Looking for a good Microphone...

[The Mutericator]

I'm looking for something with decent recording quality (i.e. could talk into without huge amounts of background static) for speaking, maybe a little singing. I'm aiming for the $50-100 range, but I'm willing to go a little bit over if necessary. To be more specific, my friend and I are recording a CD where we talk back and forth and introduce songs and stuff, kinda like DJs but with fewer commercials and more verbally beating each other up.

I have two questions:

A) Is my price range realistic for my goal?

and

If so, what would you recommend?

[Katsurugi]

zircon has recommended the Shure SM57 or SM58. I'm not too sure if it still stands. But I think that it might barely be inside of your budget depending on where you go.

[Nutritious]

I always recommend the Samson CO1U. No need for preamp or anything, just plug it into USB and go. I belive Pixie used this mic for a lot of her recording in the past.

[Katsurugi]

I always recommend the Samson CO1U. No need for preamp or anything, just plug it into USB and go. I belive Pixie used this mic for a lot of her recording in the past.

Ah, yes. I believe that one is newer and also budget as well. That might be a better fit for you if that's what you're looking for.

[The Pezman]

http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15718

[OverCoat]

When you get a microphone, the room matters just as much as the quality of the mic, in my experience. You have to eliminate pretty much all the background noise, or at least most of it, or recording is going to be a son of a bitch.

$50-100 will get you the Shure SM57 [i would recommend the 58 for vox though], but not the preamp. You'll need to get a preamp if you want the thing to work right. The USB mics getting recommended here are a bit different because the computer supplies the mic with power via usb, so that'll be cheaper, though the sound quality probably won't be as good, unless they've started making decent USB mics recently. I wouldn't know anything about that.

[Wiesty]

if your just looking for a mic for good vocal use, get an sm58, or a 57, if you plan on doing any instrument recroding in the near future.

[Sou]

Using the SM58, pretty solid mic IMO:-P

[Legion303]

This: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2325928&cp=&pg=2&searchSort=TRUE&sr=1&retainProdsInSession=1&y=6&origkw=microphone&kw=microphone&x=13&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&parentPage=search

-steve

[The Mutericator]

Thanks all, I didn't expect this many replies! I'll be sure to check out all of the suggestions (I'm looking for USB mic's specifically, it only has to be mostway decent).

Thanks again, all!

[Wiesty]

if its usb your looking for take a look at a B.L.U.E. Snowball, their not to bad, similar to the Blue ball mic, just with usb power. This is definitely one of the more professional USB mics that you can find for cheap, i belive its around 110-110 bucks.