Hey y'all

I'm in the market for a new wide diaphragm condensor mic.

Got a budget of around $1k. I'm eyeing a TF11. Warm audio WA-47 looks/sounds good too.

I already have a telefunken m80 for live performance, so I have some bias to that brand but am open to others. Will be going into a UAD interface. Been using the rode nt2a for years and It's far past time that I upgrade.

appreciate suggestions + discussions!

 

Is a Townsend Sphere in your price range? I have an Apollo and recently added an AKG P820 to the locker because I wanted a tube mic, but if I could I'd get the Sphere, but they are so expensive in Australia. The integration with UAD makes it an attractive option. But then maybe not. I have a Slate ML-2 and I hardly use it on anything because the "models" seem like a gimmick. My go to for vocals is a Brauner Phantom into an SPL Channel One into the line in on the Apollo.

 

Warm Audio WA-251
If you watch some Warm Audio youtube comparisons. I think it has a nicer high end out of the Warm Audio microphones.

 

It might be hard in these trying times to audition a microphone to see if it's a fit for your voice. Saying that, the Telefunken TF11 is modeled after an AKG C12 which has a smooth and sheening rising high end and might be a good fit if you have a warm, lower voice register and so might do the trick to create more of an opening up than you'd hear with most other microphones, though that doesn't mean that it won't sound great with what I heard from the song I had heard that you posted. It can also be really nice on an acoustic guitar so as to cut through a mix without having to boost the high end with eq.

The bottom line is that a shootout auditioning several mics would be the best scenario. So, like always I'd reccomend buying used so that if it doesn't flatter your voice or fulfill your expectation you can pass it on to someone else without losing out on your money spent.

Most times I'm using a Gefell UMT70S on myself which is similar to a Neuman U87 as they both use the M7 capsule and which never sounds bad on anything that it captures and always fantastic on my voice.

 

Thanks for the replies fellow assumed humans

I'm actually unfamiliar with Townsend brand! I'll look into this, I'd go over a stack for the right mic, but it's a soft target of $1k.

I personally can't stand any slate products, Just doesn't jive with me.

I'll look into this! thanks for mentioning

Now this is an aspect of searching microphones I haven't considered. I'm not entirely on the u87 hype train BUT I do know the vocals captured on it always create great recorded signal.

I should probably do this instead of getting everything shiny and new lol

 

If you are interested in clones then Warm Audio is a good choice, I also find Stam Audio interesting. Definitely better in my opinion there are the Peluso mics. The choice of a microphone is a very intimate and personal matter, what is written in the tech specs sometimes does not correspond with personal taste (same problem that I found with audio monitors). The best option would be to have the mic on test for a week and have it thoroughly tested, or attend a friend's studio who uses it.
(Keep in mind that these are microphones which, due to their sensitivity, necessarily require a recording booth)

 

Before you put the money down even on a 10$ mic you need to set the recording area for the Vocal Mic. Isolating vocals even with a foam rounded booth mic stand is critical as the issue with cheaper mics as they need to be isolated more than expensive mics. Cheap mics may not have polar patterns, roll off etc.
If you record with a 1000$ mic in an open room that mic will not do jack when you mix that vocal as the room echo will have to be scooped from the vocal, thus make it harder to mix the tracks if they were recorded dry for example.
It is easier to mix vocals when they are recorded Dry as you are not fighting the natural echos.
Personally I have a couple of mics nothing high end and get good results when isolating the vocals.

The crap I use..

Vocals and Acoustic guitars( isolated recording)
MXL 920 XL large condenser ( Incredible for Vocals as you can stay a bit back)
MXL V67G ( Gold Large Condenser, sweet top end tone)
MXL V67N ( when amazon had it on sale for 69$ mistake sale lol)
MXL 3000 ( nice clean sound with good middle range)
Shure SM57

Live
Sennheiser E835
Shure SM58-LC
Shure 565SD-LC ( My favourite mic )

Nothing high end just some basic mics

$1000 is just to many options to list for Mics
Rodes
Neumann ( a bit past $1000 though)
Sennheiser
AKG

One thing you need is good Preamps for any mic, all mics sound like crap recorded dry without preamps.