Advice on cheap microphones

[joel]

just gathering opinions on cheap microphones - i am going to purchase
i microphone and would like to keep the price in the $100 limit. the
application would be about anything, with an emphasis on vocals and
acoustic guitar. the mic's i've been considering are the oktava: 012,
319 or 219. i only have experience with the mc(k?)012 and that was
with drums - i have heard there can be issues with popping p's on the
012 with vocals - and vocals will be the most important.

any other manufacturer/model suggestions welcome - these are just the
ones i have been considering based on research. thanks,
joel

[Thomas Bishop]

"joel" > wrote in message
> just gathering opinions on cheap microphones - i am going to purchase
> i microphone and would like to keep the price in the $100 limit. the
> application would be about anything, with an emphasis on vocals and
> acoustic guitar. the mic's i've been considering are the oktava: 012,
> 319 or 219. i only have experience with the mc(k?)012 and that was
> with drums - i have heard there can be issues with popping p's on the
> 012 with vocals - and vocals will be the most important.

Learn how to search www.groups.google.com You'll find it very useful. To
answer your question, the general consensus is "get an sm57". And about the
Oktava 012, the MK is the one at Guitar Center, the MC is the one at the
Sound Room. Think of the C as standing for "control," as in quality
control.

[Thomas Bishop]

"joel" > wrote in message
> just gathering opinions on cheap microphones - i am going to purchase
> i microphone and would like to keep the price in the $100 limit. the
> application would be about anything, with an emphasis on vocals and
> acoustic guitar. the mic's i've been considering are the oktava: 012,
> 319 or 219. i only have experience with the mc(k?)012 and that was
> with drums - i have heard there can be issues with popping p's on the
> 012 with vocals - and vocals will be the most important.

Learn how to search www.groups.google.com You'll find it very useful. To
answer your question, the general consensus is "get an sm57". And about the
Oktava 012, the MK is the one at Guitar Center, the MC is the one at the
Sound Room. Think of the C as standing for "control," as in quality
control.

[MikeK]

"Thomas Bishop" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> Learn how to search www.groups.google.com You'll find it very useful. To
> answer your question, the general consensus is "get an sm57". And about
the
> Oktava 012, the MK is the one at Guitar Center, the MC is the one at the
> Sound Room. Think of the C as standing for "control," as in quality
> control.

I keep seeing the "Oktava at GC" comment, but when you go online (ain't no
GC's near me) their "online shop" is via Musician's Friend, and they don't
have ANYthing "Oktava." Neither does AMS nor Zzounds. Any online place have
these Oktava 012's at a price comparable to the GC special? And which
capsule does the GC special include?

[MikeK]

"Thomas Bishop" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> Learn how to search www.groups.google.com You'll find it very useful. To
> answer your question, the general consensus is "get an sm57". And about
the
> Oktava 012, the MK is the one at Guitar Center, the MC is the one at the
> Sound Room. Think of the C as standing for "control," as in quality
> control.

I keep seeing the "Oktava at GC" comment, but when you go online (ain't no
GC's near me) their "online shop" is via Musician's Friend, and they don't
have ANYthing "Oktava." Neither does AMS nor Zzounds. Any online place have
these Oktava 012's at a price comparable to the GC special? And which
capsule does the GC special include?

[Sean Conolly]

"MikeK" > wrote in message
...
> I keep seeing the "Oktava at GC" comment, but when you go online (ain't no
> GC's near me) their "online shop" is via Musician's Friend, and they don't
> have ANYthing "Oktava." Neither does AMS nor Zzounds. Any online place
have
> these Oktava 012's at a price comparable to the GC special? And which
> capsule does the GC special include?

The GC mics come with the cardoid capsule for $100, or you can now get all
three for $200. They don't sell the capsules separately. They were running a
special recently for 2 012s for $100.

There are serious quality issues with their stock as previously noted. I
have a pair and a friend also has a pair, and between us we tried at least
15 mics to find 4 that sounded good. If you have to do mail-order, use the
Sound Room.

The 219 sounded like crap, but I've heard that you can cut off the plastic
grille and get a good sound. I also have a 319 - which has a rich but dark
sound to me. I've noticed from handling that the metal grille has a ring to
it, but I've never picked it out on a recording yet. It sounded OK on slide
guitar to take some of the edge off the string noise, but mostly I use it on
kick drum for lack of anything better to use.

Sean

[Sean Conolly]

"MikeK" > wrote in message
...
> I keep seeing the "Oktava at GC" comment, but when you go online (ain't no
> GC's near me) their "online shop" is via Musician's Friend, and they don't
> have ANYthing "Oktava." Neither does AMS nor Zzounds. Any online place
have
> these Oktava 012's at a price comparable to the GC special? And which
> capsule does the GC special include?

The GC mics come with the cardoid capsule for $100, or you can now get all
three for $200. They don't sell the capsules separately. They were running a
special recently for 2 012s for $100.

There are serious quality issues with their stock as previously noted. I
have a pair and a friend also has a pair, and between us we tried at least
15 mics to find 4 that sounded good. If you have to do mail-order, use the
Sound Room.

The 219 sounded like crap, but I've heard that you can cut off the plastic
grille and get a good sound. I also have a 319 - which has a rich but dark
sound to me. I've noticed from handling that the metal grille has a ring to
it, but I've never picked it out on a recording yet. It sounded OK on slide
guitar to take some of the edge off the string noise, but mostly I use it on
kick drum for lack of anything better to use.

Sean