Live vocal mic suggestions

[combfilter]

I searched the archive for a while, but most of the vocal mic threads seemed to be mainly focused on studio gear: what I'd need now is, instead, to make a shortlist of relatively affordable vocal mics for live use.

The ideal mic would be handheld, cardioid or super-cardioid, with good sensitivity, not too mid-rangey (I hate the boxy, nasal tone I get with SM58s) and with a nice bit of proximity effect, suitable to a male Dave Gahan-ish baritone voice.

Both dynamic and condenser mics are welcome, even though I'd gladly go for the latter but I'll probably have to deal with a few awkward setups and external "engineers" too, so even simple phantom power supply could be a problem sometimes

Price range...let's say up to $400, more or less.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestion

F.

[Fast_Fingers]

AKG's C5 and D5 (review) are supposed to be fairly neutral microphones well suited to male vocals. Heils may also be a good idea. Heck, if you like something dark, a $20 Behringer XM8500 can fit the bill.

[alexis]

Shure SM 58 is a workhorse industry standard.

I just bought an EV n/d 767a, which I am liking after a week or two.

Sennheiser has comparable models. tiNY recommends heil too, IIRC a reply of his on a post of mine.

When I went through my process I did a lot of google, and "search" on this forum, harmony central, sound on sound to read reviews.

Good luck!

[KeithMoonwannabe]

there are a lot of really great mics for live vocals my best advice would be to try out a bunch at a store...some suggestions that I like to use but not all of them will work best for you because every singer is different and because of this mic choice will depend on many variables

AKG C535
Audio-Technica AE6100, AE3300, AE5400, AE4100
Audix OM5, OM6, and OM7
Electro-Voice N/D767, N/D967, RE410, RE510
Heil PR20, PR22, PR35
Sennheiser e945, e935, e865
Shure Beta 57, Beta 58, Beta 87, KSM9 is my fave but really pricey
Telefunken M80 haven't tried this one personally but have heard good things

My lead singer uses a Sennheiser e945 and I use a Shure Beta 57 on my voice. I have owned and/or used all the mics listed above except the Telefunken.

[rty5150]

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...need-gone.html

here. then you will never covet another live mic again. i know, i have one, as well as about a half dozen other higher end live vocal mics. the neumann is king.
his is a killer deal as well.


rich

[KeithMoonwannabe]

I actually prefer the KSM9 from Shure over the Neumann but both are spectacular I just didn't mention it because it was above the $400 price mark. I didn't see that one in the classifieds so my bad. If possible I'd still try to audition the Neumann before pulling the trigger I've heard it on some voices where they didn't work well together.

[combfilter]

Originally Posted by Fast_Fingers

AKG's C5 and D5 (review) are supposed to be fairly neutral microphones well suited to male vocals.

Thanks!
Actually I was already considering those AKGs, I heard them a few times on both female and male tenor voices and they sounded pretty good.
A girl I know has recently bought a C5, so I'll be able give it a proper try soon.

Heck, if you like something dark, a $20 Behringer XM8500 can fit the bill.

Er...gotta go

[KeithMoonwannabe]

Originally Posted by combfilter

Thanks!
Actually I was already considering those AKGs, I heard them a few times on both female and male tenor voices and they sounded pretty good.
A girl I know has recently bought a C5, so I'll be able give it a proper try soon.



Er...gotta go

cool....let me know what you think I haven't tried em out yet

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by combfilter

Thanks!
Actually I was already considering those AKGs, I heard them a few times on both female and male tenor voices and they sounded pretty good.
A girl I know has recently bought a C5, so I'll be able give it a proper try soon.



Er...gotta go

i have a c5. you won't like it. very dark mic. sennheiser e835 kills it and even more so, the e865. if you can find the c5 dirt cheap, it's not bad, but for a main mic, you should pass. just get the neumann already, the $400 tag on that mic is spectacular. i got mine for that much and don't regret that purchase for a second. keep in mind that the kms105 is now $700!!! sure $400 is quite a bit to drop on a mic, but $400 for a $700 mic is definitely worth it. if you buy the good stuff up front, you won't be constantly upgrading and wishing that you had just saved up for the good stuff in the beginning. the neumann is on a whole different level from the other $100-300 range mics. i know, i shot them out against each other!


rich

[jasonraboin]

I recommend the Heil PR35. It does not have that mid range bump that you dislike. It also has great tight low end response for the baritone qualities you request. Well within your budget. I prefer them to the Neumann KMS 105. I have not tried a Shure KSM 9, but I generally recommend a dynamic mic unless you have in-ears and your own engineer. You can throw the PR 35 up in place of a 58 and it will just sound better. The condensers will need a lot more work and cooperation from the house engineer to dial in.

