Recommend me a condenser mic for ac.guitar within $200-300 price range

[moi]

I’ve read a lot about condenser mics at this forum and got just totally lost in options. I would like to listen to examples of those who are going make a recommendation here. I’ve listen several sets of Claes samples (very well known web-page with mic mp3 demos) and haven’t been pleased by recordings of relatively expensive mics.

For the present I have Oktava 012 (cardioid capsule) and capturing a duet of ac.guitar and mandolin I got some kind of flangering effect at HF. Check it here of you’d like http://www.calvarychapel.com/nizhny/moi/b.mp3 Listen as mondolin just squelch or flounder in its highs, it sounds like a low bitrate mp3…

I couldn’t get rid of this flangering sound. I’ve changed mic position, ran the mic into built-in preamp of my Presonus Firebox or through a mixer and then to line input of Firebox; O increased the sound card sample rate to 88.2/32… Nothing…
Also at recording forums at least two people witnessed that they experience the same stuff I was describing…
So I’m in quest for another mic… Please support your advices by audio samples, if possible. Thanks!

[Nu-tra]

I like the Rode NT4. The oktava is great for acoustic. Where are you pointing the mic? Is there an oktava pointing at the acoustic and another oktava pointing at the mandolin? You think you might be getting phase problems?

[tINY]

Did you notice that the mandolin has eight strings, set up in 4 pairs?

That's what the "flangering" sound - and they're supposed to sound like that. If you want it less obvious, you need to record in a decen t room with the mics back a couple of meters.




-tINY

[moi]

Originally Posted by Nu-tra

Where are you pointing the mic? Is there an oktava pointing at the acoustic and another oktava pointing at the mandolin? You think you might be getting phase problems?

Forgot to mention – tracking was done one by one – I mean I played guitar and then mandolin, capturing them with one mic. I’ve tried several positions on each instrument. So there shouldn’t be phase problems.

Originally Posted by tINY

Did you notice that the mandolin has eight strings, set up in 4 pairs?
That's what the "flangering" sound - and they're supposed to sound like that.

I thought about it, but if listening carefully one can hear the same effect on the guitar highs. Check the “high” passage (phrases) at 0:15-0:18 in the sample I provided above. 6-string guitar is flangering also, mandolin just has it more vividly having higher register than guitar.

[loujudson]

Try a Rode NT3, I get excellent results both live and studio.

In this sample with a live group recording, all the instruments are on NT3s except the bass.
There isn't much of a mando solo, but maybe it helps.
Lou