Actually, people often don’t take consideration of what they’re plugging the mic into. If you’re just talking some run of the mill interface or an old Behringer it may not even matter. I’ve plugged lowly Shure SM57’s into a Manly pre-amp and never heard that mic sound so good. Consequently we’ve taken an AKG 414 and plugged it straight into a Mackie 1604 and while better, it was marginal compared to plugging it into a high end mic pre amp. The whole system is important.
so what will this mic get plugged in to?
Oh, I think about that every day....lol. That is one reason the question was "under $500".
It will be going into a Zoom Livetrak L12 today
..... But who knows what tomorrow may bring? Lol.
The Zoom is certainly not a preamp that will know the difference between a Neuman and an Audix. But it does know the difference between a CAD and an Audix (I've done that test). And the Zoom preamps blow my Mackie DF6 preamps away....haha. So
I'm pretty stoked anyway.
I guess it would stand to reason that an inexpensive mic going through a good preamp will sound better than an expensive mic going through a bad preamp...but at the level I am at the Zoom will have to do for now.
There is quite a bit of chatter out there stating that the whole preamp "thing" has been turned on it's head as the technology to produce decent preamps has made them more affordable. Again, I would have no way of knowing other than trusting other peoples reviews. For *my* needs, the Zoom offers a mixer than I can use live with 8 XLR mic inpits, five seperate customizable monitor mixes, records on the fly, and can be used as an interface. Certainly better than the Sony recorder I had back in 1979!
Ultimately, as much as preamps matter, can my *ears* tell a difference anymore? Lol. I know I have some hearing loss at different frequencies. Haven't been tested, but I know I'm not hearing today what I was hearing at age 30. Maybe a $5000 Manly preamp would be wasted on me even if I could afford it?
So a Zoom LiveTrak L12, Audix DP4 drum mic kit, a couple of other mics like a pair of multi pattern LDCs to experiment with should be fine for making some recordings of my kit or a few friends on a Saturday night....
Not looking to be the next George Martin that's for sure....lol.
Oh, I just saw a deal on AT2050s at Sweetwater...basically $200 each. And they are multipattern. Sounds like a good fit for my garage studio lol.