just wanted to try a dynamic and got the Shure SM57. My interface is Focusrite 2i2 3rd gen. Shockingly I like the SM57 recording the best. Testing with the banjo. SM57 need to be placed very close otherwise the output is low. I hear clean sound from it. LDCs sound fuller and more warm but doesn't sound good. If I tap my foot super gently on the carpet they pick that sound up. I put the LDCs 2 to 3 feet away. The SDC pair sounds nice. I have to do more experiment with a single SDC. My question to you would be why the LDCs not sounding good and the SM57 does. The SM57 sounds thinner (as if it is missing out some frequencies) but cleaner. Should I try the SM7/SM7B? The Shure SDCs you mentioned will they be better than the Rode M5? Should I try mono recording for solo instrument or stereo? Do you have any recommendation for less expensive Ribbon Mic? Banjo is naturally a loud and creates sharp spikes. I think a mic that can smoothen these out can do a good job. I don't want to spend much time (or any time at all) in post. Please advice.

[@bingybeats189]

Miktek cv4, MXL Revelation (the first one)(yes I'm serious), Telefunken M80, Vanguard v13, Lauten Audio Clarion FC-357. Peluso P-12. Youre welcome...

[@sambrantdrums9622]

my favorite alternative to the e604's is the audix d2 and d4. I personally like these better because they pick up more low end from toms, but they are so so good and so affordable too.

[@notajbrant]

Yo same last name? We must be distant relatives. HaHa

[@sambrantdrums9622]

@@notajbrant Sorry to break it to you but my last name is actually Brantingham. Just sounded catchy for a youtube channel name...

[@steveweilhart2359]

Great Video & advice - have you tried any virtual mics & software like the Slate mics & software & hardware -

[@robgracia509]

thank you for doing this jordan

[@Daysofsamara]

100% agree. using u87 in a non treated environment and/or with a non experienced singer is just waste of time (and money) That's why I love my SM7b. Just place it where you are, no matter, it sounds good. Same for OM7. One of the big advantage of the Om7 is that the singer can handle it! a lot of signer are way more comfortable when handling the mike! Performance first

[@lance134679]

I think in 2021, pretty well everyone has an SM7B. It's very popular these days. These are good suggestions. Thanks from the future.

[@MetalPete_the_metalfan]

I am a one to track my own drums. I did a lot of searching and shopping. Coincidently I found the Shure KSM 137s do a lot of wonders for overheads and rhythm cymbals. I found a few used and I have a total of 4. I actually use SM57s on toms. I do own a set of 606s but they seem to work better for live sound for me. My snare I got a Grenelli SM57 on top and a Beta 57 on the snare bottom. I plug in kick triggers to my drum module for kick hits with an intention of sample replacement. If you do enough shopping, you can buy used and get mics for a really good deal.

[@MeTuLHeD]

The e604's are used everywhere in the pro sound world. As a working drummer, I have to say that I have seen more e604's on toms than any other mic. And the SM7B has become a 'go-to' mic for recording rock and metal singers. In all fairness here, a large diaphragm condenser is preferable on most vocal projects and acoustic instruments. But Roswell Pro Audio (to name just one) makes some world beating LDC's at bargain basement prices. No need to pay Neumann's extortion prices.

[@tanukibrahma]

So true. The KM184s do work well (especially on some acoustic guitars) in imperfect rooms in close proximity, though, and aren't so expensive as most other Neumanns. The AKG 251B is also killer -- as you point out -- on some things.

[@garystackhouse5787]

If the Shure SM7 was good enough for Michael Jackson to sing the whole Thriller album through, it's good enough for our cheap-ass studios!! Other classic broadcast mics (like the E/V RE20 or RE320) also make great vocal mics. Close-miking ANY instrument, including toms, snare, guitar amp or horns...? nothing beats a $100 SM57! For an SDC, people hate on the AKG C1000s, but I don't know why... I LOVE them!

[@frubo_ssg]

Why don't you add sound samples for the comparison? I would like to hear that the Shure SM7b sounds better than the Neumann U87 - I own both and sorry… I can't agree to your rating.

[@owenneillProvidentialFire]

On the kick drum, do you recommend using the AKG on the inside and outside?

