Microphones are an interesting puzzle for the home recording aficionado. While it’s true about any piece of gear, it seems especially true of microphones that the sky is the limit in terms of what you can spend. In a world where you could easily spend $10,000 on a current-production microphone (feel free to read that in the movie preview voice), having decent options at this price point seems impossible. But here’s the thing: people do it all the time. In order to record the best possible version of your music without breaking the bank, here are the best cheap microphones for sale right now.
Why you would choose this one: It’s renowned for strong performance for beginners and professionals alike.
Is there a more popular microphone than the absolute workhorse SM57? You could make an argument for its vocal-tuned brother, the SM58. In reality, at the prices both sell for, you should probably start here and get one of each. The SM57 has a very wide frequency response and can cover a good chunk of tonal territory. It really shines in relatively low-frequency, high-sound pressure situations, like in front of guitar amps and drums.
You can use it for vocals, too, but you’ll want a pop screen since it’s uncovered. If you think you’ll record vocals a lot, the SM58 is just as widely used and just as durable and has that screen built in. You can’t go wrong with either. Absolutely pick one of these up to start your journey.
Why you would choose this one: You’ve dialed in your guitar tone exactly perfectly coming from your amp and just want to capture it.
Sennheiser makes some amazing gear at very reasonable prices. We included their HD 280 Pro studio headphones in our gifts for musicians post because of how unbelievably good they are for the price. This guitar-focused mic is no different. Using a unique form factor, this mic requires no stand — simply drape it over your amp with a standard XLR cable, centered on the best spot on the speaker. I had one of these for a number of years and used it to mic a Marshall stack with great success.
As you can tell from the frequency range, it captures a bit more high end, and with that, Sennheiser has included a three-way switch to filter the presence level depending on your particular setup. The Bright, Moderate, and Dark modes are essentially high-pass, flat, and low-pass filters, which means you get three voicings in the same microphone.
It’s also excellent at reducing hum and interference due to the humbucking coil design, just like a guitar pickup. It’s not afraid of high sound pressure, either, and can easily handle over 150 dB.
If you don’t need the presence switch, the e609 Silver is the little brother and can save you $50, putting it squarely in the territory of the Shures above.
Why you would choose this one: Industry-leading low-end response.
The lineage of the D112 begins in 1952 with the introduction of the D12 meant for speaking broadcasts. This version of the venerable device is every bit as indestructible as the Shures above and is therefore often used in live settings. The key to this is that the enclosure enhances bass response while also delivering a boost at 4 kHz to give the low-end instrument better cut and clarity.
Like the Sennheiser, it also has a hum-cancelling coil and can handle sound pressures of over 160 dB. Stick it on the bass drum, of course, but this will also be useful in front of your bass cab.
Why you would choose this one: You’re recording a lot of things where transient and ambient response is key.
If you want to step it up a little bit, Shure makes this extremely versatile condenser option. This would be best used in the studio for very detailed recordings of a wide range of sounds.
Inside is a Class A discrete preamp that gives you superior transient performance. Though some of the detail is thanks to the ultra-thin diaphragm, this microphone includes a three-way selector for flat, -15 dB and -25 dB to handle higher sound pressure applications, too, so you don’t have to worry about distortion or damage.
There’s also a three-way high-pass filter to reduce background noise, since this excels at recording instruments where the room ambiance plays a role, like woodwinds, acoustic guitars, and even vocal ensembles.
It’ll also do a great job of micing cymbals, too. This is a lot of microphone, which is why it’s on the relatively expensive side.
Why you would choose this one: You want an excellent vocal mic without paying premium prices.
This option is aimed at vocalists. It features a one-inch diaphragm, which the manufacturer notes is “gold-sputtered.” Since they brought it up, we’ll just let you know now that this is pretty common (the practice by which a thin layer of gold is applied to create a very strong and very electrically-responsive diaphragm) and has been in use for decades, especially by the big names.
Choose between -10dB or -20dB pads for extending the dynamic rnage, as well as a low-cut filter selectable between 80 and 160 Hz. This is meant for vocals, so the sound pressure limit is a bit lower at 135dB.
Why you would choose this one: Maybe you don’t love the MXL, but still don’t want to spring for something more expensive. This could turn out to be your old reliable.
