Vocal microphones recommendations

fretmeister

I am in need of a good vocal mic for live use 

 I have been using a thomann copy of a SM58, and it's ok but is a bit feedback prone, and of course the SM58 design is getting very old now. 

 So what's good these days?

 Under £150 would be good. Ta.

benmurray85

Samson q7. Had one for years. LOVE it

fretmeister

If I can get something proper good for £40 notes that would be ace!

IanSavage

The Sennheiser E-series from the 835 upwards are excellent. You'd get an 840 secondhand for £40 - be wary of fakes though, apparently the counterfeiting wankers have moved on from Shures...

spacecadet

Having sold a lot of mics in my retail days, one thing I learned was that when shopping for a mic you need to try some. Recommendations don't really mean a lot if the mic you go for doesn't suit your voice. I for instance can't use a 58 because it makes my already slightly nasal voice worse . An AKG d5 however suits me a treat. Find somewhere with a good selection, don't be shy and go try some.

randomhandclaps

We have a couple on Sennheiser e935s, but I really don't think the SM58 can be beaten.  My wife has used the same one for just over 20 years.  I have tried so many other vocal mics but IMO it's still the best all rounder.  The slight presence kick it give is really beneficial for male vocals especially.

thisisguitar

There's a reason the SM58 is the industry standard. That said I use an SM58 Beta, just beware copies on eBay. 

Kebabkid

Mrs.K and I use the SM58 Beta A mics and these were recommended to us by a sound guy. The difference between that and a regular 58 is quite noticeable. There's more clarity, and although this may sound silly, there appears to be more body from the Beta and it's quite sensitive too (in a good way). 

Not sure of used prices, but new, they're £140-150, so not cheap, but recommended

Cirrus

If I remember rightly the Beta series are very similar to the SM series, the main difference being that SMs use an alnico mic and the Betas use ceramic, with results similar to pickups and speakers - the ceramic responds more accurately and faster to transient information which means it sounds clearer and more accurate, and it maintains that clarity to a higher volume. The SM series are a bit more smeared, soft and zingy and that effect gets more pronounced the louder you shout into it.

I was going to recommend the Senn E835 as @IanSavage did for your budget, either that or a second hand '58. The 835 is a little clearer up top and less peaky, but it also has more low end from what I remember so it very much depends on the tone of your voice as to which would be best. Really @spacecadet has it - you've got to try some to be s(h?)ure.

maltingsaudio

There is so much choice in the price bracket you've come up with ie up to £150 that you need to go out and audition a few. For what its worth I use Sennheisers E845 as a general Vox mic my female vocalist likes the E840 and I personally am using Beta 57 due to ts tighter cardiode pattern . If you want to keep it under £40 absalute no brainer buy a Red 5 RVD30 

PS in a recent poll the SM58 came out as the one most forumites use

PPS It also depends on what your actually singing through ie desk and speakers

ESBlonde

maltingsaudio said:

There is so much choice in the price bracket you've come up with ie up to £150 that you need to go out and audition a few. For what its worth I use Sennheisers E845 as a general Vox mic my female vocalist likes the E840 and I personally am using Beta 57 due to ts tighter cardiode pattern . If you want to keep it under £40 absalute no brainer buy a Red 5 RVD30 

PS in a recent poll the SM58 came out as the one most forumites use

PPS It also depends on what your actually singing through ie desk and speakers

This.


Also, it never ceases to amaze me that spend hundreds and thousands on something for our fingers to make a noise and use the cheapest trashey mic and PA for the all important voice.

How you use the mic and where determines what you should go for, if you are in a loud (stage noise) band then something with a narrow pickup pattern is appropriate and kiss the grill, if you are in a lounge band then less directional mics with better sensitivity are what you want. Some of the current crop of condenser mics are hardy and give great reproduction quality.
 

fretmeister

Well - I tried a bunch of them and was surprised with what I ended up with...

TC Helicon MP75.

Seemed to make my voice particularly clear and not get muffled in the low end, and had a pleasant tone about it.

Very happy!

maltingsaudio

Good shout, not familiar with it but if it works for you thats the fun in mics! Out of interest care to let us know which others you auditioned?

fretmeister

A good old 58, a  Beta 58 and an AKG that I can't remember the model but was about the same money.

The Beta 58 almost got it but there was a "something" from the TC that just sounded right to me. They were very similar.

The TC has a little switch on it to control their vocal processors... seems pointless to have the switch and not a processor.... good an excuse for more GAS as any!

thomasross20

Zombie thread!

I want to get a mic for vox in my house... Used to have a condenser. But would I be better just getting an sm58 which I could also use live? 

Roland

Earlier this year my bass player and I went through a mic selection process. He got the Sennheiser 835S (S is for switched). I chose the 845S because it's hypercardiod, and less likely to pickup sound from my back line. EQ wise they are similar to the classic SM58 sound.

ICBM

It's really hard to beat a SM58 as a general-purpose mic (even though it's the 57 which is supposed to be) if the main function will be vocals. You can mic anything with one, they're very hard to break, and every soundman on earth should have a good idea of how to EQ them. You can get other more specialist mics later, and keep the 58 as a backup.

The only real caveat - apart from watching out for fake ones, which are now common - is that they're so standard that it's really worth engraving your initials into it or some other means of permanent identification, or someone will try to nick it if you leave it on a stand at a gig for more than about two minutes at pack-up...

thomasross20

So it's ok to use one of these videos instead of a condenser as a "studio mic?"

thomasross20

@Roland that's a good consideration.. and one reason I'm possibly steering cost of dynamic, as they tend to pick everything up. I think the sm58 or similar can just straight into my old toneport no probs, too. It's a mic I should have anyway, so will get on the case.

guitarfishbay

If your room isn't treated it's probably better to get a dynamic anyway, as all the extra top end detail from a typical condenser isn't much help if it's mostly room reflections.

thomasross20

Right. Sorted then!