[@justaguyinadress]

In regard to the U87, your experience really outlines the importance of the physical recording space and its acoustic properties. I have been to countless recording booths and rooms around the world that look great but sound terrible for lack of understanding of what it takes to treat a space properly. I have designed treatments for several problematic rooms and it often has to do with the low-mids causing the headaches. Therefore, if your room sounds good, practically any mic will do. You are completely correct in saying the sensitive mic will cause headaches in a mix if the room itself is not balanced. As well, the U87 and U47 clones from both Warm Audio and Stam Audio have been getting great reviews at a fraction of the cost. Thanks for the vid, this kind of stuff is always helpful.

[@Nooneofconsequence47]

Love the 421. Sennheiser e904s are my go to. They sound amazing, they're small like the 604s, and they just are rock solid.

[@Damianthelovetour2024]

So true. Sad when I do a A/B on a 57 and 87 lead vocal From a friend that mixed for 20+ years. And I chose the sm57 thinking was the 87. Check out the Roswell mini k47. $299 new Great mic for what’s under the hood Love the slate stuff to

[@mattingramsound]

Completely agree. Though I do still like to use the 451 with a 57 on a guitar cab.

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

Doing the same most of the time.

[@marioamilcartorreslara8096]

Hi Jordan. I have an SM7B and I'm happy AF with it. Much less ambience noise than other mics i've tested, much clarity and the ability to withstand shakes from screamers without compromising the capture of performance and delivery. But I wanted to know your (and public) opinion on the Behringer B2 PRO. It was my first and only (along with a Behringer C1) condenser mic. I've read that the B2 PRO is worth modifying to improve quality and reduce ambience noise and noise floor and still get a decent U87 replication. Any thoughts on this?

[@octaviohenrique.n]

awesome man! Please make more budget videos for us third world country! I'll try these Sennheiser E604 and one of these shures SDC's for shure! Thanks a lot for the advice! Other budget pro sounding mikes i've been using are the Lewit Lct040 (SDC's), the AT2035's and the Shure SM57 (already cliche lol). Are there cheaper alternatives to the distressor? (here in brazil even used is way too expensive) - Cheers!

[@metaldefender49]

I use a Warm 87 and while it's not as smooth as as a U87 I'll tell u right now as long as you don't go too loud it's close enough !!! I love the SMb. I wouldn't compare it to a Neuman 87 AT ALL !!!! With that said your right, if your room doesn't sound great a true 87 won't either. An SM 7B sounds great in any room unlike an 87 but boy you get an 87 in a perfect room and it's gold.

[@rafaelpiccolomendeztorres1232]

What lavalier mic do you use?

[@rist98]

I mean, sure the sm7b is a totally valid choice. But also, a totally different tone, compared to a neumann condencer. I wouldnt think of it as a replacement. Simply a different equally valid option.

[@christopher9000p]

Couldn't agree with you more on the SM7b. Not only is it a great sounding mic, it's also a great mic if your recording environment is less than ideal. Also, for a really good set of cheap SDCs, I'd recommend checking out the Rode M5s. I've got a set, great set of mics for only $260 Canadian. The only catch is that they don't come with a carrying case, but I already had a case that I could put them in so I didn't mind.

[@KalleHullu]

In the first example the problem seems to be the lack of acoustic treatment in your environment, not the more expensive mic.

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

For sure that was the problem. Which is why the SM7b worked so much better in my space. But even in bigger studios I'm happy with the SM7b over lots of other mics.

[@KalleHullu]

I believe you because Ive seen videos where people compare 3 different mics from different priceranges and the difference between the mics was so small that it was more about your taste and preference rather than the soundquality

[@diegom.1510]

true but what would be the point of spending all that time and $$$ on room treatment when sumply switching mics worked fine.

[@manuelmartins6582]

Right now I'm trying to build my mic locker, I already have 1 Shure SM57, a matched-pair of AKG C414 XLS, 1 Sontronics STC20 and 1 AKG D112. Next I think I'll buy 2 more SM57 (snare and guitars), 3 Earthworks DM20 (snare, toms and guitars) and a Stam Audio SA47F (kick, bass and vocals). What do you think about my picks? I'm recording all styles of music, but I mainly work with pop, rock and hard-rock.

