Could you recommend a good mic that catches bass great?

[Girom]

I'm guessing any mic about 100 dollars would be nice?

I do have an out of order (the screen not working) MacBook Pro. If I recorded with a mic connected to MacBook Pro as opposed to the p6 HP that I have would the sound quality be different?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I never used a mic to catch bass. I always used fishing lures and bait.

 

[carwiz]

You don't give enough data. There's too many variables for the best microphone. What and where are you trying to record. You don't want just any mic. You'll need a mic that doesn't attenuate the low frequencies common with vocal mics. There's also the microphone pickup pattern. Are you recording in a room, hall, theatre or stadium?

The old cliché of garbage in, garbage out holds true for the whole system not just the microphone. You have to know whether your equipment can record the frequencies you need. And just how low you need to go. What is the frequency response of your system including speakers? There's no sense recording 20-30Hz if your speakers only go down to 100Hz. Or in the case of PC speakers, more like 1000Hz.

 

[fireberd]

Some of the professional microphone companies, such as Shure, make USB connected mics that will have good frequency response. Otherwise you will have to go with a Pro P.A. system mic, such as a workhorse Shure SM57 or SM58 with a mic preamp that will amplify the mic signal to near "line leve" which is the audio level required by a PC sound card.

I have a recording studio and use SM57 mic's to mic instrument amps such as guitar or bass.

Here is one Shure USB mic. Shows freq response from 20Hz to 20Khz Shure Americas | Microphones, Wireless Systems, Headphones, Earphones

 

[Girom]

You don't give enough data. There's too many variables for the best microphone. What and where are you trying to record. You don't want just any mic. You'll need a mic that doesn't attenuate the low frequencies common with vocal mics. There's also the microphone pickup pattern. Are you recording in a room, hall, theatre or stadium?

The old cliché of garbage in, garbage out holds true for the whole system not just the microphone. You have to know whether your equipment can record the frequencies you need. And just how low you need to go. What is the frequency response of your system including speakers? There's no sense recording 20-30Hz if your speakers only go down to 100Hz. Or in the case of PC speakers, more like 1000Hz.

I don't have any good speakers. Could you recommend one?
Recording in a room.

By bass I meant my own bass tone voice, as well as my cello.

 

[Girom]

Some of the professional microphone companies, such as Shure, make USB connected mics that will have good frequency response. Otherwise you will have to go with a Pro P.A. system mic, such as a workhorse Shure SM57 or SM58 with a mic preamp that will amplify the mic signal to near "line leve" which is the audio level required by a PC sound card.

I have a recording studio and use SM57 mic's to mic instrument amps such as guitar or bass.

Here is one Shure USB mic. Shows freq response from 20Hz to 20Khz Shure Americas | Microphones, Wireless Systems, Headphones, Earphones

What is Pro P.A. system mic? what does it meant to amplify the mic signal to near "line level" which is the audio level required by a PC sound card?

 

[kbrady1979]

I never used a mic to catch bass. I always used fishing lures and bait.

I can't believe nobody else found that funny........why so serious?

 

[carwiz]

I never used a mic to catch bass. I always used fishing lures and bait.

I can't believe nobody else found that funny........why so serious?

I did. I was laughing so hard I had to change my shorts. That wasn't funny.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I never used a mic to catch bass. I always used fishing lures and bait.

I can't believe nobody else found that funny........why so serious?

I did. I was laughing so hard I had to change my shorts. That wasn't funny.

Cats wear shorts?

 

[carwiz]

Only during the day.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Only during the day.

I'm thinkin' I don't want to know about night.

 

[fireberd]

This thread has digressed. But the original poster asked what is a "P.A." mic - its one used on stage such as what is used by singers at concerts. What is "line level" that is usually considered 0db. PC Sound cards required approximately line level input. A regular P.A. type mic, such as a Shure SM58, has a very low level signal and thus requires amplification to the line level to operate or operate properly with a PC.

 

[carwiz]

Thanks for getting us back on track Jack. I'm leaving this thread on you since you have more experience with recording and such. It appears the OP needs some training on audio if he expects to capture the quality he may need. I wouldn't know what frequency a baritone even starts.

 

[kbrady1979]

I've heard good things about Blue Snowball Mics.......that comes from my vice of reading reviews on review websites, not any actual experience. It could be a piece of garbage for all I know. I also don't know if that is the type of mic you need.

 

[Woz]

...such as a workhorse Shure SM57 or SM58 with a mic preamp...

Plus, if you have any nails sticking up anywhere, you can use the SM58 to drive them flush after (or before) your recording session. Those MS58s are built like tanks. I'm currently using EV PL80s. EV's answer to the SM58.

If I were going for quality audio, I'd go with a good quality XLR mic, preamp, and a digital interface for the computer. It'll cost more, but the sound can be great - PLUS - you'll be able to use the mics for recording or live performance without a computer. There are some high quality USB mics available like the Blue brand, but I don't like my mics tied to a USB port all the time.

 

[Girom]

This thread has digressed. But the original poster asked what is a "P.A." mic - its one used on stage such as what is used by singers at concerts. What is "line level" that is usually considered 0db. PC Sound cards required approximately line level input. A regular P.A. type mic, such as a Shure SM58, has a very low level signal and thus requires amplification to the line level to operate or operate properly with a PC.

What is a "signal" in "very low level signal"?
What would be another way to record without USB? If you want to record it as MP3 file wouldn't you have to ultimately connect the mic to computer some way if not USB?

 

[fireberd]

The "signal" from a mic or from an MP3 player to a headset is the actual audio. In tech terms it is a "signal".

The output of a PC mic is approximately -4dB which is a relatively high signal level. The output from a standard P.A. type mic, such as the SM58 is -54Db (or 1.8mv) which is not enough for a PC sound card and the reason it needs a preamp, to amplify it up to a useable leve for the PC. A USB mic has the proper levels, you connect it to a USB port on your PC and you record with that as you would with a mic connected to the "mic input" on the PC.

How to use a USB mic with a computer: How to Use a USB Microphone on a PC | eHow.com

 

[Faladu]

In the old days before USB, we had to plug our mics directly into our sound cards mic jack.... I still have a $30 mic from those days somewhere.

Good bass line, but I don't respond to jokes with approval or disapproval only posts just to pad my stats, that's just how I roll.

That Shure SM5x series seems to be quite popular for the OP's purpose.

I use a Logitech AK5370 standing mic for all my voice/singing, but I am not trying to make a record.