Best budget matched pair for fingerstyle?

[Monk of Funk]

Just wondering what might be some great options for budget matched pairs. It would be cool if they were also great as solo mics, or versatile for other purposes as well.

[jklotz]

Bt matched pair, I'm assuming you are talking about SDC's? I was recording for a while with Rode NT5's. They were good as long as you tamed the top end a little in post. I've also heard really good reviews for the warm audio wa-84's.

[Glennwillow]

This is a really interesting microphone comparison from Sweetwater on microphones for acoustic guitar.

For me, a lot of the really good microphones sounded astonishingly close to each other. I think the shootout shows that we have a lot of really good choices and that you can get some very good quality mics for a modest monetary investment.

I bought a matched pair of Warm Audio WA-84 mics. They sound very good to me and I've been very happy with them. I've had them about a year now. Here is the technical information, including a frequency response curve, of the WA-84 mic.

Here and here are a couple of reviews of the WA-84 mics.

Before the WA-84 mics, I used a pair of Rode NT5 mics. They also did a good job, but they are a little thin on the bass side of the spectrum, a little hyped on the treble side. The WA-84 are much warmer sounding mics and not particularly hyped on the treble side. I have not used the NT5 mics since I got the WA-84 pair.

- Glenn

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by Monk of Funk

Just wondering what might be some great options for budget matched pairs. It would be cool if they were also great as solo mics, or versatile for other purposes as well.

"Budget" means different things to different people, of course, and, compared to Neumann KM 84s, a pair of WA-84s is a bargain, but not if your budget is under $400, say. So, maybe defining what that means to you would help folks make suggestions here.

And, yes, I think we're also assuming SDCs, which always work fine alone, often on pianos, wind instruments, even on percussion/drums, and certainly overheads, though you have to read SPL specs and look for pad switches if you're delving into really loud stuff. They're not often found used for vocals, though they certainly can be. (The Earthworks SR314 is a "small condenser" wrapped in a vocal mic case, and gets great reviews. I haven't seen it being used anywhere else, in fact.)

The pairs from sE Electronics get pretty good reviews, and I still think if I had to grab a [budget] set in a hurry I'd sure try them.

I've got the Studio Projects C-4 set that I've had for 10 years. I'd like to replace them, but haven't found the real incentive yet (and I keep spending money on mandolins! ).

[anton]

Whats your budget? Doug Young makes the Audio Technica 2020 sound pretty good on solo guitar. You can get one for $100 brand new. That’s pretty cheap when it comes to mics. You could also use them on other sources. If you want to spend more you could go up the AT line, like the 4033 or 4050 or 4040. In general maybe a large diaphragm mic will be more versatile.

Ive owned the Peluso CEMC6, Miktek C5, ADK A6, and currently my Gefell M300 pair.

If you give us a budget range we can give you some more targeted answers

[Monk of Funk]

My budget is as cheap as possible. I think nt5 and WA84s are a little more expensive than I was hoping to spend.

So far in my research I've discovered rode M5 which seem decent, but nt5s definitely sound nicer silkier sparkle to them.

I also saw lewitt LCT 040 matched pair, which actually look pretty **** nice for that price. I'm surprised. There's also the LCT 140 air which aren't a matched pair, but you could get 2 of them for a little more expensive, but they have some more flexibility with some settings on them as well.

So far, I think the LCT 040 matched pair are the frontrunners for me. They really sound great.

For me, acoustic guitar can be a little different than for others, since I never use a pick. I am purely fingerstyle player, and I don't have very long nails. So, the way the high end is captured is quite different. There's no pick attack or anything like that.

For now I think I'm really more interested in a matched pair. I have a couple of mics that I think would work well for more body. I may look for something else to give me more warmth on the bottom end after having experienced with the matched pair a while. One of the mics I can use for now is an SM57, and the other is a large diaphragm condenser I have. The LCT 040 sound pretty great on their own though, so, I may not end up doing that.

From samples I've heard on YouTube though so far, these LCT 040 are pretty **** impressive.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Monk of Funk

Just wondering what might be some great options for budget matched pairs. It would be cool if they were also great as solo mics, or versatile for other purposes as well.

Many of them are listed on the "AGF Members Gear Masterlist and Recommended Tutorial Videos" thread stickied at the top of this subforum. Scroll down to the section labeled "SDCs (Small Diaphragm Condenser Microphones)."

[Chipotle]

You can get a pair of Line Audio CM4s for just $260. Great little mics that punch above their price point. You have to order them from Europe (directly or from NoHypeAudio in Belgium); NoHype says they have a waiting list so I'm not sure of the availability right now.

[stephenT]

I'm using two preowned AT 4041, about $400. I'm pretty happy with the detailed sounds I can get with those two, w/ one on the body pointing at the lower bout and one pointing at the neck block.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Monk of Funk

For now I think I'm really more interested in a matched pair.

You seem hung up on the idea of a "matched pair" but at your price point, the words "matched pair" are really nothing more than advertising fodder. It doesn't really mean much more than consecutive serial numbers or two mics from the same run. The mics are not going to be tuned to have identical frequency responses because that is a labor intensive task and it would drive the price up.

[Trent in WA]

Originally Posted by Monk of Funk

My budget is as cheap as possible. I think nt5 and WA84s are a little more expensive than I was hoping to spend.

So far in my research I've discovered rode M5 which seem decent, but nt5s definitely sound nicer silkier sparkle to them.

I also saw lewitt LCT 040 matched pair, which actually look pretty **** nice for that price. I'm surprised. There's also the LCT 140 air which aren't a matched pair, but you could get 2 of them for a little more expensive, but they have some more flexibility with some settings on them as well.

So far, I think the LCT 040 matched pair are the frontrunners for me. They really sound great.

For me, acoustic guitar can be a little different than for others, since I never use a pick. I am purely fingerstyle player, and I don't have very long nails. So, the way the high end is captured is quite different. There's no pick attack or anything like that.

For now I think I'm really more interested in a matched pair. I have a couple of mics that I think would work well for more body. I may look for something else to give me more warmth on the bottom end after having experienced with the matched pair a while. One of the mics I can use for now is an SM57, and the other is a large diaphragm condenser I have. The LCT 040 sound pretty great on their own though, so, I may not end up doing that.

From samples I've heard on YouTube though so far, these LCT 040 are pretty **** impressive.

Late to this thread, but I just got a pair of the Lewitts and can vouch for their quality. They're great little mics. I also have a couple other Lewitts (441 Flex and 140 Air) and think they're the bees' knees.

[guitarmint]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

You can get a pair of Line Audio CM4s for just $260. Great little mics that punch above their price point. You have to order them from Europe (directly or from NoHypeAudio in Belgium); NoHype says they have a waiting list so I'm not sure of the availability right now.

I second Peter's advice, look no further

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

You can get a pair of Line Audio CM4s for just $260. Great little mics that punch above their price point. You have to order them from Europe (directly or from NoHypeAudio in Belgium); NoHype says they have a waiting list so I'm not sure of the availability right now.

Those are on my "get this" list. Forum member Wrighty uses them in his recordings and they sound excellent.

[Sasquatchian]

I'll second the above for the AT 4041's. A really great mic that I've used for acoustic guitars and accordions. Five hundred for a matched pair. Very clean and crisp and in every way professional level results. Doesn't mean a less expensive mic can't work well too but you will never regret that purchase. That being said, I like the two Lauten-Audio LT-386 tube mics that I have - noticeably better on my old Martins and for the accordions, but in a different price league altogether, going through an Apollo x8p and their Unison Neve 88SR preamp plugin.