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

Love the c414! Espescially on guitar cabs. With a 57. And for overheads

[@davetozier9235]

Have you used the Sennheiser E609 for guitar cabs at all? I use it live but I haven't tried it recording yet. Also have you tried any of the KAM mics?

[@luisfelipelopez2327]

aaaaaaaawesome recomendations brother... thank you very much for your honesty

[@tonets5606]

Agree 100% , for toms i love the e604, and also found out the atm230 from audiotechnica sound amazing in the same price range

[@KipCount]

Any advice on ribbon mics for guitar cabs? Would love to pair a ribbon with my SM57 for guitar cabs but a Royer r121 is out of the question in regards to $$$.

[@okioki1131]

I picked up the Aston Origin yesterday, what do you think of that?

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

Another great affordable option for Small Diaphragm Condensers are Octava MC 012 if you can find them. Guitar Center used to sell them for $99 each or a matched pair (which I have) for $249. Warning though if you want 2 get a MATCHED pair...I have found the gain amount on them can vary but with my matched pair they were fine. Oh, and I also have a matched pair of KM 184's ;)

[@UCS0608]

I have 4 Octava's 012 with the three capsules for more than 25 years now (the first ones were way better than the newer ones) and they are absolutely ok, but the KM184's really sound better.

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

@UCS0608 Absolutely! I love my KM 184s but you're talking a huge price difference too lol

[@louderthangod]

I've never liked U87's in general...U47's are amazing but 87's have a high end that just isn't pleasant. As for 421's, I prefer them to the Sennheiser's but I record a lot of stoner/doom and vintage 421's bring the depth whereas the Sennheiser's have more of an attack high/mid emphasis. I also don't use SDC's for overheads...I'm a ribbon on overhead kinda guy most of the time from m160's to an AEA R88 or No Hype large ribbons for a budget model. l like the way ribbons smooth out the highs so I can crank the overheads without ripping the head off the listener plus it brings out the body of the ride and snare. SM7B's are great on various things, an RE20 is another great one along the same lines...great for vocals, horns, guitar, bass and even kick.

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

Really dig the re20 on kicks!

[@rainy2299219]

I guess the title should be the best cheap mic that beat experienced one in metal and rock... All those mics are dynamic especially sm7b if you are not a screamer you defiantly need a good preamp to lift it up...

[@josefrancisco6969]

Any more options for overheads and spot cymbal mics ? Thanks!

[@lylaznboi01]

I've been using the Aston Starlight for overheads. They're about $700 USD, but they sound a lot better than most expensive mics. Spot mics, you can get away with any cheap SDC or dynamic mics as long as you position it correctly.

[@JedidiahBensemann]

Look up the Slate ML-2

[@justme-eb6lz]

in a VERSATILITY situations(comerciall studio with al kind of clients) you will prefer the expensive ones and lots of them..but as long as you run a small 'personal' home studio you are ok with the budget ones

[@adamwasthefirstman]

Even cheaper than the SM7 is the RE-320, which has become my go to vocal mic and kick/bass mic to boot. Crazy good value! But I love my friend's 421s on toms. I've tried tons of mics for this, and they just keep winning. Though simple 57s are almost as good and significantly cheaper. Heck, I don't even hate the cheapo Samson tom mics in a pinch!

[@RinconDev]

even cheaper is the miktek pm9 literally a handheld sm7b

[@MrFilimn]

For vocals it’s Sure sm58, it never lies

[@olanclark1664]

While you spend your week, think about a cathode ray tube with a mic receiver also. Like a mega-a/v collector. With it, you can record or backup any and every allegation afronting you. You can have it to keep your portion.

[@ricc333]

Absolutely agree. I've been using e-604's on my toms for over a decade and they always sound great. I dig MD-421's too, but good luck fitting them into my drums. Also, an SM7B with a Cloudlifter inline sounds freakin' awesome.

[@DavidGriffis]

Good comparisons. However, there isn't any replacement for the 421 in my book. For example, it will pickup things on a Cajun or bass drum that other mics miss. As far as I'm concerned, the 421 is always in the mix when it comes to percussion and guitar cabinets. It sounds good on other things too but you need a high quality pre-amp for that.

