In our continued search for the perfect microphone to solve your needs, today we feature the best condenser mics for vocals under 200 dollars. This article will not only help you find a great powerful and high-quality microphone but also save some money at the same time.
Choosing the best mic for your recording or performance activities is very important. They determine the quality of sound that you will get on the speakers.
These mics have been used many times by recording instruments like the acoustic guitars, drums, violins. They are however best used when recording audios mainly in the studios. Different mics will come with different shapes, sizes, and sounds.
We have therefore presented the 10 best condenser mic for vocals under 200 dollars that will give you perfect sound at perfect pricing.
10. Audio-Technica AT875R Line/Gradient Shotgun Condenser Microphone
Audio Technical condenser microphone is designed for video production and mainly for broadcast purposes in the audio acquisition. It has a short length however of under 7” making it an ideal use with the digital cameras.
With an excellent sound rejection, the mic is able to pick up sounds from sides and rear of the mic.It as well provides a narrow acceptance angle that is desirable for the long distance pick of sound.
Through her tailored responses, the mic minimizes any associated camera and handling noise making it land a top ten best condenser mics.
9. MXL 770X Multi-Pattern Vocal Condenser Microphone Package
The MXL 770X mic includes the 770X microphone shock mount that has an integrated pop-filter making it produce quality sound. A balanced 20” XLR cable is also contained in the package, not forgetting the microfiber cleaning cloth as well.
There is stunning clarity and has details in the high-being balanced with the warmth on the lows end. This premium best condenser mic has a large 1.25” gold sputtered diaphragm increasing its ability to filter and get quality sound.
A switchable cardioid with a figure of eight and omnidirectional polar patterns for versatility gives the mic additional stronger power.
8. Samson C02 Pencil Condenser Microphones
At the eight top best mic condenser we have the mic from Samson technologies. These mics offer high-quality audio performance in a very affordable package. They are normally sold as a pair and will give you best option for various applications like in percussion instruments; cymbals and overheads and in stringed instruments; guitar and violin. The multiple mics help you capture every detail of your recording in the best quality.
C02 features a low mass capsule that comes along with a cardioid polar pattern. The pattern captures a narrow pickup area in the front of the microphone. This, however, reduces ambient house noise and signal from other instruments giving you a clear sound.
C02 comes along with a package including a convenient carrying case and a set of shock mounted mic clips. This makes the mike transportation and the set up really easy.
7. Audio-Technica AT2035 Large Diaphragm Studio Condenser Microphone Bundle with Shock Mount, Pop Filter, and XLR Cable
Another in the top ten list is audio-technica. It has a cardioid polar pattern that is set to reduce the pickup of sounds from the sides and rear of the microphone. This improves isolation of the desired sounds source. It has a large diaphragm having smooth and natural sound and low noise improving the sound quality projected through the mic.
A pop-up filter is well set to eliminate the annoying plosives coming up from the recordings. A 10 ft. XLR cable is of good length that enables you to have a connection to the mixer or required interface. It also contains a microfiber cleaning cloth.
6. Samson C01 Condenser Microphone
Another Samson technologies mic with all the performance feature that you would want from a condenser mic. The Samson C01 has a large dual layer of 19mm diaphragm. A cardioid pickup pattern is as well present making the mic produce a smooth flat frequency response. Through the thin ultra-membrane, it gives more details sounds more than any dynamic coil.
This mic offers a solid construction stability with a heavy gauge mesh grill. It has an additional gold-plated XLR connector with an LED monitoring for the 48V of phantom power. This is among the best mic condensers more so with the hyper cardioid that offers more side to side connection.
5. Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone, Black
A High-quality A/D converter with a 16-bit, 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate to provide fabulous audio sound is the AT20220USB audio technical. That is why we include it in our list of the top 10 best condenser mics for vocals under 200 dollars.
This mic is black in color condenser microphone with USB output and mainly used for digital recording. It has a head jack that contains volume controls. Through this, you are able to monitor the microphone signal without any delays whatsoever. The mix control as well gives you an allowance to have a blend of your signal and pre-recorded audio.
To deliver best quality clarity and musical detail, the mic contains a high output internal headphone amplifier.
4. Audio-Technica AT2035PK Vocal Microphone Pack for Streaming/Podcasting
This condenser has been designed for studio applications as well as for live performances. It’s side-address studio condenser that is able to deliver effective sound with very low on noise levels. A switchable 80 Hz high pass filter has been fitted to this product together with a 10 dB pad.
This makes the mic handle high sound pressure levels with effortlessness. The mic contains a rugged construction and high-performance specifications leading to exceptional levels of consistency from the model to the next.
To provide world-class isolation, the mic comes fitted with a custom shock that is mounted on the equipment.
3. AKG P220 High-Performance Vocal Condenser Microphone
This is a large-diaphragm condenser mic that brings multipurpose performance to the users. It features a cardioid pickup pattern and a 20db switchable attenuation pad with bass roll-off switch.
The mic is a fantastic model when recording at home. You can use it when having a home studio or when you just want to have an experiment on recording instruments.
AKG is a condenser mic that can as well be used for the live performance as it is rugged well enough to take the stage. As a shock mount, the emic has a metal clip case giving it better protection and performance.
2. Rode NT-USB USB Condenser Microphone
The Rode is so high-quality condenser studio microphone that gives extra convenience and great experience with an added USB connectivity. It is much compatible with an Apple iPad and has great features on ultra-low noise.
