It just occured to me that there is so little about the budget Microphones from t.bone on this site. T.bone is the house brand of Thomann, one of the largst music stores in Europe, operating from Germany.
So most of you on the other side of the Atlantic might never have heard of them, but there are quite few Europeans here as well, so...

They sell a lot of microphones under this brand, but they are actually all sourced in the far east, and t.bone branded (nothing wrong with that, don't get me wrong). Some microphones have their origins in other brands (as happens more than you might think).

why this list?
- when I first started out recording things, I had a few lessons to learn. One is that you don't need all microphones to be expensive. Creativity can do more than expensive equipment.
- There are a few rules: sometimes buying too cheap is just too cheap... so that's why I never include cheap dynamic microphones with flimsy switches, so no on/off microphones for me.
- no fake LDC's for me (SDC's disguised in an LDC packaging)
- When tube microphones are concerned, only replaceable tubes are an option for me.

These are my recommendations in this range of products (just microphones, not accessories)

Handheld/drums

• t.Bone MB 85 Beta: good in voice, definitely useable for interviews
• t.Bone MB 75 beta: nice dynamic alternative, also obviously based on a particular American brand....
• t.Bone MB 56 beta: good for toms and even snare
• t.Bone BD-300: kick microphone. I'm no specialist, sounded OK for my purpose

SDC/Pencil

• t.Bone SC-140: SDC pencil microphone. Nice one, used it to mike a car once for video... ;-) (I did have a hidden lavalier as backup)

I hear some good things about the EM700/EM800 but I have never tried them, as the SC-140 is already cheap enough for me.

Ribbon

• t.Bone RB-100: ribbon microphone, definitely nice on electric guitars
• t.Bone RM-700: ribbon microphone, instrument microphone, Shuaiyin SYR-30 (= Alctron HRM-15, Cascade Fathead, Nady RSM-4)
• t.Bone RB-500: ribbon microphone same as Nady RSM-2, Alctron HRM-1 (different headbaskets SYR 10-11-12) (I love these for drum overheads) (this is a very large and heavy microphone)
• t.Bone RB-770: active ribbon microphone same casing as the SC-1200 (haven't tested this one yet, but curious about it)

LDC

• t.Bone SC-400: transformerless cardioid LDC, basic, but good (ShuaiYin SYC-400)
• t.Bone SC-600: transformerless cardioid/omni LDC, basic, but good (ShuaiYin SYC-400)
• t.Bone SC-450: transformer based cardioid LDC, I believe to be made by Feilo, and as far as I can find out: the original SE 2000 (definitely worth its money) (1" diaphragm)
• t.bone SC-1100: transformer based 3-pattern LDC, actually Feilo Z3300, which is the original SE Z3300 (1.07" diaphragm)
• t.Bone SC-1200: looks great,sounds mediocre. This same casing is used by many other brands
• t.Bone SCV-3000: actually a Feilo F1000, with a 1.22" capsule, makes things sound "grand". Love it, weighs a ton...

Tube LDC

• t.Bone SCT-800: obviously inspired by the greats, this tube microphone is the Feilo 5000 or 5500, and also a former sE model
• t.Bone SCT-2000: Feilo/original SE Z5600: multipattern tube microphone
• t.Bone Retro Bottle II: Actually the Alctron BV-300 (it says BV-300A on the PCB ;-). sounds good, less neutral than the SCT-2000, very useful if you need that extra character.

I DON'T want the SCT-700 tube microphone that is often (Alctron based), as the tube is soldered on the board, and to be honest: the stock tubes on these microphones are not that great. Replace them and your microphone breathes "class"... (I did use some 20-30 EUR tubes, JJw²

Broadcast

• t.Bone MB-20: put it here because I tested it, hate it. Doesn't sound good at all.
• t.Bone MB-7 Beta: sounds OK, not super, but OK
• t.Bone BC-500: even though it requires a LOT of gain, this microphone sounds very good. I prefer my sE Dynacaster (and to be honest: The Shure SM7B), but these are only slightly better IMHO.

