A high-quality microphone is necessary for studio-quality recording. If you are setting up a studio at your office or home, you need a good-quality condenser mic at first. There are different types of microphones available like dynamic mic, ribbon mic, USB mic and likewise, but a condenser mic is always the first preference of the artists. It is the best mic to capture the true voice quality of a person and some of them come with a pop filter to cancel out the surrounding noise almost completely. Check out the top 10 best condenser mic under 500 in 2022.
Contents
- Table of the Best Condenser Mic Under 500:
- 01. AKG Professional Condenser Microphone
- 02. Avantone Pro Tube Condenser Microphone
- 03. Aston Microphones Cardioid Condenser Microphone
- 04. Rode Condenser Microphone Cardioid
- 05. Blue Microphones Bluebird Condenser Microphone
- 06. Blue Microphones Yeti Pro USB Condenser Microphone
- 07. Oktava large diaphragm condenser microphone
- 08. Audio-Technica Cardioid Condenser Microphone
- 09. Blue Blackout Spark Condenser Microphone with Pop Filter
- 10. Shure Multi-Purpose Condenser Microphone
- Buyer’s Guide – Things To Keep In Mind
- Microphone polar pattern
- Diaphragm Size
Table of the Best Condenser Mic Under 500:
01. AKG Professional Condenser Microphone
This is a beautifully designed condenser mic under 500 dollars for recording lead vocal and solo instruments. The dynamic range is outstanding and for close-up recording, it has advanced noise cancellation technique. There are attenuator and bass cut filter available and the proximity effect is reduced to a bare minimum. Moreover, there are suspensions to reduce any mechanical noise and vibration from the stage. The all-metal design makes the product attractive and it is shock and scratch resistant.
02. Avantone Pro Tube Condenser Microphone
The audio frequency range of the mic is from 20Hz to 20KHz. It comes with multi-pattern and it is suitable for studio recording. The performance is outstanding from all aspects and the specifications are top-notch. The look is stunning and it will give a positive and premium feeling. It is one of the finest tube mics available and the body has a rugged construction. There is also a shock mount and its performance is comparable to some of the premium ones.
03. Aston Microphones Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The product is made in the UK and the quality is top-notch. It comes with a pop-up filter and it has the modern stainless steel mess knit technology for better clarity in the recording. The end caps ensure that it has direct to stand mounting ability. The chassis has 2mm solid stainless steel last cut body and it is perfect for professional recording by artists, engineers, and producers. The wave-form mesh head makes it shock resistant and eliminates unwanted noises.
04. Rode Condenser Microphone Cardioid
This is an amazing condenser mic under 500 as it has the frequency range of up to 20 kHz. You can easily mount it anywhere you want and you will also be getting the mounting hardware. You will also be getting other accessories with this product. The required power is 24 volts and the phantom power is 48 volts. This revolutionary product has got many amazing features and comes in an artistic design. The body is made up of 6061 aluminum and it only measures 4.5 dBA of self-noise.
05. Blue Microphones Bluebird Condenser Microphone
This one will give you a clear sound with any voice or instrument. The condenser mic under 500 has a large diaphragm cardioid capsule which is perfect for open and full sound. It has also got a high pass filter which will provide ultimate versatility. Further, the 20dB pad will be great for audio interfaces. This is perfect for your home studio and has got extended upper clarity. This will make your performance come to life and will express the true tone of musical instruments. Its dynamic range is 126.3 dB and the output impedance is 50 ohm.
06. Blue Microphones Yeti Pro USB Condenser Microphone
In this condenser mic under 500, there is a USB microphone combination of 24 bit per 192 kHz. This has also got an analog XLR output and there are three custom condenser capsules. In addition to this, you will be getting four pattern settings and will provide you with better sound clarity. There is also a converter chip which is best for professional studio mixers. This is ideal to be used at home or at the studio. This is versatile and has got advanced pattern settings and will give you the option of plug-and-play.
