vocal mic choice - dynamic or condenser

[jaz49]

I'm pretty new to home recording, but want to make some decent demos in my low rent home studio on my laptop. I'm getting good results with the guitar and keyboard tracks(direct into my DAW...Acid), but can't find a low priced vocal mic that is not very sibilant or harsh... or both. So far I tried the senn e835 which was horrible for me, and the AT 3035 condenser which is only a little better. I don't have decent room treatment, so that may be part of the problem with the 3035. Should I look at a dynamic mic like the Heil pr35 or pr22, or maybe a cardioid stage condenser that will keep out some of the room from the track. I DO have a lot of natural sibilance in my voice, and the senn e835 seemed to make it a lot worse. I'm considering the Shure sm86, the senn. e865, the Shure beta 87C, or one of the Heil dynamics. Any opinions or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks
SoundClick artist: Le Jaz - All original music... rock/blues/folk/jazz/alternative.. and all that.

[jaz49]

Oh, I forgot...$200.00 or under

[toxostoma rufum]

If you want to tame sibilance and have a nice sound for under $200, look at the CAD 179 or 177 and the Kel Audio mics.

The Heils probably won't work for you: they're wonderfully crispy.

[kit]

I'd give the Shure SM-58 a shot, I know it wasn't on your list, but it sounds good, in a good or crappy room, and is cheap.

Kit

[stickers]

I'm with kit on this one too.

under $200

sm58

leaves you $100 for maybe an sm57. You are gonna want one eventually anyways.

My first 2 mics were an sm57 and sm81. I still own them both 15 years later.

[kenjkelly]

I have a small room studio and been using an At4050 and an SM58. I found that I preferred the recording's done on the SM58. The AT4050 picks up too much of the room sound and highlights the same room modes that I hear when playing back. My next purchase, right after more bass trapping, is an SM7b Dynamic. I think it will be the best for a small room.

[jaz49]

I'll have to look into the Kel and the Cad mics. I think the CAD's however, need a large amount of current from the pre(don't know if I put it in the correct terminology, but I read that this can be a problem). As far as the Shures go, I just heard some spoken word audio clips of some mics online, and the SM58 was the worst of all the ones I heard! I think strident is the word that describes it best. The SM57 however, sounded pretty good. I liked the RE20 probably best of all the ones that I heard, but they are well over my budget. The expensive sennheiser dynamics were surprisingly thin sounding. I liked the sm57 better. I'm still thinking of a stage condenser like the SM86 which a lot of people seem to like...there may be too much sibilance with my voice however. Or I may just pick up a second hand 57 on fleabay...won't put too big a dent in the wallet. Someone wrote (on this forum, I think) that the Heil pr35 sounds like a RE20, but better. Is that possible for under 250 bucks?
There's also an RE 16, I think it is, going for pretty cheap on ebay. Any thoughts on that one?

[jaz49]

kenjkelly,
Yeah, my AT3035 was definitely a poor choice for the same reason. I want a RE20 or Sm7b, but until I can afford that kind of cash, I'll gladly settle for some kind of close approximation. I can hardly stand to listen to my vocal tracks soloed with the mics I currently own. Maybe that SM57...

[A LaMere]

Hmm.... that at3035 is actually a pretty darn decent mic that is less sibilant than many others... What pre's are you using?

The sibilance and graininess of the at3035 can be brought out by cheap pre's imo.

The sm7 isn't an amazing non 'essy' mic to be honest.. but if the problem is the room, the sm7 is fantastic at cutting the room out of the equation. Best mic I've ever heard for that....

Fwiw, I think room treatment might work better or at least just as well as the 3035 because it really is a decent cheap mic... and for the record, I hate it when people say "room treatment' as if it's the answer to all recording woe's?!?
You should be able to pick up a cheap foam pack for $100 and at least try it out...
I'd recommend that over the sm58 for recording 100% of the time as I'm not particularly in love with the 58 for recording purposes. Ymmv...
Best of luck...

[jaz49]

Originally Posted by A LaMere

Hmm.... that at3035 is actually a pretty darn decent mic that is less sibilant than many others... What pre's are you using?

Not very good ones, I'm afraid(emu 0404 usb interface), but I was told that a better pre would only give me a slight improvement. I want a MAJOR improvement!

The sibilance and graininess of the at3035 can be brought out by cheap pre's imo.

Well it is all that...sibilant and grainy!

