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Quote:
The type of music I like playing is 50ish type stuff with a rock edge so I'm thinking the Shure 55SH might be ideal.
I hate to say it, but it looks like you are buying the mic on "looks" because it fits in with that era, not on the sound. You also need to consider how you are going to connect it to your system, does it need phantom power, etc.
Been here, did all of this!
Could you post a sample of your singing? This way folks can hear your voice and at least make a comparison to what they have used that might fit it....no, it's not scientific, but it would help!
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I have an EV PL80a which I won in a drawing. It does just fine on vocals and instruments. Just use the EV and get some experience with it. You'll find out soon enough whether you like it or not.
I agree with rharv - asking for mic recommendations is a non-starter.
I use a pretty obscure large diaphragm condenser for recording vocals at home, but I'm finding I can use that EV PL80a just about anywhere and I don't pick up ugliness from room modes. I made a great steel string recording in my living room back a couple months ago with that mic. I also used a very inexpensive Samson SM58 clone that sounds great as well.
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I use a Rhode NT1-A in my studio but Sure clones on the road. I wouldn't have it the other way round. Besides, it would look odd
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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Quote:
Those who think there is a 'best mic' are talking about a specific recording situation.
Not quite. A "good" mic can do everything. The problem is that most mics have a flaw here and there. What a microphone should do, is to record sound in its most natural way without adding or subtracting emphasis in certain areas.
You're right if you have to record the sound inside a combustion engine (volume!) or capture the true sound of an elephant herd's conversation (subsonic!). But everthing on a stage could be captured with the same microphone if it leaves the quality of the sound as is.
Quote:
Think about possible needs before deciding. I wouldn't put a couple mics mentionedin this thread on a snare or inside a bass drum.
That is correct. The microphone here needs to accept certain SPLs that a lot of mics for vocals cannot accept without producing annoying artefacts. The klirr factor is something to be considered here.
Quote:
... many recordings and artists like the sound of their voice thru an sm57 or 58 (or any other brand in any price range).
Price range is the key factor -- the sound depends largely on
- positioning of the mic,
- the settings of the mixer and
- the quality of the speakers.
I bet that, with a good sound engineer operating the mixer for best sound, nobody is available to identify any decent mic in a certain price range.
Quote:
It depends quite a bit on what you need it for. Close range protection is a bit different than spying for antelope. I have $30 mics that don't sound good on a lot of stuff, but pointed at a ride cymbal makes it a surprise bargain.
On a stage making music you probably won't need a shotgun charakteristic, so these are not a subject here. And having a cheap mic that is perfect for the frequency spectrum of a certain instrument is a winner. But the original question with an emphasis towards a Shure 55SH doesn't really point to it.
Your absolutely correct with Quote:
It depends quite a bit on what you need it for.
Here, in the original post, it probably should look sexy for 50s-stlye music.
I use EV N/Dyn mics because they are insensitive to handling noises. I use the Shure for looks for certain types of music despite its major disadvantage (hiding the face). With all microphones I use I try to get the best setting of the controls on the mixer that my voice comes across as natural as possible. This setting changes when I change microphones -- more or less depends on the microphone. And it changes with different mixers because of different mic-preamps, and different sensitivity of the controls.
And through observation I learned that, especially the untrained, people judge equipment by looks and (weel-known) name of manufacturer.
So the best mic, for the envisioned purpose, gives you the most natural sound possible. There are several manufacturers who can provide similar mics in any given price range and usually the higher the price the better the mic.
You might, however, find a cheap microphone perfect for a given situation. But: How many cheap mics are you willing to buy until you find "the one".
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The big thread (I suggest starting on page 3) - http://homerecording.com/bbs/equipment-f...ations-27030/3/A lot of Harvey Gerst knowledge freely shared in this thread. It's a long read but worth it if you want to learn about all kinds of mics and apps.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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@GHincH The point is that roqu22 already has a couple of usable mics - he should get used to using them. You will see that roqu22 is posting all kinds of beginner questions in the PG forums. Right now is not the time for him to dive into the netherworld of microphone selection.
Right now he needs to learn about gain staging in his recording setup and also decide where in his house/flat/etc. he should do his recording.
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If I had to pick one dynamic mic for all situations I would choose the Sennheiser MD421.
It's more expensive than the SM series microphones but many times better. Pro Audio Review ranked it the second best all-around dynamic mic and the best for vocals, brass, and acoustic guitar (the first one was hundreds of dollars more). It is one of the few microphones inducted in the technology hall of fame. It has absolutely no proximity effect. Plus my Sennheiser has lasted longer than 3 sure microphones on my partner's mic stand (she bought a MD421 after her last mic failed).
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Quote:
Those who think there is a 'best mic' are talking about a specific recording situation.
I really have to go with rharv on this one.
If you go into any top-flight recording studio, anywhere in the world, you'll find a fabulous range of mics from the cheap workhorse to the esoteric. This is because the professionals know that one mic will not do everything. It's not enough to have a mic which reproduces faithfully anything put in front of it - sometimes the source may need flattering and the producer/engineer will have the experience to choose a mic to do just that.
Microphone choice and placement is an art, not a science.
ROG.
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I use a SM81 Shure that a Dallas studio was throwing away cause they said it had distortion. Took it apart and cleaned it with spray contact cleaner, and used it ever since. I have a SM58 and a SM57, but they sound muddy to me compared to it. Also have a Shure PG81(another free one) almost as good as the SM81, but I only use one at a time. Some times when I record my guitar amp at very high volumes I use a very old Shure Unidyne B. Eric Johnson told me call when I want to sell it, he used them live back then before he was mega-famous. It was the first mic I ever owned in the early 60's, my Dad's old used one.
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I use a Shure Beta 58, mostly because when I was first getting into vocal processors the threads indicated that a lot of people were using them successfully with the TCH Voiceworks. Not sure why. But it definitely made a difference over the previously used Shure SM58
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Quote:
Quote:
The type of music I like playing is 50ish type stuff with a rock edge so I'm thinking the Shure 55SH might be ideal.
I hate to say it, but it looks like you are buying the mic on "looks" because it fits in with that era, not on the sound. You also need to consider how you are going to connect it to your system, does it need phantom power, etc.
Been here, did all of this!
Could you post a sample of your singing? This way folks can hear your voice and at least make a comparison to what they have used that might fit it....no, it's not scientific, but it would help!
You are correct, it IS a visual thing with that mic. But having said that, and for the fact I'm not going to buy a mic through eBay, I'll probably be going to Guitar Center or Sam Ash and give it (and others) a try. I WANT that Shure55SH because I think it's cool but if I don't like how it sounds, that'll be that. I'll know when I hear it. As far as the "phantom power", ya got me.  I'm using a Line 6 Ux1. SO I just did a Google:
http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-4412
So, I guess, that means I can only use a DYNAMIC mic as the UX1 has no "phantom power". Incredibly enough, for only a few bucks more I could have bought the UX2 which DOES have "phantom power" but, oh well... No more spending on that stuff for a long while. But it's not just the LOOK. I've done a bit of research:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Shure-55SH-Series-II-Mic-100818954-i1126527.gc
Almost all give it high praise no matter where I look.
Okay, now for the worse part:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=980icR2-_9s
I'll probably do those older ones again but "heavier" and with the aid of RealBand. (Embarrassing, but gotta leave them). 
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