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  1. #1

    Default OT: Mic and interface

    Hi,

    My son in college wants to continue recording his song ideas in Garageband on his MacBookPro, but he'd like a better mic than the one that's built into the laptop. For a mic, in terms of both economy and utility down the road, I like the Shure SM57. Other opinions are very welcome.

    He'll also need an interface with a mic pre and an instrument input. I'd prefer USB, so I can use it occasionally, as I do not have firewire these days. There are tons of options from Presonus, Focusrite, Tascam, etc. Please let me know what you think of the sound and value of any units you've used or heard. I realize that these are low-end boxes, but a DW Fearn and a Lavry are not going to a college dorm room from here.

    Thanks,
    Ian Alexander
    VO Talent/Audio Producer
    www.IanAlexander.com

  2. #2

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    Pretty much any mic will sound better than the one on the laptop. Like Stashu said, MXL has some good possibilities well under $100. As for an interface, the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 is good. We've got one here at the radio station and we use it for those occasions where remote recording or just a spare stereo sound card is needed. I have yet to plug it into anything that didn't like it. The only downside is that it's buss powered, so I'd be wary of phantom powered mics. Some such boxes don't actually put out 48V of phantom power. They use some electronic sleight-of-hand to take the 5VDC from the USB port and bump it up to something higher for phantom power, but it's usually not 48V, and some condenser mics can be really finicky about that.

    But then, if he's using a dynamic like the SM57, that concern is moot.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    3,493

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    I would look at the Focuswright or Native Instuments small stereo USB interfaces. RME is nice of course but pricey. MOTU is mid priced and has some nice USB tools as well. Any of those with a decent mic will work. For the cost of a single 58 I would probably getone of the cheap studio packs instead, where you ger a pencil and large diaphram in one package. AT and CAD and others all have these and they will sound better than a 57 often although not as rugged of course.
    Richard B. Ingraham
    RBI Sound
    http://www.rbisound.com
    Email Based User List: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sac_users/

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Central Point, Oregon
    Posts
    1,960

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    Some of the Blue USB mics sound good as well. I'd stay away from any low-output mics like the 57 unless you couple it with a better pre.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    New Orleans
    Posts
    176

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    I don't know how much you have to spend? But the Apogee one is really cool. The built in mic is VERY good.

    http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/one.php
    Last edited by tank71; 01-03-2013 at 03:59 PM.

  6. #6

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    I have an Allen & Heath Zed 10FX with USB, and have been doing some tracking with it recently. It's a nice little two channel interface at a reasonable price... good sounding preamps, plenty of gain and headroom, true 48v phantom. Two channels have a hi-z instrument input. The effects sound decent too... I've used it for small gigs as well as measurement and recording.

    I second the idea of a MXL mic... I have a pair of V63Ms and they sound great, nice and warm.
    SAC Host: Custom built i3 / Gigabyte based rackmount PC, MOTU 424/2408(2), Profire2626(4),. up to. on up to 6 monitor mixers.WinXP Home.
    Plugins/Processing: RML, Antares, ReaPlugs. Recording with Reaper.
    System Load - 25-30%, at 1x32

    99% of the time, things that aren't being done aren't because they don't work. The other 1% is split evenly between fools and geniuses.
    BE your sound.

  7. #7

    Default Re: OT: Mic and interface

    I highly recommend the Blue "Yeti" mic.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

    I've used it for remote V/Os with my wife. The only drawback is that it's heavy. But it comes with a desk stand, and also can be attached to a regular mic stand. It includes a headphone out for latency free monitoring for overdubs. Hard to beat, really...
    Richard
    Green Valley Recording
    My cats have nine lives; my life has nine cats.

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