Hi, i`ve never bought a mic before

I am looking for a mic to record sounds i find anywhere, like a spoon falling or a water faucet. As well as to record a saxophone or other instruments live.

I'd prefer to spend around $100
i wonder what mics you would recommend.


Thanks :|

The first microphone everyone should buy is the ever reliable Shure SM57. It will last a life time and is a great all around mic. And it so happens it sounds really nice on a sax! It is under $100.

Hi,
I agree with the above post. The Shure SM57 (or SM58) are the industry workhorse and will last a lifetime. And they're just darn good for the money. The SM57 can handle higher levels, making it good for close miking loud instruments (guitar amps, drums)
Sounds like you want to dabble in Foley? Usually when recording ambient (real world) sounds like water, a spoon falling, footsteps, doors, ect. most would use a large diaphram mic. They tend to capture the subtle nuances of sounds better. They can get WAY more expensive though. The Shure is the best all around mic you'll find for under 100 bucks, but Oktava (a Russian company) makes some very good Large Diaphram Mics for under 200. Check out the MK-319:

www.oktava-online.com/mk319.htm

I have one and think it can stack up against other similar mics that are three times the cost.

But for the budget your after, the Shure is a safe bet.
Hope this helps!

~Brad

In your budget, I'd definitely recommend a 58 over a 57 , at least for now. An sm57 is a must-have, but an sm58 is more general-purpose for rough vocals/sax, or just about anything. Of course, a condenser is what you need for recording foleys or sound effects, but as the guys just said, you need a large diaphragm condenser... you can get budget condensers for a relatively ok price. check out SE mics, or studioprojects mics, they're good budget mics, and they're affordable!

These microphones are essentially the same microphone, using the same capsule. The 58 is built for vocals as it has a pop screen in the head where the 57 does not. However, the 57 has a bit better response in the 8-11 Khz range. Most people think the opposite is true but go to the Shure website and you will see this. It has a few dB more peak there. Plenty of artists have used the 57 for vocals. It is a matter of what works for your vocals. Bono used a 58 to track "Vertigo" while standing in the control room. Willie Nelson has used a 57 for years for his sound. Try both and keep the one you like!

yep ...I'll go with SE mic's, cheap and very good for the price.