Topic: Looking for Recommedations for my first mics

[Dustin]

SSIA, mostly.

I would like to get into taping a band called Umphrey's Mcgee (allows taping), they play mostly in bars and small theaters.  I will be using my laptop to do the recording, and i love recommendations or at least some good specifications to look for in a mic.

I will be working with a price range up to 400-500 dollars.

--Dustin

[sexymexi]

does that include a preamp? and mics??  might have to fork out a couple more bucks for both, which u would need..  i'd say go for akg's.  but maybe i'm just a fan of them, but for that price range, there isn't as much as you could do, but u would be able to go digimod ua-5 > octava's, or superlux.  > notebook.  thats gonna be the one of the cheapest routes. and not too bad at all.  good luck, hope you get started..  

matt

[BCostigan]

If $500 is your max you have a few options...but first:

What does your laptop have for a soundcard/inputs?   If you have USB, Firewire, toslink, coax the list of pre's is longer than if you just have a USB.  

[Swampy]

Welcome! If you don't have all the money right away, you can start by patching out of KB's matrix untill you get mics ect...

[rustle]

Welcome,
  I would go with a used VX-Pocket for your soundcard. You can get one for ~$200. Then you'll need a "splitter" or patchbay for a digital patch. You'll be limited on the ability to run 24 bits every time, but this will get you going for less than $500.. I just realized you'll need a power source. Add ~$100 for SLA and an adapter.
 
 Have fun!

[BC]

probably would be best off with a small diapraghm condenser, check out manufacturers
Audio-technica, Shure, Oktava, AKG

Good luck,
Ben

[F.O.Bean]

go 391's >lappy, spend a liol more money and go into a vx pocket, i think the ad in the vx is better than average, so you could pull a pretty decent recording this way!!!

[hoobash]

Oktava Mc-012($100 for pair at Guitar Center)>Ua-5(No mod $265 new on ebay or $200 used)>Laptop Via usb. Then you will need a stand and cables. This will all run you under $500

[Simp-Dawg]

umphrey's is pretty sweet.
ok, first question, what kind of laptop do you have?  you will need adequate hard drive space, at least 6GB free for recording at all times.
what kind of batteries do you have?  not likely you'll be able to get ac power at many clubs.  i recommend the valence n-charge as a portable power solution.  this will run you around 250-300
the ua-5 is a nice low cost unit.  you can get it for under 300 and it will work for you.  you do not need a mod if you are using it with your laptop over usb (the digimod is only necessary when using it standalone into a dat or jb3).  there are other options you could look into, like a used vxpocket v2 to use to patch with until you can afford higher quality outboard gear (mic pre-amp and analog-to-digital converter).
as for mics, there are so many options.  assuming you purchased an n-charge and ua-5 as mentioned above, you're probably out of money by now.  but you can still patch, and save for mics.
also consider with a laptop you will need to customize the operating system to be stable.

[learning_towalk]

I've been grooving to Umph since 2001...gotta love those guys...

I think my first "real" set of mics is gonna be some ADK SC-T's or some AKG 391's...what ever I get the best price on first.

[caymanreview]

u stold my name... lol

i was just going to change my name from this to Dustin

maybe a ua5 would be a great reccomendation for patching with the lappy, then eventually buying mics

welcome aboard Dustin(+T)
Dustin

[learning_towalk]

I was shocked by the sound of the Superlux cards...

and on ebay you get...

matched pair
windscreens
tbar
shockmounts
case


all for 130 bucks and they sound REALLY good for the price...if I wasn't goin for the ADK's or AKG's I'd deffinately grab some of those, and I still may

[Swampy]

I was shocked by the sound of the Superlux cards...

and on ebay you get...

matched pair
windscreens
tbar
shockmounts
case


all for 130 bucks and they sound REALLY good for the price...if I wasn't goin for the ADK's or AKG's I'd deffinately grab some of those, and I still may

Ya, I just sold a pair. You might wanna look into them. search superlux on the archive listen to dtb, dirty dozen brass, kdtu...

[radioboy1977]

Ya, I just sold a pair. You might wanna look into them. search superlux on the archive listen to dtb, dirty dozen brass, kdtu...

again, you're a gear whore

[Swampy]

Ya, I just sold a pair. You might wanna look into them. search superlux on the archive listen to dtb, dirty dozen brass, kdtu...

again, you're a gear whore

Ya, but a CHEAP gear whore... I like to think of myself as more of a gear pimp

[radioboy1977]

touche.