07. Oktava large diaphragm condenser microphone
This is a large condenser mic which has a brass backplate construction. It has got precision drilled control holes with the five-micron diaphragm. This will give you the presence of classic LDC microphone. This has a transformerless circuit and will deliver alluring sound. The extended frequency response is very accurate and clean and is free from the harsh sound. This will allow you to record from wherever you want. This can be rotated to up to 180 degrees and it comes in a stylish wooden box. With this, you will also be getting a metal microphone clamp.
08. Audio-Technica Cardioid Condenser Microphone
This condenser mic has custom shock mount and comes with a protective pouch. This has got USB audio interface along with pro tools. This will give you a smooth and natural sound and has got unmatched versatility. The high pass filter can be switched to 80 Hz and is constructed for reliable performance. There will also be superior isolation with the shock mount. With this, you will also be getting a threaded stand and an adapter. It has got many other features and is perfect to be used at home or in the studio.
09. Blue Blackout Spark Condenser Microphone with Pop Filter
With this condenser mic, you will able to eliminate distortion as it has -20 dB pads. You can do XLR connection and is perfect for recording and streaming. It comes in a wooden storage box and there is also a custom shock mount. The cardioid condenser microphone has a large diaphragm and has versatile switches. You can use it for game streaming and studio applications for podcasts. There is also a USB audio interface and uses 48V phantom power. The frequency range is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
10. Shure Multi-Purpose Condenser Microphone
With this, there will be superior transient as it has a low mass large diaphragm. The condenser mic under 500 has also got an amazing off-axis rejection. This will produce natural sound and will response very nicely to flat and neutral frequencies. The switch will allow you to eliminate unwanted noise and will also counteract for extended and consistent low-end. This is also very strong and is made up of full metal. This is perfect to be used in the studio or on the stage.
Buyer’s Guide – Things To Keep In Mind
There are two things you have to know in order to buy the best condenser mic for you. You have to understand the microphone polar patterns and the diaphragm size and its relation.
Microphone polar pattern
There are different types of polar patterns possible with the mic. They are cardioid, super-cardioid, hyper-cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-9 and multiple patterns. It is better to buy a condenser mic that has switchable polar patterns so that you can switch among these patterns easily. However, they are highly expensive and hence, you need to understand these types and choose the one that you need. The Figure-8 polar pattern is best for capturing the sound in the front and back. It reduces the sounds coming from the sides. It is also referred to as bi-directional mic.
Cardioid is a preferred mic as it cancels the sound from the rear side as well as from the sides. It is suitable for personal recording. From live recording, live performance and for the studio, it is considered the best. The super-cardioid and hyper-cardioid ones are more directional than cardioid ones. They are used by sound producers in certain situations only. The omnidirectional ones are quite popular and they capture sound from all directions. There are used for certain instrument playing.
Diaphragm Size
The size of a condenser mic is defined by the size of the diaphragm. There are three sizes available and three of them are equally important for a studio. A large diaphragm condenser mic is used from vocals, strings, and brass as well as percussions. They have multiple patterns and there are pads for increasing its versatility. The bass effect is more pronounced and therefore, recording drums are done with it. A medium diaphragm sized mic accurately captures high-frequency content and catch transients aptly. The smaller ones are highly responsive and they are used for acoustic guitars, instruments with extended overtones and sharp transients. Therefore, you need to know the right mic needed for the instrument you are going to use. For vocal only, you can use the cardioid, large diaphragm condenser mic.
Conclusion
You need different types of condenser mics for recording different sounds. For vocal and certain instruments, you need a large-sized mic but you have to check the polar pattern at the same time. Therefore, go through the buying guide thoroughly to understand what you need to buy. Then go through the description to shortlisted the ones that are applicable for you. After that, you need to compare the features and select the best one if you have a budget under 500 dollars. You will be able to record studio-quality sound sitting at your home.
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