# Buying a microphone **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145 "2007-07-17T15:30:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/1 "2007-07-17T15:30:10Z")
I need a decent microphone to record my voice, to use it in a short animated film I’m making. The sound quality has to be clear enough so that I can manipulate it afterwards (pitch shifting, noise reduction, etc) and not lose vital information. I have reasonable software for the recording and editing, but the only microphone I have is cheap plastic rubbish, definitely not up to the task, if my experimentation is anything to go by. I don’t want to spend $400 on something high end, it’s not quite that level of important, but neither do I want something that won’t do more than the bare minimum. Budget under AU$100, I guess. Anyone know what I should be looking for? I want specs and brands, rather than locations to source from, as I will be buying it locally here in Melbourne. ---
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/2 "2007-07-17T16:11:36Z")
There is only one microphone I can recommend: The [Shure SM58](http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-SM58-Mic?sku=270101) Not sure what the exchange rate is, but at $100 US, it’s a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/3 "2007-07-17T16:24:39Z")
You don’t say whether you will be talking or singing. If you are using it for narration, the [ElectroVoice 635](http://www.amazon.com/Electrovoice-Dynamic-Omnidirectional-Interview-Microphone/dp/B0002IHETA) is a good, inexpensive choice. It’s rugged and used in a lot of news-gathering applications. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/4 "2007-07-17T17:14:45Z")
For your purposes, you’re not going to do better than the [Blue Snowball](http://www.amazon.com/Blue-SNOWBALL-Snowball-USB-Microphone/dp/B000BLRVOQ). With any other microphone, you’re going to need a preamp or audio interface to run the mic through, but the Snowball actually has a USB cable that plugs right into your computer. Blue is a company that makes some seriously high-end boutique microphones (we used their $5,000 “Bottle” on our last record), and that’s trickled down to their budget line. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/5 "2007-07-18T00:49:47Z")
[QUOTE=FatBaldGuy] You don’t say whether you will be talking or singing. [/QUOTE] Talking. It’s for the character dialogue. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/6 "2007-07-18T02:34:46Z")
I was looking for a good microphone (I played in a 5 piece band) and asked my brother-in-law’s advice. I told him I had $400 to spend. “Get the SM58,” he said. “You can’t go wrong. You can beat the hell out of it and it will still love you. Then go out with the rest of your money and splurge on something for you.” Sure enough, Guitar Center had the SM58 on sale for $68.00. That was in 1996 and I’m still using that SM58. Incredible mic. Simple, and sounds great. In looking around, seems like everyone has it at $99.00. Still a great deal. Snap one up and enjoy the natural sound it produces. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/7 "2007-07-18T03:20:33Z")
I can second or third the SM58. I only own two microphones. One is a Shure SM58 and the other is a Shure SM57. They enjoy a stellar reputation in the sound industry and have for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/8 "2007-07-18T03:48:30Z")
I would suggest the Neumann U47 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/9 "2007-07-18T04:08:28Z")
Hey, if you can get a U47 for AU$100 , pick up a few dozen for me, OK? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/10 "2007-07-18T04:10:06Z")
Well then,that sounds like a concensus, I’ll go looking for one of those SM58s then. Thanks, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/11 "2007-07-18T04:14:11Z")
Can you tell us where to get a good U47 for less than AU$100? I checked on ebay and there’s [one](http://cgi.ebay.com/CAD-VX2-Neumann-U47-Type-Tube-Microphone_W0QQitemZ280133820336QQihZ018QQcategoryZ64449QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) for $US1250. For just over the budget in the OP, there is one thing you could get, the: Microphone Storage Box for Neumann U47/ U48 Short Body Luxurious cherry wood Box for Neumann U47/ U48 Short eta: Looks like other people pointed this out as well. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/12 "2007-07-18T04:15:04Z")
I’m sure you will be pleased with it, and not find yourself wishing you’d got a better one. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9fc29f/32.png) [@I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_m_Ron_Burgundy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/13 "2007-07-18T04:15:13Z")
If you spent $400, you’re probably feel ripped off. It takes a well trained ear to tell the difference between a $100 mic and anything more expensive. Anything less is truly rubbish. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/14 "2007-07-18T04:23:23Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer] Can you tell us where to get a good U47 for less than AU$100? I checked on ebay… [/QUOTE] That one’s a CAD and not a Neumann. A lot of manufacturers like to compare their expensive mics to a Neumann, but none of them sound like one. Last year I did an A-B test with a U87 freshly retuned by the factory, and six other mics, worth over a grand each, including that CAD. None was even close. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/15 "2007-07-18T05:55:43Z")
[QUOTE=I’m Ron Burgundy?] If you spent $400, you’re probably feel ripped off. It takes a well trained ear to tell the difference between a $100 mic and anything more expensive. [/QUOTE] That’s a bit of exageration, I think. A decent large diaphragm condenser is going to give a response that is dramatically different than an SM57/8. I don’t think the difference is only discernable to a well-trained ear. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/16 "2007-07-18T07:42:30Z")
I’m with Eonwe. The SM58 is ok for general recording and great for live, but for speaking I would look at a large diaphram condenser mic. There are a ton out there that would do the trick at a fairly low cost (but you might need to power it). ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/17 "2007-07-18T14:20:49Z")
a large diaphragm condenser is going to need power. an SM58 is going to need a balanced input. What are you plugging the mic into? ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/18 "2007-07-18T20:36:05Z")
Because I got two threads confused I’ll add this: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by si\_blakely > The only problem with a SM57/58 (mics which I like) is that they will not interface to the 1/8" jack on a laptop - they use XLR connectors. You will also need an (preferably a Firewire or USB) interface that includes a mic preamp. And that will push your budget way over. > > I second the option for a decent mic with a USB a/d converter built in - a number of companies are doing them now, and you should be able to find one to suit your budget. Si ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/19 "2007-07-18T21:13:06Z")
[QUOTE=bdgr] a large diaphragm condenser is going to need power. an SM58 is going to need a balanced input. What are you plugging the mic into? [/QUOTE] Good point. Your ‘infrastructure’ requirements are going to be higher with a condenser (need phantom power), though since every cheap two bit whore of a mixer seems to have it these days, you’re probably all right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9fc29f/32.png) [@I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_m_Ron_Burgundy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145/20 "2007-07-18T21:20:56Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] That’s a bit of exageration, I think. A decent large diaphragm condenser is going to give a response that is dramatically different than an SM57/8. I don’t think the difference is only discernable to a well-trained ear. [/QUOTE] Eh. We’re in IMHO, that was MHO. IMHO $400 isn’t going to get you any more decent of an LDC than $100. At the same price point, the biggest difference between a decent dynamic and a decent condenser is lower output and less background noise rejection. He’s doing speech, at $400 he could get a Sennheiser MD421 which would do a much better job than a condenser. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-microphone/412145.md?page=2)