What's the most neutral sounding mic below 1000$?

[Roland68]

What kind of application?

Primarily vocals and live recordings.

 

[Ricardus]

soemone said the Shure ksm32 is very good

It is. It uses a different capsule than the KSM44, and it's not multi-pattern like the KSM44, but it's a good choice.

Because of the multi-pattern capabilities I still recommend the KSM44a (that's its new designation) like I did in an earlier post.

 

[just1n]

If I ever start recording I am trying Earthworks SR20 or DM20. I get that’s the SM57 is an industry standard, but looking at its frequency response, I don’t get it. Not interested in anything that automatically colors the sound. My not just add an EQ to a more neutrally captured sound?


Note: never once recorded anything, so I’m sure I don’t know what I’m talking about. I came to this completely untested conclusion when researching IR captures on my Neural DSP Quad Cortex. That’s going to be my usecase.

 

[LTig]

Primarily vocals and live recordings.

Shure SM58 is the standard, but also hated by others. Sennheiser e835/e845 for the latter.

 

[waynel]

Shure SM58 is the standard, but also hated by others. Sennheiser e835/e845 for the latter.

not a neutral mic, but very common and sound crew know how to eq it.

 

[Multicore]

I went with a pair of Line Audio CM4 as it is nearly flat both on and off axis. Not so simple to procure but unbeatable value.

 

[Cbdb2]

If I ever start recording I am trying Earthworks SR20 or DM20. I get that’s the SM57 is an industry standard, but looking at its frequency response, I don’t get it. Not interested in anything that automatically colors the sound. My not just add an EQ to a more neutrally captured sound?


Note: never once recorded anything, so I’m sure I don’t know what I’m talking about. I came to this completely untested conclusion when researching IR captures on my Neural DSP Quad Cortex. That’s going to be my usecase.

Almost every studio mic colors the sound. If they didnt studios would only be buying one model of mic, the uncolored one. EQing by mic usually sounds better than using electronics.

 

[Multicore]

Almost every studio mic colors the sound. If they didnt studios would only be buying one model of mic, the uncolored one. EQing by mic usually sounds better than using electronics.

It's not that simple. Mics generally have a different FR at different angles of incidence. Hence you generally can eq one mic to sound like another only if the off-axis sound arriving at the mic is insignificant. It's the same kind of reason why you can't easily correct a speaker's FR with eq if its DI is a mess. In both cases the room is important.

 

[Multicore]

Shure SM 57 or 58. You can run it over with your car (or bounce it off of the drummers head) and it will still work.

We all love them but op asked for "most neutral" which these are not exactly an example of.

For neutrality under 1 kilobuck DPA 2012 is probably unbeatable. But OP has form here of preferring frankly implausible opinions of randos on YouTube to our replies.

 

[LTig]

I went with a pair of Line Audio CM4 as it is nearly flat both on and off axis. Not so simple to procure but unbeatable value.

This is a small diaphragm condensor mic, not a vocal mic.

I went for the SE Electronics sE8 (matched pair for ORTF) at my local pro shop, and was so.content I bought a 2nd pair for drum overhead (each pair about € 400).

My backup/reserve are two Takstar CM63 for the incredible price of €64 at AliExpress. I used one for micing a jazz guitar amp.

 

[LTig]

We all love them but op asked for "most neutral" which these are not exactly an example of.

The answer was not for the OP but @Roland68 in posting #17.

 

[Multicore]

This is a small diaphragm condensor mic, not a vocal mic.

You should try a good SDC with voice. LDC is more conventional for that but we're at ASR where do don't have to abide by that.

You know, it's really funny how the YouTube era is spreading some really weird ideas about mics. And it's genuinely hilarious how much Julian Krause hates the SM7B. He's right but his one-man QUEST seems doomed.

The answer was not for the OP but @Roland68 in posting #17.

Oh, I see. Yes well those are ideal for that. Best track record in the business.

