10 Best Affordable Microphones for the Home Studio
Jul 22nd in Recording by Joel Falconer
Making music is perhaps one of the most expensive hobbies in the world—that is, aside from tasting truffles. When you’re looking to set up a decent home studio, it’s hard to find a way to stay within budget without ending up with a terrible sound. Here are ten options to minimize expenditure while still getting a decent sound out of your system at the end of the day, by buying smart when it comes to one of the most important types of studio equipment: microphones.
Shure SM57
For about $100 give or take, you can pick up a Shure SM57 (you can double that price for the popular two-packs, or the SM57/58 combo packs). Though I have no real evidence, I’ve heard reputable producers say that Lenny Kravitz uses the 57 on everything, from drums to guitars to voice. This is also the go-to microphone for distorted guitars, no matter what your budget is.
Shure SM58
The popular SM58 is a dynamic mic that can also be had for about $100, and cuts the budget nicely because you can use this baby live and in the studio. While there are better microphones out there for studio recording, this’ll give you a decent vocal sound on a small budget with nice boosts in all the right places. It’s also good for distorted guitars (though the 57 is usually the best choice here). Many heavier artists use the 58 for their vocals even when they’re in expensive studios because of the amount of screaming it can take without distorting. If you’ve got a singer who is only comfortable singing with the microphone in hand, not on a stand, this is also a good choice. I’ve had good experiences using the SM58 on backing vocals, even when I’ve got a U87 or Rode Classic on the lead.
Shure Beta 58
Prices for this baby swing anywhere between $100 and $200. If you’re buying an SM58 because it’s a cheap vocal mic, as opposed to a cheap multi-purpose mic, and you’ve got an extra hundred in your budget, you may want to consider this one instead. It’s considered by many to be far superior to the SM58 for vocal applications, though I haven’t heard much good news for the Beta on other instruments (if you have, let us know in the comments—I haven’t tried it on anything but vocals).
Rode NT3
The NT3 can be had for about $200—sometimes it’s closer to $300, but if you shop around and resist the impulse to buy immediately, you’ll find a good deal. This microphone is great for acoustic guitars (especially in conjunction with an SM57 on the hole), percussion and drums—particularly those with a lot of high end, since these don’t catch as much bass. It’s also a pretty good choice for vocals, unless you’re recording a bass or baritone singer.
Rode NTK
If you want to use the same vocal mic as Chad Krueger used on Nickelback’s Long Road, this is the one. You can find it for about $500, which seems a bit steep for this list, but investing in a good condenser is smart. And $500 is cheap—as everyone said when Long Road came out, “all you used was a freakin’ NTK?” But the NTK was used because Chad has a loud voice and this mic can take a beating of decibels without distorting, so it’s a good choice if you want something cheap, durable but clear and high-quality.
Behringer C1
I’m almost embarrassed to say it, but if the NTK is too expensive for you, the C1 is a decent replacement and has served me well in the past. It’s around $100. It won’t get you anywhere near the tone and quality of the NTK, but for home recording it does the job and it does it fairly well. It’s fair to say that most home recorders won’t have their rooms acoustically treated, so you won’t be able to pick up as much of a difference between this mic and the next (the room is the most important bit of studio equipment you can invest in, by the way).
M-Audio Nova
This large capsule condenser is about $130 and does a good job for the price—it’s probably a fair bit better than the Behringer C1. I don’t actually own one so I haven’t been able to test it rigorously, but enough trusted producers tell me it’s got great bang for buck that I need to list it here. I spent a few hours with it during one project and the Nova shouldn’t be missing from any list the C1 is on.
Audio Technica AT2020
The AT2020 can be had from anywhere between $100 and $150. It’s an excellent microphone specifically designed so that home users and project studios can get the most from their money, and can record everything from vocals to acoustic instruments to strings and drum overheads (and it has been engineered to be light enough to use it in this manner).
Shure KSM27
Another offering from one of the most well-known microphone manufacturers in the world, the KSM27 can be had for about $300 to $400. It’s well worth it for this cardioid condenser that has been designed with the budget musician in mind: sensitive enough for the studio, but tough enough to withstand a go at your next show. It’ll do everything from vocals to acoustic instruments.
Rode Classic II
It might not be fair to include the Classic on this list, because it does have a steeper price tag, but if you’re looking for quality over quantity this is a good choice. While many places sell this mic for $1,800 to $2,000, I’ve seen it going for about $800-900, so again, shop around and find a good deal. I’ve used this for rock vocals and on distorted guitars, but even artists like Snoop Dogg have used and loved this microphone. You can use it on acoustic instruments of all sorts and even drum overheads (though you better have a sturdy stand—this thing is solid!). One of the best mics for its price, in my opinion, and well worth every penny of your budget.
