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  #1  
Old 03-16-2019, 04:18 PM
guitarwebguy guitarwebguy is offline
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Default Searching for a good vocal mic

I’m looking for a decent reasonably priced vocal mic for my solo/duo gigs. I’d prefer dynamic rather than condenser, switchable would be nice, cardiod or super cardiod is preferred. So what are folks using/loving? Thanks.
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Old 03-16-2019, 04:41 PM
YamahaGuy YamahaGuy is offline
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Without knowing an exact budget it's hard to point you directly where you may want to be. Under $100, EV Co-9. $100--$199 check out EV ND76, Shure Beta58a, Blue Encore 100, Sennheiser e835 or e935, Heil PR20 or PR22. Over $200, try a Heil PR35, Telefunken M80, or Sennheiser e945.

Not sure if by switchable you're referring to on/off or cardioid/supercardioid.

The only switchable live mic I've seen that goes from cardioid to supercardioid is the Sennheiser e965. I happen to own one and it's terrific. At least for $499 I like to think so.

Curious why you prefer a dynamic? I have 3 condenser mics I've been using live that I rather like. Blue Encore 300, AKG C5 and the e965. They reject feedback as good as most dynamics. And the detail is more crisp.
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Old 03-16-2019, 05:08 PM
H165 H165 is offline
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This is a tough question, as virtually all dynamics color the signal more than I like. I ended up testing about fifty of them before I found one that sort of complimented my voice. In the end though, I prefer condensers.

Even though condensers also color the signal, I have found them to produce a cleaner, clearer signal than most dynamics.

And then there are ribbons....don't get me started.
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Old 03-16-2019, 06:48 PM
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Al Acuff Al Acuff is offline
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Whatever your budget there are a lot of good microphones available these days. Try before you buy.

For what it's worth I avoid stage mics with switches. A switch can break or get stuck.
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Old 03-16-2019, 07:26 PM
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How about two (2) Blue enCore 200 Dynamic mics for $149 or two (2) Blue enCore 300 condenser vocal mikes for $199? Right now they're on sale for two-for-one. I haven't used these mics but have heard good reports about them and all Blue mics.
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Old 03-16-2019, 07:36 PM
lkingston lkingston is offline
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Default Searching for a good vocal mic

I tried a bunch of mics (both dynamic and condenser) before I settled on the Audix OM5. I have a soft voice and it is just so much clearer than other dynamic mics and more resistant to feedback than the condenser mics I tried. I was searching for several years before I settled on it and just kind of stopped looking afterwards. I also find the Audix OM3 to be very close. I don't like the OM2 at all. I've also started experimenting with the OM7 because of it's tighter pattern and extreme feedback resistance.

Last edited by lkingston; 03-16-2019 at 07:43 PM.
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Old 03-16-2019, 07:38 PM
gmel555 gmel555 is offline
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For a $100 can't beat a Shure SM58 or Sennheiser e845. AT $100+ up to $200 I agree with above comment on the Shure Beta 58a or Sennheiser e935.
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Old 03-16-2019, 07:39 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Shure SM57, proven over many, many years of live sound reinforcement.

