SOUND ON SOUND

[blinddrew]

Favourite for recording must be the Audio-Technica AT2020... Strangely good for the money.

Very good shout! :thumbup:

[Wonks]

Dave B's 2020 was absolutely terrible when we tested it against some other sub £200 mics. The 2020 track actually sounded OK on my Genelecs, listening later in my untreated room, but really nasty on Dave's AE22s in his treated space. So I've always been wary of them ever since.

[Humble Bee]

While it’s no U87 it’s capable of very good results when used sensibly. Awful results leaves me thinking something else might have gone wrong... ;)

[Mike Stranks]

As someone who habitually inhabits 'the shallow end'... :lol:

AT2020... I've owned several... good results and good value

[Worker Bee no longer available at the excellent price of £79.99... Several here jumped when it was!]

The Rode M3 is surprisingly capable... I'm using one regularly for voice work now. Hugh liked it too when he reviewed it.

Moving to dynamics... I quite like the Audio-Technica PRO61... I have a couple...

[CS70]

While it’s no U87 it’s capable of very good results when used sensibly. Awful results leaves me thinking something else might have gone wrong... ;)

I have both an AT2020 and an U87 and for stuff that's in front of the mic they're both eminently useable. Don't sound the same of course, but then none of my other mics do.

I wouldn't be afraid to use a 2020 to record a proper vocal line or an acoustic guitar, in a decent room.

[Rich Hanson]

I'll second the Rode M3, it's a fine budget mic. I have used mine with vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion. The only thing I don't use it for is micing up a guitar amp but that's because I generally prefer a dynamic (in my case an aging Yamaha MZ101!)

(My M3 is still traumatised though, after someone on last night's SOS Zoom mistook it for a C1000S :shocked:)

[jimjazzdad]

Since a lot of the mics mentioned are dynamics I'll cast a vote for the EV 635A. A really useful mic when you want an omni. Sounds good on voice or instruments if the room is decent,

[Humble Bee]

While it’s no U87 it’s capable of very good results when used sensibly. Awful results leaves me thinking something else might have gone wrong... ;)

I have both an AT2020 and an U87 and for stuff that's in front of the mic they're both eminently useable. Don't sound the same of course, but then none of my other mics do.

I wouldn't be afraid to use a 2020 to record a proper vocal line or an acoustic guitar, in a decent room.

This was obviously the point I was trying to make. Thank you for making sure that my point got across! :thumbup: And different mics do tend to sound different yes that is my experience to. :)

[Aled Hughes]

The Rode M3 is a cracking versatile mic. Though the SOS was spot on when they stated that is rather unusually long.

Another vote for AKG D5 too.

I'm sure there was a time when the Line Audio OM1 was £99, but it's £135 on Pinknoise at the moment. Still worth mentioning!

[ConcertinaChap]

Worker Bee?

Looks good! Not heard of it until now but I can't find it for £100 or less?

I bought mine on Amazon in May last year for £79.99 and a lot of people were selling them for less than that. Everybody thought it was a permanent price drop but it seems not. It's now £171.23. I have to say it's a pretty good mic and the current price reflects its value so I got a lucky bargain, it seems.

Otherwise I'd echo the M3 and AT2020 as good cheap mics that have crossed my path.

CC

[James Perrett]

The Rode M3 is a cracking versatile mic. Though the SOS was spot on when they stated that is rather unusually long.

Another vote for AKG D5 too.

I'm sure there was a time when the Line Audio OM1 was £99, but it's £135 on Pinknoise at the moment. Still worth mentioning!

I always thought that they were deliberately going for the C1000 look with the M3 (though no idea why :headbang: ) so it isn't surprising that people can't tell them apart.

Yes - I'm fairly sure that the Line Audio mics were just under £100 when they first appeared over here but they're still well worth the money at the higher price.

[Sam Spoons]

The size and shape of the NT3 (and, presumably the C1000) is partially dictated by the inclusion of a PP3 battery so it's not entirely surprising they look similar :D Despite all the ridicule heaped in the C1000 these days (when much better mics are available for similar or less money) IIRC back in the day it offered pretty decent performance for the price.

[James Perrett]

I'd totally agree Sam - there wasn't much else around at the time. The better mics were more expensive and there were still plenty of mixers and recorders without phantom power so the battery option opened up a large market for AKG. I used them a fair bit in the early days of the old studio although nowadays they don't see so much use.

[ef37a]

My son likes the results from the Mackie EM-91c at about a mtr from his classical guitar. Not tried it with any singists yet but Paul White was quite smitten.

For a really cheap dynamic the Behringer XM 8500 is remarkably good.

Dave.

[The Elf]

Since a lot of the mics mentioned are dynamics I'll cast a vote for the EV 635A. A really useful mic when you want an omni. Sounds good on voice or instruments if the room is decent,

It has a distinctive 'thin' sound that's not to everyone's taste, or appropriate in many, if not most situations, but I have a great liking for the 635, and it does get used here when I'm throwing dice for something out of the ordinary. It can sounds really good on a gritty rock vocal.