Very cheap but useable mic?

[Mike_S]

Does anybody have any reccommendations for a very cheap but fairly useable mic?

The one I use is not great I have come to realise. I normally have to disguise the hell out of it with reverb, echo, effects etc in order to get something that can pass as a vocal take. I kinda like sticking a few effects on anyway, but it's not a good place to start - with an unclear muddy vocal. And it'd be good to have the option of putting down a fairly unprocessed vocal.

Was thinking 40 or 50 quid max... is this even possible or is that a non starter?

Cheers
Mike

[cuthbert]

How about the Behringer C1 or C1U?

I have a Behringer B1, which is more expensive but it gives good sound for the price. I expect the C models would be similar.

[Greeny]

I would save up a bit extra and get a Shure SM58 for £90. I got one with a stand and cable for £105. I'm blown away with the quality of it. Vocals, acoustic guitar and mic'd amp - it handles it all.

I tried to go cheaper too but figured I'd regret it oneday.

[Bluesberry]

We use a Sure sm58...you can record anything with it...it is a workhorse mic in the industry...vocals are great....mic up a guitar amp is perfect....acoustic guitars are great....it is Roger Daltreys favourite  mic for his vocals....I mean really...Roger Daltrey says to use it....I think it is the best mic bang for the buck and if you only had one mic it is the one to get....google Roger Daltry and Sm58 to see what he says about them..... I agree with Greeny.....SM58 is my choice

[T.C. Elliott]

I liked the AT2020 which is more expensive than what you're looking at but you can usually find them used. They are still low end (read they have a high end boost to cut through which can cause problems) but I liked it for the money.

I have a Superlux s241 small diaphragm condenser that I love. You can get it at thomann.de but with shipping you're looking at twice your budget (again.) I've only seen one used and I bought it when I found it. But the condenser requires phantom power so be aware. (I love condensers except for the sm57 for guitar cabs and other loud noises. And I don't have a band so I don't need my 58 for live performances anymore, even though I still have it.)

[WarpCanada]

Best deal going for VOCAL mics is the Shure SM58.

It's brother the SM57 is the best deal going for mic'ing up a  guitar cab.

Also, both work without phantom power and work great plugged into a field recorder or portastudio like the boss BR series.  Every home musician should have one of each.

I also recently acquired a fairly inexpensive pair of Behringer C-2 small element condensors that sound magnificent as piano and acoustic guitar mics.

For the next level VOCAL mic if you want something better than the SM58, you're going to be spending $400 and up on a large element condensor with phantom power, into a good audio interface.

I think if you ever plan to play live and you want a MIC that is good for vocals with a PA, that won't feed back, you want a Shure SM58 also. They are the proven solution for many needs.

[T.C. Elliott]

The SM58 is great for live vocals, but I've not had great success with it in the studio. It works. And if you find one used it can be a decent deal.
That being said, not sure there is much better out there for budget mics even if it's over twice what his budget is.

[Kody]

Were you thinking condenser or dynamic? If it's for the studio, I would recommend a large condenser as it works great for multiple sources, in my opinion much more versatile - vocals, acoustic guitar, etc...as long as you can feed them phantom power. Wouldn't want to use them in a live situation - Shure 58 for that all day.

The cheapest condensers I own are the Samson C01 & the MXL 990...Great quality for what they're going for. Had them for years and can highly recommend!

Amazon has some very very cheap condensers, but look and sound (probably?) pretty cheap...There are a ton of YouTube videos reviews out there, maybe start your research there. Just search "Best budget studio mic" or whatever. Good luck!

[Mike_S]

Thanks for the help people. I might well go for one of those Shure SM58s. Will do a bit of research on YouTube with a beer later. May well take the plunge...

Thanks again

[Jean Pierre]

Mike look my message about couple of micro Behringer C2 here

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=30320.msg359188#msg359188

this pair of microphones is 40 euros at Thoman, 40 euros!