[LAU] best cheap mic(s) for acoustic / vocal recording?

[Robin Gareus]

Ctirad Fertr wrote:
>>  Guess
>> i also have to ask mic pre or mixer? I don't need a mixer for anything
>> else... so i'm thinking seperate mic pre. Is solid state or tube
>> better at the cheap end? A few companies seem to have $100 tube mic
>> pre's.
> 
> The preamps in cheap mixing consoles are generally very poor. Standalone 
> preamp is definitely a better idea.

i concur. try to keep the [mic-]pre-amp and mixer separated.

There are hyped hybrid tube/solid-state solutions. I would not recommend
those unless you do not plan to extend your studio in the future or want
a small mobile setup. - There are a few good hybrid solutions but they
are not cheap. The Un*x rule: "small is beautiful" generally applies for
analog DSP, too.

maybe stupid remark, but take care to buy a "balanced" or "symmetrical"
pre-amp!


To circumvent Europe/US Voltage-transformers, I got myself a
http://www.presonus.com/tubepre.html for 110V countries, and I'm
happy with it. - it was around US$120. really good quality/price!
 The built-in VU-meter is more a gadget than of any use. I don't mind.
- there's also 2 channel version.

it's no "objective" preamp (tube vs. solid state) but it yields a great
vocal- and a warm acoustic instrument sound.  It's robust, too - if that
matters.

#robin