A step up from the MXL would be this Audio-Technica unit. Like the MXL, it comes with a few goodies like the shockmount, a soft case, and in this instance, an XLR cable and a pop filter. All that together might make this a touch cheaper than the MXL, and it’s a little better loved, too.
This is again squarely aimed at vocal recording, with some use on acoustic guitars or other stringed instruments, though with the -10dB pad, this will handle up to 158 dB of sound pressure. There’s also a high-pass filter to remove rumble and noise, if needed. I’ve seen this in a couple of studios I’ve visited because it makes a great and inexpensive option.
If you need mulit-pattern functionality, go for the AT2050.
Why you would choose this one: You find other vocal mics noisy and need something virtually silent.
Were money no object, I would write about the Rode NTK tube condenser here, which is amazing. But since we’ve got a budget to work with, we’ll go with the next best thing, which is the NT1A.
If you remove the NTK’s Class A tube preamp, you’re left with something that looks an awful lot like the NT1A. All Rode products focus on ultra low noise operation, which make them ideal for vocal recordings.
With a maximum SPL of 137 dB, we’re right in the range of the other options, though on this one you get a one-inch diaphragm. This bundle also helps it compete with the cheaper alternatives and includes a shockmount, pop filter, and soft case.
Why you would choose this one: You want one solution covering all polar patterns.
So, you’ve been recording for a little bit and you’re getting comfortable with different mic styles. What if you had one condenser that could handle any situation? This is just such a microphone.
With a dial on the front, you can choose any polar pattern out there. Omnidirectional? Yep. Hypercardioid? You bet. Bidirectional? That, too. Turn the knob until you’re getting the response you want. There’s a center detent on cardioid, so you can easily return to the standard setting whenever you want.
Aside from that, you get a -20dB pad switch, a high-pass filter and the shockmount. There’s a 1.1 inch dual diaphragm and an internal pop filter. It’s especially flat and won’t color your sound at all, giving you an excellent, pure signal.
A quick search on Reverb reveals a few used units for upwards of $60 off of new.
Specs:
Type: Large-diaphragm condenser
Polar pattern: Variable to all
Frequency response: 20 to 20,000 Hz
Address direction: Side
Good for live use?: No
Best for: Vocals and drum overhead, but good for just about anything
Why you would choose this one: You’re ready to graduate from the Shure workhorses to something warmer and more present.
If you like the idea of a dynamic mic that can be used both onstage and in studio along the lines of the SM57/SM58, but you’re holding out for a bit more, consider this option. As with the SM58, this is a super-rugged microphone that can more than handle the abuses of life on the road.
It excels at capturing guitar amplifiers, but can be used for most things with midrange focus. With an SPL of 145 dB, you probably won’t be sticking it on your bass drum, but for just about everything else, it’s a solid option.
Why you would choose this one: Especially for the price, this is way better than it has any right to be.
At $99, the Shure SM57 is already good value for money, but at less than $20, this option from Pyle is too cheap to ignore. For that reason alone, you might as well pick one up and try it. But the interesting thing is that these are actually pretty good.
There’s some anecdotal evidence to suggest that people occasionally struggle to tell the difference between these and the SM57. That’s is likely due to some handiwork with mic preamps or in the DAW, but nevertheless, that it even comes close at all is pretty remarkable. B
ased on the stated frequency response, you can immediately discern that there’s going to be less low end content from these, but given that a rolling off the lows is a common step in guitar mixing, that might actually be of use in some applications.
Certainly a very fine starter microphone, but equally good as a backup. I have one and use it as a complement to an SM58 frequently in recordings. Speaking of the SM58, Pyle has an ultra-cheap take on that, too, called the PDMIC58. Both ship with a 15 foot XLR to 1/4 inch cable so you can get right to it when they arrive.
These are already silly cheap, which explains why used examples on Reverb are hard to come by.
Specs:
Type: Dynamic
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz
Address direction: End
Good for live use?: Yes
Best for: Guitar amps and drums (they call it a vocal mic, but you’d probably want to look at the PDMIC58 for that)
Why you would choose this one: Good build quality and above average sensitivity for the price point make this a foundational starter mic.
