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The Best Microphones For Recording Vocals allows us to really show everyone what we have. The recording of that golden voice or instrument of yours only makes the world a pleasure by letting those beautiful melodies play. People have to hear it! Whether you are in a home studio, semi-professional or even professional environment, the type of microphone you buy is crucial to achieving the best possible mix. You want your listeners to hear all important frequencies in your voice as clearly and clearly as possible.
We saw in our microphone for live shows that typically dynamic microphones are the best, but in most cases for studio environments, we work in a different way: condenser microphones. Below you will find the best microphones for recording vocals. Before that, we’ll tell you what to consider before buying the best microphones for recording vocals.
List of the best microphones for recording vocals
Warm Audio WA-47
First of all, we have a beautiful tube microphone, the Warm Audio WA-47, that serves as our choice for the best microphones for recording vocals on the market today. Although this certainly falls in the higher regions of the budget, if you can afford this, you have some extremely clear and pleasant vocal tracks in your songs. This brand focuses particularly on ‘vintage’ -like compressors, preamplifiers, and microphones, and this is no different from the other.
The circuit of the vacuum tube provides a very natural and unique sound, but a sound that is not exaggerated (often used by Sinatra and George Martin – not this particular microphone, but a variation and an older version of this microphone). It has nine built-in polar patterns according to your own wishes and flexibility and can handle up to 140 dB SPL. You can also use this to record various instruments such as piano, drums, and guitar. But in the end, the biggest highlight of the Warm Audio WA-47 is simply how it sounds, what makes it The Best microphone for recording vocals and so worth it when you have the money at hand.
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Audio-Technica AT2035
It was difficult to select only one Audio-Technica microphone to advise on vocals here, but in the end, it was logical. The AT2035 is a very popular model for recording vocals and the hundreds of user reviews everywhere help us with confidence in reliability and performance. It is a side-address condenser with a switchable 80 Hz high-pass filter and a 10 dB pad for extra emphasis in capturing the middle and high range of a voice. Also, a great sound pressure treatment in addition to the included shock absorber gives us a good feeling in its robustness.
Ultimately, the key with this microphone for recording vocal voices is the combination of great construction, soft and natural sound and its price – we would certainly consider it as a budget, at least in comparison with many others in this manual. All in all, we like to introduce the Audio-Technica AT2035 here for those who are just starting to record and who do not have too much money to fall on an expensive and expensive microphone to start their adventures. Overall, this is one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Shure SM7B
Next, we have a very popular microphone for vocals with the SM7B from Shure, which is actually a dynamic microphone with a cardioid recording pattern. But wait, did not you say that condenser microphones are most preferred for vocals? Yes, they are. However, there are quite a few dynamic microphones that are worth watching, and we wanted to include at least one of our favorites in this guide. Michael Jackson used the SM7 during his recording days, especially with ‘Billie Jean’. This microphone has been released for decades (in the 70s), so it has been a proven heavy-hitter in the recording system because many of us have even been born.
It is known for its smooth, wide frequency response with a flat recording output, a great setting for music and speech, and we have heard that many broadcasters also use this microphone. There is also a widely acclaimed bass roll off and mid-range presence in his mixes, which gives a nice and distinct sound for the vocals. There is also built-in shock isolation and a pop filter to protect our tracks from annoying distractions. The Shure SM7B is simply legendary and by far one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Blue Yeti Pro
Let’s take on one of our favorite USB microphones of all time – the Blue Yeti, but we want to recommend their ‘Pro’ version, not only because it’s more expensive, but because the sound quality is at least close to a number of traditional condenser microphones the re. This is actually both USB and XLR, so we have the flexibility to choose how we connect this microphone to our studio setup. We have a number of top performances (at least some of the highest we have seen in the USB game) 24-bit/192kHz digital recordings here.
In general, the Yeti has thousands of user reviews everywhere, praising the build quality and natural sound. It has been chosen for all those “best USB microphone” articles that you see flooded around search engines (ours too), and that’s all for a reason. It is simply the most versatile solid USB microphone in the game, and although there are some competitors doing their best to get close, we think that this is worth mentioning in an article with a vocal recording if you really have a USB microphone want it. The Blue Yeti Pro is surely one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Mojave Audio MA-200
Let’s talk about more tube microphones for vocals, and the MA-200 is one of the best microphones for recording vocals if your budget is in the higher range if we perk up your ears when you talk about vacuum tube condensers and how they sound. This particular model is highly rated as a “secret weapon” with its warm low-end and bright highlights. It has a full sound with lots of detail that is usually twice as much compared to other microphones. Most used for singing, but there are many that we have read that also use this for guitar.
David Royer did an excellent job with this microphone and if you do not know who that person really is, he can ring a bell when you think of “Royer Labs” and many other legendary microphones he has made responsible for building (along with microphone preamps and compressors, too). The inside of this is what is responsible for the sound, and if you like details, here are the specifications – 3 gold dustproof capsules, JAN 5840 military vacuum tubes and Jensen audio transformers. It has its very own sound, that’s why we like the Mojave Audio MA-200 as one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Rode NT1-A
Where do we start with one of our favorite microphone packages of all time? In any case, for people with a relatively low budget, the NT1-A is just remarkable and legendary at the moment. Supplied with a shock mount, pop filter, and dust cover, we will be good to go straight out of the box (apart from phantom power, of course). The large 1 “gold-plated diaphragm gives us a very warm and neutral sound to our vocal recordings.
Also ideal for instruments such as bass, piano, and guitar. This is just solid and a viable option for those in the early stages of recording vocals or who want to start building their recording studio. If you have more money we recommend scrolling further, otherwise the Rode NT1-A s one of the best microphones for recording vocals, especially if you want an all-around microphone in the lower price level of this guide.
