Need a Microphone..

[SCOTTBALL]

Ok can someone reccomend me a microphone that will be used to record singing/rapping/etc into the computer?
Since its going into a computer i'm not sure ow good of a mic i would need?
The sound card i have is a Audigy 2 ZS platinum, would it be better to plug one into this or get a USB one?

I can't really spend that much though (only around £20) so I can't really go for anything professional at the moment. But i was wondering what things could suffice? As in would a normal PC mic do the same as a general singing mic?
hope someone can help, thanks =)

 

[mysticaldodo]

I was recommended the Electro Voice Snowball USB microphone at my last AV fair. Its made for podcasting and basic recording. However the comments I read were made from Mac and Garage users. As far as I know it is compatible with PC usage. I would have bought it if not for the ridiculous markup imposed here.

You can do a search. They are tons are reviews and users comments. Its quite a mixed bag but seems more then descent for what it is. I think the price is over USD100.

 

[lini]

Scottball: Difficult to get a really good mic for 20 quid... Anyway, I'd recommend to look for some nice entry-level model from some well respected microphone manufacturer (AKG, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Shure, AT...). Otherwise, especially with hand-held mic designs, I wouldn't exspect a lot in terms of attenuation of unwanted microphonic noise - neither in terms of frequency response extension, especially with most usb mics. Hmmm, how about an AKG D40S/D44S, for example?

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Jahn]

Here you go - and definitely hit the links to the breakdown of specific mics by price range, type, etc!

 

[Ferbose]

Two USB mics worth checking out are Blue Snowball ($150) and Samson C01U ($80). All reviews say Snowball sounds better and it comes with a pretty good stand so it's only slightly more expensive. I just got my snowball yesterday and it sounds quite decent. The clarity is there but it is still a mono reocrding with some background noise. I will play with the high gain applet (mic firmware) and noise filters in Audacity today to see if that helps. I recorded myself fiddling and it is good enough to show my technical deficiencies. The sound quality is similar to the instructional CD I get with my fiddling book.

 

[CSMR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCOTTBALL Ok can someone reccomend me a microphone that will be used to record singing/rapping/etc into the computer? Since its going into a computer i'm not sure ow good of a mic i would need? The sound card i have is a Audigy 2 ZS platinum, would it be better to plug one into this or get a USB one? I can't really spend that much though (only around £20) so I can't really go for anything professional at the moment. But i was wondering what things could suffice? As in would a normal PC mic do the same as a general singing mic? hope someone can help, thanks =)

Nothing at all decent for £20. You need a microphone and a preamp. Shure makes microphones that are often recommended for singers for under £100 and a very basic preamp might cost you £30. For conversations USB is adequate but not for recording singing.

 

[Ferbose]

The noise filter in Audacity sucks but the high gain firmware from Blue Snowball makes violin recording much better. Played back from modest Athena S5 speakers in my room, a couple of friends commented that the playback sounds pretty similar to the real violin playing in my room. The Blue Snowball works beyond my expectations.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Save your money, buy an audio interface with a built-in preamp, and buy a quality microphone. Then, when you're done using them, sell them and recoup most of your money.

--OR--

Some places rent out sound equipment. Check around for studios or places that specialize in live sound. While the fee to rent a microphone might be a little pricey, it's a relatively cheap way to try before you buy.

 

[hYdrociTy]

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