One more thing…
If you are setting up a home studio, don’t even bother buying a microphone unless you’re going to be buying a pop filter too. Unless all your music is totally instrumental, that is. Good pop filters can be found from $10 all the way on up to $50, but you can also make your own.Related Posts
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User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Mr. Tunes July 22nd
hi joel, there is a company up here in Canada called KEL Audio. I haven’t tried their mics but the HM1 has been on my wishlist for a long time.
http://kelaudio.com/hm1.html
also we have another company called Apex but they are manufactured in China i think. the 460 is good value for the money, but it’s noisy as heck on quiet recordings. they can work nicely on a singer that belts it though with the tube design.
http://www.apexelectronics.com/products.asp?type=1&cat=21&id=74
in a slightly higher price range i enjoy the AT4040 as well as the Shure SM7B which works great in voiceover and broadcast
( )brett houston July 22nd
this list couldn’t have come at a better time! thanks a lot, and keep’em coming!
( )NamelessEffects July 22nd
The Rode NT1-A is another great condensor mic for vocals, acoustic guitar and similar applications. We were suprised to find its one of the best Tom mics we’ve ever used! (…don’t position it too close though!). It can be picked up for as low as $229
(http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/R0DE-NT1A-Anniversary-Model-Microphone?sku=271593)
( )bobby July 22nd
first great job!
( )Saul July 22nd
Nice tut… Thank you!
I just wanted to know about Shure SM7 to record vocals. What you have to say about it?
( )APENZOON July 22nd
thnx dude
( )mattems July 22nd
good list and info!
i have a shure SM58, good mic for the price!! love it.
( )Stephen Walker July 22nd
The Studio Projects B1 is a phenomenal microphone as well for its price.
http://www.studioprojectsusa.com/b1.html
( )Rhonda B July 22nd
I record screencasts and podcasts, but I haven’t been able to find a good information on the best microphones that can be used for these purposes. I would prefer a USB mic, and if possible, wireless. Logitech is supposedly coming out with a ClearChat Wireless USB Headset, but there’s no information on when it will be released. Could you write an article on microphones for screencasting/podcasting?
( )Johnnie Tech July 22nd
I have an AKG Perception 200 and find it to be a very pleasing mic. I haven’t recorded a whole lot of vocals with it but it seems have a pretty good range of frequencies without mudding them up too much at all.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/AKG-Perception-200-LargeDiaphragm-Condenser-Microphone?sku=271243
( )Joel Falconer July 22nd
Mr. Tunes: Thanks for the recommendations—I’d love to try some of these out sometime, I wonder if the studio has some hidden away in the cupboards.
Brett: Glad it helped, and I’ll certainly do my best to keep them coming!
Nameless: You can’t go wrong with a Rode, in my opinion. Hate sounding like I’m some kind of brand evangelist but Rode just makes a great bunch of mics. And they’re Aussie too, which is a plus in my books!
Bobby and Apenzoon: Thanks!
Saul: The Shure SM57 is not bad on the vocals, though you do have to be careful with its proximity effect (too close gets too boomy and bassy). There are better mics for the job, but they’ll do it well enough—if you like Lenny Kravitz’s recorded vocals, he apparently uses SM57s all the time.
Mattems: SM58 is a fantastic mic for any home recording kit. You can’t really go wrong with it.
Stephen: Thanks for the recommendation—would love to try it out sometime.
Rhonda: As Mr. Tunes mentions above, AT4040 and Shure SM7B are pretty good mics for spoken word work. But most mics that do a good job on vocals will generally do a good job on spoken voice too. Some are just more suited to it than others.
Johnnie: AKG is another good brand—I use them a lot when we’re recording drums. Thanks for the recommendation!
( )Darren Jones July 22nd
I think the CAD M179 should definitely be on this list. Great sound, good build quality and variable multi-pattern. If I had to only have ONE mike for recording everything and had to be on a budget then this would be it.
( )Lee July 23rd
Here’s a couple of pointers for those that are wanting to build a rig for home recording.
You can spend money on this and that, until you’re blue in the face and six feet under, buying treatments and gobos and carpet and decor, but the best advice anyone ever gave me, back when I was first getting into recording my own music, back in the 90’s, was to get a great mic before buying any other gear. To me, a Shure is a great mic. Any home studio in the world, from yours to Bob Rock’s home studio would be pretty much ready to handle anything with four SM57s and a couple of KSM27s. You’ll be ready for any acoustic instrument, any percussion instruments as well as electric instruments and vocals, both male and female.