My absolute favourites are: MB 85 Beta, SC-140, RB-500, SC-450, SC-1100, SCT-2000 and BC-500.

By no means is this a complete list, but if they'd just have these microphones, they'd already have a lot of versatility. They do have wireless handheld microphones and specialty microphones as well (like the Ovid system), but I normally don't use them for my purposes. And I left out the ones I deem too cheap to even try.

I put this here because this all are LOW priced microphones, and perhaps others would like to share their opinions about them...

The sc140 is the one that has my attention. It's frequency response looks relatively flat, and every sound sample I've heard, it sounds pretty unhyped.

Let's put it this way, the ones I mentioned in the list achieve a sound quality that is well above their price point. The SC-140 definitely is.
You should try one...

I always wanted to acquire the CAD Trion 8000, but I was a bit apprehensive due to both its high self-noise and lack of pad/attenuation switches.
But...it seems the Retro II is the same microphone with the added switches and lower noise floor. The sound is very appealing:

https://youtu.be/gDjdIZo2Fho

The SCT-800 is modeled after which current sE microphone?

There is NO current model that was the follow up to the 2001-2003/4
SE 5000/55000.

I'm not sure, but I suspect that the SCT-800 is actually the Feilo S5500, and the SE 5500 from the very eary era of SE microphones.

I doubt that the CAD Trion 8000 is the Alctron BV300. It might Alctron, but I don't think it's the same model.

It took me a while to find out that the t.Bone Retro Tube II was the BV300, and not the BV200 model like some sources.

Thanks for covering these microphones so well, it's useful information.

I must say that this is useful information.

But I would also recommend anyone wanting buy cheap microphones to look elsewhere. There are some very cheap mics that is also really good mics to be had at not so much more cost.

Like, if we look at Thomanns SDC offering in the sc140. I would recommend the Line Audio CM4 instead. Sure, you’ll get a pair of Thomanns for the price of 1 CM4, but the quality and usefulness over time will be worth it, because here we’re talking about a €100 mic.

The same goes if we look at the ribbon mic section. Here I would rather go for NoHype Audios offerings where all costs below €200. They are proven, really good and basically lifetime mics you’ll never have to replace because of quality.

Now LDCs are a bit different. Here I know that some of Thomanns models do quite well and are also good platforms for modding. This way you could get a really good mic at a fraction of the cost.

But if you’re not super awesome with soldering you’ll get more from your money if you spend a little more. Sure, if this is your first and only mic and you’re looking to get started, get whichever you’d fancy and can afford.

But if you’re starting a collection, and having different types of mics, you’re past that first step and have some money to spend. Then spend it wisely on pieces that will give you better results and will keep up longer as you develop your skills.

In this category I’d look at Audio-Technicas offerings, a bit more expensive ones like CAD M179 and even the Austrian Audio OC16.

Normally I’d also recommend 3U Audio, but since they’re not available for us in the EU, I won’t. But maybe they’ll add CE certification in the future.

The whole point of this post was NOT to create an ultimate generic recommendation for specific budget microphones, but if you were considering microphones of the t.Bone brand (while shopping at Thomann), which ones I would choose (because I have used them).

I have a pair of Line Audio CM4's, that's 1300 SEK each, or around 112 EUR, compared to 98 EUR for a set of 2 t.bone SC-140's.
And a lot of that "low" price for the CM4 has to do with the SEK losing a lot of value against the EUR in the past few years.
I got a CM4 and love it A LOT for very neutral recordings, but we're definitely talking different price points here at more than double the price.

Same for the NoHype microphones, the cheapest ribbons are around 187 EUR excluding VAT, so around 225 (I averaged 20% VAT) a piece, way more expensive than the t.Bones. Even more than double the price of the RB500.
I've tested one of the NoHypes, and yes, they are definitely better. But not really double as good as the t.Bones.
I have the sE X1-R, the sE R1 and an sE Voodoo VR2. The Voodoo VR2 is not double as good as the X1-R, even though it costs at least twice the amount.

