Which mic for home recording

[MikeBmusic]

If your acoustic guitar is going to be your only (or prime) instrument in your recordings, then 2 SDC mics is the most-used way.
You can get a pair of Samson C02's for $140.00. However, some people have used a combination of LDC and SDC (AT has a package with a 2020 and 2021 mic for $180), and still others have used a single LDC. There's no 'wrong way' but there are many 'right ways'!

[slewis]

I'm not sure why recording through your smartphone (assuming you have one, which could certainly be wrong!) wouldn't fully meet your stated goals of recording yourself for self-critique and sharing with friends. The quality you get out of many smartphones these days --especially heard back through headphones -- is amazing. Super-easy in the sharing department, too... Defintely a way to save some money until your needs increase!

[YamaYairi]

I recently bought a pair of MXLV67G mics. I find them to be very noise free and very natural sounding. Great value for the price.

[fceltia63]

I just picked up a Zoom H4n that I'm happy with. Its portable so you don't have to connect to a computer, but you can also use it to connect to a computer. The nice thing about the Zoom is you eliminate the need for a separate interface. I also use a pair of apex condenser mics and an interface hooked directly to my computer. I also suggest getting a decent set of headphones. I have a set of Audio Technica M50s that I think sound great but the M20s are a great bargain.

[icl]

Thank you all for all the advice.
I have narrowed the possibilities down to the following:

1) Apogee mic
2) Zoom H2n
3) ADK A6 mic with Scarlett 2i2 AI.

I have tried a couple of times to record with garage band on my iPad but the quality is not particularly good. Maybe it's my room's poor acoustics and environmental noises.

Regarding the above 3 choices, my guess is that the ADK option would provide the best quality while also allowing for future expansion with a 2nd mic.

Between the Apogee and the Zoom, from what I have read, the Apogee only works with Apple products. The Zoom does not have that limitation, and it also is self-contained. How would the quality between these two compare?

Any thoughts about these options?

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by icl

Thank you all for all the advice.
I have narrowed the possibilities down to the following:

1) Apogee mic
2) Zoom H2n
3) ADK A6 mic with Scarlett 2i2 AI.

I have tried a couple of times to record with garage band on my iPad but the quality is not particularly good. Maybe it's my room's poor acoustics and environmental noises.

Regarding the above 3 choices, my guess is that the ADK option would provide the best quality while also allowing for future expansion with a 2nd mic.

Between the Apogee and the Zoom, from what I have read, the Apogee only works with Apple products. The Zoom does not have that limitation, and it also is self-contained. How would the quality between these two compare?

Any thoughts about these options?

Do you need/want the portability that the Zoom recorders offer? Since you can record directly to them you wouldn't have to have your computer where you record; you could download to the computer DAW later for mixing/etc. If this portability is attractive, I'd suggest you consider the H4n as it has XLR inputs for external mics.

I don't have experience with the Apogee, so can't comment on its quality. However, I see this option as the most restrictive; you can't build on it, such as for stereo recording.

The Focusrite Scarlett interfaces are quieter and have better usable recording resolution than the Zoom H2n and H4. I have the Scarlett 6i6 and really like it for the money.

The ADK A6 mic is really nice. It's smooth, open, and detailed, and it seems to give a pretty accurate recording of what the guitar sounds like (within the limits of a medium condenser mic). It's also quiet and has good sensitivity. It's described as neutral sounding, and I'd say for the most part it is except for its lift in the high end. Their marketing of the product calls this high end lift "sheen". There seems to be some proximity effect if its closer than around 14-16" from the guitar. It's really nice for the money. Look at Front End Audio (they occasionally have 20% off sales and include the shock mount). Also look at Anthem Audio on eBay; they have a package with shock mount, flight case, and cables as well as selling just the mic.

[whiteshadow]

I'd get the mic + interface. I think it'll give you the best recording quality and be the best option in the long run. I own a Focusrite interface, they're really good.

Btw the Rode NT1A is a really good LDC for the money. Really rich\warm sounding.

I'm not claiming to be an expert but one thing I would say, as I've tried recording acoustics in a small untreated room, with LDC and SDC is that the SDC, to my ears seem to give a less boxy sound than the LDC, presumably because they pick up less room noise than LDC. In a treated environment I imagine a LDC on an acoustic would sound boss as when I get the mic placement just right on my acoustic with my Rode NT1A it does sound amazing but it just gets influenced by the room too much. When I use a SE1A it seems to give a more focused sound to me.

The SE1A's are really good mics and great value for money tbh. You can buy them in matched pairs and you might find they'd suit you better than a LDC.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by icl

Thank you all for all the advice.
I have narrowed the possibilities down to the following:

1) Apogee mic
2) Zoom H2n
3) ADK A6 mic with Scarlett 2i2 AI.

I have tried a couple of times to record with garage band on my iPad but the quality is not particularly good. Maybe it's my room's poor acoustics and environmental noises.

Regarding the above 3 choices, my guess is that the ADK option would provide the best quality while also allowing for future expansion with a 2nd mic.

Between the Apogee and the Zoom, from what I have read, the Apogee only works with Apple products. The Zoom does not have that limitation, and it also is self-contained. How would the quality between these two compare?

Any thoughts about these options?

Yes, the MiC only works with Apple devices - at least the last I checked. Maybe they've added windows support since then. It should work great with your iPad, and is pretty convenient.

I think if you search here - check out the show and tell section - you'll find examples of people recording with the H2n. People have posted very nice recordings with both the H2 and the MiC.

As far as differences, with the Apogee or a single ADK, you can record in mono. The H2n will probably sound better just because it's stereo. If you got two ADKs, they could sound better, because you'd have more mic placement options.

But if this is just for practicing, I don't see why it matters much. Your iPad with built-in mics should be plenty. Keep in mind that if room noise and acoustics are the issue with the iPad, that probably won't get any better with other options. The iPad mics are probably omni, so having a directional mic can help a *little*, but probably less than you expect. I'd think about what's most convenient so that you actually use it. If you want good sound quality so that your recordings compare with pro CDs, or even the better recordings posted here, that's a whole different discussion.

[Peeb]

Great thread! Any other input?

[anton]

I just got a Zoom H6 that I am quite happy with. The preamps are nice and quiet. A big step up from the previous zoom units. It includes built in mics but also has inputs for 4 external mics. That might be overkill for your uses, in which they also make the H5, which has inputs for 2 mics instead of 4. That might be a good way to go. Use the built in mics, put it in front of the guitar and you are good to go. No computer to worry about. If later you want to use external mics you can plug them right in. If you want to use garageband the H5 also functions as an audio interface. Its pretty versatile.

You can hear Doug demo the H6's built in mics and external mics here.

https://soundcloud.com/doug-young/sets/zoom-h6-shootout

Anton

[jpfeiff]

Originally Posted by Peeb

Great thread! Any other input?

I have been quite happy with an M-Audio Mobile pre interface and a Studio Projects B-1 as my main mic. I also have a Behringer B-5 that I use when doing two mic recording. Using with Garageband. Here's a sample-

http://youtu.be/WR_YA49sUG8

Not my favorite recording of my voice, but I think the guitar sounds pretty good!

[Doug Young]

That's a really nice, natural sound! Captures the guitar very well

[verstft]

Fairly new to this myself.

If you're mainly interested in fingerstyle recording. You're going to want TWO mics, preferably SDC. Or something like AT2020s which can dual purpose as vocal mics as well.

I spent a lot of time trying to get the sound I was after with only one mic, but I never really got it until I started experimenting with stereo techniques.

If your guitar sound is part of a mix, than mono might be ok, but for solo fingerstyle you would probably want stereo.