Audio Recording

OK, so you read this page in order to know the best microphone for vocal recording. Let me help you choose. Before you need to purchase microphones for vocal recording you need to know the extent of microphone applications in your projects.

Remember there are two types of microphones targeting a bit of different applications:

1.) Dynamic microphones – the most common type of microphones we see. It is used as a vocal microphone for most live performances especially that the most popular dynamic microphones for vocals is Shure SM58LC Cardioid Dynamic Microphone.The cost of purchasing dynamic microphones is affordable with respect to typical home studio applications.

You can purchase a very good dynamic microphone for vocal studio applications as low as $30. If you need to know about typical technical specifications for SM 58, you can read it here:
http://www.shure.com/proaudio/products/wiredmicrophones/us_pro_sm58-cn_content

2.) Condenser microphones – this is an ultra-sensitive microphone commonly used for professional studio applications, commonly found in big and professional A class studios. Typical condenser microphones cost a lot, a vintage Neumann U47 cost around $5500. A much more practical and affordable is Neumann TLM 49 Condenser Studio Microphone which you can buy at Amazon for $1300. You can some important information about this condenser microphone here: http://www.recording-microphones.co.uk/Neumann-U47-tube.shtml and also here for Neumann TLM 49. These microphones are optimized for vocal recording.

Of course, they have superb reception and frequency response.

Now back to the question: What is the best microphone for vocal recording? The answer is using a condenser microphone, but…

Is there really a substantial difference between dynamic and condenser microphones? The answer is no.

Listen to the following produced songs below:

Using condenser microphone:
“Dream” by Jeanine Maningo

Using dynamic microphone:
“At the highway” by Jeanine Maningo

The lessons here is that if you do have the budget and a long term plan building a professional recording studio aiming to get several clients, you need a condenser microphone.

If you are just working in your home recording studio with a very limited budget while still aiming to produce quality recordings, you can just purchase a Shure dynamic microphone like SM-58 and this will get the job pretty well done.