Like Boss pedals, it is against the unwritten laws of music for novice musicians to fail to own a piece of Behringer gear. It’s true that the brand has virtually no cache in the sense that everyone has preconceived notions about the performance of their products, but realistically, they’re all actually pretty good.
Sometimes they might be lacking in build quality, but that isn’t the case here. The C-1 is a microphone of some heft, being die-cast as it is. It feels quite substantial, which is reassuring, but perhaps not central to its function as a studio tool.
The detail and sensitivity on these are both well above the price point, though this does come with the side-effect of a slightly higher noise floor than more expensive options. A little EQ notching or better isolation should account for this well enough in most situations. Still, for beginners or for reference or scratch tracks, this is an excellent choice. I used to have one of these for vocals and even for micing smaller amps.
Behringer offers a few options around this price point. There’s a USB version of the C-1, as well as the C-2, which is actually two small condensers. If you want an upgrade for the C-1 specifically, look at the C-3, which allows you to choose your polar pattern. All ship with a padded plastic case that can withstand some amount of abuse, which is more than you can say about the common Shure options.
Why you would choose this one: A decent SM58 take-off with better build quality than similarly-priced competitors.
Behringer also offers their take on the Shure SM58 in its conspicuously-named XM8500. Compared to the Pyle-Pro PDMIC58, it’s a few dollars more and shows it, in my view. The build quality is just slightly better and it has somewhat higher output.
Again, you may notice a louder noise floor, but in live applications, this is unlikely to matter. This is a killer practice room mic in particular, but also makes a fine substitute for the real-deal SM58 onstage in a pinch. With a lot of these options, you might consider deploying these when headed off to less-than-secure locales where you have to provide your own gear.
You could have five of these for the price of one SM58, so you probably won’t lose any sleep if this gets lost or stolen and you don’t have to sacrifice much in the way of sound quality for that piece of mind. Where a Shure might withstand 30 years of abuse, this might only give you ten, which is still better than the five or so you might get with the Pyle version.
Why you would choose this one: Use this for more sensitive and detailed instrument recording at a two-for-one price compared to other options.
If you’re looking for something to capture more detail, consider this option. This is a small instrument condenser with a focus on midrange response, which makes it perfect for acoustic and stringed instruments. They’re sold as a stereo pair, which makes the price each very reasonable.
It can also be used for recording cymbals placed over the drum kit, but the high-end frequency response is rolled off compared to a lot of other condensers. The level of detail these can capture easily exceeds the price point, even considering that.
Additionally, the max sound pressure level of these is 140dB, which means they can endure the high volumes of the kit. If you plan to use them on drums, you’ll likely want at least two of these to go with the basic drum pack bundle to build yourself a decent budget drum mic set.
There aren’t many of these used on Reverb, but it’s worth a peek to see if you can save a few bucks.
Specs:
Type: Condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Frequency response: 40 to 13,000 Hz
Address direction: End
Good for live use?: No
Best for: Acoustic instruments and overhead drum micing
Why you would choose this one: You can trade off some frequency response for the handiness of having an on/off switch.
The SP-4C is worthy of consideration for SM58-type jobs (i.e. live vocals). This has a nice, loud, clean response that suits the application well, and augments that with a handy on/off switch that is lacking in most of the higher-end units of this type.
Despite the more limited frequency response, this has a certain clarity and crispness that the others don’t, with the trade-off that the mids aren’t nearly as warm and sweet sounding. It isn’t the SM58 killer that the Behringer option might be, but it’s decent and convenient and nearly priced like the Pyle.
I’ve also used the SPC-15 condenser mic as a second mic in front of guitar amps and it was certainly good value for the price I paid, so that might be worth your consideration, as well.
These are so cheap they’re pretty rare used on Reverb, but it might be work a look, anyway.
Why you would choose this one: Wider frequency response than other mics at this price point, not to mention the two-for-one package deal.
These MXL combo packs are pretty ubiquitous, but they do make a pretty great starter mic. What you get in this set is two condenser microphones; one is aimed at instruments and one for amps and vocals.