You *could* exist for good with this rig, but you’ll most likely want to (eventually) buy a couple of ribbon mics and perhaps a couple of pencil condensers.
If you don’t have one already, get a firewire interface with at least four preamps. Buy or build a decent computer, paying attention to quality components. Pick your host wisely. It’s difficult when you find yourself hopping from one host to another, so pick one that you might stay with for a while and learn it inside and out. Do some research and get some good plugins, that will suit your needs, for your tastes and for the way that you like to work. Buy some good cables, a pop filter and a decent set of headphones for tracking, and you’re in business! Anything else you need you can always take over to a commercial room for tweaking and final mix, or whatever.
Get some room treatment, but don’t go broke buying the stuff. Do some reading on the subject and get a simple package or even build yourself some traps and then work on the problem areas, but don’t just buy a bunch of foam and slap it up without reading about treatments first. A little bit of education on this subject could save you thousands of dollars, and just may steer you away from trying to do it yourself, and getting an expert to do it for you. Treatment is as important as any other component of your rig, but it can totally screw you up without your knowing it, if you don’t know what you’re doing. Go read.
Again, do yourself and everyone who will record through your gear a favor, and get at least one great mic first, before you do anything. Actually, I would recommend getting three SM57s to start out with, on any budget. You can mic a drum kit, a live room if you need to, spot mic a live show, or rehearsal for a submixed stereo recording, all kinds of stuff. You can probably come up with a thousand different uses for three SM57s, and I fully encourage you to do so.
Look, I don’t work for Shure, but I love their gear, as a lot of us do. I coul absolutely get by on a rig of 57s and a couple 27s. These mics are found in eery level of recording situation, from professional to home studio, to tour bus studio on the road somewhere deep inside the Tennessee hills. Affordability, durability and attention to detail, and just plain good sound quality is what has kept Shure mics in the forefront of the industry for all of these years. It’s amazing the things Shure has done with mics, and people like you and me can afford to buy them.
The mic truly is the place to get it right in the beginning. With a great mic, you won’t need to sit for hours trying eq after eq, trying to sculpt a sound. It will be natural and it will sit in the mix effortlessly. Shure mics are affordable, timeless and they are proven. Some guys have to learn this the hard way, but eventually, if you’re ever going to make a recording that stands out as “great”, or that is mixed perfectly, with balance and composure, you will have to come to terms with this one thing; Get a great mic before you do anything else. Trust me, please. Whatever is happening with your audio, it’s almost always going to come down to which mic you used. The other gear is very important as well, but the mic really can make or break your sound. -Lee Harless (Producer/Musician)
( )Ben Gribbin July 23rd
I just bought a samson cu30 podcasting kit, are they any good?
( )Dgraham86 July 23rd
sE Electronincs sE 1000a condenser microphone
http://www.dv247.com/invt/47575/
( )Mr. Tunes July 23rd
hi rhonda, i recommended the SM7-B above, but i really recommend it for female voiceover especially. it costs a bit more, but i found that recording female VO and broadcast was even harder cause of the delicate sound and more sibilance.
i tried a handful of mics, kept returning the store, and then a digidesign representative overheard my frustration one day and told me about the SM7-B. he said he had the same problem recording his wife until he got that mic. it also rejects a lot of noise cause it’s a dynamic mic. so it needs more gain than your average condensor(but doesn’t need extra voltage like condensors do).
( )id2k July 24th
is the shure KSM47 recommended for a home studio?
( )I mean that am a beginner in music and my studio doesn’t a record room (accoustic room) and i worry about if i buy it i could get more noise than i’m having now.
Actually, i’m using a very simple microphone and i like it well, but i would like to improve.
SomeAudioGuy July 25th
All good mics.
I’d add to the list:
AKG Perception 220 or 420
AKG C214 and C414 (some of the MOST versatile reference condensers you can get)
M-Audio Luna or Solaris
RODE NT1000
I prefer the RODE K2 to the NTK because of it’s variable polar patterns.
( )I noticed a lack of dynamics. The Shures are VERY god mics, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check out something like an RE20 or MD421. These things are bullet proof, especially for anything loud (like kick drums, but also do a great job on screaming). I just did a VO shootout between the MD421u5 and an SM57.
http://someaudioguy.blogspot.com/2008/05/living-room-laboratory-sennheiser-md421.html
Justin July 25th
You forgot the AKG 414!!!!
I guess it is a bit pricey for this list, but it can be used for almost any acoustic instrument and works great for vocals too.
( )I use it all the time. It is a must have.
