£25 microphone from Argos...

thecolourbox

I've got one waiting for me at Sainsbury's that I'll collect this evening. I'm hoping that it at least enables me to blame the pop filter for the nasal honky resonance that my voice naturally makes

flying_pie

Take care @thecolourbox ; I haven't been able to get home yet due to a puncture on the same side that the weighty microphone is. Coincidence? I think not

Sporky

That's why I went for home delivery. Let's hope the van can make it up the hill! 

AntonHunter

flying_pie said:

Take care @thecolourbox ; I haven't been able to get home yet due to a puncture on the same side that the weighty microphone is. Coincidence? I think not

I'm so sorry for my part in this. Hope you get it home ok, maybe call a tow truck for the mic?

Kittyfrisk

AntonHunter said:

flying_pie said:

Take care @thecolourbox ;; I haven't been able to get home yet due to a puncture on the same side that the weighty microphone is. Coincidence? I think not

I'm so sorry for my part in this. Hope you get it home ok, maybe call a tow truck for the mic?

I think you're gonna need a bigger truck...

MartinB

Still pondering it. I did my most recent little batch of acoustic home recordings mostly with dynamic mics just to see what happened (it came out mellow, maybe a little dark overall, in a way that might or might not pass off as intentional lo-fi charm). I have a functional-but-nothing-special pair of small diaphragm condensers, a larger condenser is something I don't own at all. I could maybe see using it on the body of my double bass with an SDC on the end of the fingerboard, or for my voice, which runs quiet and breathy. 

thecolourbox

Safely retrieved, took a bit of a risk taking the Fiat to the supermarket but thankfully it survived. I did have to carry it all around the supermarket with the basket in the other hand. It's quite a big box for a mic 

paulads

AntonHunter said:

Spotted this deal in a thread on Gearspace

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4722504

Neat King Bee 2 microphone, designed by some of the team behind Blue Microphones I think. All the reviews and demos I found were raving about it when it came out at $170, so I couldn't resist paying £25 for it. Its really sturdy (and big!), sounds good so far, nice and quiet, definitely aimed at voice-over/streaming types. I've been busy since it arrived, but I intend to test it on guitar and saxophone in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for this...I took a punt and ordered one to collect tomorrow...cheers!

flying_pie

AntonHunter said:

flying_pie said:

Take care @thecolourbox ; I haven't been able to get home yet due to a puncture on the same side that the weighty microphone is. Coincidence? I think not

I'm so sorry for my part in this. Hope you get it home ok, maybe call a tow truck for the mic?

The AA multi fit wheel did the job fine

Not had a chance to set it up and record yet but it's excellent for Romanian deadlifts 

stufisher

I'm thinking about getting one of these ... for £25 it's surely a no brainer. Thanks for posting the link @AntonHunter  

I've read a few other reviews and it does appear to be good VFM ... check this out:

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/neat-king-bee-ii

sweepy

Sounds as though it'd be interesting for acoustic guitar, just ordered one, especially at that price

flying_pie

I've only recorded a few samples but I can safely say that's the best £25 microphone I've ever used

Having said that, I think the only other £25 microphone I've ever tried was made of plastic and for ages 3+ with a button that triggered applause, a built-in amplifier, and it clipped at anything above a whisper 

thecolourbox

The mic I mostly use in the Cover/Composition challenges was only £25 too, it's a Marantz  MPM-100 condenser, so hopefully I'll be able to make a useful comparison between those two

octatonic

Fuck it, I've bought a pair of them.
For shits and giggles I'll do a shoot out with the Flea 47 and U87ai.

roberty

I got one too, as has the friend I told lol

MartinB

flying_pie said:

I've only recorded a few samples but I can safely say that's the best £25 microphone I've ever used

Having said that, I think the only other £25 microphone I've ever tried was made of plastic and for ages 3+ with a button that triggered applause, a built-in amplifier, and it clipped at anything above a whisper 

I have a couple of £30 microphones I find genuinely useful, the Gear4music store brand SM57 knockoffs. But they're not out to dazzle anyone, they do about what you'd expect a 57 shaped thing to do, maybe a little less forward in the upper mids than the original. 

menamestom

MartinB said:

Still pondering it. I did my most recent little batch of acoustic home recordings mostly with dynamic mics just to see what happened (it came out mellow, maybe a little dark overall, in a way that might or might not pass off as intentional lo-fi charm). I have a functional-but-nothing-special pair of small diaphragm condensers, a larger condenser is something I don't own at all. I could maybe see using it on the body of my double bass with an SDC on the end of the fingerboard, or for my voice, which runs quiet and breathy. 

It should, in theory, be better for vocals, quiet and breathy at least - SDC's are accurate, not flattering, whereas an LDC should add some nice flattering warmth.   In theory.

menamestom

Be interested to hear peoples thoughts.  I have a 90's Rode NT1, but it can be tempremental so this could be a possible backup/alternative.

MartinB

menamestom said:

MartinB said:

Still pondering it. I did my most recent little batch of acoustic home recordings mostly with dynamic mics just to see what happened (it came out mellow, maybe a little dark overall, in a way that might or might not pass off as intentional lo-fi charm). I have a functional-but-nothing-special pair of small diaphragm condensers, a larger condenser is something I don't own at all. I could maybe see using it on the body of my double bass with an SDC on the end of the fingerboard, or for my voice, which runs quiet and breathy. 

It should, in theory, be better for vocals, quiet and breathy at least - SDC's are accurate, not flattering, whereas an LDC should add some nice flattering warmth.   In theory.

Yeah, it might be just the thing. We're talking Nick Drake - ish levels of quiet voice - if I try and project more it gets strained and unpleasant so right now I'm just working with what's there. A dynamic very close sounded quite likeable with the proximity effect to fatten it, but gets sibilant too easily, so LDC a few inches off might be it. 

octatonic

First impressions- these are a bargain for £25 a piece- but I have only tested them very briefly as I have some work to be getting on with.

I was going to do a spoken word and a sung vocal shootout when I get a chance.
If I did would people rather they were a blind test and then a reveal, or would you rather know which mic you were listening to?

For anyone on the fence- I am a bit surprised.
I have paid more for a shock mount than for these entire microphones.
I had a look on Thomann to see what was comparable for £25.
The only thing they have at this price are the Superlux E205U at £31 which is a bit shit, imho.

It is heavy though, I wouldn't put it on a K&M 27105- use something a bit sturdier.