Cheaper alternatives for new microphone?

David Lai

Hi friends!

So I'm wanting to get a mic for my Babyface Pro FS. My Sweetwater sales rep recommended me this microphone: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Dynacaster--se-electronics-dynacaster-dynamic-microphone , this boom arm: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MICBCBM2000--gator-frameworks-gfwmicbcbm2000-frameworks-desktop-mic-boom-stand and this XLR cable: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GoldStu15--mogami-gold-studio-microphone-cable-15-foot-xlr-xlr . Total price for this, after tax, according to my incomplete estimate, is nearly $500.

Are there any cheaper alternatives than this group of products? My dad thinks it's a bit expensive, but he said that if I can't find anything that's like these, then I could buy them.

Any advice is appreciated!!!

Thanks!

David

navindra

David Lai I don't know anything about the mic. It seems like it could be decent and it is not unreasonably priced. I'm sure there are many other options to choose from.

However, I do know that the the price of the cable is completely ridiculous and unreasonable. Just buy a cable on Amazon for much cheaper. You don't need to pay for gold.

Here's a known brand that is 5 feet longer and less than half the price:
https://audixusa.com/products/cbl20/

SouthPark

That price and quality is worthy of your music level and quality David. I have ordered one - SE Dynacaster. At the moment, I just use a sony audio recorder if I want to record any sounds in a room etc. And confident that the SE Dynacaster is going to be extremely useful too.

David Lai

SouthPark I see. Thank you, SouthPark. So you are saying that it's the best price for good quality all around, and probably there might be hard to find cheaper alternatives.

David B

Hi David, is this for singing, talking, or recording instruments? I'm not familiar with the mic, but it looks like a good all around mic that will get the job done. Even though it's a dynamic mic it looks like phantom power is necessary to get the hi-gain to work if I'm reading the description correctly. You'll need to consider what you're plugging it into if you want to use that feature. The stand and cable look topnotch. If you're looking for mic that can handle a variety of tasks this could be a good choice.

God Bless,
David

David Lai

David B Hi David! It's for talking. Luckily, I'm not singing at all. 🙂 I told my rep that I wanted something that can last me a long time, just like my Babyface Pro FS.

SouthPark

Once mine gets here, I'll also test it with my shure X2U xlr to usb adapter, which provides phantom power too. Those adapters often provide flexibility if we want to use the mic as a USB one at some time or any time.

David B

David Lai Hi David! It's for talking

That mic looks like it will be fine for talking. It has built in pop filter so you're all set. I like the way it looks also. It's very sleek. Enjoy.

God Bless,
David

SouthPark

David Lai Most welcome David. I assumed earlier that your mic would generally be for recording piano playing and/or vocal/voice too. This SE dynacaster will definitely be good quality all-round performance. At the moment, I believe it will be hard to find significantly less expensive alternatives. The dyna is going to last for ages and be a really trusty mic. Even for instrumental.

dore_m

I used to watch this channel alot. He reviews a really wide range.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3wU-soAz4vw&feature=share8

David Lai

dore_m Thanks for pointing to the video. That was where I heard the mic!!!

CyberGene

If it’s just for talking, I think anything over $50 is an overkill. I have purchased a €49 T-Bone condenser mic with embedded USB interface (so, no need for expensive mic cables and it gets its fantom power from the USB power) and the voice quality is absolutely pristine. People use it for recording vocals and acoustic instruments and think the results are excellent.

The T-Bone is a Thomann brand, so you may want to find some American imported analogs but what I’m trying to say is a good audio quality for singing and acoustic instrument recording can be achieved even with the cheapest condenser mic nowadays, although of course you’d be better off with a proven brand and at a higher price. But for speaking only every cheap condenser mic with an embedded USB audio interface would be more than capable even for professional work such as radio broadcast, voice overdubs, etc.

https://www.thomann.de/intl/the_tbone_sc440_usb.htm

David B

CyberGene But for speaking only every cheap condenser mic with an embedded USB audio interface would be more than capable even for professional work such as radio broadcast, voice overdubs, etc.

It's interesting that you mention this because I've used both an expensive and inexpensive condenser mic for work on a single video and the difference was indiscernible. It was only talking and the inexpensive condenser was a sub 100 dollar USB mic. Here is the video. In the intro I'm using the expensive mic and in the conclusion I'm using the inexpensive one.

https://youtu.be/-SDPUYhfSN0

I really can't tell a difference.

However, while it might be overkill (the mic David's considering), I like the overall slim profile, stand, and setup. It's pretty sleek.

God Bless,
David

kawafanboi

more copper is needed for long runs, short runs, it doesn't make a huge difference.

if you're trying to get more copper, power cords are usually 100% copper and much cheaper and you can get them and terminate yourself with a good connector. you might have old electronics that have a thicker cords than those expensive cables.

hardware store will also have copper wire on sale, or open box for really cheap $10 for hundreds of feet.

18awg is more than enough for house distances. 12awg if you've got some sort of psychic condition.

MacMacMac

kwb: You're thinking about power connections.

For a microphone there's no need for 12 gauge wire. Or even 18 gauge.
The current being carried is in the microamp range.
A single strand of wire is adequate electrically.
(Okay, this mic has a built-in preamp, so it's getting power for that. So maybe two-stranded wire.)
It's only mechanical strength that dictates the need for more strands. That's all.

