Quote:
Originally Posted by Ncbandit
The SM57 is a dynamic microphone and doesn't need phantom power to work. I have never used one for recording vocals but I know that some people do. They are also good for recording amps and snare drums.
A condenser mic will not work without phantom power. You can buy a phantom power box on Ebay for under $10.00 but most audio interfaces have them built in.
Condenser mics are super sensitive which make them great for acoustic guitars because they pick up everything, but since they do it is hard to get a clean recording. Pick noise and finger slide noise etc. become a problem.
This is why I always record the guitar and vocals separate so I can get many takes of each to get a perfect final result.
You can get a decent audio interface for under $200.00 I use a Line 6 UX2. I also use my 10 year old desk top and have no problems running my DAW Reaper. It works fine even though I also have alot of MIDI tracks.
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Some very good condenser mics have battery compartments built in and work just fine without phantom power. The AKG C1000 and Rode NT-3 are two that come to mind.
The SM57 is a great mic to use for live performance but a small diaphragm condenser will sound significantly better in many situations. If you're using a mic that sounds "better" because it rejects background noise then it will also be less sensitive to your instrument.
I recommend the AKG Perception 170 as a very good small diaphragm condenser at the low end of the price spectrum.