Microphone choice for extreme vocals

[inertia]

I need some help chosing the best microphone for a recording within a reasonable budget. I have never recorded extreme vocals before so need some tips on what to buy.

I have a Shure SM81 condensor on loan from a friend but at the moment don't have a chance to actually test it on vocals. I borrowed to record some acoustic sessions and am considering buying one. I will definitely buy that model if it also works well for extreme vocals then it will suit all my needs.

The SM81 is €300 and if I am spending that kind of money i prefer really to be able to use it on everything. Since I don't do a lot of mic recording i have toyed with just buying a new SM57 or 58 and then at some point buying a nice condensor mic.

 

[P-E]

To be honest, I've never tried the SM81. However, I'm pretty sure that for extreme vocals, there's no mic that will come close to the quality/price ratio you'd get with a SM7B. It's not just that it's really appropriate for extreme vocals (it's forgiving: there's practically no sibilance inherent to the mic that you'd get in many cheaper or even higher priced condenser mics, it's also pretty neutral and a bit dark sounding in the highs so it takes EQing very well), it's also good if you have a subpar studio setting. Any LDC and many smaller condenser mics too will need to be in a good room to shine or you'd catch nasty sounding reflections, whereas you could get good sounding vocals with the SM7B in practically any setting.

As far as acoustic stuff goes though, you probably won't get far with the SM7B unfortunately. I'll let the more knowledgeable others chime in on that regarding the SM81. Good luck on your search!

EDIT: BTW, this is in the wrong forum, should be in Backline

 

[HollowmanPL]

SM7, Oktava MK319, Sm57

 

[Dtabs85]

I'm a huge fan of the sm7b. Vocals always seem to sound great with that mic.

 

[inertia]

Yeah the SM7B was referenced by a studio friend as well but it's a bit pricey. He also said the problem using that kind of condensor mic is getting spit on the grill and having to constantly clean it. I'll have to see if I can get a 2nd hand one somewhere for a good price. I'm in Sweden if anyone knows of anything in the EU.

 

[Studdy]

Sm7b is a dynamic microphone.

 

[Mago]

sm7b isn't that much more expensive than the 81, and would work a lot better for vocals I think. I'm not a fan of SDC mics on vocals, LDC always one for me so far in a shootout.

the sm7b on the other hand won't give you a lot of headache with most vocals. harsh or clean for that matter.
Also works on drums (kick, snare, toms, even Hhihat), guitar, bass...anything that the 57 would also do, and more.

Not as good as the 81 would be for acoustic guitars/instruments of that sorts though I recon.

 

[inertia]

Sm7b is a dynamic microphone.

Yes, i meant the 81 when referensing the condensor but obviously that was poor grammar

 

[inertia]

I am a bit torn as i was keen to save up for the 81 as I would use it more. However, I am recording my own BM album right now and also need to get a decent vocal take done. I will just have to sum up my options.

 

[Studdy]

Obviously no rules. But forget about trying to record vocals with a small diaphragm condenser. I'm sure people will chime in here and prove me wrong with a unique situation or whatever but as a rule a small diaphragm condenser (sm81) would be my last choice over every other mic style on vocals (dynamic, ldc, ribbon)

 

[inertia]

Shure BETA 58A I can get for a good price. Or this strictly a live mic?

 

[P-E]

I don't know much about the beta 58A but AFAIK the SM7B should, in a studio setting, do pretty much everything the original SM58 does - but better. Then again, the fact that it's the beta version means the voicing is a bit different, so I'm not too sure. Again, if you buy the SM7B, you won't be disappointed and you'll have a very useful mic all-around. I think pretty much everyone here will think you'd be better up saving a bit and getting the SM7B than going for the beta 58A. The beta 58A won't do much for acoustic instruments neither anyway.

 

[Bludcross]

If you are talking about recording, I'd recommend an MXL990 Condenser. It's cheap and good. I believe it usually comes free with a lot of multitrack recording interfaces as well; two birds with one stone. Live performances you should stick with the old standards. SM58's are still amazing. I have a SM58beta as well, but I still prefer the SM58.

 

[L. Bliss]

I have an SM7b, RE320, Samson MTR 231, Behringer XM8500, and Samson C15. I don't really find the sm7 to be that necessary, at least for the covers I do for classic metal like Megadeth and Priest. When I recorded some songs dry with the first 3 mics back to back, and then added fx, it was hard to tell the difference between the mics(but there were very obvious differences on the dry recordings). recordinghacks.com has a good comparison. The Sm7 was the best at room rejection. Think it has the highest SPL too, but that one doesn't need an SPL that high. RE320 has the next best room rejection. Look up the zenpro clipilator.

The sm7 is a very kind of flat-sounding, low output mic. The RE320 is smoother and thicker with a hotter output that boosts the bass and treble some. Probably my fav mic that I own and my fav compared to the other mics on the clipilator. The MTR 231 even with it's -10 switch engaged and set at figure 8 seems to have a lot hotter output than the two dynamics.

The XM8500 is only like $20 and a very credible, if dark sounding mic. Some people love it for extreme vocals. You might wanna try that first. You could get that and something like a TC Helicon Voicelive play or Digitech Vocalist for half of what an sm7 costs. RE320 can reliably be had used for $200 or even less.

I did some covers with these mics at

youtube.com/user/viciousblissvideos

Everything except my most recent Take No Prisoners and Victim of Changes was mixed on crappy small pc speakers. I spent hours and hours on that Take No Prisoners and hardly any time on the latest Victim. I need to remix Victim as I have an older, better version and I was just seeing if I could use the same fx chains from Take on that song.

 

[inertia]

Thanks for the all the feedback. I appreciate everyone's time and comments! I have heard some tracks and listen to the advice a friend gave me about recording with an Sm57. So preliminarily, I have bought a 2nd hand one and will test it out. I figured the mic will come in useful regardless.

The XM8500 sounds way to cheap to be usable, haha. I have seen the SM7B come up now and then on the 2nd market so failing the SM57 not sounding good I might bite the bullet and go with the SM7b.