PBrain July 30th
There’isn’t a company in Taiwan that hasn’t thought about making a condenser vocal mic, but if they do it’ll on Penny Bepo’s wishlist
( )Chris August 31st
Hey, I have used the Shure 55SH for vocals since i have been recording in my home studio. I think that it is a very warm, good sounding dynamic mic. Does anyone have any opinions on this? For my instruments, I am using the SM57, which i think sounds great for recording a snare.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-55SH-Series-II-Mic?sku=270169
( )anthony October 16th
i use the behringer c1 and its a fantastic mic, jeez what am i saying, its rubbish!!, i did have one at first ro home vocals, but to be honest i used it for a week and bought an AT2020, the difference was immediate!, although its not in the same class as the rode or the shure, it did the job i needed it to do, which was to get a clear crisp sound
( )nowaysj October 23rd
Have owned and used a blueberry. $1,000, but sold. Am now using a at3035 $135 and am VERY happy with it. It is not a 1000 dollar mic, but I guarantee the 3035 will be better than you or your ears for a number of years.
( )Brandon November 11th
What about the Audio Technica AT3035?
( )Tom November 23rd
What do people think of the T.Bones? They’re amazingly cheap, but I wonder if they’re worth it.
( )Caroline January 2nd
Thanks so much for this list. It really helps give a better idea of some good microphones out there and which ones are really worth, or not, looking into. I had a few thoughts and questions that I would like to bring up, though.
First, I tried buying a Samson CO1U (plugs directly into the computer) for $100 or so. It has a terrible noise problem: the background of the recordings is grainy and there is a hissing sound. I tried everything to help reduce that without much success. Is it possible to fix that? Otherwise I don’t think it’s worth the money, and I don’t really recommend it to anyone.
Secondly - I think I’d like to exchange my Samson for the Shure SM58, as I’ve heard great reviews on it. I have a few questions about it, though, before I get too serious: is it a good recording microphone? I don’t think I’d use it for performance so much as for recording. Does it record with good quality and minimal/no hissing in the background? And how does it connect to your computer - I have a microphone plug in the back of my computer, so I’m not sure if that would be where you could connect it… would you have to buy a mixer or something to connect the two together?
( )frank January 6th
ok that was fun and exciting but how about a real top 10 budget list for getting stuff done.
10. sure 57- 100 bucks, gotta have them, snare, guitars, beautiful.
( )9. cascade fathead- 150 bucks- distorted guitar, horns, drum room mics… great dark ribbon on a budget.
8. Sure Beta 52- around 150, your kick mic. enough said.
7. senn e609- 100$ get a pair of these for toms, maybe guitar cabs, but you have enough mics already that are better in the 57 and the fathead!
6. Kel HM1- 150 each, 270 pair, awesome drum overhead.
5. Sure SM7- bit pricy, do some shopping 300ish AWESOME vocal male and female, AWESOME horn mic, great guitar cab, and more!
4. Rode NT5- again some shopping around 250ish a pair of these pencils, acoustic guitar, piano, ect.
3. MXL 9000- 150ish awesome cheap tube mic, great for overheads, piano, vox
2. Rode NT1a- 220ish great female vox
1. If budget allows EV re20 400ish. Bass amp, guitar amp, VOCALS, horns, snares, kicks, toms. yes.
andrew January 10th
The only reason the 57/58 are so popular still is the fact that people like this author have used them for years and are afraid to go out and see that they wasted $100 on a mic that should cost $50. Try the akg D5 instead of the 58, its the same price but handles like a beta, and the audix i5 has better micing capabilities then the 57 and over all a better sound. Do your research and you will see that lots of people prefer lots of mics of the 57/58
( )David Labuguen February 18th
I’m so surprised the SM7 is not on the list. It really is an all around good mic, and has really saved me when other mics don’t do the job right.
( )Gregory P. Booker April 11th
Thanks for the list, Yes I agree with the standards 57/58 but have moved on to audix om5’s, it’s better all-ways around.
( )Rode, NTK- Best tube condenser I’ve found for under a grand
KSM 27 also very versatile and I do have 2 of them. Drum “overs”
As for acoustic gtr. I really like AT4033cl my choice not everyones.
sennheiser 421’s for toms always and I’m a drummer
D112 for kick.
BLUE Dragonfly for most male vox, just awesome. trust me.
Octava MK 319 for Slide gtr. and dobro, weird huh.
And last but not least who in there right mind wants to mic a bass cab. split the signal put up a faux mic and work with the direct feed.
the more the amp pumps the more f#!ked the signal gets and I’ve never ever had a bassest tell me they don’t like the final sound. I’m not a jerk I just think its a waste of time to try to squeeze an elephant through a keyhole. Anyway please try some of these less costly mic’s they are worthy. Peace : . )