The sm7 isn't an amazing non 'essy' mic to be honest.. but if the problem is the room, the sm7 is fantastic at cutting the room out of the equation. Best mic I've ever heard for that....

Fwiw, I think room treatment might work better or at least just as well as the 3035 because it really is a decent cheap mic... and for the record, I hate it when people say "room treatment' as if it's the answer to all recording woe's?!?
You should be able to pick up a cheap foam pack for $100 and at least try it out...
I'd recommend that over the sm58 for recording 100% of the time as I'm not particularly in love with the 58 for recording purposes. Ymmv...

I've been reading great things about the Audix OM6. Any opinions?

Best of luck...

Thanks

[HeavyG]

My first LDC purchase was a Rode NT1A...nice mic for the right application...but way too crispy for vocals on the high end (for my ears). My next LDC purchase was an Oktava MK319 (thanks fellow Slutz for the recommendation)....and OH BOY...was it night and day. You know how through your headphones you hear the room noise (movement, talking, etc) and it sounds so different than your ears (with many mics)? The Oktava was the first mic I have owned that sounded just like my own ears...I am looking to get another MK319 and use them as drum overheads (my current OHs are the dreaded AKG C1000s).

FYI...You mentioned the Shure Beta 87...and this is more of a "stage condensor"...a live vocal mic that has better feedback rejection than a typical condensor. I was dead set on buying the Beta 87 a short time ago (since I have used a Beta 58 for 10 plus years with great success)...but I A/Bed that against the Audix VX5 and bought the Audix (for my live vocals...I have not tried to record with it yet). I have also heard great things about the CAD 179...and you mentioned the RE20, which is world class, too (used ones go for a bit over $250 on eBAY...I watch them religiously cuz I WANT ONE).

MK319, CAD 179 and EV RE20 are all wonderfully versatile...with the RE20 adding in the almighty KICK DRUM Hall of Fame skills, too.

[jaz49]

Originally Posted by HeavyG

My first LDC purchase was a Rode NT1A...nice mic for the right application...but way too crispy for vocals on the high end (for my ears). My next LDC purchase was an Oktava MK319 (thanks fellow Slutz for the recommendation)....and OH BOY...was it night and day. You know how through your headphones you hear the room noise (movement, talking, etc) and it sounds so different than your ears (with many mics)? The Oktava was the first mic I have owned that sounded just like my own ears...I am looking to get another MK319 and use them as drum overheads (my current OHs are the dreaded AKG C1000s).

Thanks...good info...and I think you're right about the MK319. I was just listening to some clips at the jamroom http://www.***************.com/jamroomsessions_home.php and yeah, that mike was so natural sounding to my ears. That one's on my wish list. It was much better than most of the others I listened to. But I liked the Beta 87a a lot too...totally different sound than the 319, however. The CAD wasn't as nice, IMO.

Here's a link to a rough demo I did using my AT3035 on the first two verses, and the Senn. e835 dynamic on the third verse(with a lot of eq and reverb to smooth out the harshness) jaz49's SoundClick page

FYI...You mentioned the Shure Beta 87...and this is more of a "stage condensor"...a live vocal mic that has better feedback rejection than a typical condensor. I was dead set on buying the Beta 87 a short time ago (since I have used a Beta 58 for 10 plus years with great success)...but I A/Bed that against the Audix VX5 and bought the Audix (for my live vocals...I have not tried to record with it yet). I have also heard great things about the CAD 179...and you mentioned the RE20, which is world class, too (used ones go for a bit over $250 on eBAY...I watch them religiously cuz I WANT ONE).

MK319, CAD 179 and EV RE20 are all wonderfully versatile...with the RE20 adding in the almighty KICK DRUM Hall of Fame skills, too.

Thanx again

[sleeper1400]

excuse me while i climb up on my soap box.....

i have always chuckled at this question.

its like saying .."whats the best car"?

well, what do you want to do? haul the kids around, go off roading, or deliver 3 tons of lumber to a wood factory 1500 miles away?

depends on what you wanna do. i would suggest getting an sm 57 period.
then a decent, name brand condenser mic.

then go from there, experiment with stuff

[jaz49]

Well, thanks for your opinion, but I've done enough experimenting for now...money wasted on two mics which don't deliver even close to my expectations. If I wanted to keep experimenting I wouldn't have to come to a place like this forum. I could just keep throwing money away until I came upon the right mic for my needs. Anyway, thanks for your opinion on the sm57. I just read a lot of stuff about fakes from china, so I'll have to spend $99.00 if I want to get one from a dealer. It's gotten some very mixed reviews for vocals from all that I've read so far. I read some very good reviews on the e835 before I got one, but it's been horrible for me. I'm trying to avoid wasting another $99.00... or more.

