
MadAsAHatter
Well-known member
I made a post a bit back when first looking at mics but couldn’t find it so I’m just starting a new one. I’ve procrastinated enough on buying a mic or two. I found what I wanted and went to buy this morning. Well that didn’t turn out as planned…
I am looking to spend about $100 out of pocket and have $260 in MF points to use. Had the perfect scenario. I was going to get an SM57 package thing with stand & cable ($10 more than an SM57 alone) and a used Sennheiser MD421 they have. I would have paid right at $80 out of pocket; perfect. Went to buy then my plans got shit on. Apparently MF recently changed their policy where you can’t use points towards used gear. And even with the points and a discount a new MD421 puts the costs over what I want to spend. Now I’m stuck at what to do or what else to look at.
I still want to get the SM57, but I need to find a cheaper alternative to the MD421.
My application is to mic guitar and bass for personal home recording. I don’t need pristine studio quality, but do want the best sound quality I can have for the money. And I don’t plan on doing much EQing in post. Think more 1980’s garage band recording days; mic the cabs, do the balancing on the mixer, hit record and go.
On the guitar side it was going to be a studio staple setup of dual micing with the SM57 & MD421. And I’ve liked all the recordings I’ve heard with that setup.
On the bass side of the recordings I’ve heard I liked how the MD421 picked up the low end and still kept the mid-range punchiness. The bass roll-off switch seemed perfect too for dealing with the low frequencies when close micing. And it just seemed like it is a great all-around mic for use in other applications if I ever needed. The SM57 seemed to be okay with a bass amp but I like what I heard from the MD421 much better.
So I basically have $260 to put toward something to use in my application as an alternative to the MD421. And it would need to be new so I can use the MF points. I saw somewhere the Audix D2 used as an alternative that also pairs well with an SM57, but being EQed for toms I’m not so sure. I didn’t like the way an e906 captured a bass amp, too middy and not enough bass. So what suggestions do you have that would be similar to an MD421 in my price range?
I am looking to spend about $100 out of pocket and have $260 in MF points to use. Had the perfect scenario. I was going to get an SM57 package thing with stand & cable ($10 more than an SM57 alone) and a used Sennheiser MD421 they have. I would have paid right at $80 out of pocket; perfect. Went to buy then my plans got shit on. Apparently MF recently changed their policy where you can’t use points towards used gear. And even with the points and a discount a new MD421 puts the costs over what I want to spend. Now I’m stuck at what to do or what else to look at.
I still want to get the SM57, but I need to find a cheaper alternative to the MD421.
My application is to mic guitar and bass for personal home recording. I don’t need pristine studio quality, but do want the best sound quality I can have for the money. And I don’t plan on doing much EQing in post. Think more 1980’s garage band recording days; mic the cabs, do the balancing on the mixer, hit record and go.
On the guitar side it was going to be a studio staple setup of dual micing with the SM57 & MD421. And I’ve liked all the recordings I’ve heard with that setup.
On the bass side of the recordings I’ve heard I liked how the MD421 picked up the low end and still kept the mid-range punchiness. The bass roll-off switch seemed perfect too for dealing with the low frequencies when close micing. And it just seemed like it is a great all-around mic for use in other applications if I ever needed. The SM57 seemed to be okay with a bass amp but I like what I heard from the MD421 much better.
So I basically have $260 to put toward something to use in my application as an alternative to the MD421. And it would need to be new so I can use the MF points. I saw somewhere the Audix D2 used as an alternative that also pairs well with an SM57, but being EQed for toms I’m not so sure. I didn’t like the way an e906 captured a bass amp, too middy and not enough bass. So what suggestions do you have that would be similar to an MD421 in my price range?