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Apogee Mic PLUS
Let’s talk about another very high-quality USB microphone for vocals. Apogee’s first MiC 96k was a hit when USB microphones started for the first time and new for the past year (we checked it out on NAMM) is a new and improved model of their previous hit with even better audio quality and more flexibility. With this vocal microphone, we have 24-bit / 96 kHz resolution, three-color LED status, input level and blend mode indicator, headphone out control for zero-latency monitoring and input gain adjustment/mute control.
This thing is also super small and weighs about half a pound, sits on your desk or even lets you travel to make music if that’s your thing (like bringing a friend’s studio to record). When it comes to comparing this with our previous recommended USB model, they float around the same price, and because they have very similar specifications (although with the audio quality capabilities the Yeti Pro goes up to 192 kHz), we would say grab the one that at that time is lower priced. If you are still not sure, remember that the Yeti Pro can also become XLR while the MiC + cannot. So stay with the Apogee Mic PLUS if you want one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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AKG C414 XLII
The C414 is another high-end vocal microphone for a recording made by one of our favorite brands in the microgame AKG. This is a large diaphragm capacitor with 9 interchangeable polar patterns (ideal for those who have multiple instruments or sources), advanced and high-quality internal material construction and of course a beautiful sound. We love this microphone, mainly because of the different sound it offers, but also some of the extra controls we have on the microphone itself.
There is a slight presence boost in the vocals here, which means that you have a very small accent in the middle range – a bit of a different sound in case it is what your ear is asking for. This makes typical vocals and other solo instruments stand out a bit more in a layered mix (also ideal for drums). You also have a little more control over your sound with an integrated bass clip and a filter for softening pads (three of them with either -6, -12 or -18dB), so you can adjust to any voice that is currently being used. The AKG C414 XLII is just one of our favorites as one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Neumann TLM 103
Neumann is a special brand unlike many others out there. This German-based microphone creator focuses on details, so you get a very high-end and luxurious microphone that does not have any spare – we just hope that your budget allows this. Anyway, the TLM 103 is one of our favorites made by them (they do not have many microphones available like many others, but focus on models that they have had for many years and continue to improve and release them). The sound of the TLM 103 is smooth as butter, while it comes with a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, very low self-noise and an overall robust construction (it is extremely small compared to many other large membranes out the re).
It is often used for classical recordings with a wide range, but also for sampling, microphone amplifiers, live use and, of course, vocals in the studio. It also represents a fun SPL finish if you also want to record some drums, or maybe someone who loves your vocal parts. What you are really buying here is a transformerless circuit and pressure gradient transducer that specializes in low noise and attention to detail. The Neumann TLM 103 is certainly one of the best microphones for recording vocals.
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Rode NTK
Last but not least as our last choice as the best vocal microphone, the Rode NTK is our favorite microphone in the middle price range of all these recommendations. It will always have a place in our hearts since we used it during our rapping and rhythm production days over the past decade (we have since switched to another tube microphone for more poppy and electronic genres). The highlights of the legendary NTK are of course the clear sound we love, but also the rugged construction (it will remain as an investment for years) and vintage feeling (driven by a 6922 tube with two steps).
The great recommendation here because of the price – if the range of a thousand dollars was a bit too steep for you, but you still wanted a high-end tube microphone with warm sound, we advise you to take the Red NTK as our last choice as The Best microphone for recording vocals.
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Things To Know Before Buying The Best Microphones For Recording Vocals
Budget
This is a big question for microphone shopping. When you build your studio with music recording equipment, it is always important to plan. We have affordable, decent-sounding microphones of less than $100, but if you want an almost professional sound, you have to pay a little more for it. Do you have the dough? We have covered most of the bases to help you choose a number of options.
Where are you going to record your singing
Although this coincides with the budget, the overall environment in which you are located may put you off in a certain direction. Are you building a recording studio for home? Or add this to an existing pro-setup? For example, recording voices at home versus a professional studio requires a second thought about not only the budget but also the overall type of microphone and extra equipment you might need.
Condenser microphone
time and again we’ve heard the question; which type of microphone is best for recording vocals? The key is to understand that dynamic microphones are great for shows because of their effectiveness in handling loud sound sources without high frequencies. Condenser microphones, on the other hand, are great for recording vocals because of their sensitivity and wide frequency range. They are usually also slightly better built (albeit more expensive). This article about capacitor vs. Dynamic microphones is great for more information.
Connectivity
There are only a few ways to connect your microphone to what you are recording; we have the traditional XLR connector, ever-expanding USB microphones and finally 3.5 mm, but they are quite cheap and usually for karaoke use. We recommend using XLR-to-audio interface or microphone preamplifier instead of USB-to-computer – in the end, you will only get better quality.
Pickup patterns
Large aperture-cardioid pickup patterns from microphones are, in our opinion, best for recording vocals. You can become smaller, but if you record vocals, as in this case, we recommend that you stay big. This video at large and small apertures is pretty informative.
Extra accessories you need
Are you going to continue building your home studio? Please note that you also need to purchase a few extra parts if you do not already have them. Some have a microphone stand, shock mount, pop filter, carrying bag, cables, audio interface, etc. Factor this in your budget. Also, note that some of the microphones we recommend come in packages that contain most of these accessories that may be suitable for you.
Conclusion
Condenser microphones are still the most important tool when it comes to recording sound. In comparison with their vintage predecessors, modern condensers are neither fragile nor functionally limited. Instead, we have models that push the boundaries of what this technology can do. In this article, we have mentioned the Best Microphones For Recording Vocals that you can buy right now on the market.
Depending on your intended application, some of them may be more attractive than others. If we were to choose one, we should stay with the Aston Spirit. It is exotic, but it also contains a very realistic performance that many appreciate.