[dadumtish]

Originally Posted by HeavyG

My am looking to get another MK319 and use them as drum overheads (my current OHs are the dreaded AKG C1000s).

note - a i am no expert , but my experience so far is this :

I have used the modded 319s as overheads , and they do not capture transients well enough - cymbals sound dull and attack is woolly ( unless you are in GREAT live room - )

best use mk-12 for overheads , and your present 319 as a room mic or front of kit mic to capture a whole image to blend in

the mk12 are just amazing overheads for the money - and will blow your c1000 away for ever.

note also , using dual 319 and dual mk12's as overheads , ( mk12 close to kit and the 319s higher up ) works well with just a kick mic .


regarding vocal mics - the sm57 and the 58 work very well in home studios as vocal mics .

[nickolo]

The SM7 could do the trick.Used price might suite your budget..
Might be worth trying SE 2200a [large condenser].Very good value [140 uk pounds] and not too sibilant.Studio projects make good value mics-B1 or C1 ,i think.You could build or place something in front of singer.[Check out the Reflection filter by SE electronics..Good for solving this sort of issue.] Like mentioned, a 58 or57 would not be money waisted..
Good luck..

[jaz49]

I did some more listening to spoken word clips over at the jamroom, and I'm beginning to realize that there IS no best. It's so much a matter of taste...and what sounds 'best' with a particular singer. Three very highly regarded mics for vocals sounded so totally different in the audio clips I was listening to last night....so, which is best(rhetorical question)? It's funny but one of the mics that I personally liked best was one of the cheapest...if not THE cheapest...the studio projects b1. I'll probably stay away from a condenser though, since I'm trying to keep as much of the room as possible out of the vocal tracks. I liked the sound of the sm57 but it was definitely more harsh than some of the more expensive dynamics. I thought it sounded nicer though than the OM 6 which is about two times more money. It's a tough decision...which mic will sound 'best'... to my ears...with my voice... in my particular room. O.K. it's over to ebay to see what kind of bargains they're offering today...if any. Oh yeah, thanks Nickolo, for the suggestion of the reflection filter. Will definitely look into that. At the moment I've got a big comforter(quilt) hung on the wall behind the mic.

[nickolo]

Pleasure..My room is not great either and just get by with quilts and bits etc..Something i m going to look into soon is building bass traps and diffusers etc..The recording magazine Sound on Sound ran a good article on building them DIY for not much dosh!!The cool thing is if you move you unhook them etc...Can't remember if Oktava mics have been mentioned but worth checking out.The cool thing with them is you can have them improved in future.This guy mods them!!Google Oktava mod...perhaps you know about them!!??

[skiltrip]

+1 on a Shure SM58. $99 bucks and you'll use it often. I still use mine on guitar amps (I just screw off the ball). Before I got my hands on condensers, when I first started, I used an SM58 on everything, vocals, and acoustic guitar too. And I must say my demos from back around that time really sound pretty good, a lot of character.

I was recording into ADATs at that time too with a Tascam TM-D1000 digital mixer's preamps!

[Newcleardaze]

Check out the SM57 with the TAB-Funkenwerk mod... they carry it at Mercenary Audio for $185. They don't have a section for Shure products, so you'll have to check under TAB-Funkenwerk It's supposed to have a sound closer to that of the SM7. Great deal... just get a pop filter to go with it.

[Newcleardaze]

If that doesn't work then I'd highly suggest saving the xtra cash for a used RE20.

[jaz49]

I just compared the specs for the SM57 with my e835. The sm57 has a LOWER output... and I have to practically kiss the e835 to get a strong enough signal with my emu0404 recording interface(with 60dB of gain). I'm afraid even the RE20 wouldn't have a strong enough signal. So, I guess it's back to searching for a condenser...either stage or studio. Maybe that Oktava 319 that has been recommended by more than a few folks. But I would still prefer to get a dynamic for vocals if possible. Does anyone know if there are any dynamics with a higher output than those mentioned?

