What LDC's do you guys like?

[osbornkt]

I'm looking to get a cheap-ish Condenser sometime soon for non-guitar recording. What do y'all use and like?

It would be primarily for musical saw and amplified vocals...Also for doing room/proximity recordings while tracking guitar.

I've looked around and seen some decent stuff...Audio Technica seems like a relatively good brand (I've used it in the past and been pleased). Anything else you guys like for around $150 or below?

[sonidero]

Rode NT1-A is the cheap standard... Also MXL makes good cheap mics that always end up in studios...

[Uncle Grandfather]

might look at an audio technica 2035.

this site is a treasure trove of information
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones

[osbornkt]

Nice. Looking up some MXL models now.
Thanks, dude!

[osbornkt]

That's an awesome resource, UG. Thanks a ton!

[rustywire]

The MXLs, AT, Rode lines caught my eye as well...while keeping in mind that "cheap" is particularly risky with LDC.
I advise you scrimp to increase budget and shop around.

Under $300(around 250-275) can get a lightly used AKG C214, a versatile mic that performs far beyond its price point on acoustic instruments, vocals and especially open-back guitar cabs/room miking.
Hard to go wrong with Austrian/German made. If you want a new one, they can be found for about 330.

Blue Bluebird is another option in this price range, although manufactured in the far east.
It, too makes for a fairly versatile option; but I'd give the advantage to the C214.
The C214 is fixed cardioid with a "closed back" design that makes it useful in untreated rooms and noisier environments.

But where will you be getting your gain; specifically which pre-amps/interface[s] will you be using?

[The4455]

I'd skip on the MXL's and sterling audio.

I highly recommend a Studio Projects B-1, I've got two of them, $120 new.

Rode's are very "unforgiving" flat freq response, awesome as drum overheads, broadcast, and post production, not so much on guitars.

I'd buy an AKG c214 in a heartbeat it's the same diaphragm that's in the C414, which is my favorite mic.

[osbornkt]

I always gravitated to the 414 for my guitar when I worked in a studio and had one at my disposal. Loved that thing so much.
This is just for my home rig...A lot of cheap stuff that gets the job done right now.
Rustywire, I'll be llternating between a Presonus Firestudio and Akai EIE for interfaces, and just run them via firewire into my Mac with Logic 9. No real Preamps right now as my budget is dismal and all...
Mic choice so far has just been between a bunch of Shure 57s and 58s I got at a yard sale for $10 a pop.
After I get some Christmas monies in I'll try to hunt down a used c214. Might try some MXLs in the meantime...Musiciansfriend has a set of two for $70 (an LDC and a SDC) and they got good reviews...If they end up sounding like crap, I'll toss them on ebay

[The4455]

I'd pass on the mxl's, the only one I can even kinda recommend is their ribbon, which is good, for a $100 ribbon mic. Mics are not like guitars where you can get a cheap one and it's actually pretty okay, cheap mics suck, there's no way around it, even the sterling audio SDC that's $100 is junk. I really think buying the mxl's would be shooting yourself in the foot.

The whole reason you use a condenser mic is to capture the whole sound of the source, to get a crappy one kinda defeats the purpose.

But your decision is your own.

[sonidero]

I know a lot of people that have gotten good results with MXL but read around and see if you can try some mics at a local store...

I wanna get some Peavey condenser mics for the KVLT Rig...

[osbornkt]

The whole reason you use a condenser mic is to capture the whole sound of the source, to get a crappy one kinda defeats the purpose.

But your decision is your own.

Fair enough. Probably will just hold off a bit and wait for some christmas monies to come in to buy the c214.
And unfortunately, there are no music stores that have mics around here...Looking at a couple hours' drive at least to find one up around DC or Baltimore

[Decibill]

For the MXL mics see if you can score a used V69. Its a really nice mic for the money. A used AT4040 would work well too. The CAD M179 is really solid too.

[Disarm D'arcy]

On the cheap, Studio Projects B1 gets my vote. It was actually my first LDC. I used to own a C414 XLS as well, it was a pretty good all around microphone, pretty good for female vocals but often rubbish on male vocals. Now that my recording setup is only for myself/my projects, I get more satisfaction out of a Neumann TLM102 for acoustic instruments and my vocals. I track electric guitars mainly with ribbon microphones (I own a pair of SE R1), and use these mostly for stereo takes. I also own a pair of SM57 for the sake of variety and durability.

Also, check out Advanced Audio's stuff. They make cheap microphones with spec from major historic make and models. I've only heard great stuff about them. They have a C414 inspired microphone that you might enjoy.

The C214 is not as close to a C414 as you might expect. The capsule is not the same as the C414, it's inspired by various C414 versions. If it's one specific version of the C414 sound you're used to and are aiming for, you might get disappointed.