Your mic locker is at the center of your studio — you can’t record any real-world sources without it. But you don’t need an extravagant collection of microphones to get great results. In fact, you’d be surprised at what you can accomplish with a quality large-diaphragm condenser, a low-cost instrument dynamic mic, and a bit of ingenuity. And even after you grow beyond those two mics, you don’t need to spend a fortune to make great-sounding recordings. If you’re searching for the best budget recording microphones, look no further than Sweetwater.
Best Budget Mics: Large-diaphragm Condenser
sE Electronics X1 A
When you’re putting together your first mic locker, a large-diaphragm condenser is a sensible place to start. These mics are routinely used on vocals and acoustic instruments, and they’re even parked in front of guitar amps. So out of the hundreds of these microphones that are available, which one should you start with? Here’s our advice — if you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with the sE Electronics X1 A. It’s loaded with all the pro features you could want, including a -20dB pad and 100Hz highpass filter. And most importantly, it sounds great, with excellent accuracy, dynamics, and well-balanced frequency response. The X1 A is one of those mics that you’ll keep around even after you step up to more expensive models. It’s an amazing workhorse.
Audio-Technica AT2020
Another budget-friendly medium-diaphragm condenser is the AT2020 from Audio-Technica. The AT2020 has won over legions of home-studio owners with its high SPL handling and generously wide dynamic range. A custom-engineered, low-mass diaphragm also provides outstanding frequency response and stellar transient response. And, because of its cardioid polar pattern, you get great isolation for whatever instrument you are capturing.
Samson C01
The Samson C01 is a wonderful large-diaphragm mic to add to your studio that can be used on a variety of instruments. The C01 features a large, dual-layer 19mm diaphragm with a cardioid pattern for an even, flat frequency response. Two ultra-thin membranes pick up really detailed sounds from strings to cymbals. The C01 also has some nice extras like a heavy mesh grille, a gold-plated XLR connector, and an LED indicating 48V phantom power — nice touches since, as any studio pro will tell you, it is all about the finer details when capturing quality sound.
Best Budget Mics: Dynamic
Shure SM57
After you have your large-diaphragm condenser needs taken care of, you’ll need a solid dynamic microphone. Luckily, the industry standard in this department costs less than a hundred dollars! Yes, we’re talking about the venerable Shure SM57. You’ll find this mic in professional studios worldwide — in fact, a large chunk of the snare drums and electric guitars you hear on classic albums were recorded with this mic. It even works well for scream-style vocals!
Sennheiser e 609 Silver
If you’re going to be recording a guitar amp in your studio, you can’t go wrong with the Sennheiser e 609 Silver. This dynamic supercardioid should cost more than it does, but even after decades of legendary status for its use both on the stage and in the studio, it still is ultra-affordable. The e 609 has a beautifully natural 40Hz low-frequency cutoff that prevents excessive boominess, which can kill a live performance as well as an in-studio capture. Ask anyone who has come to love and rely on this mic: it’s nearly impossible to overload it! Thanks to a powerful neodymium magnet and a hum-compensating coil, the e 609 not only keeps the boominess at bay, but it also delivers an incredibly punchy, clear tone.
Best Budget Mics: Small-diaphragm Condenser
AKG P170
If all you have is a large-diaphragm condenser and instrument dynamic mic, you’ve got all you need to get started — you could conceivably record an entire album with those two mics. That being said, if you’re recording acoustic instruments or want a set of drum overheads, small-diaphragm condensers can work wonders. And for the price, the AKG P170 sounds excellent. This cardioid-pattern mic rejects ambient noise superbly, and its -20dB pad is sure to come in handy. Plus, its clear, accurate reproduction sounds great on just about any source. Whether you use a single mic, or two in a stereo configuration, the P170 is a capable entry-level small-diaphragm condenser.
Blue Microphones Ember
Yet another small-diaphragm mic you can add to your studio arsenal without taking out a loan is the Blue Microphones Ember studio condenser. The Blue Ember has generated a lot of buzz among media streamers for its ultra-tight cardioid polar pattern and sleek design. Because of its side-address design, the Blue Ember is great for tight miking applications such as desktop use or smaller-room studio setups. The Blue Ember might be small, but its specs are large. This small condenser features a wide, articulate 40Hz–20kHz frequency response that is ideal for both music and speech; and its impressive headroom of 146dB SPL handling means it can handle the big guitar speakers and punchy snares, as well!
Golden Age Project FC 4 MC
The Golden Age Project FC 4 MC is another affordable small-diaphragm true-condenser mic that offers an impressive range of versatile recording applications. The FC 4 MC features interchangeable cardioid, hypercardioid, and omnidirectional heads, so capturing just about any instrument from varying angles and setups is possible. The FC 4 also features discrete, transformerless Class A electronics, gold-sputtered capsules, a 20Hz–20kHz range, and 140dB SPL handling. With the FC 4 you can capture everything from the fast transients of acoustic guitar, piano, and cymbals to the immediacy of strings and percussion, along with the pure grit of an electric amp. This budget-friendly mic can truly do it all!