You didn't mention them by name, and a lot of the AT microphones are probably good, but
I would never ever again consider an AT2020 or AT2035 over the SC-450 or SC-1100, because they... well... You get the picture. Let's say they run away ashamed when comparing them to the SC's...

I do generally agree with spending a little more and getting a better microphone. I don't always use a (129 EUR) t.Bone SC-1100, and often use a Neumann TLM-102 (500+ EUR) or sE T2 (1st gen, similar price, at least double or triple the SC-1100) for my voice overs, but both are pretty good at it. And I'd use the SC-1100 more if it weren't that big and heavy.

The whole point of this original is not commercial, and you might have noticed that I left out the real basic stuff, which I would never consider buying. I don't think I could ever recommend a very crappy/cheap looking 12 EUR MB45 II dynamic handheld microphone if you can get a decent one (MB 85 Beta) for only 39 EUR.

There's always the law of diminishing returns. So, I would never suggest buying those very cheap things, because they have not reached the point of where an certain increase in price also makes the (sound or other) quality higher at a similar level. The ones I did recommend are because I tested them.

The microphones you suggest are good, definitely, but the only thing I absolutely don't agree with if your suggestions are at least double the price (not even considering the fact how easy it is to reach the "free shipping" amount at Thomann) is the statement: "There are some very cheap mics that is also really good mics to be had at not so much more cost. "

Yes, they are "really good" but NO they are not "really cheap" nor are they "not so much more cost". But there's no problem in having different price points, right?

Well. It’s hard to compare actual costs and relative costs.

I mean it’s true that for some examples it’s twice the cost of the cheap option. But 200 euros for a lifetime ribbon or a set of CM4s isn’t really any cost to talk about.

If I combine what I spent on cheap mics I could’ve just gone for a really good mic from the beginning. But then I wouldn’t have learned everything I’ve learned. But here I am sharing that knowledge so you or someone else can use that to make another decision. Or not, and make your own observations.

Most often when you aim higher, you also get a boost from it and you think: “why didn’t I do this sooner?” But that’s just 30+ years of experience talking.

I think that today, interface and a mic are really central pieces that will save you so much in the end.

Nice info. Im a big fan of T.Bone ribbon mics. Royer 121 looking one, does good on guitar amp. RB100. The Loly-pop one, RB700 has the most distinctive difference from front to back. Like cherry on the front and grape on the back. Very useful mic. Colors a snare beautifully. The RB500 has a cool vibe. It’s big, so I don’t reach for unless I got a crooner type voice to record.

All these mics need a ton of gain. 70-80 db. With a good pre, all the ones I have get good results. For the price, best deal on the net. Superlux makes a decent Active Ribbon for those without a good pre.

+1 on Superlux. Made in Taiwan.
Besides Japan, USA manufacturers have had a relationship with Taiwan longer than China. For what ever that is worth.

I can say, WAY back in maybe 1998 or 99, I was in a pawn shop here in North America. I saw a mic that vaguely resembled a Shure KSM32. Or maybe 44. Similar body shape.

We have a lot of military here in this area, and my guess is somebody brought this mic from overseas (I had never seen nor heard of Superlux) and sold it.

I asked to look at it, and the guy behind the counter let me unscrew the housing / body and look at the inside.

ELNA and WIMA polypropylene caps, nice big shielded output transformer, solid pcb, metal film resistors etc.
Well made mic. Nothing in there you would upgrade except capsule and transformer, and at that point? buy different mic!

I have over 150 mics now, and i kept this Superlux.

The body rang a bit, so I damped it with plasti-dip coating.
Other than this, that mic has done a nice job for me.

I had this (back in the lean years) many times in front of the bass drum, outside. Poor (very poor) man's FET47.
Honestly, never once did I think
"I gotta get a new outside kick mic for the next drum session."

I eventually did get a new mic for this, but made some good drum recordings with that Superlux. Great mic. Not overly bright, with immense, solid bottom end response. Also their schoeps style ORTF mic is pretty good as well. Not a schoeps, but it's damn good.

To get back on topic, here in the USA we can order from Thomann, via their US site of course. But it has to ship from the EU.

I think they get overlooked a bit as a seller here as a result.