I did a search before I asked but didn't find any threads on this subject so here's the question:

Can anyone recommend a good condenser microphone for use with choirs and school bands and orchestras?

Thanks for your input.

AKG C1000 is kind of a standard for recording large groups of musicians or singers.

How much you going to blow?

AKG C1000 is a 'small diaphragm' concdensor. Though not a bad thing your real industry standards for all sorts of vox _tend_ to be large diaphragm condensors such as:-

real industry standards....
Neumann U87 (especially set in omni mode for a choir)
AKG C414ULS

Cheaper variant from Neuman:-
TLM103 (same capsule as the U87 but doesnt have the selectable patterns - exceptional value for money)

Or you might try an AKG Solidtube, thats a great mic for the money.

Going down the scale I have a lot of time for the AKG C3000

You could also get great results cheaper with a matched pair of Cascade Fat head II ribbon mics, they are very smooth, dont extend as high as the condensors but are really lovely sounding.

http://www.cascademicrophones.com/cascade_FAT_HEAD_Blumlein.html

A C1000 would do it, but you are more likely to see it as a drum overhead where someone cant afford C414s than for recording choirs seriously.

IME,IMO,YMMV and really not knocking JimmyM's excellent cheaper solution at all....

Can anyone recommend a good condenser microphone for use with choirs and school bands and orchestras?


Crown PZM-30 or PZM-6 for live sound reinforcement. You are talking live sound here, right?

Definitely live sound.

Thanks for all the input.

Any input on Rode NT1000's?

A C1000 would do it, but you are more likely to see it as a drum overhead where someone cant afford C414s than for recording choirs seriously.

IME,IMO,YMMV and really not knocking JimmyM's excellent cheaper solution at all....
Well how much do you want to spend for live work? Plus while yes, it's used as a drum overhead, it's also used a lot in large choirs so it can pick up large groups of people. I used them to record a choir in Ohio once, and it was absolutely amazing how good it sounded on tape. 414's are great, but they're over $1000, and you'll need several of them if the choir is large.

Hey absolutely agree, I wasnt suggesting this was cheap kit, but live or otherwise its the real deal, its the industry standard kit. You can pay more ( a lot more for boutique/vintage mics ) and if this is what the OP wants to spend then its a totally valid suggestion.

The BBC regularly use mics of this quality for live/recorded, believe me they get whatever they need, so if they use it its cause its what works best.

If you want to mic a choir then I would also agree again that a C1000 is a fine mic for the money. As I said before, how much do you want to blow?

Almost any decent name small condensor will do an at least reasonable job on a choir, The Rhodes NT1000 is a fine cheaper large capsule condensor.