Mic for live BV's: Shure SM58, or...?

KKJale

I can't believe it, but I've never bought a dedicated live vocal mic before. I've always used house mics. 

Now I need one. Is there ANY point in buying anything other than an SM58, at around the same price or slightly cheaper, really?

maltingsaudio

If its for your own use then buy what you want, if someone else is going to use it and they express a preference buy a SM58. 

We will now get a stream of Shure is best Sennheiser is Best Audix is best ect but I  believe the above statement to be the ultimate truth.

For my voice, my favourite at the moment is the Lewit MTP550

ICBM

KKJale said:

I can't believe it, but I've never bought a dedicated live vocal mic before. I've always used house mics. 

Now I need one. Is there ANY point in buying anything other than an SM58, at around the same price or slightly cheaper, really?

No.

Just make sure it isn't a fake, of which there are many.

firepaulmusic

Shure Beta 58 is a great, bombproof mic in my humble opinion. Sounds full with nice top end, easy to EQ.

NeilMcG

You really can't go wrong with a Shure beta58A or a SM58. There are lots of other good mics too, some of which may suit your voice a little better, but the Shures are a good generic choice and work well in most situations.

John_P

I have a few sm and beta 58’s - partly because people expect them when I’m hiring out but also because they work, sound fine and I know what they sound like.   I prefer the beta personally and I sing through a beta57.  

Thh thiigh these days days we are spoilt for choice and it’s almost difficult to buy bad mic. 

KKJale

Thanks all. Advice noted.

Examining Beta 58 vs SM58 differences, I honestly don't know enough about my own voice to make any informed choice. 

Also, doing one of my favourite things – exercising my right to choose based on nothing more than a cursory examination of internet tittle-tattle – the Senn E835 is emerging. The (female) singer uses one, and it looks nice.

John_P

KKJale said:

Thanks all. Advice noted.

Examining Beta 58 vs SM58 differences, I honestly don't know enough about my own voice to make any informed choice. 

Also, doing one of my favourite things – exercising my right to choose based on nothing more than a cursory examination of internet tittle-tattle – the Senn E835 is emerging. The (female) singer uses one, and it looks nice.

The 835 is fine - watch you get a genuine one as there are lots of fakes (same with 58’s).   
I’m a big fan of using the same mic where possible - looks right, slightly easier to mic and cut feedback imo  so I’d be tempted to go that way.  

kennedydream1980

I use the behringer xm8500, they sound perfectly fine, are pretty durable, incredibly cheap, so if it does break I’ll just buy another.

blobb

Sound on Sound did an article called 'Choosing a Vocal Microphone for the Stage' last month, asking pretty much this exact question.

 You might still find a copy in your local paper shop, or it will be available in full on their website in a month or so, or you can pay a pound for it as a PDF.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/choosing-vocal-microphone-stage

 

Roland

There’s a lot of personal choice in microphones, to suit both your voice and your delivery. For BVs my bass player uses a Senn 835S, which is cardioid. I use the super cardioid 845S to lessen spill from my guitar monitor, but at the expense of being bassier. From memory our vocalist uses an SM58. This is the classic vocal mike, the one which you hear on so many recordings.

David5150

I sing BV and a couple of lead vocals in the band. Spent hours reading mic reviews which just confused me!!

Brought a SM58 - job done

simonk

A 58 will always get the job done. I favour the Audix OM5 for my BV’s though as it flatters (and believe me I need it) my rather indestinct voice, and for its unrivalled feedback rejection.

midlifecrisis

kennedydream1980 said:

I use the behringer xm8500, they sound perfectly fine, are pretty durable, incredibly cheap, so if it does break I’ll just buy another.

i have one of these and a shure sm58. considering the behringer is a fifth of the price it punches well above its weight. Its a bit punchier than the shure so if you have a softer voice you might find the behringer is better.

Danny1969

midlifecrisis said:

kennedydream1980 said:

I use the behringer xm8500, they sound perfectly fine, are pretty durable, incredibly cheap, so if it does break I’ll just buy another.

i have one of these and a shure sm58. considering the behringer is a fifth of the price it punches well above its weight. Its a bit punchier than the shure so if you have a softer voice you might find the behringer is better.

When I was running the studio and were letting out the live rooms for rehearsals we got fed up of people breaking the 58's and stuck a bunch of XM8500's in there .... at the time they were around £19.00 on CPC ... they do have more gain but obviously you should set the gain PFL regardless of the mic gain

The 58 is an obvious mic to get and suits most people. For people with softer voices though and any live recording I prefer something with a tighter pattern, otherwise you can have as much unwanted drums in the mic as you do vocal. ..