Dynamic mics for studio vocals.......looking for bang for the buck!

[schismatic]

I'm thinking of getting myself a dynamic mic to do some home studio vocals, as I'm keen to take the room out of the equation.

I'm aware of the Shure options such as the sm57 and sm7b which have been used successfully on records, but what other options are available in the £50 -£200 region?

 

[BLUElightCory]

If you hunt around you can probably find a used SM7B for 200GBP BUT if that fails, the Mercenary-modded SM57 sounds quite similar for substantially less cash.

I'd also check out the Beyerdynamic M201, Heil PR22 and Telefunken M81.

 

[if6was9]

Keep your eyes peeled for an EV RE-20. Common radio broadcasting mic that suits both vocals and kick drums. They're around the same price new as SM7's but less popular at the minute so you can get them cheaper. The BBC were selling off a load of old World Service equipment in lots on an auction site recently and sold tons of them at pretty low prices.
Used them in college a few times and from what I remember they were pretty good.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I honestly like me a good SM57 for tracking scream vocals waaaaaay better than a cheaper condenser, personally.

I like the Beta 57 and 58 too.

 

[nervirasme]

I honestly like me a good SM57 for tracking scream vocals waaaaaay better than a cheaper condenser, personally.

I like the Beta 57 and 58 too.

+1

SM57 is more overlooked than it should be (even given it's workhorse status).

 

[MurderMachine]

Personally, when it comes to dynamic mics in the studio for vocals, the SM7B is the only choice.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Personally, when it comes to dynamic mics in the studio for vocals, the SM7B is the only choice.

I think you'll find plenty of great producers/engineers disagreeing with this. But to each his own!

 

[RedDog]

Audix i5.

 

[neptunian]

There's the Heil PR-22 UT. Around $120 USD, has a crisp and clear sound for a dynamic.

 

[mickrich]

Audix i5 for me too.
I always set up neumann tlm103, sm57, md421 and i5 to see which the singer prefers.
i5 nearly always wins due to it cutting through the mix with best clarity.
This would be through a Universal Audio LA-610 in low impedance mode.
A really good mic pre makes dynamics sound amazing.
They have an sm7b in the studio where I teach and while it sounds good and full, it doesn't cut like the i5 IME and I always bring an i5 for sessions for snare top and to try on vocals.

i5 is a killer mic, especially considering the price. Funnily enough I don't like it on guitar cabs. Tends to be a bit fizzy. 57 for me on cabs.

 

[Wisheraser]

Keep your eyes peeled for an EV RE-20. Common radio broadcasting mic that suits both vocals and kick drums.

+1. I'm searching around for a decent used RE-20 right now for the times when the SM7B just isn't working on a given vocalist.

 

[schismatic]

Some great views from all and varied suggestions. I'll be using the dynamic for vocals in a home studio environment and I should probably add that it's for clean vocals and that my voice is more towards the tenor end of the scale rather than bass. As a result, I'm mostly concerned in getting the richness of my voice out - I don't want it to sound too thin. Based on this, what would you recommend?