New favorite dynamic vocal mic - Page 2

FrankHudson · #16 07-18-2021, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussellHawaii

I love my Telefunken M80 mics. The best stage mics. ( I do not know the M81.)
Curiously I also use Telefunken guitar picks, exclusively! The big triangular ones.

At the risk of making fun of some of my ancestors' native tongue, that company's brand-name makes me want to break out a certain Fender electric guitar and play some insistent choppy syncopated riffs. Ya! We be Telefunken now.

geewhiz · #17 07-18-2021, 12:37 PM

My wife loves her M80 and it's a great match for her voice and technique. Great mic.

TheSaint · #18 07-19-2021, 02:58 AM

I stopped looking for mics when I bought my Neumann KMS 105.

Looking at your collection of mics you have far more experience than me and I'm surprised that it doesn't cut it for you.

Occasionally I'll use my Electrovoice Cardinal for visual effect, although it also suits my voice really well.

YamahaGuy · #19 07-19-2021, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSaint

I stopped looking for mics when I bought my Neumann KMS 105.

Looking at your collection of mics you have far more experience than me and I'm surprised that it doesn't cut it for you.

Occasionally I'll use my Electrovoice Cardinal for visual effect, although it also suits my voice really well.

Funny you mention the 105: a) mine has a very strong odor -- like chemicals-- which is off-putting, and b) it makes the user's voice sound exactly like the user's voice. I prefer a mic to sweeten things up a wee bit.

I have a Samson CL5 clone of the Neumann that I actually prefer over the Neumann.

TheSaint · #20 07-20-2021, 01:43 AM

As regards a) I've not noticed anything like that with mine. I discovered recently that you can remove the guard to clean up the inside. Maybe something got spilt on it.

And as for b) I thought that's exactly the prime reason why we buy a mic....!

If it doesn't suit your voice, look for one that does. I'd rather do that than use additional technology to make me sound the way I want.

Going back to the point about SM58's being so popular, I think the simple reason is that the guy or girl working the desk knows the mic and doesn't have to spend time juggling EQ when confronted with a mic they're not familiar with. Plus the idea that 'everybody else uses them' so they must be good.

Could also be down to some nifty marketing by Shure of course...

j3ffr0 · #21 07-20-2021, 06:56 AM

Mics can be as personal as guitars -- it's definitely worth trying a few. My favorite dynamic vocal mic is not my most expensive. It's my Beyer M69TG that I"ve had for over 25 years. It's just a good match for my voice. I will also often pick it over other more expensive dynamics and good condensers when recording too.

Marshall · #22 07-20-2021, 02:21 PM

About 6 months ago I got a Sennheiser e935. I wanted my own dynamic mic for playing out. Especially for open mics. I listened to on-line samples of various mics. I decided I liked the Sennheiser best from the few I heard. The Shure SM58 always sounds harsh to me. It cuts thru a loud band mix nicely. Butthat's not how I perform. I like the Sennheiser a lot in live settings where I've used it.

Recently I was enticed into trying the Shure KSM8. Videos were great on that. I've used it once live and am not sure it'll replace the Sennheiser. A-Bing them at home I think I like the Sennheiser better. But I'm torn.

I saw one review recently that had the Neumann and the Shure and the Sennheiser in it. In my headphones I still think I like the Sennheiser best. The Neumann is nice. But I liked the Shure KSM8 better than the Neumann.

YMMV

shufflebeat · #23 07-20-2021, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

About 6 months ago I got a Sennheiser e935. I wanted my own dynamic mic for playing out. Especially for open mics. I listened to on-line samples of various mics. I decided I liked the Sennheiser best from the few I heard.

There was a recent Sennheiser sale of the 935 and I got one for myself and told anyone who would listen to get one. Every person I advised came back and thanked me for the heads-up.

Quote:

Butthat

I may use that as a pseudonym at some point.

YamahaGuy · #24 07-20-2021, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

There was a recent Sennheiser sale of the 935 and I got one for myself and told anyone who would listen to get one. Every person I advised came back and thanked me for the heads-up.

I may use that as a pseudonym at some point.

I just broke out one of my 935s. Good mic. Was my favorite until I got the 945.

JWJ915 · #25 07-20-2021, 07:36 PM

Any baritones that have experience with the Telefunken M80 or 81?

YamahaGuy · #26 07-20-2021, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWJ915

Any baritones that have experience with the Telefunken M80 or 81?

I'm a bari/tenor. The low end on the 81 is pronounced. So much so that, as with my condenser mics (e965, KMS105, Beta87a) I find myself needing to roll off a little bit of bass. Very responsive.

Nama Ensou · #27 07-21-2021, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWJ915

Any baritones that have experience with the Telefunken M80 or 81?

After comparing with the M80 I bought the 81 but ending up selling it a couple years later with my preference for the Audio Technica AE-6100, Heil PR35 and Sennheiser 845. Hard to recall now why I never bonded with it, but when I offered to let my friend pick the mic he liked best, the Telefunken was the one he liked and still has 3 years later now.

We're both pretty much baritones and now matter how you cut it, the M81 is a great mic.

EZYPIKINS · #28 07-25-2021, 07:39 AM

Have been using the M-80 for some years now.

Coming from an SM-58

Took a bit of getting used to. No proximity effect.

Have M-80sh and M-81sh for drum kit.

81's have rolled off the highs a bit. Use on toms.

Don't know what you are plugging into. But going into a mixer with a good EQ.

The M-80 is stellar.

Crowder · #29 07-26-2021, 07:15 AM

I owned an M81 for a time, and it seemed like the highs were just a bit too rolled off...but then I've used an M80 and it found it to be a bit too "essy" for my tastes.

Eventually I broke down and ordered in five or six different mics to try side-by-side. I had a few Sennheisers, a couple of Shures including the KSM-8, and the M81. The winner in the end was a bit surprising for me, but overall I preferred the good old Beta58 for my voice.

penrithrdstudio · #30 07-27-2021, 02:50 PM

My go-to vocal mic is a condenser, the Rode M2. It's a pretty 'flat' mic, which is what I like as I know it is true to my voice and I can then sweeten it as needed. Having heard a KMS105 I would say the M2 is surprisingly similar.
If I am in a situation where I don't want to take a higher-value mic, or I don't have phantom power, I use a Behringer XM8500 - cheap as chips, but clearer and more feedback resistant than the SM58 it is based on. And yes I have directly compared them through the same system at the same time with the same EQ settings. I have 5 which cost less than 1 SM58.
These mics serve me pretty well, but my GAS is curious about the Rode M1 - it's another SM58-style dynamic, but reportedly has more clarity and top end airiness.