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Comment by baldfat | Hacker News Reader

> - Use a condenser microphone with a pop filter for vocals

As an old engineer and record label owner I actually say NEVER use a condenser microphone unless you have great acoustics in your room and specific reason for using them. Use a dynamic mic instead. They are great sounding used on millions of songs and they are forgiving for bad acoustic areas. People just assume that condenser are better for all vocals. My 1" condensers that cost thousands sound amazing but a lot of times I just use a SM58 instead because it was a better sound for it. SM7B is my go to mic for vocals but that would be out of most people's budgets. Also no need for phantom power is also a plus.

SM7B from Shure $399 Sennheiser e945 $219 SM58 from Shure $99 (This is a tank of a mic that just rocks)

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Sm57 all the way for me. $150 condenser mic I got at Guitar Center was terrible.

As a back in the day old time recording engineer, I had access to Neumanns and AKG mics worth thousands of dollars. But 60% of the time, a sure 57 ended up sounding better.

But 100% agree on the pop filter. We used to use pantyhose over a wire hanger shaped like a disc. Now you can get one for 25 bucks

The capsule for the 57 & the 58 are the same; it's the shell that ultimately determines the rejection pattern of the thing.

Hi, sorry for hijacking. I'm a bedroom producer noob and I'm currently using an NT1-A for vocal stuff although I've recently been working with a female vocalist who's got a very strong (and pretty bright-sounding) voice. Would you recommend giving the Sm57 a go for this sort of thing?

Absolutely. Condenser mics often don't work well with the kind of voice you're describing. They end up sounding shrill and a bit clippy even if they don't officially hit the clip level.

Mics like the 57, or the old re20 that you used to see in studios have a warmer, analog sound that's more forgiving and softens the harshness that you can hear in condenser mics.

Awesome, thanks! I'm going to give this a go :)

+1 on the dynamic mic. It's personal preference and I sound way better on a dynamic mic, plus it doesn't pick up background noise

As a bedroom producer, I’ll have to disagree. My $300 Rhodes condenser mic sounds way better for vocals than my e906 Sennheiser dynamic mic. I don’t have an optimal space, and haven’t even looked into the acoustics of the room.

The SM7B would take issue with your condenser > dynamic claim haha

Your e906 is designed primarily to be stuck in front of guitar amps, I'm not surprised that a Rode LDC would beat it. That does not mean that everyone recording in their bedroom will do better with a condenser microphone vs a good dynamic.

Point taken. I should try a different dynamic mic. I hadn’t considered the one I was using was designed strictly for guitar amps.

Anyone have dynamic mic recommendations for vocals?

SM 57, 58, 7b.

I love them each dearly.

I posted them above SM7B from Shure $399 Sennheiser e945 $219 SM58 from Shure $99 (This is a tank of a mic that just rocks)

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