Gimme your thoughts. A good versatile condenser microphone that is $300 or less?

I mainly would like to use it for:

- room mic
- sampling
- drum overhead
- acoustic guitar
- piano
- voice

Thanks!

I just picked up an M-Audio Solaris for $175 off craigslist. I haven't really made an opinion on it yet, but it's got switchable polar patterns (which is nice if you want to try M-S or room micing, etc), and it seems to be pretty solid.

I haven't had the chance to use it alone with anything yet. I've just been blending it in with a ribbon mic to add clarity. They go for about $350 new, it might be worth a shot.

Also, try a Rode NT-1(~$200 new) - its cardioid only, has kindof a harsh high end - the more I use mine the less I like it. You'll probably outgrow it.

I've read *glowing* reviews of the AT2020 or whatever their new cheapie is.

My brain is mush now.

Studio Project B3 is awesome and cheap ($149.99). it has 3 patterns, omni, fig. 8 and cardioid, a high-pass filter, and a -10db pad. i worked with a friend on a recent project and we used them on almost everything..... as room mics during drum tracks (sound amazing), on acoustic guitar in combo. w/ a 441 and a neumann U89, on vibes (stereo pair), piano, amped synthesizers, electric guitar (placed about 3-6 ft. back from the cabinet, combined with a 421 and an e609).... i've also used it to record my girlfriends solo work (acoustic guitar and vocals simultaneously with 1 B3) and had great results.

very versitile and affordable microphone.

http://studioprojects.com/b3.html

they also make a C3 model that's about $100.00 more expensive, but it's meant more for close-micing vocals specifically. i think the B3 is more of an all-purpose mic.

If i can throw my pick into the ring here...it's not too hard to find not one but even a pair of AKG C1000s for 300ish, and along with the new AT mic mentioned earlier, i'd recommend them as one of the most versatile mics in that price range by far. I've used them as overheads/hi hat and ride mics, on an acoustic guitar, high on the neck (with a rode NT2 close to the soundhole), even on vocals in a pinch. great as room mics to pick up a ganged vocal or what have you as well.

300 beans would get you an ADK Vienna or Hamburg. They're pretty nice for the dough.

how bout an AT4033

shagboy wrote:how bout an AT4033

A very useful mic... I have three and use them all the time in many many different situations.

Before buying any Rode please try it. Sound very harsh to me.

Yeah, the NT1 gets mixed reviews. When it first came out, Sound on Sound gave it a pretty good review, but there weren't as many "cheap" condensor mics out. The high end is a little (over?) hyped, which can actually be useful if you want to brighten up a snare drum or make some acoustic guitars cut through a dense mix.

I've never really found a frequency response plot of this mic, so it's probably ugly or maybe the mics aren't consistent..

The NT1-A has gotten mostly bad reviews (from users, not magazines). I've never heard one myself.

That said, you can find an NT1 on ebay for about $100, which isn't a bad deal at all...