#1
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$500 vocal mic
As a singer first, then guitar player, I see my voice as my primary instrument. That said, $500 seems a bit much for a vocal mic for live use.
To put it in perspective, my most costly acoustic electric guitar (currently) is (was) $650. Tonight, I played through a $500 guitar. My rig consists of a Yamaha MG06X to Yamaha DXR10 powered speaker. My guitar pedal board is LR Baggs Para DI to GFS tuner, to Mooer Baby Water chorus, to Donner Square verb, to Electro Harmonix Canyon delay into channel 3/4. My vocal is on channel 1 with the eq set flat. I use the short delay. I've used this rig with a Beta 58 (Shure), a Sennheiser e945, e935, EV767A, AKD D5 DLX, Audix OM2, Blue Encore 100, 200, 300, and a Heil PR20 previously, so I am familiar with the sound. So, I used the Sennheiser e965 tonight and I gotta say that a $500 vocal mic is something every singer's voice deserves. The vocal clarity, detail, expressiveness come through loud and clear. The effects truly add to the voice now rather than mask flaws. This mic had retailed at $699 and dropped to $499 when they had the lower prices on the e945 and e935. The sweet features are the switch to go from cardioid to supercardioid, the bass roll off, and the 10db pad. Truly a great mic. Maybe I'm just trying to justify the price paid, but I have that much or more in my (small acoustic) pedal board. For those of you still running 58s, yes they are good, but if you're a singer first, before you buy that next $2500 guitar, try a great vocal mic.
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#2
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My Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWe...hBVBfhinK8iIGw My Toys: Taylor AD17e (Ovangkol) Guild "Bob Marley" Epiphone ES339Pro P90 Limited Fender Affinity Strat Custom W/P90's |
#3
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I use a Heil Pr 35. Its a killer mic. that's beat all the mic's I've owned including the Sennheiser 900 series.
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#4
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But the 965 sounds really good. The sound doesn't seem as colored as the 945. I feel the 945 has an upper mid boost, whereas the 965 is very transparent sounding.
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#5
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I've heard a lot of good things about the PR35. Maybe that'll be the next mic.
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#6
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How would you compare the sound to the e935 and e945? How is the feedback resistance live?
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Guilds: 69 F312, 91 Nightbird CU, 94 GV70, 96 A50 flattop, 06 CO1, 11 F30CE, 13 CS F30R Reno Star, 14 GSR F30CE Coco, 12 Orpheum OM RW, Orpheum SS Hog, 24 SF III Dyna SOLD: Guilds: 78 F40,79 F112,’87 GF60R,89 Nightbird II,94 DV72,07 CS F47 Braz,11 DD6MCE,12 F30,12 F30R,18 F2512. Other: 70 Epi 5102,74 Ibanez LP,90 Gib ES347,15 Alvarez MFA70,15 Martin OM28VTS,15 Epi ES339P,16 Alvarez AF60 |
#7
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Sound wise, I hear slightly better high end sparkle with the 945. Feedback wise the 935 beats the 945 every scenario I've used them in. My experience is that the 935 does a better job of rejecting feedback than the 945, not that the 945 is bad. But the 935 is less feedback prone in my experience.
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#8
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I use a 965 capsule on my wireless and it’s definitely my favorite. It is a great mic. I personally didn’t like the Heil PR35. I had one about 6 months and sold it. My second favorite mic is the 865 and then for the money I really like an sE Electronics V7. I use the V7 for my band singers and I use the 965 out front for me.
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Current 2021 Boucher SG21-VK 2017 Caleb Smith Cruiser Mah/Adi 2022 Yamaha FG5 2010 Taylor DN3 |
#9
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Thanks for the review, @YamahaGuy. I'm curious if that e965 will run on +15V phantom power, as you previously stated many phantom power supplies do not provide +48V phantom power. I'm an alakai'i (conductor/band leader) and lead vocalist who also plays stringed instruments, along with being a professional FOH live sound engineer. The Sennheiser e935 is one of my favorite microphones, as I despise having to "eat" a microphone for the best sound.
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#10
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As far as 935 vs 945 I have both and agree with your assessment. I like the sound quality of the 945 slightly over the 935, but prefer the proximity freedom of the 935 over the 945.
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Guilds: 69 F312, 91 Nightbird CU, 94 GV70, 96 A50 flattop, 06 CO1, 11 F30CE, 13 CS F30R Reno Star, 14 GSR F30CE Coco, 12 Orpheum OM RW, Orpheum SS Hog, 24 SF III Dyna SOLD: Guilds: 78 F40,79 F112,’87 GF60R,89 Nightbird II,94 DV72,07 CS F47 Braz,11 DD6MCE,12 F30,12 F30R,18 F2512. Other: 70 Epi 5102,74 Ibanez LP,90 Gib ES347,15 Alvarez MFA70,15 Martin OM28VTS,15 Epi ES339P,16 Alvarez AF60 |
#11
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The difference between the 935 and 945 is the directionality. The 935 is a cardiod while the 945 is a more directional super-cardiod.
A little over a year ago, a friend of mine and I collected all the vocal mics we had between us and our friends, and spent a few hours comparing them. Much of the comparing was done with one of us with our backs turned so that we wouldn’t be biased by what we saw. We were both quite surprised by the results. We both liked the high end condenser mics and the much cheaper Audio OM3 about equally. Neither of us liked any of the other dynamic mics (including the 935) as much. I liked the Audio OM-3 so much that I ordered an OM-5 because I thought it would probably be even better. It turns out that I can’t tell the difference, so I use them interchangeably. Since then I’ve been using the Audix exclusively for live work. It is a little crisper with less low mid mud than a 58. It is a little more directional as well and easy to control volume-wise with mic distance. Basically, it sounds like a high end condenser mic, but it is priced like a mid range dynamic. By the way, the Audio OM-3 is the mic Bose sells in their stores to go along with their L1 systems. It is the mic that their tonematch models are designed to work with. My advice is to AB the Audio OM3 (or OM5) with the high end condenser before you commit to spending $600 on the condenser. To my ears, they are close enough that I would keep the $450 or so price difference. |
#12
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My song mic is a Neumann KMS104 so although not the same mic I get where you are coming from.
My favourite dynamic is the e945, it’s a B58 killer! The Shure KSM9 is a condenser that has switchable pattern between cardioid and super cardioid. It’s a great feature!
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV; Ex-pat Brit in Sweden
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#13
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#14
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Glad you found one you like. Every singer's voice responds differently to mic/pre combo. If you go to record in a fine studio, you might try out 4 or 5 mics on your voice to find out which works best with your voice. It's not the same for everybody.
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon |
#15
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Exactly and it might not be the most expensive mic. I've rejected U47's in the studio because they just weren't the right fit for the singer
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