If you want to spend way less, get the best-kept secret in well built and good sounding dynamic cardiod for vocal use:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XM8500--behringer-xm8500-dynamic-vocal-microphone?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=1683539754&rkg_id=0& campaigntype=dsa&campaign=aaDSA&adgroup=1683539754 SA%20-%20Product%20-%20Mics&placement=google&adpos=1t1&creative=335474 974491&device=c&matchtype=b&network=g&gclid=CjwKCA jwvbLkBRBbEiwAChbckRCBb0-bnLc0fMCCg7N7bCyiiFgYOiGdJj6iUMwjZbGokceTemUpoRoCv vEQAvD_BwE
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Old 03-16-2019, 08:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
How about two (2) Blue 200 Dynamic mics for $149 or two (2) Blue 300 condenser vocal mikes for $199? Right now they're on sale.
Which store is on sale? Thanks.
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Old 03-16-2019, 09:54 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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Most folks who use my Audix OM5s love them. I l also use a Sennheiser 945 as it clears up my voice some (which it needs).
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Old 03-16-2019, 09:55 PM
The Growler The Growler is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmel555 View Post
For a $100 can't beat a Shure SM58 or Sennheiser e845. AT $100+ up to $200 I agree with above comment on the Shure Beta 58a or Sennheiser e935.
Solid recommendation. I agree.
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Old 03-16-2019, 09:58 PM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
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Quote:
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For a $100 can't beat a Shure SM58
This and it's actually an easy question. There's a reason why every recording studio, recording engineer and most professional performers have these by the dozen. They simply can't be beat for their purpose.
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Old 03-16-2019, 11:26 PM
lkingston lkingston is offline
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One thing I will mention is that when I used to do pro sound mixing, I used mostly Shure SM58 or Beta58 mics and was completely happy with them. That was because the boards I used had four band EQs with sweepable center frequencies and Q on all bands and I could sculpt whatever sound I wanted. It wasn’t until I started doing small room guitar and vocals stuff and working with simpler three band EQs that I started getting more particular about my personal singing microphone.

With a small PA or vocal channel in a guitar amp, you have three band EQ with maybe a sweepable mid if you are lucky. That is simply not enough EQ to change the natural EQ curve of a mic enough if you aren’t happy with it.

What I find is that the curve of the Audix OM5 happens to match my voice nicely and I can run it flat and be quite happy. When someone points out that the pros have been using SM58s for years and that they have sounded great: yeah that is true but it is beside the point. The OM5 sounds far clearer through my guitar amp vocal channel or through whatever the house PA is at a local bar or restaurant. Most clubs have pretty modest mixing boards. It is rare to see even a sweepable mid on a house PA.

For most of us who aren’t working with great mixing consoles and qualified sound-persons running them, a mic with a built in EQ curve that matches your voice is the best route to having a good vocal sound consistently.

I was at an open mic two weeks ago and my sister was in the audience. She told me later that she couldn’t understand the words to what anyone else was singing but that my voice was really clear and that she could understand every word. That my singing sounded so much better than anyone else’s. That was because I swapped out the SM58 with my Audix mic for my set. A mic that matches your voice makes a huge difference with a small PA!
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Old 03-17-2019, 02:35 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YamahaGuy View Post
Without knowing an exact budget it's hard to point you directly where you may want to be. Under $100, EV Co-9. $100--$199 check out EV ND76, Shure Beta58a, Blue Encore 100, Sennheiser e835 or e935, Heil PR20 or PR22. Over $200, try a Heil PR35, Telefunken M80, or Sennheiser e945.

Not sure if by switchable you're referring to on/off or cardioid/supercardioid.

The only switchable live mic I've seen that goes from cardioid to supercardioid is the Sennheiser e965. I happen to own one and it's terrific. At least for $499 I like to think so.

Curious why you prefer a dynamic? I have 3 condenser mics I've been using live that I rather like. Blue Encore 300, AKG C5 and the e965. They reject feedback as good as most dynamics. And the detail is more crisp.


The Shure KSM9 condenser is switchable too but it isn’t cheap.

The Sennheiser e935 (cardioid) and e945 (super-cardioid) get my vote if it’s dynamic you want, a response almost as good as a condenser but with the ruggedness of B58s. The 945 is my go to mic for most jobs.
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Old 03-17-2019, 05:10 AM
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The two for one deal Blue runs occasionally is hard to beat. A few years ago I got two Encore 100 and two Encore 100i. They quickly replaced my 57s and 58s. I've gotten a lot of use from them. The 58 is probably my least favorite popular vocal mic.
The Audix OM5 ( Willie's choice ) and OM6 are very good mics!
I currently using a Senn e945 for my vocals. The clarity is unparalleled in a dynamic. That said, it is very sensitive to proximity and off axis effect. It does not reward sloppy mic technique. The e935 will give you the same clarity with a more forgiving cardioid pattern.
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