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Best Mic for a 4-Track


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I just recently got a Tascam 4-track and need to buy a mic. What would be the best all around mic for this purpose. I'm not looking for anything fancy or to spend a lot of money, just something to get the job done.

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Shure mics are all around good standbys, either an SM-57, or more likely for your case an SM-58, but basically they'll do the job and are reliable and sound pretty good.

 

Kind of depends on what kind of recording you're doing (ie. more acoustic stuff, vs. something else), but if you're not sure and want to invest in just one mic, I'd say stick to an SM-58.

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  • 4 weeks later...

SM 57 for the guitars without a doubt.

 

Not for the vocals - SM 58 vocal mikes are live mikes - they will do the job but not to the requisite standard for vocal recording.

 

I'd recommend a seinnheiser condenser mike - they vary in price, but are well worth the money. Just make sure you don't use them live though as they are nowhere near as robust as the 58s in that setting.

 

Most important thing here is to pick up a good vocal pre-amp. Trust me when I tell you that it will be the best 80-90 euros you will ever spend on recording equipment. Check out musicstore.com for an idea on prices.

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On all of my recent recordings, I've been using a Rode NT1-A. It's a large-diaphragm condenser mic and it sounds really good. For a little under $250 it is superb. It is very transparent and has really, really low self-noise. If you do go this route, get a really high-quality mic cable. Not the funnest thing to spend 40 or 50 bucks on, but a good spend. Your 4-Track must have phantom power also (for a condenser). Just an alternative to the SM-57.

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I have used really nice cables before and man,their worth it.I can't afford it right now but it might be my next purchase.I can say that I have pretty decent gear but I know I'm sacrificing alot of sound by not having good cables.

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Makes you sick, doesn't it?

:ohwell Yup.

 

I use the shure cables that came with my 58's.And now that I got some decent condensers I does make me sick.

 

 

Whats some good brands?And I feel 40 bucks would be the least I would spend.

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:ohwell Yup.

 

I use the shure cables that came with my 58's.And now that I got some decent condensers I does make me sick.

Whats some good brands?And I feel 40 bucks would be the least I would spend.

If you are good at soldering (I am not) you can purchase cable and connectors made by Canare (kahn-R-ee) and make high-quality cables yourself. I have a good friend who does a lot of studio work who swears by them. For those who are solder-retarded (like me) I use Mogami. I just bought 2 50' XLR to XLR for a recording gig last night and they retailed for $89 a piece. Steep, but quality and no signal loss or degradation. Hope that helps.

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Thanks.

 

 

One other thing I would like to touch on is that no one should ever go into a store willing to pay the asking price.Alot of my friends like to brag on how much they spent on something.Research,research,research when buying anything.I've paid hundreds of dollars less than the asking price by researching instruments and gear.You also do not have to have the most expensive gear for it to be good.Ex.,I got my Martin D-15 for 500 bucks by reseaching it right when it came out.Now their selling for near a grand.My buddy went out and bought a DXM for 600 bucks just for the name.He later bragged on what he had and what he spent on it.The first time we jammed he was rather embarased of the sound of his guitar compared to mine.Never be afraid of buying used,just know what your looking at before you make a purchase.There's no sense in buying cheap either.You'll just end up paying double when it breaks.Just get something that will atleast hold it's value and has quality parts.

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no one should ever go into a store willing to pay the asking price.

I totally agree. I didn't pay the full $89 for those cables. I have a good friend that works at Guitar Center, so I get a substantial discount. Hearing what he knows, no one should EVER pay sticker price. There is room for stores to come down in there prices where the sales people don't have to sacrafice pay. Whether they say so or not.

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