[@Metroidam11]

I was thinking about the SM7B thinking "man, I want something a little cheaper, hopefully this video will recommend something better lower cost for vocals" and sure enough, the mic I thought was expensive is actually budget! I think I'm just going to hold off on buying a mic and save up until I can buy one.

[@SpellboundStats]

Budget really is subjective isn't it? I am also looking for something good enough to lay down some vocals in my home studio that is good enough. Funnily sm7bs sell for as much used as they do new on reverb due to all the hype, surely (pun intended) there has to be something decent in the 100-150 dollar range but it probably won't have a well known audio brand name attached. I bet there is a chinese knock off of the sm7b that sounds exactly the same without the "Shure" logo on it.

[@magnusberger6762]

A Sm57/58 is (after what I’ve heard) very similar, and can be made almost identical with some EQ tweaks. You can find turorials of that on KZbin.

[@tboorer]

great video...but the background music!!!! Why?!

[@avukadox]

hi! what is your prefer as overheads?? sm81 or ksm137 ? and why?

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

I'd be happy with either. On a bigger budget one of my favs are AKG c541

[@ChrisMartinsMusician]

SM7b is the best studio vocal mic I tried on most people, much more adept than most LDCs... A very cool SDC is the Rode M3 for super cheap, especially on acoustic guitar.

[@antiHeroeCostaRica]

I use D2 for rack toms and D4 for floor toms, i like them better than the 421. Much more moderns sounding.

[@simonbarth3181]

Carefull! The 421 sound bad becouse the new black version has a different eq, than the beige old ones. Look up comparisons, especially on amps the old ones are by far superior.

[@schnitzelbube]

What would you recommend? Buying a GAP Premier 73 Preamp for recording GTR/vocals or try to emulate it with plugins like the Slate FG-73. I run a small homestudio and doing stuff for my band, but i also have plans to do mixing/recording as a small business next to my dayjob.

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

When budget allows, I definitely recommend investing in a high-end preamp.

[@schnitzelbube]

@@hardcoremusicstudio thanks a lot for your answer! Now i will save up for one 😊

[@KeepTheGates]

@@schnitzelbube check out the GAP Premier series pre73. It's modeled much closer to a real 1073 than the other pres they've put out, and it's only $100 more.

[@schnitzelbube]

@@KeepTheGates i will check that out. Thanks!

[@antoineinniss5586]

Sir, I'm commenting from Trinidad and Tobago, in the Caribbean . Your video was really great. Can you recommend some affordable, but acceptable condenser and shotgun microphones, for voice over please . I've just started out, so I can't afford any microphone above $300. Thanking you in advance . Also, do you have an email address I can use to communicate with you.

[@-........]

the 604s are good on toms as as a decent dynamic should. but the clamp is the luxury and i didn't notice any unwanted elements in the signal due to the clamp which i feared.

[@md4man]

A great small diaphragm condenser option are the Slate Digital ML-2s. I realize they seem like a gimmick on the surface, but they sound great without any emulation added & the emulations add a lot of tonal options. They test out well above their price point, in my opinion. Now, if only Slate would produce enough to meet demand...

[@angelosr1965]

Awesome video and some very valuable advice. Interesting enough, Michael Jackson recorded the entire Thriller album with the SM7b..

[@timball8429]

Caveat that was only on vocals, not every instrument. But also to remind KZbinrs here that Thriller was also recorded on a top of the range desk. So my point is to understand that mics are only one part of the daisy chain.

[@chrisbackstage]

That was the SM7 and not SM7B, right?

[@angelosr1965]

Yes, it was the sm7

[@musicalwolf1080]

sm 57 can give you same sound as 7b with EQ and effort, but the only drawback of sm57 is the freq. range 15KHz max. but the 7B is 18KHz, both mics are legend, but sm57 price is 1/3 7B price

[@lawrencerasmus]

The 58 has the same capsule , the 7b is the King's new cloths

[@micahalston8974]

Any suggestions for U47.

[@McOuroborosBurger]

Looking to get a ribbon or SM7B soon. Been using a 57 with windscreen and AT-2035 with capsules lined up behind a single pop filter and it sounds really good particularly for the vocalist of one of the bands I’m in.

