What's the Best Studio Mic? $48 to $1100
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Date: 2022-09-13
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Comments and reviews: 20
DandelionTV
There are tons and tons of chinese made mics designed to look like Neumann or Telefunken or in some cases like AKG or other japanese mics. In some cases they are dead ringers but a local music store who sells their own brand or Neumann ish mics has discovered the capsules are where the weak spot is. They do need to have an ability to move freely and deliver an analog electrical version of what they are hearing'. The store found the capsules tend to dry out and crack and given they need to move with sound pressure that makes them impractical or useless. They really do need to stand the test of time and wear and tear PLUS also deal with temp and humidity changes.
As for these mics you are testing. the Neumann is really for radio work. I've not seen them used for instruments. Do love the BLUE mics and the baby bottle is no exception but usually more of a singer/female voice kind of mic. Quality diaphragm but given the price likely made in China not Europe or Japan although the company is headquarter in the USA. I understand they are designed in the USA but not sure they are made their.
Try some CAD mics. some are nice. I used the E100s which is supposedly made in the USA. SHould be same price point as the BLUE.
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There are tons and tons of chinese made mics designed to look like Neumann or Telefunken or in some cases like AKG or other japanese mics. In some cases they are dead ringers but a local music store who sells their own brand or Neumann ish mics has discovered the capsules are where the weak spot is. They do need to have an ability to move freely and deliver an analog electrical version of what they are hearing'. The store found the capsules tend to dry out and crack and given they need to move with sound pressure that makes them impractical or useless. They really do need to stand the test of time and wear and tear PLUS also deal with temp and humidity changes.
As for these mics you are testing. the Neumann is really for radio work. I've not seen them used for instruments. Do love the BLUE mics and the baby bottle is no exception but usually more of a singer/female voice kind of mic. Quality diaphragm but given the price likely made in China not Europe or Japan although the company is headquarter in the USA. I understand they are designed in the USA but not sure they are made their.
Try some CAD mics. some are nice. I used the E100s which is supposedly made in the USA. SHould be same price point as the BLUE.
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Aleksandr
I don't get why you even considered including Fifine, but didn't check out brands like Superlux? It is well known Taiwanese company which makes quality stuff really cheap. There is a Superlux S502U MKII a USB desktop mic which you can have for 60 EUR and it's supposed to write 24bit audio. There is XLR phantom powered version as well.
As a chinese competitor I would choose Boya or Takstar brand. I'm not sure if Boya has large condenser studio mic, but Takstar seems to have one.
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I don't get why you even considered including Fifine, but didn't check out brands like Superlux? It is well known Taiwanese company which makes quality stuff really cheap. There is a Superlux S502U MKII a USB desktop mic which you can have for 60 EUR and it's supposed to write 24bit audio. There is XLR phantom powered version as well.
As a chinese competitor I would choose Boya or Takstar brand. I'm not sure if Boya has large condenser studio mic, but Takstar seems to have one.
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Mulder's
I don't mind usb interfaces, but I hate usb mics with a passion. I must use a real mic. USB interfaces make sense going forward in the future and modern times, and a lot are just really great sound quality with low noise, and I have real preamps to use with a mixer line-in if I want all analogue but to me, as far as mics go. you just will not get the same level of quality/design with usb mics that you will with a real mic.
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I don't mind usb interfaces, but I hate usb mics with a passion. I must use a real mic. USB interfaces make sense going forward in the future and modern times, and a lot are just really great sound quality with low noise, and I have real preamps to use with a mixer line-in if I want all analogue but to me, as far as mics go. you just will not get the same level of quality/design with usb mics that you will with a real mic.
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Tommy
This is one of those lessons that if learned early could save people thousands of wasted dollars and hours (myself included. It's crazy to think that beginners will know that room and mic placement can make any mic sound good or bad. really expensive mics will make you be able to hear that terrible room REALLY clearly. Just not intuitive as a beginner. you're taught from day one that more $$$ = more better.
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This is one of those lessons that if learned early could save people thousands of wasted dollars and hours (myself included. It's crazy to think that beginners will know that room and mic placement can make any mic sound good or bad. really expensive mics will make you be able to hear that terrible room REALLY clearly. Just not intuitive as a beginner. you're taught from day one that more $$$ = more better.
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Time
The interference is due to the electrical current transmitted through your computer. That is what you are hearing through the FiFine K670. If you plug it up into your computer alone without any other cables into it, You will not here the interference because then, the electrical current will either be negated, or gone completely. Charging your computer also affects it as well. Indy Mogul
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The interference is due to the electrical current transmitted through your computer. That is what you are hearing through the FiFine K670. If you plug it up into your computer alone without any other cables into it, You will not here the interference because then, the electrical current will either be negated, or gone completely. Charging your computer also affects it as well. Indy Mogul
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Retro
Awesome video! I learned a lot, like the distance you should be from a microphone, and how they are almost the same (besides the cheaper ones. I currently have a Rode NT1-A with a Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Interface and an Audio Technica USB microphone. I also have a Rode on camera microphone for my DSLR. This video makes me feel good about my several microphone setups.
