Help with external mic

[Tony]

It looks like a great mic but it is a fair bit more expensive (US$199 converts to roughly AUD$300 and the Rode sells here for AUD$190) and Zzounds don't ship to Australia.  Enjoy it over in your part of the world but it isn't such a viable choice here.  Still it looks like a good mic.

[hewhoiscalledj]

Hey Tony, there was a great write up/review of the M3 in the recent issue of Tape Op magazine. It compared very well with it's bigger brother, the Rode NT55 on a performance to price ratio. The M3 shines when 2 are used as a stereo pair (as reviewed) for drum overheads and room stereo. I'm sure it would do well for guitars when compared to the built in mic or my Audio Technica mic. Since it can be powered by internal batteries, it should work ok with the MicroBR although you wouldnt be doing it any justice unless you used a decent preamp.

For recording acoustic guitar, I'd suggest looking at large diaphram condensers too as they also double as excellent vocal mics. MXL makes some very well priced and decent sounding mics like the 990XL. If you buy the package deal, you can also get it with a 991 small condenser similar to that M3. Also consider a Cascade M39 sdc as they go for $139(US) for a pair.

[Tony]

Thanks for this, hewhoiscalledj.  Unfortunately Tape Op doesn't put anything online.  Still I found a good review in Sound On Sound and with what you and others say the quality of the mic seems to be being confirmed.  The other thing that I've learned, which I didn't know anything about, is the role of pre-amps for mics.  I realise now, as you say, that I won't be doing it justice without a decent pre-amp but that will have to wait.  Home recording is quite a learning curve but I remain impressed by the Micro BR.  I think I will buy the Rode M3 and then, in time, a decent pre-amp but in the meantime the MBR is going to England with me in June and I'll be quite happy with the onboard mic.

I'll look out for a hard copy of Tape Op but I've never seen it in Australian stores.