[basstracker7769]

First of all dont kill your EMU 0404 USB Its conversion is very clean and very accurate. I actually purchased mine here after hearing some great raves about the A/D D/A conversion it had. However being said i use a Audio Upgrades pre going into it and it sounds amazing But stock mic pre, its not bad the gain does suffer a bit with some dynamic mics. Some choices MCA-sp1 modified by Audio Upgrades you can get then cheap brand new from PSSL.com ProSound And Stage Lighting - Buy DJ, Lighting Equipment, Musical Instruments then send to Audioupgrades.com for $125 to get moddied or a Modified Oktava Mk219 from Micheal Joly at Oktavamods.com either way you will get mics that sound wonderful on a variety of sources. Ebay mk129 is about $100 basic mod $150 but the mic will sound like as close as you can to a Neumann without spending 1000's
Although I have tried some of the less expensive Mics the cad 179 and ADK A51 They lack that 3 dimensional sound that a great mic gives you. Try the modified ones and trust me you will get that and not spend a fortune. I also Suffer from sibilence as does my writing partner. The Modified mics work well to tame this nicely. Also Dont Discount some of the older EV Dynamics do some research and Ebay you can get some nice ones
I have a EV666 and a EV665 both over 35 years old that sound great on my voice full no sibilence included
One more place to check out pretty cool mic tests VO Mic Tests# they have Dynamics and Condensers all price ranges sampled

[jasonraboin]

I had Mercenary make me an SM58 with the TAB transformer and it did not suit my needs. It does indeed smooth out the 58, but did not have the presence or air I was looking for. I use the Heil PR-35 often on live vocals. I have not done a side by side comparison with an RE-20, but prefer it to a 58, B58A, 421, and KMS-105.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by jaz49

I just compared the specs for the SM57 with my e835. The sm57 has a LOWER output... and I have to practically kiss the e835 to get a strong enough signal with my emu0404 recording interface(with 60dB of gain). I'm afraid even the RE20 wouldn't have a strong enough signal. So, I guess it's back to searching for a condenser...either stage or studio. Maybe that Oktava 319 that has been recommended by more than a few folks. But I would still prefer to get a dynamic for vocals if possible. Does anyone know if there are any dynamics with a higher output than those mentioned?

Until I read this I was going to say that maybe you are too close to the mic. Most of my vocalists sound best when they are 6 to 12 inches from the mic. Sometimes being off-axis to the mic can make a difference in the sound.

Is it possible that there is a pad or something in the emu0404 that does not allow you to get a strong enough signal? I find it hard to believe that there exists a preamp that will not work with an SM57.

[jaz49]

Thanks to all...very helpful info. The 0404 pre's will give me enough gain for a dynamic mic like the sm57, but cranking the gain high enough for a dynamic leaves me with a very harsh sound with a lot of sibilance...even at 8-12 inches away. No pad or anything like that...

Thanks basstracker, I now think I will hang on to the 0404 for a while... I was not aware of the high quality of the converters. If I run a line out from a better preamp like the dmp3, will the 0404 color the sound of the dmp3?
I was thinking about getting one.

Unfortunately, those oktava mods are way too high for my budget. I just checked mr. Joly's website...he's charging well over 400 bills for a modded mk219 if I remember correctly. The cheapest price I could find for an UN-modded 319 is $300.00 new from a dealer. The heil pr30/35 is also a little pricey for me. But, I definitely will check out the older EV's... thanks for the tip. They sometimes go pretty cheap on e-bay. I can still get that super cheap mca sp1 just to give it a try to see if it helps with the sibilance. The AT 3035 still has a lot, even though I have tried all the suggestions i was given concerning gain on the preamp and placement.

MySpace.com - Le Jaz - LONG BRANCH, New Jersey - Folk Rock / Country / Alternative - www.myspace.com/lejaz
The first two verses of the first song on my myspace page(Little Easy) were done with the AT3035. The second song was done entirely with the e835. I tried to edit out as much sibilance as I could, but there's quite a bit in the chorus.

Thanks again...good info

[KeithMoonwannabe]

The EMU pres really aren't that bad. I don't mean to come off offensive but it sounds like a lot of this could be the vocalist. Perhaps you should try singing with less emphasis on sibilance try sounding round and fat when you sing. Because ultimately all mics are designed to put out what the source put in. Most mics are tailored to enhance the sound of the source/performance, which is why there are hundreds of mics because there are an infinite number of ways people hear "enhancements". Even the most expensive mics and pres can't make a lousy singer sound good. Talent, practice, and discipline make something sound good. I've heard incredible singers go through radio shack mics and sound better than a bad singer through a vintage AKG C12 run through a vintage UA 610 pre.

