Best all around microphone.`

Everybody has their favorites, and nobody seems to use anything on snare besides a Shure SM57, but if you had to choose one microphone to use on just about anything and everything, what would it be?

My choice would be the AT4030. I haven't found another mic (yet) that I can throw on just about anything and be just fine with. The 4030 has been around for a while and I admit I don't get out as much as I used to so let me know your experiences...

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jack Clarke on January 24, 2008 at 11:34am

AKG 414, thats my swiss army knife for just about anything.

Permalink Reply by Doug Sarrett on January 24, 2008 at 8:27pm

AKG C-12. It pretty much sounds amazing on anything I've ever put it on - though I must say, I have never miked a snare with one !!!

Permalink Reply by Salvo on January 26, 2008 at 1:30pm

I dare yah.. Mike a snare up with that baby.

Permalink Reply by Keith Compton on January 25, 2008 at 10:21pm

So many mics, so little money. One of the best sounding mics I've ever used is a Sheffield. A really well kept 251, AT4060, and a sack full of new 57's.

Permalink Reply by Salvo on January 26, 2008 at 12:43pm

57, is the Hall of Famer, if you really mean "all around"!!

Permalink Reply by Bret Teegarden on January 26, 2008 at 12:56pm

... ever use a 57 on strings or overheads? Just curious. I think they're great on brass, especially French Horn, but I don't know that I would pick it as "Best All Around." It would come in a close second!

Permalink Reply by Salvo on January 26, 2008 at 1:29pm

overheads yes... I don't remember about strings. surely somewhere somehow.

Permalink Reply by Myrus Jones on February 7, 2009 at 9:39am

SM7 is a great all around secret weapon as well (though not so secret anymore). Sometimes I will get it out and replace a much more expensive mic, and ask myself why did I not have this out in the first place?!?!

nasty lil booger...and cheap!

Permalink Reply by Keith Compton on February 7, 2009 at 12:28pm

SHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Permalink Reply by Doug Sarrett on January 26, 2008 at 12:52pm

Ya know you can rent mics ............(shamelessplugforGearForDays!)

Permalink Reply by Keith Compton on January 26, 2008 at 1:33pm

gfd used to have a c12 that sounded great in Chris McHugh's bass drum. It laso worked super for recording rain sounds in a shower....only my second knows for sure
ps. I've used 57's for overheads before. The last Michael Card record I used a 7B for most of the perc.

Permalink Reply by Jon Young on February 15, 2008 at 2:14pm

My current go to mic for more things than I care to think about is the AT3035. Very low self noise, no upper mid hype like so many other budget price LDC's. It seems to fill the void of other mics that I'm taking down for whatever reason on whatever source.
I recently picked up an Avant CV 12, hoping it's somewhere as useful as a real C12. My snare mic of choice for years has been an EV RE38. The 57 doesn't come out much.