[@666Ekinox]

Any good ribbon mics to mix with a sm57 for electric guitar ? Less expensive thant Royer 121

[@dustywilson5461]

Would it make sense to use the SM7B on drums, like toms ?

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

It can be nice on a snare. Did that once and was happy. In combination with a cheap small condenser you can get good results

[@thehound5794]

You are 1000% correct and besides, the Neumann mics have quality control issues. German products are JUNK now. there is no way one of their mic costs 30 time more to make than a Rode or a Shure mic.

[@tearitloosetearitloose4670]

Try the Beta 57A for acoustic guitar.

[@DumireDrDrum]

background music is too distracting to get the video point... leave it for introduction. thanks for the thought though

[@jazmineyazmin]

If you’ve never heard an SM58 on toms, you should check it out.

[@wtulin1970]

Hi, just another gentle nudge that you do not need background music for this video. Especially for gear reviews, sans music just works better.

[@vyoufinder]

There is a lot of noise on this video

[@TazzSmk]

I gotta agree, although I haven't had chance to try some of those you mentioned, in studio I prefer condenser mics, with decent preamps they capture nicer sound imo, as a general purpose mic (for kick, toms, bass, sax, guitars, amps etc..) I prefer sE X1D (very close to U47 FET), large and fast titan-diagraphm does wonders and doesn't mind extreme acoustic pressure, sometimes with combination of HSMC001 (large diagraphm condenser for less than 60$, usually for overheads and instruments which need more life, like dull amps), for vocals the sE 4400a (more of an alternative to AKG 414), which I like more than vintage U87 (which I don't use much at all by now), also being more versatile thanks to various switches and lesser weight, most convenient dynamic mic I have been using is t.bone CD 56 beta (despite I do have MD 421), which is a smaller copy of SM57 (maybe a copy of 56 who knows) and can be easily mounted especially on snare without drummers hitting it, sturdy build quality and great sound despite being cheaper than shure SM mics

[@joeyshuster8569]

I’ve had someone tell me my kick isn’t hard enough because I didn’t use a neumann tube mic😭😭

[@smalcerz01]

show samples. sm7b has a lot of noise if you don't have a good preamp. u87 is totally different mic.

[@fhMolotov]

Just got the SM7B.. I CANT WAIT TO HIT THOSE LOWS..

[@2018574]

Man, just check HEIL PR35. You will be in shock. I replaced all my SHURE stuff by HEIL.

[@BoyOfLol]

Nice! I absolutely love KSM 137's. They're just a great go-to SDC

[@jorisArt]

Hi-I like your philosophy! And enjoyed your video. I’m a cellist, and my AKG 220 LDC sounds scratchy and harsh, not smooth and warm like I’d like. Any suggestions for a mic that would sound good for me to try, and no more money?

[@chinmeysway]

ribbon mics

[@HR2635]

I have vintage (white) MD-421 in MINT condition (unused since they were made in 1961), 3 of them. Frequency matched by the factory for the German Radio NDR. They are fine. But.. never use them for toms.. way to bulky, bleed is horrible, low end is not really good. Good for snare tough (if you dont mind the bleed). I use E604 or SubZero SZM-10 (yep!.. a 35$ mic) on toms.. and LOVE them. on large floortoms I will often use a bd mic though.

[@microkit]

Many will disagree that the SM81 is better than the Shure KSM137 or 141.

[@MetalPete_the_metalfan]

As far as toms and snare go I actually use SM 57s. It’s the scenario of using free standing mics to prevent extra resonance hum. The Sennheiser 604 pack which I do own I preferring use for live sound.

[@monkeyxx]

Wow, I love all three of those mics, great choices.

[@noreaction1]

I want a stereo pair multipurpose large diaphragm condenser. What’s better than the akg c214? I was thinking of getting a pair of Neumann Tlm 103 but it’s out of my budget. I need that nice bass response

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

CAD might be a choice.

