In this feature I share what I think are the best budget condenser microphones around at the moment.
Ranging from under £50/$50 up to around the £150/$150 mark, whatever your budget chances are one of these microphones will fit right into your home recording setup.
Behringer C-1
The problem with buying Behringer gear is that the quality is always a little hit and miss.
The C-1 thankfully lands more on the quality side of things.
For one it has excellent build quality. It has an all metal body and grill meaning that even in a live environment it feels like the C-1 could really take a beating.
There are no fancy bells and whistles here. Just plug it in, turn on your audio interface’s phantom power and get recording.
The Behringer C-1 has a cardioid polar pattern meaning you’ll want to sing or play into the front of it.
The overall sound quality isn’t half bad and considering the price tag of around £50/$50, you could do a lot worse than the Behringer C-1.
Grab your Behringer C-1 condenser microphone here: USA / UK
Audio Technica AT2020
For years the Audio Technica AT2020 was the de-facto king of the sub $100 condenser microphone market. The landscape has changed a lot it in recent years, but even so, for around £90/$99, the AT2020 is still worth a look.
There’s a lovely mid range warmth to the AT2020’s sound that suits vocal recordings and acoustic instruments especially. I find it really easy to find the ‘sweet spot’ when miking up my acoustic guitar and find I can get a very balanced, ‘true’ sound, without the scratchy, jagged high end that some cheaper microphones produce.
The Audio Technica AT2020 is a fairly compact microphone that has been put together really well. Its body and grill are metal and there is a good amount of weight to it.
If you’re after a solid workhorse microphone that is capable of doing a bit of everything this one might be worth checking out.
Get your Audio Technica AT2020 here: USA / UK
Aston Element
The Aston Element is weird. In a good way.
Aston built this microphone with help from over 4000 producers, engineers and musicians who took part in amongst other things, blind listening tests where the element was pitted against loads of other microphones.
All of the data gleaned from these tests have helped to create a properly unique and exciting budget microphone.
The price on this one can vary depending on where you buy from. In the US it seems to cost around $130 – $150 dollars, whereas in the UK you can pick this up on sale for around £60. Make sure you do a bit of shopping around if you want to grab one.
The Aston Element comes bundled with a unique shock mount and magnetic pop filter so you’re getting quite a lot for your money here.
In use it definitely has its own character, with an emphasis on the midrange that really works well when recording acoustic instruments.
A great quality bundle, if you’re looking for something that sounds and looks a wee bit different to other microphones on the market the Aston Element is well worth a look.
Buy the Aston Element condenser microphone here: USA / UK
Lewitt LCT 240 Pro
Coming in at around £90/$99 the Lewitt LCT 240 Pro gives you exceptional value for money.
It comes bundled with a shock mount, wind shield and carry case; pretty much everything you need to get set up and recording.
When it comes to build quality, this microphone is exceptional.
Its fully metal construction and heft really make it feel a lot more premium than it’s price tag would suggest and that carries over to the shock mount and wind shield too.
This is perhaps the most transparent and natural sounding microphone on this list.
It is a great all-rounder microphone that’s suited to recording vocals, acoustic instruments, and voiceover too.
In fact If you plan to do a spot of live streaming or video narration alongside your musical stuff, the LCT 240 Pro is a great choice.
Grab your Lewitt LCT 240 Pro microphone here: USA / UK
RØDE NT-1 Signature Series
The newest microphone on this list, the Rode NT-1 Signature Series will cost you around £130/$150.
For that price will it blow your mind with all manner of hi tech features and adjustable sound profiles?
No, but it does sound absolutely incredible.
The NT-1 Signature Series comes bundles with a shock mount, XLR cable, windshield and soft carry-case.
It also comes in a variety of different colours. Being old and boring i’m partial to the black model, but depending on your setup and personal preference you may like the look of one of the more colourful models.
If you’re in the market for a new reasonably priced condenser microphone that will not only do a bit of everything, but do it extremely, this one is hard to beat.
Get your RØDE NT-1 Signature Series microphone here: USA / UK
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