CG: I, too, was puzzled by the choice of that microphone costing nearly $300 dollars. That's approaching professional level.
But I see that it was a salesman's recommendation. Ok, now it's no surprise at all. 😀

SouthPark

For voice, I'm using PG42 - like this. I'm also going to be using SE dynacaster later. I decided to get the dynacaster for the xlr. And xlr can be converted to usb through adapters. But dedicated usb mics are great and can be very handy too.

One of the PG42 is a usb one. The PG42 is an oldie but still a goodie.

CyberGene

David B Indeed, I can’t hear a difference listening on my AirPods Pro which are pretty decent headphones although not the best ones. Maybe at home with my Sennheiser HD650s there can be any difference but I doubt it.

BTW, a nice review. Your reviews are always of high quality. You may wanna explore that gift of yours more. You can even make money, companies pay influential reviewers 😉

kawafanboi

what is the defacto piano microphone ?

SouthPark

David's audio interface does have various mic inputs. If he is specifically looking for an XLR mic, which can be connected to his audio interface, and might later - even though not now - use the mic for other stuff, then some overkill can be beneficial. Otherwise, after reading some reviews of other mics, and no issue with quality (eg. noise levels or anything else) - then can certainly consider other mics if it's going to be only for talking. But checking out reviews for a bit will cut down on chances of being unsatisfied with performance etc.

David Lai

SouthPark I like your way of looking at it, SouthPark. I'm indeed looking for something that takes an XLR connection, and probably a mic overkill wouldn't be too bad. But like I said a few posts above, if there's something that can get a good job done for less money but comparable results, I'd like to be signed up. 🙂

David B

CyberGene BTW, a nice review. Your reviews are always of high quality. You may wanna explore that gift of yours more. You can even make money, companies pay influential reviewers

Ha, ha, as a result of that video I had companies wanting to send me parts to review, but I didn't have the time to invest in stuff like that. I'm not really into hobby RC stuff. I just happened to purchase that particular basher for my son and there was some controversy surrounding the product so I thought I would address it.

I wouldn't mind reviewing guns or bibles for a living. I'm interested and know a little bit about those. I like pianos and VSTs, but I'm not a good enough piano player to make those videos interesting. So I guess I'll keep my day job. 🙂

God Bless,
David

David Lai

Hi friends!

Well, after a good night sleep (still getting over jetlag), I've got a lot of replies on this forum. Thank you for all the text! I'll just batch replie on what I read.

1. To start, though it was indeed a sales rep recommendation, but he also recommended me the Babyface Pro FS late last year and I'm getting a lot out of this box. This time, I'm looking for a mic that works well with the Babyface (XLR connection), is slim in profile, and able to handle everything from online meetings and lessons to voiceover and recording me speak. I need something that has a clean sound and low noise level. If there's some on-board EQ to make the functions versatile, that would be a huge plus. So I wouldn't say that we need to second guess his recommendations. But, I do need to be better credit / value-minded, as there may be things out there that would do a great job for less money, I just don't know where to look for them. I'm willing to spend less money if I can, but if I have to and there's no alternative, I'll swallow the pain.

2. Now regarding the microphone itself. From the videos I've heard of reviews and such, I like the sound very much. Also, it has a feature where I can have more sound for less gain (the mic preamp), which I like the thought of a lot. I'm looking for a microphone that is only sensitive to a certain point, and I'm afraid from what I read, the condensers can be a bit too much in sensitivity. So in this case, a dynamic microphone can be more dynamic in my context

3. I wonder what the impact is if I cut down the price of an XLR cable? Maybe both that and the boom arm can be slashed if we can't find a cheaper mic.

4. Above all this, I hope the things I buy are durable and last me for a long time. The FocusRite 4I4 3rd Gen did its job for a few years, but the volume knob cost me a few mailings to the repairs department, and the driver has been unstable before I upgraded to the Babyface. So now I feel, instead of buying something budget friendly and then having to fork out more to fix, it's best to buy something reliable and not having to worry about fixing for a while. Again, I feel the Babyface is my best purchase yet, because it's so durable.

So much for now. I look forward to hearing from you a bit more! If you can help me save a few more dollars, that would make my dad happy, haha.

David

David B

David Lai I wonder what the impact is if I cut down the price of an XLR cable? Maybe both that and the boom arm can be slashed if we can't find a cheaper mic.

I'm like you David. I'd prefer to buy quality and buy it once. My wife says my tastes often exceed my budget. 😀

That mic, cable, and stand looks like a good setup and should serve your purposes well. You might be able to save a few bucks buying cheaper components, but if you're going to use this mic for professional purposes, (teaching, recording, whatever) I would opt for the more bulletproof gear. It's recommended by your dealer and compatible with your current gear. Sweetwater has a good return policy if you're not happy.

Piano is a big part of your life. It's OK for your equipment to reflect a level of quality that is on par with your commitment and professionalism. Part of my job as a full-time pastor is public speaking. I've purchased my own Countryman E6 mic. It's a 600 dollar setup and I'm the only one that uses it (custom fit to my ear). It's a professional mic and I've used it for around 15 years now. Here it is in action.

https://youtu.be/SZM5dEAAQ3g

Bottom line is that there can be appropriate times to skimp and save, but when it comes to your profession, I wouldn't hesitate to buy quality.

God Bless,
David