Condenser mic under $500 for high gain

[Barney]

Looking for a condenser mic under $500 to record a Mark V and Dual Recto in high gain/metal. What's out there?

I currently have an SM57.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I'm quite happy with my Rodes NT-1a, but I use it mostly for vocals.

IMO, especially for at home use, an SM57 and a lot of practice on positioning and amp settings should be more than enough to get great tones.

Eric

 

[zee1usa]

Looking for a condenser mic under $500 to record a Mark V and Dual Recto in high gain/metal. What's out there?

I currently have an SM57.

In alot of Fortin demos I see an AKG 414 and it sounds great!

Consider a Ribon Mic, that is one of my favorites micing a cab with a high gain metal monster!

Greg? Comments?

 

[crankyrayhanky]

at4047 by a long shot
Fillipetti used this mic to record lots of great sounds, killer for almost any application- including heavy guitars, bass guitar, vocals, kick drum, room mic....

Agreed on the ribbon idea though, quality control sucks on the cheap ribbons- not assembled tight enough? But get a good one and they sound killer. I had a royer copy off of eBay for under 150 and kicked all kinds of ass

 

[zee1usa]

at4047 by a long shot
Fillipetti used this mic to record lots of great sounds, killer for almost any application- including heavy guitars, bass guitar, vocals, kick drum, room mic....

Agreed on the ribbon idea though, quality control sucks on the cheap ribbons- not assembled tight enough? But get a good one and they sound killer. I had a royer copy off of eBay for under 150 and kicked all kinds of ass

+1 on the AT4047, got one of those!


I love my Cheap Oktava ribbon

 

[JakeAC5253]

I've never been a fan of any condenser mics on a guitar speaker for high gain tbh. You could blend one in under the SM57, but as far as a sole tone I would look elsewhere than a condenser. The Heil PR20 is a really sweet sounding dynamic and IMO sounds a lot more accurate than the SM57, yet blends extremely nicely with it. If you have a vendetta against dynamic mics or something like that and just want a mic that's different than your SM57, look into a ribbon mic. The Cascade Fathead II with the Lundahl transformers really sound fantastic on high gain guitars. Honestly one of the only mics other than an SM57 that I've actually been impressed with once you start mixing other instruments in. One of those will run you about $350.

 

[jack butler]

I would also recommend getting a ribbon mic instead of a condenser. While I've only used the Royer 121 (excellent mic but $$$$) I've listened to mic shootouts where inexpensive ribbon mics sound close to the Royer. I've done many tests in my home studio with good preamps (Great River,Universal Audio, and True Systems) and cannot get pleasing results with a sm57. I'm not saying it's impossible to get good results with a 57, but it's far from easy. With a Royer and I assume with any decent ribbon mic it's much easier to capture the sound in room. The mics I've tried on guitar cabs are sm57,Audix i5,Sennheiser e609,Sennheiser 421,AKG 414 buls, and Royer 121. The Royer beats them all easily for high gain guitar. While I've not used one check this out http://www.oktavamodshop.com/product_in ... cts_id=118

 

[mjtripper]

I've been very happy with a cad e100s - not to be confused with their earlier e100. I really like it on clean and heavy guitar as well as bass.

 

[mikehickey]

I have a Shure KSM-32 which is pretty nice for the price and seems to like a Marshall cab.

 

[JMP2203]

Condenser and high gain?

thats doesnt match

 

[zee1usa]

Royer 121 is not needed, it is expensive and you can get pretty similar results with something like the Cacsade fathead mentioned. Dynamic mics (Sennheiser e609/ already mentioned) and a Sennheiser MD421.

I use an Oktava (stock) with great results. photo included.

AKG 414 and AT4047 photos included.

 

[zee1usa]

Condenser and high gain?

thats doesnt match

Tell that to Frank Fillipetti and KORN.

I guess the AT4047 and others can take a beating, be careful with the ribbon mics though, probably a pop filter in front of it would protect it from 4x12 cab / celestion woofer blasts of air at high volumes. never damaged mine tho..

 

[sled]

You should really consider a ribbon over a condenser. A ribbon and 57 together are made for High-Gain.