And the pres on the 0404 have 60dB of gain range, the pres themselves aren't even that bad I've used them before. That is more than enough power to sing into a dynamic mic like an e835 or SM57. If you have to turn the gain up all the way to get any sound than you probably have a defective unit. Try running the mic through the other pre on the interface. Most singers and a mic like an 835 or 57 require between 20 and 40 dB of gain depending on the level of their voice and distance from the mic. For dynamic mics I would recommend singing between 1.5-4 inches from the mic. If you eat the mic, especially a Sennheiser (I own a lot of their mics or have at one time or another) you will get bad results sing around the mic till you find your sweet spot. Start off with the gain set at 30 dB (or 50%). And btw specs aren't the only thing that matter. TONE IS WHAT MATTERS....tone can't be put into a chart. You need to know what the charts mean and how they correspond to the results the mics will yield.

I've used and owned both the e835 and AT3035, you shouldn't be encountering any of these issues with these mics, you need to be careful with gain levels. Start with the gain low and work up till the level in your DAW software hits about unity (right before it peaks). The 3035 also has a -10dB switch try to engage that if the room sound is overbearing even at moderate gain levels. Also try using towels, pillows, comforters, and blankets to dampen reflections around you and the mic. Another suggestion, get a pop filter for vocal recordings, especially if you have a lot of sibilance in your singing (you can also build your own if you don't feel like dropping $20-$60).

If you aren't willing to change how you sing than I would steer clear of any type of mic that enhances top end...ie don't look at any condenser mics....condensers are known for adding "air" to the source captured (this means either open top end all the way up to hyped highs depending on the mic). You will need a dynamic mic because they naturally compress/roll off the highs.

Best recommendation would be the SM58 or SM57 or try an Audix OM2 / OM5. Those 4 are very WARM and RICH dynamic mics. Stay away from Studio Projects they are chinese hyped up crap. If you want a kick-arse condenser for cheap get a Groove Tubes/Sterling Audio. But you are acting ignorant to say that you came here because you are done experimenting. Sound is subjective and finding your sound comes through experimenting. Learning what you like comes from experimenting and personal experience. We can't force you to love the way a mic sounds. Our opinions are meaningless because we aren't YOU!!! We can suggest products all day long to you but if you don't like the end results you are still going to try other things. And you've only spent about $300 on mics thus far, and if you don't like them enough to keep them SELL THEM (craigslist, ebay, music go round, local music retailer, pawn shop). Do that get some money back and try again you'll take a loss but gez you act like you aren't going to be able to recover from this and if you can't well that's another issue in itself. I own about $30k in music gear alone. Currently I own about 14 mics. When I start my commercial recording studio in a couple of years I will probably be dropping another $50k into equipment (and will have between 50 and 100 mics at my disposal). If you are passionate about doing music $100-$300 is a small price to pay to convey the sound you want people to hear. My two staple large diaphragm condensers have a street price of $600 each, and that's just the tip of middle of the road in studio mics. If you are too cheap to invest in good sound than why do you want to sound good at all? It's like you want to sound awesome but you aren't willing to work or invest anything in order to sound awesome. Like anything you have to invest to get a greater return.

[jaz49]

@Keithmoonwannabe:

Thanks for the feedback, but I think you misread a lot of what I wrote.
I'm not talking about a crummy singer(and I'm not trying to imply I'm the next Frank Sinatra)...I'm talking REAL harsh sibilance and nasty consonants(t's, c's, and K's). The sssss's and the t's really jump out at you...it's shrill!!! Dylan is a crummy singer, but if you listen to a Dylan CD you're not going to hear the kind of harshness I'm talking about. It's coming from the equipment...not the vocalist. The mics I own are adding to the harshness that's already in my singing...and doing it big time. I tend to think it's the mics and not the pres, since I am getting it with both pres on the emu 0404.
As far as what you write about the gain setting on the 0404, it's contrary to what many other folks have written, and to what I've read from pretty reliable sources. Dynamics need a LOT of gain and most budget pres will struggle to provide enough...at least that's what I've been told from many sources. Setting the gain at near 60 dB with a dynamic mic is not uncommon. But perhaps all those folks are wrong and you are right. I can't say, since this is my first interface/preamp and I have nothing else to compare it with. At the moment I've been corresponding with the folks at emu, but so far they have not offered any helpful suggestions...only telling me to try things that I already tried. The support person at Audio Technica was no help at all. He seemed to know less about recording than me...and I'm pretty new at it!

