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usb mic


jujisque

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Blue Snowball is a pretty good usb mic for 99$. They have a smaller usb that works pretty good but I can't remember the name. It was 49. I have one at school. Let me check the name. Both are pretty good usb mics.

Oh yea, to go cheap. look for used mics from the playstation sing-star games. They have a usb adapter for plugging into the playstation 2. They will work on the mac in garageband too.

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Before getting a USB mic, I recommend you look into using the Mac's Firewire interface instead. From things I've read, the Firewire has wider bandwidth (i.e., faster) and is less prone to digital jitter.

I recommend you look into a Focusrite Saffire Audio Interface, which provides a 2-way analog-to-digital interface between XLR, 1/4", and RCA and Firewire. Then you can plug any kind of mic in that you want.

368875.jpg

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Before getting a USB mic, I recommend you look into using the Mac's Firewire interface instead. From things I've read, the Firewire has wider bandwidth (i.e., faster) and is less prone to digital jitter.

I recommend you look into a Focusrite Saffire Audio Interface, which provides a 2-way analog-to-digital interface between XLR, 1/4", and RCA and Firewire. Then you can plug any kind of mic in that you want.

368875.jpg

I agree about the firewire. I don't use usb for my home recording but I do carry the little usb blue mic for quick mockups using my laptop. They are a big improvement over the built-in mic on my macbook pro.

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Mic wise, I like the Shure KSM-137.

Link:

http://shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMi...M137-SL_content

It's a great multi-purpose mic for acoustic guitar, vocals, string instruments, drum overhead etc.

You would have to get a seperate mic pre-, as it's not USB, but it's worth it.

I know you're looking to do rough recordings, but if you want a high quality recording you should consider the Focusrite for sound quality and flexibility. Firewire, better mic pre-, lower noise, input selection and bypassing the computers internal mic preamp are some advantages.

Of course, the mic pre- is only as good as the mic, but ,with the Saffire you'll be able to use a wide selection of pro or consumer mics. So you can use a cheap one, then upgrade. They'll be a wider selection of Lo-Z recording mics available, and you can run longer mic lines.

Then again, this all may be a lot more than what you want to spend.

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Then again, this all may be a lot more than what you want to spend.

Bingo.

But, I think that I'll check out that Blue Snowball.

Anybody have other suggestions?

The SE Microphones USB mic is externally polarized and has a much lower noise floor than the Blue, which is essentially an electret mic.

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Then again, this all may be a lot more than what you want to spend.

Bingo.

But, I think that I'll check out that Blue Snowball.

Anybody have other suggestions?

Yeah, but consider the $300 for the Focusrite an investment. It frees you from using special mics, it's much higher quality, and it improves sound quality by using the higher bandwidth Firewire connection instead of USB 2.0. If you already have a good mic, then the Focusrite is only $200 more than the Blue Snowball and sets you up for anything you might want to do in the future.

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Yeah, but consider the $300 for the Focusrite an investment. It frees you from using special mics, it's much higher quality, and it improves sound quality by using the higher bandwidth Firewire connection instead of USB 2.0. If you already have a good mic, then the Focusrite is only $200 more than the Blue Snowball and sets you up for anything you might want to do in the future.

Very, very true ... but I look at about $13,000 yearly income. I'm a student. So investments are hard to come by or justify (unless it's in stock, which pays me back ;) ... well, theoretically)

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Yeah, but consider the $300 for the Focusrite an investment. It frees you from using special mics, it's much higher quality, and it improves sound quality by using the higher bandwidth Firewire connection instead of USB 2.0. If you already have a good mic, then the Focusrite is only $200 more than the Blue Snowball and sets you up for anything you might want to do in the future.

Very, very true ... but I look at about $13,000 yearly income. I'm a student. So investments are hard to come by or justify (unless it's in stock, which pays me back ;) ... well, theoretically)

You'll get no sympathy from me with that excuse young man! Where's the reckless dedication to your art? Adjusted for inflation, I got through college on about the same amount, and I managed to buy my first stereo for $2134 in today's money, a Tandberg reel-to-reel tape deck for the equivalent of $1300, a pair of Sennheiser HD-414s on sale (equivalent to $112), and a pair of AKG D-1000E microphones for $432 (again, adjusted for inflation). If I could have gotten something with the Saffire's capabilities back in the day for the equivalent of $65, I think I would have pooed myself.

Adjusted for today's money, we spent a lot more money on music and gear back then. A vinyl record in 1975 cost the equivalent of $25.

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Yeah, but consider the $300 for the Focusrite an investment. It frees you from using special mics, it's much higher quality, and it improves sound quality by using the higher bandwidth Firewire connection instead of USB 2.0. If you already have a good mic, then the Focusrite is only $200 more than the Blue Snowball and sets you up for anything you might want to do in the future.

Very, very true ... but I look at about $13,000 yearly income. I'm a student. So investments are hard to come by or justify (unless it's in stock, which pays me back ;) ... well, theoretically)

You'll get no sympathy from me with that excuse young man! Where's the reckless dedication to your art? Adjusted for inflation, I got through college on about the same amount, and I managed to buy my first stereo for $2134 in today's money, a Tandberg reel-to-reel tape deck for the equivalent of $1300, a pair of Sennheiser HD-414s on sale (equivalent to $112), and a pair of AKD D-1000E microphones for $432 (again, adjusted for inflation). If I could have gotten something with the Saffire's capabilities back in the day for the equivalent of $65, I think I would have pooed myself.

Adjusted for today's money, we spent a lot more money on music and gear back then. A vinyl record in 1975 cost the equivalent of $25.

Haha, you're totally right. The only problem is ... ... well ... I bought a Huber last year ... ...

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Haha, you're totally right. The only problem is ... ... well ... I bought a Huber last year ... ...

Aha! Well that's a game changer. I was fortunate enough to have my #1 instrument settled on before I entered college. In 1970 I bought a used 1965 Ludwig Super Classic drum kit complete with Avedis Zildjian cymbals for $200. (OK, my parents bought 'em for me, but I put'em to good use which is all they asked.) Adjusted for inflation that's $1100 today, but still a lot less than a Huber. But the best part was--no GAS! The pre-1968 Ludwigs and Zildjians are some of the best-sounding drums and cymbals of all time. The included Supraphonic 400 snare drum spoiled me for life.

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