[@JiihaaS]

Personally I would never use dynamic mics for vocals in studio conditions. They just make the sound too dull and dark to my liking. But then again I'm the guy who prefers condensers when close-miking drums and always on guitar cabinets, so maybe it's just me. I agree, you should put the money where it makes the most impact, but for me it's definately mics! I'd rather use high-end mics with mediocre preamps than mediocre mics with high-end preamps. Especially if the room isn't well treated, because cheaper mics tend to have much worse off-axis performance, which makes the reflections sound ugly and unnatural, instead of blending them nicely to the on-axis sound. Nevertheless this is a good subject and something for everyone to think: does expensive automatically mean better quality.

[@johannsoncrusoe5589]

I like the sm7b for sure! And I line the MD421 on toms! It always worked for me. But it is true. Get a good basic set of mics and do not fancy one that keeps you waiting for instead of being creative.

[@MerlotEmbargo]

Agreed! I’ve been using sm7 and 81s for years.

[@muncham]

Great alternative to the Sennheiser's for Toms at the same price point is the Audio Technica ATM230's. Just bought a set and COULDN'T be happier with the results.

[@piperrac]

What would you recommend for ribbon type mics?

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

I've only really used the Royer 101 and 121. Both great but super unnecessary for most cases. A nice flavor to have but you don't NEED it.

[@chinmeysway]

sounds like super vague subjectivity but i like idea of not support overpriced mic companies.

[@AwesomeShotStudios]

Okay....what's with the music? It's just not right for a mic review video.

[@leandrosinich2214]

Mics have much more impact in your sound than any preamp or outboard gear. I cant disagree more with you.

[@xaosnox]

I agree that all of the expensive mics are not worth the money. I've worked with several versions of the U87, and the best one was okay. The worst one was the current model, the U87Ai. It absolutely sucks. What I have to shout out a loud "what, What, WHAT!??!!" to is the Shure SM7B. That thing is horrible to work with. I do mostly voice acting and some long form narration where the vocal is bare and only very mildly effected. The SM7B requires the gain on the preamp to be turned up so high to get a decent signal out of it that you get a lot of noise compared to a condenser. My all time favorite mic for VO, musical vocals, kicks, and any real instrument (especially the cello) is the original CAD e100 that was made in the U.S.. Not the e100 2 which was garbage, or the current e100s, but the 90s version that's just the plain e100. It has a warm, vintage, tube-like sound with far superior bottom end pick up to any of the Neumanns except the TLM 107, a smooth, subtle presence boost, a graceful dip in the sibilant range, and just a touch of shimmery air. Its diaphragm is suspended between internal shock absorbers, and it has a built in metal pop filter behind the outer brass grill. It also comes with 2 rechargeable 9 volt batteries that provide extra power if it needs it to capture intense transients with perfect clarity and they can also be used to supply phantom power if needed. It also has a super tight cardioid pickup pattern, so you get some of the benefits of a shotgun's off-axis noise reduction, but a little more room to move around. The proximity effect is like butter. And, if all that wasn't enough, it uses the sleekest shock mount you've ever seen. You can't even tell it's there, and it uses standard o-rings that you can get at any hardware store should they ever break. I never used to tell people about them because they are hard to track down, but I managed to find two in a night and picked them both up for just over $300. Also, the RØDE NT1 (not the anniversary edition) is another sleeper. It uses a modded version of the K7 capsule and has a very similar sound to the U87 up top, but smoother, and has a much richer bottom end. It comes with a dual-layered, metal pop filter and a metal, lyre-style shock mount. The SM7B can be alright for very loud metal singers, but it's far from what I'd call the best. I was a very loud, metal singer for many years. People would tell me it sounded like the walls were gonna break down. 4+ octave range with Dio-esque power. The SM7B was flat and dull sounding compared to the mics I used (primarily different Neumanns, EV, AKG, and AT LDC mics), and all I can say is I wish the CAD e100 or RØDE NT1 was around at the time. The original Oktava Mk 329 actually sounded a lot better than a U87 on a couple of albums that I did. And the Shure was always a disappointment. Love Jordan's advice, but I've gotta say my preferences are very different when it comes to that mic. Next the the U47 and U87, I think it's one of the most over rated mics there are. I don't even think it sounds good for vlogging compared to many less expensive options.

[@Maedara]

i like to use the sm7b on toms but for vocals i prefer the sm57