Here's a link to my songs on MySpace. On the second song ("The Bigger They Are...") you can hear the sibilance a lot in the chorus...more so than in the verses. I tried to edit out a lot of it in the DAW, but couldn't get rid of all of it. I used the e835 on that tune.

MySpace.com - Le Jaz - LONG BRANCH, New Jersey - Folk Rock / Country / Alternative - www.myspace.com/lejaz

[KeithMoonwannabe]

I read all that, but part of problem solving is taking other approaches to the issues. Because equipment is only one factor in solving a problem.

By the way the music is pretty cool, definitely could be engineered better, but the material itself is cool (almost reminiscent of Syd Barret solo stuff). A lot of that polishing and sheen will come with experience.

In problem solving you have methods/procedures, people, materials, and equipment.....and from there dozens of other things as they fall under those categories. When solving any problem you can't form these biases. You have to be able to say hey any of these things can be creating this issue.

The problem you are having is that right now (what is) my vocals have excess sibilance and they need to be (what should be) richer and smoother sounding.

A problem exists when there is a difference between what is and what should be. You can't criticize every possible solution with biasing and other things along those lines. You have to be able to throw out every creative idea and then after all your ideas are out there do you want to begin criticizing and choosing solutions. You don't want to put the cart before the horse.

You tend to focus on equipment as being the only issue when in fact it can be everything.

With people you have the performer
with equipment you have preamps, cables, mic selection.
With procedures you have the recording techniques used (gain levels, etc)
materials can be the environment you record in

Since you haven't found a good solution with adjusting your equipment it might be advisable to try correcting other things at the same time. Not that you are a terrible singer (and you aren't) but if you make slight changes in your performance to accommodate less than stellar equipment and it works isn't that solving your problem? It might be a little more work but you get the same objective in the end. From listening to the recording the vocal sound really isn't that bad there are some issues with sibilance but only in a couple spots. From a critical ear to me the vocals sound a little muddy most of the time. I'm not saying become Sinatra I am just saying you may want to sing with a little bit more clarity so words can be better understood. A little bit of clarity might actually be nice to have from the mic.

And I understand that taking these 180 degree and out of the box approaches may seem like I'm being harsh, offensive or totally out there. But it may be worth trying. I can't even sing like Sinatra and if I could well I must've squandered my money and all the women cuz I have nothing now.

And I'm not sure why for close miking with any mic you want the gain that high (60dB is a TON OF GAIN) - to give perspective 60dB is equivalent to the sound of

Really the only mics that require a huge amount of gain are ribbon mics, unless you are trying to distance mic with a dynamic (which doesn't work). Dynamics need more power than a condenser but only like 5dB or so at most.

Another cool idea (equipment based) may be to set the AT3035 back about a foot from you, set up the e835 about 3 inches from you and then blend the two mics together....make sure when you set the gain on the mics you maximize their output (like I said roll the gain up till it almost peaks on your DAW). Then blend the condenser sound and the dynamic sound together. That could help the overall vocal image and give you more power than trying to use one mic. A pop filter in front of both mics will also help eliminate sibilance. As with any mics in a less than great room you may want to use some blankets (or other poor mans acoustic treatment devices) to cut the room and reflections out of the recording.

It may be possible the room needs work to correct the sound issues, perhaps reflections are causing certain syllables to come out harsh in the recordings or a loss of clarity at other times. (that is another cause and solution).

I use a pretty advanced problem solving technique it's something I learned in one of my business classes at school, and I still use it. It works great in the real world. Unfortunately with music there usually aren't always simple solutions because recording things can have multiple causes to the problem.

But yeah Dylan also used really top notch equipment and engineers to get his sound. And while he's not great at singing he has an understandable voice.

some of my stuff is at (the first song is using my current gear):
myspace.com/natemcclure

carry me away is a song I recorded with nothing but the e835 on vocals and that was going through the pres on a Presonus Firebox....I'm more of a tenor-baritone range vocalist you seem to be more on the baritone-bass end.

I think you'd like the Audix mics (OM5 or OM6) or a LDD like a Heil PR30/PR40, MD421, RE20, etc. Those large diaphragm dynamics can be had relatively cheap on ebay. Not sure if they will be exactly $200 but they will give you more of the sound you are looking for.

I'd say try to unload that e835 for like $50-$60 on ebay or craigslist and use that money to help fund something like an RE20 or one of the other three I mentioned. I think the AT3035 is useful to have around for other things so I wouldn't get rid of it yet.