Re:OT top affordable microphones (was headache from cds)

[kkissinger@kevinkissinger.com]

Quoting "L.Angulo" <labaloops@yahoo.com>:
>
> if you were right now to choose the affordable mics you must have to  
>  record voice,drums and instruments which ones would you pick?
> cheers
> Luis
>
My latest purchase was a pair of XML4000 microphones:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXL-4000-MultiPattern-FET-Studio-Condenser-Mic?sku=270624

What attracted me to this mic is the choice of patterns.  I am using  
them to mic an ensemble and I prefer m/s miking for this application.   
Thus, I needed an affordable mic with a figure-8 pattern.

Some of the reviews describe this mic as a "vanilla-sounding" large  
diaphram mic.  For my purpose, "vanilla" is fine -- I want an accurate  
sound.  This mic is very good for vocal sounds -- men's voices sound  
quite full and woman's voices have a nice "silvery" quality without  
sacrificing diction.  The base response (clear down to pitches in the  
32' range) is fantastic.

I really like m/s miking technique.  You don't need fancy equipment to  
do it, either.  You simply co-locate the mikes (that is, you want the  
microphones as close together as possible -- literally only an inch  
apart).  One mike is set to a cardroid pattern and the other is set to  
a figure-eight pattern.  The cardroid mic is aimed straight ahead  
(center) and the figure eight is aimed to the left 90 degrees  (that  
is, the front of the figure-8 mic covers the left, the back covers the  
right).

You then split your figure-8 signal and invert one of the sides.  Pan  
the in-phase side hard-left and the inverted side hard-right.  (Thus,  
you use three channel strips for this).  To do this one needs a  
microphone splitter cable and a inverter barrel:

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Pro-Co-Y-Mic-Cable-Female-XLR2-Male-XLR?sku=330539

and

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/VTG-Phase-Reverse-Barrel?sku=330264

The Center mic is a mono signal and as you bring up the figure-8 mic's  
level, you get an increasing amount of stereo.  I won't get into the  
math involved however the stereo imagery is amazing.  The other  
advantage of m/s is that you don't get stereo comb-filter effects that  
can happen with seperated microphones.

I can't claim hands-on experience with lots of mics -- however the  
choice of mics -- large and small diaphram condensers, dynamic, and  
even a ribbon mic -- in the $200 to $600 range is amazing.

Among such mics, the XML4000 emerged as a great all-around mic that  
features selectable patterns.  And at only $200 each, not a bad deal.

-- Kevin