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Topic starter
23/10/2006 2:41 pm
Hey guys, new to this forum. I am looking for a general purpose all around mic for my small home studio. I would probably be using it for both acoustic guitar /harmonica and vocals. The choices I have are a Shure C606 and a Behringer XM8500. They are both around the same price at a local shop. I will be buying more mics in the future. I just want something to get me started. A side note though I also checked out Antares Mic modeller Demo and the Behringer XM8500 is one of the modelled mics. I haven't used this software yet but I am curious about it and have heard good things. So if you guys can give me some pros and cons and opinions maybe it will make it easier to decide. I will be connecting it to my mixer which has mic Pre's this is a partial DAW studio. Running dual soundcards one for recording and I use a older one for adding effects on channel inserts. Thanks for any helps guys. I hope I posted in the right place..
23/10/2006 3:45 pm
Hi Vman
I am using a XM8500 mic and I like it a lot.
The sound quality is good.
The only minor drawback I see, is that the mic is a bit sensitive of touching the body.
If you move fingers around the mic body, you can hear it. Not much, but you can hear it.
Doing the same with my Sennheiser 421 mic, you don´t hear a thing.
But that is really an unfair comparison as the Sennheiser mic is nearly 10 times more expensive.
I am also using dual soundcards without any problem.
Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden
Topic starter
23/10/2006 4:42 pm
Well as it sits the Shure C606 comes with a 10' 1/4 to XLR cable and the Behringer doesn't
So the Shure is $40 w/ Cable and the XM8500 is $35 without cable. So I would have to buy a cable for the XM 8500.
I was also wondering about the cable if I have XLR connectors on my mixer then I should use them right? Which is better for a mic cable? mics are XLR so should I get XLR to XLR or XLR to 1/4" or there is no difference? The guy at the shop said they are both meant for Live use but I doubt that is really a factor. I just want it so I can get some recording down. Thx for any input you can give.
23/10/2006 5:53 pm
You should use a XLR to XLR balanced cable to connect to the XLR mic input on the Mixer.
The 1/4" jack close the XLR on my Mixer is a line in port (lower gain) than the mic XLR input.
In most Pro equipment for live and studio work the mic cables and connectors are XLR balanced.
Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden
Topic starter
23/10/2006 6:32 pm
Thx, I understand about balanced XLR connections and such. It's just the one mic some with a XLR to 1/4" cable so I wanted to know if I shoulduse that cable or get something different. Actually now that I look I think the Shure C606 has the 1/4" jack on the mic end and the XLR on the other. I don't really know what to do...get a mic now so I have one or wait and save abit more and get one with a bit more quality. What do you guys think of the Apex 435? This was recommended to me as a better fit for what I had in mind. I don't really need anything really expensive right now. Just something to use that's decent. I guess I should make up my mind becasue if I get the APex 435 I guess I would be good for awhile right?
23/10/2006 8:30 pm
Hi Vman
According to Shures homepage http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Products/Microphones/us_pa_c606w_content
The C606 mic has a male XLR connector and 15' female XLR - male 1/8"jack cable plus a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter. The 1/8" jack will fit right in the Mic input of a soundcard !
The APEX 435 http://www.musiciansbuy.com/APEX_435_MIC_.html is a much more advanced Condenser mic than the other two (especially the Shure) and should be good for recording everything except Harmonica where you normally use the mic very close to the harmonica.
Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden
Topic starter
23/10/2006 9:08 pm
Yeah, I have decided on the Shure C606 -For now. I wouldn't use that cable and plug nto a soundcard PC soundcards mic inut use very poor electronics I would prfer to go into my mixer first and the plug the mixer to the line of the sound card. The C606 comes with a cable and is cheaper and was picked over the Behringer by the salesmen. I am in the process of doing research though...so I appreciate any info you can give me. ALthough I am really considering a good condenser. I think the mic would be used for everything but mainly for Vocal and acoustic guitar -a workhorse. I am slowly putting together my home studio and alot of the gear was donated to me by good friends I didn;t get a Mic though...
Sorry am I to understand that you don't think this SHure C606 is a particularly good mic?
24/10/2006 4:31 am
I don´t know, but the C606 is the most low cost mic in Shures "personal audio" range.
You can compare price and user reviews at Musicians friends :
Shure C606 ; http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-C606N-Vocal-Mic-with-14-Connector?sku=270398
Shure PG48 ; http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-PG48XLR-Microphone-with-Switch?sku=270284
XM8500 ; http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-XM8500-Microphone?sku=270490
Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden
24/10/2006 10:58 am
Don't forget the mic pre-amp. Through a basic mic pre-amp quality differences usually don't fully show. I have a behringer mixer and use the Behringer MX1800 set, three for $30. It works, and the differences with a shure Sm58 are minimal. I'm pretty sure that with a higher quality mic-preamp this would not be so.
Topic starter
24/10/2006 1:13 pm
Right now I will have to use the pre's built into my mixer. Until I can afford a decent Preamp. Thx for the replys guys.