Mic shootout $100 to $1300

[CrowsofFritz]

Here’s a mic shootout between five mics. Different takes

an SM57, an AT2020, an MXL 4000, a Neumann TLM 102, and a Telefunken TF29.
Unfortunately, I couldn't record it all at once. I could maybe do that with four mics, but not five. But I measured my mouth to the mic with each take and you can still hear massive differences.
Here is the link:
Here's my thoughts.

1 - SM57 ($100): Unfortunately I have grounding issues in my house, and my dynamic buzzes because of a coil wire in the mic. None of the condensers have this wire so they don't buzz. Anyway, imagining it doesn't buzz, I actually really like the sound of this mic compared to the next one. It has a body to it. But it does sound dull at times.

2 - AT2020 ($100): This mic sounds shrill. There's no body to it. I don't like it. Least favorite of the pack. I won't ever use it on vocals, ever. I've used it for deep brass instruments and it doesn't sound so bad with them.

3 - MXL 4000 ($350/discontinued) - This mic isn't so bad. It's VERY airy. And if you check out the frequency response from this mic, you'll see why. Holy hell that is a big bump in the high frequencies. Can be a decent mic with the right voice.

4 - Neumann TLM 102 ($700): Getting into a good sound here now. Nice body, fairly airy, but not too much. Shines when hitting some lower notes but not overbearing when hitting high notes.

5 - Telefunken TF29 ($1300): The sounds so far have correlated with price tags. This sounds like the best one to my ears, at least with the performance I recorded. Very warm (It is a tube mic, after all). Still has details in the highs.
Overall, you can certainly hear differences in the mics, that is true, but, aside from the shrill AT2020, I don't think the differences are great enough for me to tell a home recorder they NEED a more expensive mic like the Neumann or Telefunken. The cheaper mics still get the job done, and the SM57 (if buzzing weren't an issue) can hold its own. Bon Iver, Anthony Kiedis, Sufjan Stevens, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen have recorded vocals with this mic. It works, and this would be the first mic I would recommend to a new home recorder.

But DAMN does my voice sound so nasally in the first three mics. It sounds like I’m holding my nose. The last two sounded more relaxed.

But this is all subjective, and the test wasn't very rigid. What are your thoughts?

[Greg_L]

Noise aside, I honestly don't hear a $1200 difference from worst to best.

To be fair, maybe the performance doesn't show off the best and worst characteristics of each mic. Maybe more range, more quiets and louds, more processing would highlight different things of each mic.

[CrowsofFritz]

Noise aside, I honestly don't hear a $1200 difference from worst to best.

To be fair, maybe the performance doesn't show off the best and worst characteristics of each mic. Maybe more range, more quiets and louds, more processing would highlight different things of each mic.

Oh for sure, there is definitely not a $1200 difference. Every time I say this on Reddit, someone always tells me I’m wrong lol.

[WhiskeyJack]

Awesome exercise dude!!!!

I'll be honest, I did not at all like what the 1300 dollar one did. It sounded way to hot and almost frizzly. Did not like. The AT2020 sounded better.

The Neuman is the clear winner to my ears. It does sounds much different than all the rest. Heaps better than the first three. It did really good things to your voice. Is it worth the 700 bucks? Plausible and dependent on the user and their intent oh how they are going to miles on it. Ifi was doing way more recording than i have been the last few years, then i would probably to source one out on a good deal. I don't know that i would buy new out of the box. a good second hand one would suffice.

[CrowsofFritz]

Awesome exercise dude!!!!

I'll be honest, I did not at all like what the 1300 dollar one did. It sounded way to hot and almost frizzly. Did not like. The AT2020 sounded better.

The Neuman is the clear winner to my ears. It does sounds much different than all the rest. Heaps better than the first three. It did really good things to your voice. Is it worth the 700 bucks? Plausible and dependent on the user and their intent oh how they are going to miles on it. Ifi was doing way more recording than i have been the last few years, then i would probably to source one out on a good deal. I don't know that i would buy new out of the box. a good second hand one would suffice.

Funny how tastes differ drastically on this. Tad told me he preferred the 2020.

I listened to a shootout on HR and all the mics sounded pretty much the same. Very subtle differences. Here the differences are huge.

[vomitHatSteve]

You get a big jump between the 58 and the condensers and between Neumann and the other condensers.

I think I agree on the Neumann sounding best on your voice. It sounds like it kind of has a bump up just below where the nasal quality in your voice kicks in, so it rolls that off a little without removing the distinction of it.

The Telefunken gives the impression that it's very accurately capturing the sound in the room. I could picture it being a very nice mic to work with if you haven't A/B'd a bunch to find what works best for a specific vocalist.

[vomitHatSteve]

I should do a shootout of my stable of Nady and Samson dynamics!

[rayc]

I should do a shootout of my stable of Nady and Samson dynamics!

Or my Sony and "La Grande" dynamics.
OR my Sony Electret, the Behri C1, the Focusrite one that comes with "the Studio" box and my "top of my range" AT2020 condensers.
Pointless as no one else would have them I suppose.

[musicturtle]

Cool test.

How close are you to the mics? Sounds like some proximity effect going on.

[CrowsofFritz]

Cool test.

How close are you to the mics? Sounds like some proximity effect going on.

Pretty close. 3 inches. I usually like being that close, but that’s probably unfair for the 57.

[Lt. Bob]

meh ..... they all sound fine ... they all sound different but they all sound fine.
If I had to pick I like the neumann and the telefunken best but absolutely any of those would be usable.

[CrowsofFritz]

meh ..... they all sound fine ... they all sound different but they all sound fine.
If I had to pick I like the neumann and the telefunken best but absolutely any of those would be usable.

I agree with you except the AT2020, at least to my ears. I don’t like it on my voice, but it could definitely suit someone else’s. But yes, while expense correlates to quality a teenie tiny bit, for the most part it really does not matter.

On another note, I’m going to record Girl From the North Country with a good friend of mine. We’ll record video. I’ll be doing Bon Dylan and my friend will do Cash.

I think I know what mics I’ll use for what, too.

[Lt. Bob]

meh ..... they all sound fine ... they all sound different but they all sound fine.
If I had to pick I like the neumann and the telefunken best but absolutely any of those would be usable.

I agree with you except the AT2020, at least to my ears. I don’t like it on my voice, but it could definitely suit someone else’s.

And yet on a recording with your voice 2 people have said they prefer it to the others.

Also i guess puter recorders don't use or have (except if they load a plug-in ) tone controls.
On my analog console I wouldn't even think about it ..... I'd trim some highs or add some ..... all those mics would end up sounding about the same.

[JD01]

I think the neumann sounds the best, but I was most surprised by how good the SM57 sounded.
I was singing along with that by the end!

[CrowsofFritz]

I think the neumann sounds the best, but I was most surprised by how good the SM57 sounded.
I was singing along with that by the end!

Glad you liked it! I think I sound like a male Lois Griffin

[Lt. Bob]

Glad you liked it! I think I sound like a male Lois Griffin