Both have the same frequency response of 30 to 20,000 Hz, which is quite wide at the price point. Certainly the flexibility of having two mic types is handy for the beginner, as these would likely cover the vast majority of applications in a home recording environment.
To my ears, MXL mics are very flat, which can be a good thing. They don’t impart their own characteristics, but neither do they have a very lively sound. This is acceptable for the most part because it’s easier to add interest either with a nice reverb plugin or by multi-tracking your parts than it is to tune out a sound from a microphone you just don’t like.
They are quite low noise, except for one particular habit: every so often, I’ve found that they pick up stray radio signals. This is largely dependent on where you are and how isolated your room is. It shouldn’t stop you from trying them, but don’t be surprised if it happens now and again.
You can upgrade to the 990/991 package later, too. Like the Behringer, these ship in a durable, padded plastic carrying case so you can always have them ready-to-hand.
Since MXLs are popular beginner mics, it’s easy to find them used on Reverb, though the savings from new tends not to be very significant given their low starting price.
Specs:
Type: Condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Frequency response: 30 to 20,000 Hz
Address direction: 550 – Front, 551 – End
Good for live use?: No
Best for: Vocals, acoustic and wind instruments, overhead drum micing
Why you would choose this one: The combination of excellent detail, wide frequency response, and useful extras make this a strong contender.
Marantz makes some pretty high-end audio gear, so it makes sense that they’d offer a few decent pieces in cheaper territory. This has quite a wide frequency respone, putting it more in league with higher-priced offerings.
With a 34mm-diameter diaphragm, this is a considerable upgrade over the entry-level MPM-1000 model, while also also sporting improvements in signal-to-noise ratio, noise floor, and sound pressure level, which is 137dB. The 1000 is already a pretty sweet sounding thing, particularly for the money, but this is worth the added investment.
Included in the kit is a shockmount, pop filter, and an aluminum carrying case, which make the price all the more attractive. You could upgrade from this to the MPM-3000, though the specs between the two make them relatively compatible.
Why you would choose this one: Audio-Technica are known for their quality cost-effective gear, and this outperforms its price.
Audio-Technica offers this SM58 alternative at a significant discount to the more-popular rival. This also has a handy on/off switch, a more durable construction, and a slightly wider frequency response.
That said, the lower bound of the response is definitely more limited than some of the other options on this list, but is only 10 Hz less responsive than the Shure model it seeks to emulate. In other words, you’re unlikely to notice it. The clamp and a 16 foot XLR cable are included, as well.
If you need something explicitly for live use, you could also consider the Audio-Technica Pro 41.
It’s worth a look on Reverb to see if you can find one of these used, but they were rare at time of this writing.
Why you would choose this one: You need that retro vibe.
If you’re looking for something quite different, you might consider this option. In terms of audio performance, it certainly can’t hang with the other options on this list, which is actually kind of true of the much more expensive Shure 55SH and Heil The Fin models it seeks to replicate.
These retro-style mics aren’t made for the best sound; they’re made for vibe. These feature a slightly wider frequency response than the Pyle at the top of this list, but the trade off is that these fare a little worse with high sound pressure levels, so you can’t really use them on amps.
They’re also made of plastic, so don’t anticipate these giving you years of performance. You get an on/off switch and a permanently-attached swivel mount for the price, as well as a 16 foot XLR to 1/4 inch cable. If you’re a relatively gentle crooner and you just want something a little fun to add to your stage presence, this is the one for you.
Why you would choose this one: You can’t quite swing a full-fat SM58 but definitely want a Shure.
Naturally, Shure makes its own competitor at a super low price point. This mic is primarily designed for public speaking, but for low sound pressure performances, this could certainly do the trick for the budget-conscious.
The frequency response is similar to other options on this list, again sacrificing a bit of the low end and certainly narrower than its more well-known cousin. They also skimped on the switch, which doesn’t offer a satisfying click, but does perform the function of muting when needed. Very dynamic singers will probably find this limiting, but again, for absolute novices, this will serve as a fine beginner option.
It’s also a good choice for those who podcast (or sing a lot of karaoke) in addition to their music recording activities. If you want to go a few dollars over budget, Shure also make the PGA-58, which has a slightly wider frequency response. Either way, you’ll get Shure’s legendary build quality and clarity.
