Re: which condenser mic for vocals? under $300.
The SM7 / SM7B really is a great microphone; my only concern is that it requires quite a bit of gain to reach optimum levels on quieter sources. I don't recall what you're using for an interface / preamp, but you may need something like a Cloudlifter or Fethead to boost the signal if your preamp is too noisy.
thanks for the heads up dystrust, I have been using my shure sm58 to record through my presonus audiobox 22vsl with no preamp problems, so I am thinking the SM7B should be no problem.
here is my preamp info:
https://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-22VSL
At PreSonus, we know that the mic preamplifier is a key component in the sonic quality of a recording. Many other companies that offer mobile recording interfaces add the cheapest possible microphone preamplifier as an afterthought. In contrast, the AudioBox 22VSL includes custom-designed, high-voltage, discrete, XMAX Class A microphone preamplifiers that are suitable for use with all types of microphones.
The job of a microphone preamplifier in an audio interface is to boost a microphone-level signal to line level before conversion to the digital domain. A good preamp boosts the level to almost 400 times that of the original signal, making the preamp one of the most important stages in an interface. A cheap, off-the-shelf, op-amp-type mic preamp delivers thin, noisy, harsh results. But with XMAX preamps, the sonic quality is limited only by what microphone you plug into it.
XMAX preamplifiers are built with three key elements:
High Voltage. The XMAX preamplifier runs on power rails of 30V. Most off-the-shelf, op-amp-based designs run on power rails of 10V to 18V. Higher-voltage power rails deliver more headroom, deeper lows, smoother highs, and a richer overall sound.
Discrete components—not op-amps. We only use genuine transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Op-amps add noise, coloration, and harshness to a signal. Our discrete design delivers ultra-low noise and transparency.
Class A. Class A circuits have no crossover distortion and deliver purer, clearer, and more musical results than the Class AB designs that are found in many preamps.
The net result of the XMAX preamp design is high headroom, low noise, wide dynamic range, extended frequency response, and—most important—musicality and transparency, with smooth highs, solid deep lows, and everything in between.
I will get a condenser mic soon, I will prolly spend a lot less than $300 but that is the absolute most I will spend. What mic should I get? I like the reviews for this one:
