Mics In Your Home Studio

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
My observations:

When you seek information about recording vocals, quite frequently the recommended mic is a large diaphragm condenser because they pick up more of the nuances of the voice, particularly female singers.
Secondarily you will also see recommendations for dynamic mics, often suggested for more aggressive singers, mostly male singers.
These are never absolute rules but they fit a general recommendation because every situation is different and so is every voice.

When I began home recording I had one mic, a SM58 dynamic mic that I used for everything.
I soon added an SM57, a very similar mic, that I used to mic my amps.
Following the expert recommendations, I then added a large diaphragm condenser mic with the hope that it would be better for my vocals.

The new condenser did pick up more of the details in my voice but..........it also picked up way too much room noise.
Even though my studio is "sound proof" I still have to deal with some equipment hum, HVAC noise and a little neighbor noise leaking through the weak spots in my sound proofing (the windows).
I can mitigate some of that by positioning some movable panels and gobos around to make a vocal space however, with limited space that just makes setup more complicated.

With that in mind, I had to pay more attention to the polar pattern of all my mics, with a focus on those that have good rear rejection.
Although there are condenser mics with tighter polar patterns, I've since abandon the condenser mics and
use dynamic mics with cardioid or super cardioid patterns more most studio work.
When positioning the vocal mic, I pay attention to aiming the rear of the mic toward any noise source such as windows HVAC vents etc...
I think If I was recording females vocalists I would be tempted to try the condensers again.

Over time I've picked up several other types of mics for different applications.
My most recent acquisition is a new type of ribbon mic.
Many engineers swear by the result they get by combining an SM57 and a Ribbon on guitar amps.
Ribbons are also said to be the most accurate in capturing certain sources (like vocals) but, they have been notoriously delicate and can be damaged if you accidentally feed them phantom power.
Additionally, they can be very expensive, consequently, as much as I wanted to use one, I resisted, thinking I would probably damage it.
The new mic ribbon I acquired has a super cardioid patter (very tight) with great rear rejection and it is an "active" mic that requires 48v phantom power so, no worries about burning it up accidentally and it's more robust then most.
Although I'm still experimenting with it, so far, I like it on my vocals, guitar amps and my acoustic.

Bottom line:
If somebody asks for my advice on a mic for home recording my first recommendation is always an SM58.
It's good on most vocals and amps.
It has a cardioid pattern with some rear rejection.
Has a built in pop filter, an accessory that's recommended for vocals.
It can be used in the studio or live.
It's rugged and inexpensive.

If someone already has a SM58 and wants advice on a better vocal mic, I'd say give consideration to your recording environment before choosing your next mic.

My mic locker:
-Shure SM58
-Shure SM57
-Rode NT1 ( Sold )
-CAD e70
- Electro Voice RE20
-Shure SM7B
-AEA KU5A
 
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Cowboy Bob

Horse Player/Guitar Wrangler
Of course I have a different situation but, I too have the usual suspect list of dynamic microphones; Shure, AKG, AT, and even Marshall (MXL) as well a selection of condenser microphones from Rode, AT, and Mojave.

I also have a few kit built ribbon mics, one of which is a Blumlein configuration. I love that one for acoustic guitar work.

I think, however, that my favorite vocal mic for MY voice is my vintage Shure PE588. I bought it when I was in high school and playing in bands. It is a high impedance mic that was designed to be plugged into the clean channel of your amp, basically, or into and amp and mixer. It has that goofy Amphenol plug on the end of the mic ( I made an XLR adapter for it) and I connect it to the instrument input of my interface, not the line or mic.

Microphones can be a rabbit hole. Depending upon the source you want to capture, and what needs to be rejected. If it sounds good to you it is right.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Pe588,
I need to look that up.
I remember the first mic I owned as a teen, I plugged it into my guitar amp.
Wonder if it was one of those?
 

Cowboy Bob

Horse Player/Guitar Wrangler
Pe588,
I need to look that up.
I remember the first mic I owned as a teen, I plugged it into my guitar amp.
Wonder if it was one of those?
Quite possible, unless it was one of those Realistic brands from Radio Shack. Some of the guys used those but they would squeal and hum a lot if I recall.

Shrue also had a PE 5something or another that was very similar to the 588. It was a little lower spec, lower cost, and it had a volume control instead of the on.off switch. Those were really prolific with the bands in my teenage years also.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
looked up the PE 588, that's not the one I had back in the 60s.
As I recall, it looked very much like an SM58 with a black handle and silver wire screen but, the housing was much shorter.
 
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Terry B

Humble student of the blues
Just came upon this thread... anyone familiar with the PE-56 Unisphere I dynamic mic? It also plugs into an amp.
 

Cowboy Bob

Horse Player/Guitar Wrangler
Just came upon this thread... anyone familiar with the PE-56 Unisphere I dynamic mic? It also plugs into an amp.
Yes, it is another high impedance cardioid microphone from Shure, similar to the PE-58.

I have found that these work best for me when using the instrument input of the interface. They are unidirectional, and good at rejecting room sound.

I like the sound of them on certain sources. My bullfrog voice for one.
 
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