List of GREAT cheap mics

[MEGA DAVE]

Hey everyone, so I figured I'd start a thread dedicated to mics out there that are cheap but sound good. Please feel free to add to this.

$100 AND UNDER:

Shure SM57 - Great all around uni-directional mic, that has multiple uses. Can be used for anything, notably used to mic guitar cabinets and snare drums, but great for vocals, drums ,etc.

Shure SM58 - Great cheap vocal mic.

Sennheiser e609 - Good mic for micing guitar cabinets, has a unique flat design to sit right on grille cloth.

Audix i5 - Good alternative to the SM57.

$100-200

Shure Beta 58A - Great vocal mic, used on many recordings, Good upgrade from the SM58.

Shure Beta 57A - Alot like the SM57 but with a few unique characteristics

Sennheiser evolution e906 - Alot like the e609 but with an added presence switch. Great for micing guitar cabinets.

Shure Beta 52A - Kick drum mic, one of the most widely used mics for getting a punchy kick drum.

Shure Beta 56A - Great multi-use microphone, good for instrument micing, as well as drums.

Sennheiser e604 evolution - Tom and snare mic, has a convenient built in clip that fits compact on drums.

Studio Projects B1 Condenser - My person 'go-to' condenser mic. Great for all applications, vocals, guitar cabs, etc..

$200-300

AKG D 112 - An alternative to the Beta 52A, also a great mic for kick drums.

AKG C 1000 S Condenser - GREAT all around condenser mic, good for acoustic instruments, overheads, vocals, choirs, etc...

Shure Beta 91 - Another great Shure kick drum mic, compact and sits inside the kick drum, has more or a low end thump sound.

Rode NT1A Condenser - Good starter LDC(large diaphragm condenser), Works well for vocals, and cymbals, has an enhanced high range characteristic to it.

Studio Projects C1 Condenser - Great LDC, used for vocals on a few big name albums.

Audio Technica AT4040 Condenser - Great all around LDC, Good for vocals, cabniet micing, etc..

 

[BLUElightCory]

A vote to add the Heil PR20/PR30/PR40 to this list.

 

[arv_foh]

A vote to add the Heil PR20/PR30/PR40 to this list.

+1 I have 3 PR28s and they are great too

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

$100-200 and you didn't include the audix D6? SHAME.

Also: technically if we are doing new prices, the e609 belongs in the 100-200 category.

 

[cloy26]

no sub 200 condensers worth a look besides the b1? I need decent overheads... :\

 

[AllanD]

no sub 200 condensers worth a look besides the b1? I need decent overheads... :

Rode NT5's can be had in a pair for like 300$.

 

[BLUElightCory]

no sub 200 condensers worth a look besides the b1? I need decent overheads... :

Audio Technica ATM450 ~ $200 each

 

[FarBeyondMetal]

Anything from http://naiant.com is pretty great for the price. I have three of the X-T models and they apparently upgraded that mic since I bought my set. Highly recommended for people looking for cheap tom mics but I tried one on my guitar cab once and it was actually a really cool sound to blend with a 57. Been eyin' a pair of X-M's for overheads for a long while now also :Smokin:

 

[everybody's x]

realistic pzm's
"fake" chinese oktava mc012's, rule on toms
mxl 990's GREAT on overheads, suck on everything else
audix d6
shure sm7
shure green bullet

 

[aortizjr]

$100-$200

CAD M179 LDC. Selectable pole patterns, killer on toms. Definitely a good all rounder for guitar cabs, vocals, OH's, acoustic guitar ,etc. Handles a ton of SPL too.

Kel-Audio has some really nice offerings as well.

I also keep an eye on Karma mics. I have their K-10's which are awesome on OH's. But you need a pad.

$200-$300 ribbons.
Cascade Fathead for guitar cabs. Also great for just about any source that needs a more "natural" response. Vibey acoustic guitars, jazzy overheads, room mics, accordian, etc.

 

[cloy26]

I've been interested in the Fathead for a long time... Do you have any clips of it on a guitar cab? High gain tones, or no?

 

[MetalJonesy]

Samson Q kit (the Q Kick and C2s are cracking mics for their price, nearly all of my stuff uses the samson pencil condensors)

also the cheap as fook behrninger C'2s again, they feature heavily on alot of my drum recordings

 

[Jaymz]

AT3035

 

[MetalJonesy]

SE Electronics sE2000A is my preferred choice over the NT1a (roughly the same price in the uk)

 

[Let it burn...]

Oktava mk-012 pair. Best bang for the buck EVER

Also: Cascade Fathead

 

[Mikaël-ange]

SE Electronics sE2000A is my preferred choice over the NT1a (roughly the same price in the uk)

+1000

 

[ElektricEyez]

$100-$200
CAD M179 LDC. Selectable pole patterns, killer on toms. Definitely a good all rounder for guitar cabs, vocals, OH's, acoustic guitar ,etc. Handles a ton of SPL too.

Just picked up 3 of those CAD M179's for tom duty and I've got to say that they are really nice for toms. Now that i have these i don't feel the desire to get the MD421's anymore. And yes I have worked with the MD421's quite a bit! The CAD's are also good on other sources, like vocals and acoustic guitar. Havn't tried them on anything else though.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

While it's no good on guitars, I actually dig the blue dynamic ball mic for some things. They work great on toms if your working with a decent drummer. $50 a piece is what I paid, at one point they were $100 though.

 

[greyskull]

D6 needs to be in that list.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

$160 - Sennheiser e602
Kick mic, gets a really ready kick sound for rock and metal. Clicky and punchy, one of my favourites.