Budget (around $100 or less) condenser mics?

[wenzel.hellgren]

i am looking to purchase a condenser mic, and am looking in the $100 or less range. Any reccomendations? I am really interested in a triple pattern mic and am considering the Nady SCM-1000 or the Samson C3 (both $99). Are these worth the price, or is there something better in the near price range? the Beringer B2 Pro is about $50 more, but if it's worth it I could probably swing it. I am thinking that if I am to only get one mic, a 3 pattern mic will be more versital, and am interested in the applications of figure 8 and omni patterns.

Or, perhaps I just go for two cheaper cardioid mic's? I am interested in recording stereo. Perhaps two Samson C01's?

Any suggestions would help. I'm not sure what to get without hearing/using any of the mics. I would like to record drums, amplified acoustic guitars, and keyboards (might record keys direct).

Are Nady mics any good? What about MXL or Octava?

any suggestions would be great. thanks.

[eeldip]

studio projects B3 is the only one i would get with multiple patterns.

[Eric Rottmayer]

i second that. i have it, and it was my first multi-patern. for like $159 you
can't beat it. it's a little harsh in the highs on vocals, but it's great on guitars,
my floor tom & tons of other instuments. good for experiments.

eric

[eh91311]

Mics are a hard recommendation, especially budget ones. The Nady SCM-1000 is OK for the price. The StudioProjects B3 is a better multi-pattern mic. The best bargain these days is Guitar Center's $99 for a pair of Oktava MK219 large-diaphragm condensers...cardiod pattern only, no figure 8 or omni. The best quality for the price is a $80 StudioProjects cardiod-only B1.

[@?,*???&?]

I would narrow down the application of the mic. What are you going to use this for? All of the afforementioned mics are going to give you seriously compromised frequency response and tonal quality. Asking for a multi-pattern mic at below a hundred dollars is an oxymoron. What will you be recording that will require a solid figure eight pickup pattern? Have you come across a situation where an omni-directional mic is an absolute necessity? Save your money and pick up a Shure KSM 44 in a few months. You'll be very pleased you did!

[joel hamilton]

I agree with Jeff robinson,
Put the 100 bucks in a cigar box marked "mic I want" and you are 100 dollars closer to a good mic.

I swear, it is worth it, although there are some really cool mics that you can get for 60 bucks on ebay, but not a "do it all" mic.

Actually, you may get some really cool sounds experimenting with some really weird mics, so go for it.

-Im a really big help here....

[Professor]

And one more vote for saving your money and getting a better mic. Come on, even a Shure SM-57 costs more the $100, don't they have a list price of something like 199? If you want to spend your money, the stores will be happy to take it and they have been scraping the bottom of the barrel lately to accomodate the $100 mic market. Even I have an envelope on my desk, right now that says 'gear fund' on it and when I have money from gigs or gifts or spare cash I throw it in, and every few months it works its way up to a few hundred dollars and I buy something nice. Back in January I picked up an RCA 74b ribbon mic on eBay for around $350. I just picked up a set of Tannoy system 800 monitors for $385 on eBay. This is just the money that I spend on my personal toys, that is exactly what it is there for, I buy the school equipment on the school's dime.
I'm sure you are excited and the money is burning a hole in your pocket, but seriously, just wait. Put the money in an envelope and add to it for even just a month or two, and while you are waiting, do lots of research on microphones that will do the job you need done. Then buy them when you have the money. Don't look for one that fits your budget and hope it will do the jobs you need, because it just doesn't work that way.

-Jeremy

[blucey]

It's amazing ... $100 for a condenser was unheard of not long ago...

In that range i'd get a SP B3 for $125.

For dynamics the Senn e609 silver is $99 and a Beta 57 is not much more.

[televator]

as said before, the studio projects b3 is a fantastic mic for its price.

but i disagree with those that say to save your money and get something later. if you have the bug to record now, get what is best for your budget. i would suggest 2 mics instead of a single multi-pattern. you have much more versatility there, especially if recording drums. i am a proponent of getting cheap equipment, using that to make the best recordings you can, and each time you go for more equipment, get something a little bit nicer and more pricey. but whatever you do, get started right away and make due with what you have. if that means using an sm57 and a plastic tape recorder mic to record your drums, do it. i have done exactly that, going into a busted 4-track and got a drum sound that has left a few drummers drooling.

[swingdoc]

Hi, I wont get into the debate about buy cheap now or save and do better later....its a good debate but....as previously stated by others...just DONT buy expensive now and go into debt...bad idea...
IF you decide to buy now, the Behringer ECM8000 omni mics are a decent mic for 39$ new, so a pair for ~$80...not a bad mic, and a pair allows you to try stereo stuff for under $100...
good luck, mc

[@?,*???&?]

Can you really record 'stereo' with two omni-directional mics? Think about it...

[wenzel.hellgren]

Thanks for the tips everybody. I am now considering the Studio Projects mics, they are only slightly out of my price range (yes, I am damn po').

As much as I would like a multi pattern mic (for various experiments and versitility) I may start with two cardiods to be able to record stereo right away. Although I am really interested in Blumlein/MS miking, in which the multi pattern would come in handy (but still need another mic).

Would two omni mics give much stereo spread? I assume there will be a bit of spread, but not much?

[dbc]

I have a pair and they're working great for my needs. (Project studio for rock/blues/acoustic stuff.) Acoustic guitar and vocals (with a little conpression) come out great. Also look into the C03's they have a a figure 8 pattern available. Do a search at http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ for the specs....

[jajjguy]

"whatever you do, get started right away and make due with what you have."

amen to that.

"do lots of research on microphones that will do the job you need done. Then buy them when you have the money. Don't look for one that fits your budget and hope it will do the jobs you need, because it just doesn't work that way."

amen to that too.

so where does that leave you? well, what mic do you have right now, anything? if you don't have any working mic, you could start by picking up the cheapest mic THAT YOU WILL KEEP. an sm57, a beringer ECM-8000, there may be others. but don't have unrealistic expectations: if you can only spend $100, get what you can get for $100 that is good. probably, this means not getting a multi-pattern LD condensor (though I haven't heard the SP B3). but there are things you can get on your budget, that will be good purchases.

in conclusion: 1. make only good purchases. 2. start recording now, with whatever you've got.

[blucey]

For M-S get the B1 and B3 or C1 and C3. They match up nicely. Or a C1 and a B3 would work fine and give 2 variations when used singly.

In the most general terms, the C series has more mid hair and the B more air. 6 micron and 3 micron dia respectively.

B has a brighter top and less in the low end. The C's 6 micron diaphragm mid color cannot be eq'd out. Yet for male vocals it's a good thing and the overall quality is slightly better.

Both are useful and amazing at the price offered. You get what you pay for and you really get a lot with either of these.