live mic question

[pjbelsch]

I am a baritone voice, i am lookng for a new live microphone. I am down to 3 choices
Shure Beta 87C
Shure ksm 9
Neumann Kms 105

I have had a little experience with the 87A and a kms 105. I wasn't too particularly pleased with how my voice sounded on the kms as apposed to the 87a. I know a lot of this is test and personal preference but does anyone have experience with the C or the Shure ksm?

[B. Adams]

All of those are great mics. It would be best if you could try each on your voice before you commit to one, but I realize that's not always possible.

The Beta 87 has a pretty hard top end "bite" and it's not my favorite, but it works great on some voices. The KSM9 is super nice, and has a little HF bump, but it's not as bitey as the Beta 87. The KMS105 is really smooth sounding, and is great on good voice, but has a little less bottom end than a KSM9.

One thing to consider is that condensers can be a little tricky in certain environments. I'd be hesitant to use them in a really reflective/challenging room or on a very loud stage, or with an especially breathy or plosive voice.

Other mics to consider would be the SM86, which is a great baritone mic, IMO. It's also cardioid, roughly the same pattern as the Beta 87C. The KSM9 has a switchable patten, which is really nice. Also something to consider, the KMS104 is cardioid, which might be good, and would be more apples to apples compared to the cardioid 87C and KSM9 in cardioid mode. I tend to prefer the wider cardioid pattern most of the time, but that's just me.

Also look at the SM87 (not Beta). It's a great sounding mic with less HF presence than the Betas. I like the SM87 much better than the Beta on most voices. It's supercardioid, like the Beta 87A, but the top end doesn't tear your head off.

Honestly, I think if a condenser is what you want and you're willing to spend the money, the KSM9 might be a great choice for you. That's probably what I'd do if I was buying a mic for my voice, but partly just because my pricing is better on Shure than it is for Neumann.

[Tico]

A budget of $700 puts you up in the major league for live vocal mics.

Have you considered the Sennheiser MD441?
Many consider it the holy grail of live vocal mics.
Though dynamic, users report the 441 has some of the sonic properties of condensers and ribbon mics.
It's versatile with a 5 position bass rolloff switch and a brilliance switch (high freq shelf boost).

For both recording and live use I cherish the pair I bought back in Germany in the 70s, but I'll leave the superlatives to the reviewers at Sweetwater and Gearslutz ...

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...heiser-md-441u

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/revi...namic-mic.html

BTW, its formerly-problematic mic holder has been redesigned.

[The Kid!]

Throw the Heil PR35 into the mix.

[Revy]

I have a lower register voice as well and did a lot of research before buying. I love my Sennheiser E935. If you are budget minded I also get along well with a E835. But the E935 would be my first choice. I love Sennheiser products.

[StevenL]

Originally Posted by The Kid!

Throw the Heil PR35 into the mix.

Yes indeed! Great for low end voice. Boom. Also has nearly as much definition as a condenser. Sounded as good as an AT4040 to me when A/B'd.

[Foss38]

PR35 would be a great choice with 3 position roll off switch.

[Al Acuff]

I would add the Shure KSM8 and the Beyer M-88 to your list of mics to check out. I won both and would recommend either one to a friend.

These days I favor the KSM8. It's got a huge sweet spot and almost no proximity effect. If you move around while singing and playing the tone stays constant.

The M88 requires you to stay closer on the mic. It has a nice proximity effect that can help thinner voices sound big. It's more prone to P popping as compared with the KSM8.

[buzzardwhiskey]

I've tried several handheld condenser mics and have kept two that I like and perform with almost all the time. The Miktek PM5 ($600) and the AKG C535EB ($350 now discontinued in favor of the C636).

[JWJ915]

Another vote for the Heil PR35. Amazing clarity on the low end. I have a baritone voice and use a Sennheiser 945 and really like that as well. I have not tried any of the higher end mics that are being tossed around - I've heard them demo'd and they are excellent pieces of gear - but I've found two mics in the Heil and the Sennheiser that I really like with my voice. If you can get out and demo any of those, I think you'd find one that you really jive with!

[Gae]

Sennheiser MD 441 as said before. With no dub.

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by StevenL

Yes indeed! Great for low end voice. Boom. Also has nearly as much definition as a condenser. Sounded as good as an AT4040 to me when A/B'd.

I use a heil pr35 when doing live performance.
It's great for us baritones . i keep the low roll off
switch on and also the low cut filter on the board.
Captures the great low nuances without
any muddy mush I eat the mic... Can't help with any mentioned
here. other than the at4040 i haven't used any
of the above. The at4040 is really a bluegrass one mic kind of
mic and shines there . I've used it solo fo vocal
and guitar at the same time . But like said above
these can be hard to manage in a hard room.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Tico

A budget of $700 puts you up in the major league for live vocal mics.

Have you considered the Sennheiser MD441?
Many consider it the holy grail of live vocal mics.
Though dynamic, users report the 441 has some of the sonic properties of condensers and ribbon mics.
It's versatile with a 5 position bass rolloff switch and a brilliance switch (high freq shelf boost).

BTW, its formerly-problematic mic holder has been redesigned.

Originally Posted by Gae

Sennheiser MD 441 as said before. With no dub.

Since the 441 has been introduced to the conversation I'll add another endorsement of it as an uncompromising microphone and the main reason I quit using them years ago was that I got tired of replacing/repairing the clear mic clips they used to come with. As pointed out by Tico, no longer a problem. My present 441 (all black model) came with the newer unbreakable clip.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by The Kid!

Throw the Heil PR35 into the mix.

Originally Posted by Foss38

PR35 would be a great choice with 3 position roll off switch.

Originally Posted by JWJ915

Another vote for the Heil PR35. Amazing clarity on the low end. I have a baritone voice and use a Sennheiser 945 and really like that as well. I have not tried any of the higher end mics that are being tossed around - I've heard them demo'd and they are excellent pieces of gear - but I've found two mics in the Heil and the Sennheiser that I really like with my voice. If you can get out and demo any of those, I think you'd find one that you really jive with!

Originally Posted by varmonter

I use a heil pr35 when doing live performance.
It's great for us baritones . i keep the low roll off
switch on and also the low cut filter on the board.
Captures the great low nuances without
any muddy mush...

Another Heil PR35 fan here and I even bought a backup last year when I was using mine 4-5 nights a week.

Sennheiser 441 and Heil PR35 are both absolute world class mics worth looking into, and at risk of muddying the waters with a couple other additions, the Beyer TGV90r ribbon mic (successor to the legendary M500) and the tragically overlooked Audio Technica AE-6100.

[Andy Howell]

Sennheiser 935 works for me. Significantly better than the Beta (I have both).

[lkingston]

I like the Audix OM-5 and OM-3 more than any other live mics I have tried, and I’ve tried them all.