When choosing between them read https://service.shure.com/Service/s...-proximity-effect?language=en_US&region=en-US

 

[plautus]

i dont knjow tklm103 or pencil mic . I dont know if pencil mics sound harsh or have lower bass or lack fullness or sth like that.
yesterday i heard audio recordings done by a DPA 2017 and i was blown away how naturakl it soudned. But after researching i have heard that shotgun mics suffer from acoustic phase cancellation. And i heard pencil mics are better for indoor recordings

Does anyone have experiences wiht diffeerent types of mics inclyuding these?

 

[LTig]

i dont knjow tklm103 or pencil mic .

• Neumann TKLM 103
• Pencil mics:
  • Schoeps CMC6
  • Neumann KM184
  • SE Electronics sE8
  • Takstar CM-63

I dont know if pencil mics sound harsh or have lower bass or lack fullness or sth like that.

They don't. They are the most linear microphone types.

yesterday i heard audio recordings done by a DPA 2017 and i was blown away how naturakl it soudned.

I use a similar mic, the Beyerdynamic MCE 86 S II, for Video calls. It's located about 0.5 m to my left side, pointing to my mouth. I can move my head without changing the loudness (due to the small relative change in distance). People on the other side told me I sound like a professional news speaker.

But after researching i have heard that shotgun mics suffer from acoustic phase cancellation.

Acoustic phase cancellation is required to get the desired directional pattern. All microphones which are not omni directional use it.

And i heard pencil mics are better for indoor recordings

You can use them outdoors if you provide a wind shield - like any other microphone. Other than microphones made for vocal recording pencil mics (or better called small diaphragm microphones) have no wind shield as those influence the frequency response.

Does anyone have experiences wiht diffeerent types of mics inclyuding these?

Yes.

 

[plautus]

so wshat is the sound differrence?
I heard the cancellation colores the sound

 

[plautus]

ok then CMC 6 MK4
But I'm really scared it's harsh sounding,. ,I only listend to some people usiong shotgun mics and their voices all sounded kinda harsh and thin.

The thing I dont like about Large condesor mics is they all sound like podcast mics, none of them sounds real. Like They inherently have this V shaped sound. But again im scared the shotgun, pencil mics sound thin and harsh.
I coudltn find any audio comparison online btw shotgun and condesor mics (only guitar). I guess i simply have to order the schoeps cmc 6 or the DPA 2017. BUt the fear i have with shotgunmicss is that u cant move ur head much, they are super directional. That would be annoying

 

[LTig]

so wshat is the sound differrence?

Check the links to Thomann - often you find a few sound samples.

I heard the cancellation colores the sound

Without cancellation you cannot make a directional microphone - period. If you're worried buy an omni directional microphone.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Are there any good recommendations for microphones under €100 or €200?
Ideally, they should be robust and not prone to failure.

line audio mics are a good value proposition. They have cardioid and omni models for less than €200.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

CMC 6 MK4

magnificent mics

 

[LTig]

ok then CMC 6 MK4

You still think the most expensive one is the best? No, it depends on the situation. For vocals the Schoeps V4 U one should be better. Here you can see it in use:

But I'm really scared it's harsh sounding,. ,

Nope. The CMC 6 used for the finest classical recordings.

I only listend to some people usiong shotgun mics and their voices all sounded kinda harsh and thin.

The CMC 6 is no shotgun mic.

The thing I dont like about Large condesor mics is they all sound like podcast mics, none of them sounds real. Like They inherently have this V shaped sound.

Most large condensor mics do have a non neutral sound. Anyway just use the EQ in your mixing console (or elsewhere) to fine tune the sound.

But again im scared the shotgun, pencil mics sound thin and harsh.
I coudltn find any audio comparison online btw shotgun and condesor mics (only guitar). I guess i simply have to order the schoeps cmc 6 or the DPA 2017.

The DPA 2017 is a shotgun mic. If you like its sound (as you wrote) why worry? Just get it.

BUt the fear i have with shotgunmicss is that u cant move ur head much, they are super directional. That would be annoying

That's why you use them from a distance - I'd say minimum 0.5 m, like I do (did you actually read what I wrote???). They are not meant for close miking.