Best Budget Mics: Drum Mic Kit
Samson DK705
Miking drums can be an intensive endeavor. Heck, selecting the right drum mics can be an intensive endeavor! But for a modest amount of moola, the Samson DK705 drum mic kit simplifies the process. Combine this 5-piece kit with a pair of small-diaphragm condensers, and you’re good to go. This kit effectively captures the thump of your kick drum and the attack of your snare and toms. Besides offering superb off-axis noise rejection, they handle loud sources like a champ. You even get swivel-style mic adapters and tension-mounted mic clips for easy microphone placement!
Shure PGA Drum Kit 5
The Shure PGA Drum Kit 5 will give you the essential drum kit mic package at an amazing, budget-friendly price. This package includes one PGA52, three PGA56s, and a PGA57 along with three mounts. Designed for solid low-frequency response, the PGA52 is renowned for capturing stellar kick-drum bass tone. The PGA56s will capture the punch and nuanced range of your toms beautifully. And with the PGA57, the snappy tone of your snares will really shine.
Audix FP5
The Audix FP5 Fusion drum mic package is also super friendly on the wallet and gives you all the essentials for capturing the unique tones of your kit. There’s one f5 mic for snare, three f2 mics for toms, and one f6 mic for kick — each designed to capture the snap, the thump, and the thunder of your kit. The f6 has also garnered a solid rep for capturing great tone on other percussion instruments including the djembe!
Best Budget Mics: Ribbon
Golden Age Project R2 MKII
Once you’ve got your basic microphone locker situated, you’ll be happy for a while. But then, you’ll get tired of using condenser mics on everything. So what do you do? Sweetwater has the answer: a ribbon mic. It’ll be just what you need to spice things up. These microphones can be a bit quirky, but the warmth they bring to shrill-sounding sources is well worth the effort. With a sub-$200 price tag, the Golden Age Project R2 MKII is a great introduction to the world of ribbons. It’s got the traditional ribbon sound with mellow highs and fast transient response. Beyond that, its 137dB SPL handling means you can park it in front of a dimed guitar amp (a common use for ribbon mics) without fear.
sE Electronics X1 R
The sE Electronics X1 R is another affordable ribbon with incredible versatility. The X1 R can be found in many studios, renowned for its ability to grab high-frequency instruments without the overkill of too much bright treble that can wash out the overall tone of your instrument. The X1 R is ideal for vocals, instruments, and even drum overheads. And, with an incredible 135dB max SPL, the X1 R is designed to deliver over and over again, be it on drums, upright bass, or acoustic guitar.
Avantone Pro CR-14
The Avantone Pro CR-14 is a true visual stunner that has a unique, vintage design that also looks distinctly modern. With inner-assembly parts precision machined from brass, this mic is built to last. The CR-14’s dual, low-mass ribbon element provides incredible sensitivity that works great in front of basically any instrument. Fast, accurate transient response and a 145dB SPL rating — this ribbon mic is a great go-to for your locker.
Best Budget Mics: Tube Condenser
Avantone Pro CV-12
A tube condenser is a great direction to head in when you’re ready to step into your first pro-quality microphone, and Avantone’s Pro CV-12 is the perfect place to start. This classic-sounding tube mic exhibits a vintage character that pairs well with vocals, strings, acoustic guitars, and more. The build quality, styling, and performance of the CV-12 rival that of much more expensive microphones. If you’re looking for a crown jewel for your mic collection, the CV-12 is a fine, value-priced choice.
Golden Age Project TC1
You would be hard-pressed to find a more affordable, more versatile tube condenser than the Golden Age Project TC1. The TC1 offers nine polar patterns — cardioid, omni, figure-8, and six intermediate stages — and is legendary for its ability to handle loud sources without falling apart. Electric guitar, piano, strings, brass, percussion, drum overheads, and even as a room mic: the TC1 can do it and deliver amazing results.
Rode NTK
Add the budget-friendly Rode NTK to your studio arsenal, and you will have a very focused high- and low-range mic that is perfect for bass guitar, kick drum, cymbals — even voice. With an externally polarized capsule and a twin-triode 6922 tube, the NTK has earned a solid rep for making whatever it is capturing sound natural and pure — all with just a touch of that warm tube crunch.
The budget recording microphones described above are a great starting point, but building a mic collection is a lifetime endeavor — you can never really have too many! Sweetwater’s Sales Engineers have gotten their hands on just about every mic on the planet. If you have any questions about which mic is right for you, give us a call at (800) 222-4700 . We’ll be happy to point you in the right direction!