[KeithMoonwannabe]

Originally Posted by jasonraboin

I recommend the Heil PR35. It does not have that mid range bump that you dislike. It also has great tight low end response for the baritone qualities you request. Well within your budget. I prefer them to the Neumann KMS 105. I have not tried a Shure KSM 9, but I generally recommend a dynamic mic unless you have in-ears and your own engineer. You can throw the PR 35 up in place of a 58 and it will just sound better. The condensers will need a lot more work and cooperation from the house engineer to dial in.

+1 all the way thumbsup

most of us aren't playing in the greatest of venues and the sound guys never know what to do when we bring our own mics like that. They usually end up sounding as good as or worse than the mics the venue has (which are usually SM58, lately I've seen quite a few e835 also).

I tried to suggest mostly dynamics because for most baritones they yield the best results in the first place and because they are easier for most sound engineers to deal with (especially the inexperienced guy at the club you play every weekend that thinks he knows what's up).

[combfilter]

Originally Posted by KeithMoonwannabe

there are a lot of really great mics for live vocals my best advice would be to try out a bunch at a store...some suggestions that I like to use but not all of them will work best for you because every singer is different and because of this mic choice will depend on many variables

AKG C535
Audio-Technica AE6100, AE3300, AE5400, AE4100
Audix OM5, OM6, and OM7
Electro-Voice N/D767, N/D967, RE410, RE510
Heil PR20, PR22, PR35
Sennheiser e945, e935, e865
Shure Beta 57, Beta 58, Beta 87, KSM9 is my fave but really pricey
Telefunken M80 haven't tried this one personally but have heard good things

My lead singer uses a Sennheiser e945 and I use a Shure Beta 57 on my voice. I have owned and/or used all the mics listed above except the Telefunken.

First of all thanks everyone so far, many great suggestions and quite a lot of candidates to examine

I remember using a Sennheiser e935, but while I can't say I disliked it, I wasn't exactly blown away by it either.
I don't quite like the overall Beta58 sound. When it's not too bright, it's weak and a bit boomy. Never a good impression. I admit using it only twice with my voice, but I definitely wasn't satistfied by its response.

I sometimes work with wireless Beta87C's, and they seem to be a definitely better product. Still haven't tried them myself though.

The AKG C535 is a very interesting suggestion.
Almost every review I managed to find is largely positive, and I must say I'm generally fond of AKG mics.
One thing though, how does this baby handle proximity effect?
I like having a bit of it on my vocal microphone, I know how to use it and I'd feel a bit lost without it.

I've never used a Heil microphone...actually, I can't even remember seeing one in stores around here. I guess they're definitely not popular in Italy.
The PR35 looks like another really interesting option though.
Plus I totally agree about the advantages of a dynamic when playing in not so good venues or dealing with sunday engineers

I've had no time to check out all the other suggestions yet, but I'll definitely do. Keep 'em coming! thumbsup

[HeavyG]

I tested everything $350 and under...including many mentioned here. My ears told me the Audix VX 5 was the clear winner. It is a stage condensor...so you pick up some articulation...but it is HIGHLY resistant to feedback. It was hotter, clearer and just had more depth (again, to my ears). I have used a Beta 58 for years...I wanted to buy the Beta 87 or a Neumann. I couldnt justify the money for the Neumann and it didnt blow away the Audix by any means (although I did think it was superb). Check it out...it is my secret weapon.

Audix VX5 : Electret condenser for vocals & acoustic instruments

Listen to your ears...not the labels.

Cheers, Bro...

[trubac]

beyer m69

[tINY]

Actually, since you are in Italy, I imagine the Heil mics and the Shure beta87 are hard to find (both are great workhorse vocal mics).

The Artist Elete series from AT are really nice if phantom power is available.

The first Sennheiser product I would try would be the MD431.

The Beyerdynamic Opus69/89 are nice.

Of course, if you find a shop with a Heil PR35, you should make an effort to try that one too...




-tINY

[aksion]

my favorites are shure beta 57a, or recently a sennheiser md421 (got the funniest look from a sound guy when i used it for a show - that was until he heard it!)

[rivalrysound]

Honestly, get something that can take a beating and one that won't hurt your wallet. If you're concerned with mid-range sound then have the FOH guy cut some out for you, I work at a small club and the only real reason why I find that people bring their own mic's is from fears of spreading germs and the like. But seriously, is spending 400 dollars on a mic going to improve your performance? is the random audience member REALLY going to appreciate the "better sound"? I find that people get too hyped up about performance microphones, when you think about it; are you going to be performing in the same venue, with the same sound guy? These are all important things to consider since the FOH setup is going to be different naturally and not to mention room acoustics play into account in the overall sound. If the FOH engineer can't get a good mix then the venue needs a new one, I would be more worried on the performance than a mic. Just an idea...

