Best budget condenser mic?

[StingRayBoy42]

What condenser mic would you recommend for home recording?

I'd be using it for vocals, acoustic guitar, Double Bass and Sousaphone, so a decent all-rounder would be good.

Anything under £100 worth having? 

Worth shelling out for the next step up?

All and any advice appreciated!

[Velarian]

According to this video you wouldn’t go far wrong with a Tascam TM80, or for more money a Lewitt LCT 140 Air. 

 

 

 

[Jakester]

I recently picked up an SE Electronics X1D and it's great for low frequency stuff where a kick drum mic EQ might be too 'preshaped'. Properly cheap as chips too. 

 

I also have some SE1As and their sound belies their price tag, though probably not a large diaphragm you need for some of the uses you mentioned. Good for acoustic guitar though. 

[Happy Jack]

For £36.90, this is seriously hard to beat.

 

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Samson-C01-Large-Diaphragm-Condenser-Microphone-/art-REC0004572-000?campaign=GShopping/GB&ProgramUUID=HADAqJarPzAAAAFlea9yjI.G&gclid=CjwKCAjw0a-SBhBkEiwApljU0vdDAHSv_Cd6YJd_uxuG9zpV39TCwyeN5WJAuOMJcwy9Ad4zrwVCiBoC3AMQAvD_BwE

[Dad3353]

I have always had great satisfaction from Superlux products (mics, headsets...), and would recommend these, from Thomann...

 

Superlux E205...

[Jack]

When I did a lot of research about ldc mics about 2 years ago I ended up with the SE Electronics X1S. There might be new players on the scene since then but I do love that mic. 

 

It's a small diaphragm, but pretty much on a whim I bought a Purple Electrics PE74. It's great, much nicer than my Rode mtg. 

[rmorris]

Condenser Microphones at less than c £100 generally offer excellent value and performance these days.

Generally down to Chinese manufactured capsules that are used by the various brands.

You can look on Studiospares and pretty much anything there will be useful.

Individual tastes are not easy to quantify and, in reality, a huge amount of your results will be dependent on your mic' approach and technique.

You are targeting a wide frequency range from double bass and sousaphone through to acoustic guitar and vocals so that is something of a challenge for a single model regardless of cost.

Double bass is known to be particularly difficult to record - due to both the frequency range and the way the sound develops from the instrument. That's one of the reasons that a contact  / piezo mic is often used possibly in conjunction with a standard mic.

Also - for acoustic guitar a small diaphragm condenser might be a good idea. Particularly if pointing one at the neck to pick up string / finger noise. But that would imply a two mic setup with a 'main' mic on the body / soundhole.

 

I might suggest taking a look at this. Note it includes a suspension mount.

https://www.studiospares.com/microphones/mics-condenser/studiospares-s1005-condenser-mic-package-449560.htm

[StingRayBoy42]

5 minutes ago, rmorris said:

Condenser Microphones at less than c £100 generally offer excellent value and performance these days.

Generally down to Chinese manufactured capsules that are used by the various brands.

You can look on Studiospares and pretty much anything there will be useful.

Individual tastes are not easy to quantify and, in reality, a huge amount of your results will be dependent on your mic' approach and technique.

You are targeting a wide frequency range from double bass and sousaphone through to acoustic guitar and vocals so that is something of a challenge for a single model regardless of cost.

Double bass is known to be particularly difficult to record - due to both the frequency range and the way the sound develops from the instrument. That's one of the reasons that a contact  / piezo mic is often used possibly in conjunction with a standard mic.

Also - for acoustic guitar a small diaphragm condenser might be a good idea. Particularly if pointing one at the neck to pick up string / finger noise. But that would imply a two mic setup with a 'main' mic on the body / soundhole.

 

I might suggest taking a look at this. Note it includes a suspension mount.

https://www.studiospares.com/microphones/mics-condenser/studiospares-s1005-condenser-mic-package-449560.htm

Great answer, thanks very much.