Searching for a good vocal mic

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by gmel555

For a $100 can't beat a Shure SM58 or Sennheiser e845.

Sennheiser 845 for the win. Kills the Shure 58 hands down. I can sing night after night through my 845, but after half an hour with a 58 I've had enough.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Over $200, try a Heil PR35...

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Heil Rocks!...Heil PR35...

Originally Posted by fwphoto

Yeah, I'd take...the PR35...

Originally Posted by The Kid!

Heil PR35 is my personal favorite...

Originally Posted by JWJ915

Heil PR35. My favorite dynamic, hands down. I have a baritone register, and this mic is extremely clear on the low end, and produces highs very well too. You'd swear it was a condenser, at times.

Having used a Sennheiser 441, Audio Technica ATM-5r, Sennheiser 845, Audio Technica AE-6100 and Heil PR-35 up to 6 nights a week as my main vocal mics for years, the Heil PR-35 is my absolute favorite.

I still own all of the others as well and if I have to sing through any of them, I'm still pretty happy, but the PR-35 is really the finest mic in my lineup, and that includes in comparison to my slightly spendy Beyer TG-V90r ribbon mic.

Now if you have to $100 or less, the Sennheiser 845 or 845s (noticeably better sounding than the 835) is the one for you. Otherwise, if you can afford it, the Heil PR-35 will make you a lifelong partner.

[canerod]

Originally Posted by napman

Msg at Sweetwater site: "Sorry, the Blue Microphones enCORE 300 is no longer available. We've left this page up for reference only".

Thanks anyway

Available when I checked this morning. This is a promotion from Blue and should be available at any dealer. I test drove the Encore 300, 200, and 100, I preferred the 100 for live use. The 200 was waaay too hot. Too sensitive to handling noise and feedback. I really don't see the point of an active dynamic.

[nightchef]

I'm going to offer a different view of the Audix OM5. It is indeed a nice-sounding mic with great clarity, partly because it's voiced to reduce bass buildup due to proximity effect (this is the main reason for clarity problems with SM58s; they get really muddy when singers eat them--which is why generations of punk singers have been happy to eat them).

But in my experience with the OM5, it's a great mic for lead singers but a problematic one for guitarists, because it has a narrower, less forgiving polar pattern than the SM58 or some other common stage dynamics. If you move your head even a few inches to look at what your hands are doing, goodbye vocal signal. (Of course if you're such a solid player that you never need to look down, you're fine. I don't know too many people like that.) This issue can be ameliorated by thoughtful mic placement, but it's a limitation. I find the SM58 a more practical mic for player/singers. The muddiness can be ameliorated with EQ (and by giving the singer plenty of monitor, so they're not as tempted to eat the mic!).

[MikeBmusic]

What someone already said above ^^^ Try out a few with YOUR voice. Not all mics sound the same for everyone.
At the open mic I run I was using an SM58 and a Sennheiser e835. One guy sounded great with the Senn, but through the SM58, he sounds very boxy. Unfortunately, the Senn cable connection is a little loose (after just a couple of years of use) and there's an occasional 'pop' (loud!) through the PA with it if there's a bit of mic movement.
I replaced the mic with a GLS SM58 clone - only $35 - and sounds almost as good, just not as rugged, of course.

[napman]

Originally Posted by canerod

Available when I checked this morning. This is a promotion from Blue and should be available at any dealer..

Thanks a bunch, Canerod.

I went onto their site again moments ago, and yeah, it's available just like U said (until March 31st). So I ordered the 300 @ $199 (for 2). Delivery by this Friday!

[Chriscom]

But in my experience with the OM5, it's a great mic for lead singers but a problematic one for guitarists, because it has a narrower, less forgiving polar pattern than the SM58 or some other common stage dynamics.

Out of curiosity I looked it up, and yep, the OM5 is hypercardioid, so a pretty dang tight pattern.

More generally in regard to the OP, lots of great mics are listed in this thread but how they handle different voices varies, and it helps so much to try before buy. And if not that, outfits like Sweetwater have great return policies, ask me how I know.

I'm partial to my Sennheiser e935.

I played at an open mic recently with a perfectly decent name-brand mic--forget which one--and was astonished by how much more sensitive it was to plosives.

Everyone's different, and in my limited experience different mics are more forgiving of different things.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

What someone already said above ^^^ Try out a few with YOUR voice. Not all mics sound the same for everyone.
At the open mic I run I was using an SM58 and a Sennheiser e835. One guy sounded great with the Senn, but through the SM58, he sounds very boxy. Unfortunately, the Senn cable connection is a little loose (after just a couple of years of use) and there's an occasional 'pop' (loud!) through the PA with it if there's a bit of mic movement.
I replaced the mic with a GLS SM58 clone - only $35 - and sounds almost as good, just not as rugged, of course.

Are you saying the GLS SM58 clone is almost as good as the Shure SM58 or the Sennheiser e835? I just wanted to clarify because if you thought the SM58 was boxy and the clone sounded almost as good, I'm not really interested. However, if you thought it sounded almost as good as the e835, I'm very interested!

[RedJoker]

As it turns out, today's (March 19) SDOTD is a Blue enCore 100 so I thought I'd get one to try.

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by RedJoker

Are you saying the GLS SM58 clone is almost as good as the Shure SM58 or the Sennheiser e835? I just wanted to clarify because if you thought the SM58 was boxy and the clone sounded almost as good, I'm not really interested. However, if you thought it sounded almost as good as the e835, I'm very interested!

You misread what I said - the SM58 sounded boxy with this one particular performer. The GLS mic sounds very similar to the the Shure for 1/3 the price.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

You misread what I said - the SM58 sounded boxy with this one particular performer. The GLS mic sounds very similar to the the Shure for 1/3 the price.

Thanks, my confusion was not about the performer, it was which mic you were comparing the GLS mic to. I get it now.

[guitararmy]

Today's Stupid Deal at MusiciansFriend is a Blue microphone for 50 big ones...

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by JWJ915

I've tried a handful of mics and have a few favorites:

Sennheiser 935 and 945. 935 if you like to move around the mic when singing, 945 if you've developed greater mic technique. For the price, I think they are some of the best dynamics available.

Audix OM3. Personally, I thought it sounded better (with my voice) than the OM5.

Heil PR35. My favorite dynamic, hands down. I have a baritone register, and this mic is extremely clear on the low end, and produces highs very well too. You'd swear it was a condenser, at times.

Sennheiser 965. Best condenser I've used. Unbelievably clear. Every nuance (good or not-so-good) comes through.

This... I also have a baritone voice and
the heil pr-35)with the low cut switch ingaged
Is my favorite. got mine used on ebay or reverb
cant remember which. ive had it about 5 years
still going strong. I saw brandi carlile on
ACL awhile back and she was using a neuman kms 105.
This mic sounded great with her voice
but its 700 bucks.

[YamahaGuy]

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid

[Mr Blues]

Love the Telefunken m80. Also the beta Sm58.
My favourite condenser mic is the AKG C 535.They have been discontinued sadly. But you may find one on ebay.
They are not cheap but you get a great full sound from them.