It has an inclusion of a tripod stand, pop shield and more so a ring mount in the mic package. This condenser mic, however, is best suitable for voice. It’s deal for recording singing and music performances.
It also has an included pop-filter that gets to fit on the base of the microphone. It helps in minimizing plosives by having it positioned an ideal distance from the capsule.
1. Marantz Professional MPM-1000 | Cardioid Condenser Microphone with Windscreen, Shock Mount & Tripod Stand (18mm/XLR Out)
Marantz Professional MPM-1000 sits on the top list of our best condenser mics for vocals under 200 dollars. It is a series microphone delivering studio-grade audio performance alongside an unexcelled value.
This mic is also ideal for recording quality studio sound and for video commentary as well as podcasting projects through isolation of instruments through a crowded stage. It is an ideal mic with a large diaphragm ranging from 20-20000Hz with a wide frequency response.
This mic also comes along with a cardioid pattern that picks up all that is in the front with recording unnecessary echoes and background noise. It brings along the great quality sound.
Every company will try to show you that they will give you the best quality mic on the market. You, however, need to know what you want the mic for. Having a purpose helps you decide what mic can serve that purpose and with the shortlisted ten mics, you will have great quality mics.
Remember what matters is getting your music out there and getting more people to love and listen to it. Don’t overspend on condenser mics that you will not even use. The best mic, however, will make your music pleasing to the listeners.
We recommend you choose and buy one of the best condenser mics for vocals under 200 dollars reviewed above to get the best one while saving some money.
What Should I Look For In A Microphone?
If you’ve been following along so far, you’re probably starting to get a good sense of what microphone(s) to buy. Different mics serve different purposes, and it’s best not to view any one of them as being all-in-one solutions. But here are some further insights into important criteria as you go through the selection process.
Durability
Rarely as important as sound and tonal qualities, durability can still be a major consideration if you’re new to mics and you’re mostly recording from home, where mics might get bumped, dropped, or clipped.
When you’re ready to upgrade, you’ll need to be a lot more careful – especially with something as sensitive as a ribbon mic.
Dynamic Or Condenser
I’ll talk more about these two types of mics in a moment. Although you could buy an all-purpose mic – such as the sE Electronics X1 – and make do with it, if possible, I would recommend starting with both a dynamic and condenser mic, so you can get used to the properties of each.
Budget
In this guide, you’ve learned about several mics that offer a great tone for a reasonable price. If you’re looking to go any cheaper than $99, yes, there are some products out there, but I wouldn’t recommend them. If you can’t afford $99, you may want to take some time to save up. Budget is always an important consideration, but I would suggest waiting to get what you want as opposed to making do with a cheaper alternative.
Sound & Tonal Qualities
Ultimately, only you can decide whether you like the sound of a specific microphone. You may buy a mic on a recommendation, and that’s totally fine, but for whatever reason, you may not end up liking it as much as the person who recommended it to you.
There are so many variables when it comes to recording – your room, your gear, the musician playing the part, the instrument they’re using, the engineer or producer, mixing and mastering procedures, and so on. You may not be able to achieve what others were able to do using the exact same gear. Strange thought, I know, but it’s true.
As a guitarist, I endlessly obsessed about my guitar tone. I mostly gave up on that path, because after a certain point, I didn’t think the “perfect tone” existed. But that’s when I discovered my favorite setup – when I stopped looking for it!
So, don’t get discouraged if you aren’t happy with your early choices. You can always upgrade later. Try things out with different mics, and see how far you get. You’ll outgrow your gear at some point, and then you will need to get new gear. Of course, a mic like the Shure SM57 is something you never outgrow, because virtually every studio has one.
What Is The Difference Between A Dynamic & Condenser Microphone?
Understanding this difference is important, because most studios are equipped with both types of microphones.
A simple way of explaining the difference is that dynamic mics are designed to only capture the sound of the voice or instrument in front of it, and block out extraneous noise. They are often used to “close” mic instruments, and don’t pick up much of the room sound. This explains why most podcasting or broadcast quality microphones are dynamic as opposed to being condensers. They reduce a lot of the background noise and “bleed”. Dynamic mics are also used on instruments with a larger dynamic range, such as drums and electric guitars.
Condenser mics are the opposite. They are often used for vocals and acoustic instruments. They pick up the finer details of the tonal qualities of the voice or instrument in front of it. They are sometimes used as “distance” mics, which allow producers to pick up the sound of the room, and the sound of the instrument reflecting off the walls of the room. This gives you an idea why some fancy studios have rooms made of different materials.
Bleed can be a problem with condensers. This isn’t an issue if your mix contains a lot of loud instruments, because nobody is going to be able to make out the finer details of individual tracks. But if you’re trying to record just your voice and acoustic guitar, even the sound of the click track in your headphones can sometimes bleed into a condenser mic. This can be solved with closed back headphones, but it should give you an idea of just how sensitive condenser mics can be.
Another important aspect of the two types of microphones is their tonal characteristics. There are no rules against experimentation. You can use any mic in any situation you please. But you may want more life and warmth injected into certain tracks over others, such as your vocals and acoustic guitars. You may want more of a colored tone that cuts off certain frequencies, such as with your drums and electric guitars. You can still EQ your tracks and pull out different tones with them later, but when recording anything, I believe in starting with a tone you like so you don’t end up having to endlessly edit later, which again can take the “life” out of a track.
