Reddit reviews ART M-Five Ribbon Microphone

I've got two Shure SM57s that I use with my drums, one on the snare, and the other between my two rack toms. I've also used it on my girlfriend's violin (though it's just an entry level $250 Stentor), and even my 22" kick drum before I got a proper low-frequency drum microphone, and it did the job. It's called the "Legendary Instrument Microphone" for a reason. :)

For $100 apiece, it's the industry standard, as well as the studio/live workhorse its reputation has made it to be. It's a dynamic microphone suited to almost all uses, and I'm incredibly happy with the two I have.

However! It depends on what you wish to use it for. Live? Studio/Home ? I see you said you want it for studio recording. If you're recording a solo instrument (i.e. just the violin) you ideally want two microphones to get a good sense of the room you're in, unless you legitimately just want the "sound" and no ambience (which tends to sound dead). While the SM57 WILL work (and it does have the capability to match both high and low frequencies on most instruments), you'd want to lean towards Ribbon or Condenser microphones. Unfortunately, they're generally more expensive, and quite fragile too compared to dynamic microphones.

You said your budget is $100 - $200. Do you already have a preamp/audio interface to feed this into? Do you have a DAW (software?) to record into? I'll assume you do, so I'll suggest only microphones in the $100 - $200 range.

If you take a look here, you can find plenty of $100-$200 Ribbon microphones. My preference is the ART M-Five, as it's only $150 and has a nicely coloured sound. (Or spend a little bit more and grab a Cascade Fat Head though I have no personal experience with it.)

If you're looking into large diaphragm condensers and want a stereo solution, I'd recommend the AKG Perception 120. I've used one to record my drums back before I got my Rode NT-5 Pair (used, $200) as well as to help a friend record guitar, and it's fine. You can pick up two of the P120 (they're only $79 on Amazon, see link above) and record in stereo (using Mid-Side, ORTF, or similar recording techniques), or just grab one Ribbon or Condenser (higher end) and record one track. Upto you.

Keep in mind, cables, stands and sometimes shockmounts (for larger microphones, if not included) also all add up to the cost. Cheap stands can go from $30-40, a good (short) audio cable runs $15-20, so it can easily add up. If you need help rounding down the options further, feel free to ask me questions right here, and if you don't already have an audio interface, I'll be happy to assist you with that as well! I just assume you already have one, so I gave you suggestions to put your entire budget towards the microphone itself.