need microphone advice

[wta]

I've been through the high and low end mics and by far the best all around mic I've owned and still own is the Rode NTK Tube Mic, used on ebay for a few hundred USD delivered. I replaced the stock tube with a Amperex 6922/6DJ8 PQ tube for $30 USD and I've never looked back, amazing for vocals to start, full bodied tone and very well balanced without sounding shrill like many condensers can. The reviews are 5 star across the board and thumbs up from many top artists, producers and engineers.

[MJRivard]

Hi,
You did not state if, or what type of mic preamp you are using. If you are getting low volume from your mic's now, but had a good level before, check your mic cable / cables. A bad cable can add noise to the signal as well reduce level. You may also have a problem with the preamp ( audio interface ). You may have changed a setting on the preamp, which may be for a line level signal. You would want a mic level setting to use mic's.

I have an AT2020 and have used it for vocals and instruments, and it has worked out well for me. I got mine when there was a special, which you got a free studio headphone with the mic. I have also used Shure PG81 condensor, Behringer C2 matched pair condensor mic's, and PG58 dynamic mic's with good results.

If you would like to listen to sound I get from my mic's, here is my sound cloud info; www.soundcloud.com/myran-j-rivard
The ' Summer Fun ' piece uses two C2 mic's on the organ's Leslie speaker top rotor, with the AT2020 on the bottom. The AT2020 was also used on the bass amp. I put the bass into a DI to spit the signal for a direct and mic'd signal. The bass sound is a combination of the 2 signals. A C2 is also used for the guitar amp. The ' Jabberwock ' uses the AT2020 for the vocal.

I use an older interface in my computer. I have the M-Audio Delta44 interface. It gives me 4 inputs and 4 outputs with balanced 1/4"TRS connectors on a breakout box. It has a PCI card that goes into the computer. It uses ' line ' level signals ( +4dB / -10dB / consumer ) with no mic preamps. I use an 8 channel mixer to send signal to the Delta 44. This gives me 8 mic preamps with 3 band EQ and effects sends per channel.

Hope this helps.
- Myran

[Kolstad]

Lots of good answers in this thread. Andy is really tech savvy.
But be aware that perception of sound is highly subjective, and choices are dependent on many, many different things that may sound a bit mundane and trivial, though nontheless important.

First, the qualities of your voice. Some singers like mics that are more flat, while others like a mic with a boost in the top frequencies, and others like to get a low mid proximity effect. How would you describe your voice? How would others? What do you like and would like to hear, more bass, more mids, more top? Does that work in a mix, or do you have to compromize? The choice of a mic matters a lot, and depend on the answers to this. The same set of questions can be asked from an instrument perspective.

Second, your environment. A condenser mic can pick up the drop of a needle 10ft away (depending on how you place it), a dynamic mic don't, and may require a good preamp for you to get a solid signal to noise ratio, yet it may be what you need. Besides your voice, a condenser mic also picks up sound from your room, which makes your recording environment even more important. If you are recording at home in an untreated room, struggle with noise, and are not that trained a singer, you may actually be able to achieve higher quality recordings with a dynamic mic, which are more forgiving to detail.

You should be able to get solid recordings with an SM58, you just need to learn more about using it. You should gain stage your recording, place the mic where it sounds good to you, forget about the tech stuff and focus on capturing a good performance. It's a beginner mistake to record everything too loud. Studio consoles usually record tracks at what corresponds to -18db in a DAW. That would be fine, if you need more volume, turn up your monitors. If you need more volume in your headphones, get a small headphone amp. If you have gainstaged properly, you don't need more volume in your recording. If you still think so, then the problem is in the mixing, and what you need to learn more about.

So, just to say, a new louder and more detailed mic is not neccesarily the answer to your questions. If it turns out you really do need more clarity and volume from the SM58 before the soundcard, try a small box like the TC-Helicon T1 http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/voicetone-t1/ I've found that it works well with SM58's and SM57's. Or swap it for the Shure Beta 58a, which is 4db hotter (assuming the mic is a match for you according to the above set of questions).

Just some things to consider when you troubleshoot.

[songmaster]

Thank you William Myran and Kolstad

I appreciate all the information you have been so generous to give. I don't have a preamp yet, except for the preamp already in my audiobox. I am going to have to set up my room better for recording as everyone has suggested. I think I have enough information now to ponder before I go out and make any purchase.

I am looking forward to trying out some new equipment and no doubt I will be coming back for more advice.

Thanks again everyone for your help

Tom