Hello Folks,

I am in the market for a large diaphragm condensor microphone and need one with multi pattern switching for fleixibilty.

My budget is around £200 and it would be used for vocals first and foremost but also some acoustic guitar.

I have narrowed my search to the following :

Rode NT2A
SE Electronics Z3300A
Thomann T.Bone SCT2000

I appreciate that this is yet another one of "those" threads but if anyone would be so kind to chime in on any subjective experiences on the above mics or offer any opnions on performance and reliability then I would be very grateful!

I am a solo acoustic singer songwriter, the rest of the signal chain would be Audient Mico - RME Fireface 400.

I have found in the past that my vocals do sometimes pierce a little in the higher mids with some mics I have used, so I am a little wary of some comments I have read regarding the Rode NT2a being very bright.

The SCT2000 sounds great on the clips on the Thomann website but it seems very cheap for a tube mic so I am a little unsure. The Z3300 is what I am leaning towards as most seem to say it is neutral and smooth. It appears to have been discontinued so remaining stocks seem to be going for £200 which is much leass than it sold for originally.


Many thanks in advance!

I've not really tried any of the mics you're looking at. There seems to be very few multi patterns LDCs in this price range, I hazard a guess because generally there's not really a call for it.

Others that you could/should be on the look out for are the CAD M179 which gets really good reviews, the Audio Technica 2050 - the big brother of the rather good AT2020 (I'm tempted by the 2050 myself, but don't have the funds for a pair of LDCs atm!) and the Sontronics offering, I forget the name though - I've heard excellent things about all the Sontronics mics so i would assume they would be up there in terms of quality.

Apologies for not really narrowing your search down, infact quite the opposite! I should say I do own a T.Bone SC450 and while I avoid it for vocals as it gets very sibilant - like most of the cheap chinese LDCs it is rather on the bright side, it gets a lot of use on guitar (acoustic and electric) and as a room mic when called for.

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www.sda-audio.co.uk

Quote woodnut:

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Hello Folks,

The SCT2000 sounds great on the clips on the Thomann website but it seems very cheap for a tube mic so I am a little unsure.

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The Thomann price is what these thing should cost if you didn't have to pay for the hype and marketing of the other mic resellers. If you want to buy generic Chinese mics (as it seems you do) then there's probably little point in paying more than the Thomann price.

Otherwise I'd look at establshed companies who design their own mics like Audio Technica.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

Hello,


Thank you for the replies. I decided not to go for the Thomann SCT2000 as the extra £40 over my current budget for an LDC was enough to put me off. Perhaps in the future I would like to add this mic so I have something coloured in my collection.

I actually in the end plumped for the CAD M179 after reading so many positive comments about this mic and its flexibility. I have only had chance to use it briefly but so far I am very pleased. It seems to be accurate rather than flattering and it also doesn't seem to be hyped in the upper mids. My vocals have sounded a little harsh in the past with other mics I have tried like some of the Rodes I have owned a while back.

Thanks.