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Awesome video! I learned a lot, like the distance you should be from a microphone, and how they are almost the same (besides the cheaper ones. I currently have a Rode NT1-A with a Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Interface and an Audio Technica USB microphone. I also have a Rode on camera microphone for my DSLR. This video makes me feel good about my several microphone setups.
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Jeffrey
Maybe they shouldn't put an LED right next to the mic capsule. We just did a 48hour film challenge testing the fifine wireless system for lavs (deadlance steam vlogs) and we had a great time with them, but got a bad wireless pack. They are a great company and are sending us some free packs but that really made production a challenge
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Maybe they shouldn't put an LED right next to the mic capsule. We just did a 48hour film challenge testing the fifine wireless system for lavs (deadlance steam vlogs) and we had a great time with them, but got a bad wireless pack. They are a great company and are sending us some free packs but that really made production a challenge
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Flamekebab
I'd be very interested to see/hear a comparison of different mics suited for recording audio for foley and similar. I've only seen ridiculously expensive mics recommended. I'm sure a $1000 microphone sounds lovely but that's not exactly plausible for starting out!
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I'd be very interested to see/hear a comparison of different mics suited for recording audio for foley and similar. I've only seen ridiculously expensive mics recommended. I'm sure a $1000 microphone sounds lovely but that's not exactly plausible for starting out!
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Caipa
Fun Fact: On my old Logitech Call Center Headphones they ALL sound exactly the same! So yeah they might sound difference, but the other end ALSO needs to be able to reproduce it 8)
Lesson learned? : I need to get better headphones ' (than the free ones I have)
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Fun Fact: On my old Logitech Call Center Headphones they ALL sound exactly the same! So yeah they might sound difference, but the other end ALSO needs to be able to reproduce it 8)
Lesson learned? : I need to get better headphones ' (than the free ones I have)
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Stuck
I wonder it the circuitry the LED uses is causing the noise. I have a Xenyx X1222 mixer and the LED lights for the main mix faders add crackling and popping when you monitor the playback. There's something going on there!
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I wonder it the circuitry the LED uses is causing the noise. I have a Xenyx X1222 mixer and the LED lights for the main mix faders add crackling and popping when you monitor the playback. There's something going on there!
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Kat
Would like to know the most affordable way to put together a mic set up that can be used for live and studio performance and what type of speaker do you use for a live performance and what do you plug it in with?
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Would like to know the most affordable way to put together a mic set up that can be used for live and studio performance and what type of speaker do you use for a live performance and what do you plug it in with?
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Thomas
Well, you pay for service, durability and name brand for the more expensive mics. But for indie filmmakers it's good to know you can achieve results with cheaper options if you use them in the right way.
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Well, you pay for service, durability and name brand for the more expensive mics. But for indie filmmakers it's good to know you can achieve results with cheaper options if you use them in the right way.
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Mulder's
Excluding the Neumann, Blue Baby Bottle sounded the best to me, it had the same clarity as the other good mics except added some extra body and slight more detail to it to boot. Snowball stunk imo.
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Excluding the Neumann, Blue Baby Bottle sounded the best to me, it had the same clarity as the other good mics except added some extra body and slight more detail to it to boot. Snowball stunk imo.
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Elastic
When I purchased the fifine k670 I had the same exact noise. I returned it after that and bought a blue snowball (not ice edition) and that sounds way better and everyone says in crystal clear
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When I purchased the fifine k670 I had the same exact noise. I returned it after that and bought a blue snowball (not ice edition) and that sounds way better and everyone says in crystal clear
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Jamison
The Snowball gets a bad rap b/c it's the go to for people who don't have good treatment or good technique. Pry my TLM 103 from my cold dead hands.
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The Snowball gets a bad rap b/c it's the go to for people who don't have good treatment or good technique. Pry my TLM 103 from my cold dead hands.
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Gimmebackmydog
TLM 103 is the best. Fifine comes in second. Baby Bottle third. And the Blue Snowball is probably the worst microphone I've ever heard.
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TLM 103 is the best. Fifine comes in second. Baby Bottle third. And the Blue Snowball is probably the worst microphone I've ever heard.
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Dom
The noise is caused by a faulty ground - it's the USB port or plug.
Fix: Between the mic and computer, connect a device with a solid ground.
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The noise is caused by a faulty ground - it's the USB port or plug.
Fix: Between the mic and computer, connect a device with a solid ground.
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bobbyD
the neuman sounds the most in person ig. its like im in the room with you and with the other mics it sounds like they color the sound a bit.
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the neuman sounds the most in person ig. its like im in the room with you and with the other mics it sounds like they color the sound a bit.
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Paradox
Listening on studio monitors, I can barely tell a difference. If I record my various microphones, they are easily distinguishable.
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Listening on studio monitors, I can barely tell a difference. If I record my various microphones, they are easily distinguishable.
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Mattis
I'm pretty sure the interference comes from the LED inside of the Mic. Got a similar noise problem in my room, because of an led
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I'm pretty sure the interference comes from the LED inside of the Mic. Got a similar noise problem in my room, because of an led
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