[tINY]

Not all clubs are that bad.

A mic better than the 58 can still make a bit of a difference even if the house sound is marginal. If you get the right signal going into the board, you don't need the EQ (or some monkey who doesn't know what he's doing trying to "EQ").



-tINY

[rivalrysound]

thanks for the input tINY, I do agree that most clubs have decent sound(systems, techs) but for me it just comes down to what exactly you'll be getting out of the money spent on the microphone.

[tINY]

$400 isn't much to spend if you use it every week....




-tINY

[KeithMoonwannabe]

Originally Posted by tINY

$400 isn't much to spend if you use it every week....




-tINY

I agree and $400 is kinda high in my opinon he can get what he wants for closer to the $250 and less range.

And the AT Artist Elite mics are incredible even if it's just one of the dynamics.

I also like the MD421 and MD431 from Sennheiser.

I haven't used the Audix VX5 personally but this isn't the first time I've read/heard a glowing review of it. So if it's available to audition I'd definitely check one out.

I agree that performance should be the number one focus for a concert but a microphone is just as important to choose properly as a guitar and amp....or even more importantly string gauge or pick. I will have to agree with Tiny that anything you can do right before you hit the soundboard (regardless of who is running it) will help you get a better end result.

[tINY]

Originally Posted by KeithMoonwannabe

I agree and $400 is kinda high in my opinon he can get what he wants for closer to the $250 and less range. .

I wouldn't be afraid of a $100 mic if it worked for the particular voice.

Most of the decent, but not outrageously priced, vocal performance mics live in the $160-$450 range. Lots of good options in the $200 ballpark here in the USA. In Italy, I don't know for sure (but I bet AT and Sennheisser are available).




-tINY

[Surp]

+1 on the Heil PR35 for live vox, it pretty much changed my life.

My voice is pretty nasal and I had the same problem with 58's as you. They're not that bad, I just wanted something more suited to my voice. A Beta58 was an improvement, Audix OM7 was a further improvement, but the PR35 left them all for dead. It doesn't have anywhere near the proximity effect so I can get right up close and it feels like I'm singing right through it when you're on stage, without the boominess I'd get from a 58 (which for my voice sounds pretty awful).

It seems to cut through the stage noise louder & clearer than a 58 even though the indicators say otherwise, but I'm guessing that's because because it's hitting different frequencies than all of the the other mics on stage. You will get more cymbal bleed than a 58 though as it picks up more highs.

I haven't seen any other PR35s in Australia, I imported mine. There's a live recording of it with no EQ (just a low cut) here: Explain this sound on a live recording?

[KeithMoonwannabe]

Originally Posted by tINY

I wouldn't be afraid of a $100 mic if it worked for the particular voice.

Most of the decent, but not outrageously priced, vocal performance mics live in the $160-$450 range. Lots of good options in the $200 ballpark here in the USA. In Italy, I don't know for sure (but I bet AT and Sennheisser are available).




-tINY

I agree with that 100% on my voice I an still use an SM58, Beta 57, or Beta 58 and get really good results.

I also happen to like the e835, OM2, PR20, etc quite well.

From $100-$175 there are lots of great options not sure about the availability and pricing though in Italy.

But I'd definitely say if you can find em AT, HEIL, and SENNHEISER are my top picks since Shure isn't the vibe you are after.

[wordstew]

I sing live all the time. I own both the Shure KSM9 and the Sennheiser E965 ran them both through a Soundcraft board and my ears told me to go with the KSM9. Both of these mics can be had for around $450.00. Either one would be a good choice.

Keep in mind the better the mic the better the vocalist has to be. Your ability or lack of is fully exposed with these mics.

[danken]

These mics stand out from the rest lately but I haven't heard them next to the sennheiser e 935 has anyone out there had the opportunity to compare the two?
Danken

[edva]

This is the heart of the matter: _Find A Mic That Works On Your Voice_.
Every voice is different, and there is a complimentary mic for most.

The _Great_ singers _Can_ sound good on a cheap mic, but a better mic
would always be better, even for them. For a less-than-great singer, the
mic matters even more.

[mixedupsteve]

Originally Posted by danken

These mics stand out from the rest lately but I haven't heard them next to the sennheiser e 935 has anyone out there had the opportunity to compare the two?
Danken

I own a PR22 and I hardly ever use it for live. Very low output and flat. Won't cut through a loud stage, OK on accoustic stuff if the singer has good mic technique.

I've mixed for people that had their own PR35 a few times that were accoustic acts and I love it. Very rich sounding. I don't think I'd like it for a rock singer though.

Love the 935 and 45