Premier Rock Forum

If you mean to consider condensers, the Shure Beta87C is pretty good.

I have used 87Cs live w/loud rock band, and the vocals sounded swell, but the bleed was extreme. 87C is cardioid. 87A is supercard, which helps w/bleed, but I don't like the sound of the 87A. Quite nasal. The C is much smoother.

Shure has a new live vocal mic coming out soon--KSM9, I think--that has switchable polar patterns (cardioidish to supercardish). The prototypes I heard completely destroyed the Neumann KMS105, which I didn't think sounded that bad in the first place. The Neumann seemed really woolly next to the proto Shure.

All the Shure stuff has to pass the same durability tests. The condensers are pretty roadworthy.

I like Audix mics for loud bands or quiet vocalists. The ones I am most familiar with are:

om-5:gain is similar to, but a little higher than a '58. These are supposed to be the easiest mic to swap for a 58. Watch out for the high mid spike (around 3k, i think).

om-6:gain is higher than a 58, pickup pattern is tighter than the om-5. It has less of a "peaky" sounding high midrange than the om-5 or the shure betas. It does have more low end than the other Audix mics, On deeper voices it can be a little muddy around 180Hz. The added gain will freak out some house sound guys. It still has a 3k spike.

om-7:Gain is lower than the om-5. It has the tightest pickup pattern of the three. Since more gain is required from the mic pre, it isn't as useful in "shitty gear" situations (while I've seen the 0m-5 make a big difference in "pa-on-a-stick" kind of shows). The low gain will freak out some house guys. 3k spike too.

The big problem I've had with the Audix mics is that the very tight hypercardiod pickup causes almost as much bleed/feedback problems as more open mics if the singer doesn't stay right on the grill. The aforementioned mid bump will make any cymbal wash and any other sonic flotsom and jetsom that makes it's way in pretty painful and gross sounding. They also do not handle physical abuse and spit/moisture as well as the Shure vocal mic's- I don't know how out of hand your stage shows get.

The betas' patterns are a little more relaxed, and while they do keep out more stage wash than standard Shures, they are a little more accomodating to vocalists drifting off the mic than the Audix mics. I sometimes find the high end emphasis on the betas a little sibiliant and goofy sounding, but the crisp top end can really sound good on deep male vocals. I like the beta 57 a little more than the beta 58. I hate the beta 87.

I'm not as familiar with sennheiser's vocal mic's. They have a airy high charecter like the betas, but usually have a fuller low end to them. They tend to swap out for standard 58's pretty easily (which is helpful if the house guy isn't familiar with the sound of the mic.)

Hope this helps.

-GR.

Bumping this thread after a few days on the road.

Wondering if I could get some suggestions to narrow down the choices presented here (or if there's any new information/people who could suggest something). I've been using our ratty SM58 for the past few nights. You know the one - first mic ever bought, rolls around in the top of the toolbox, etc. Anyway, I wonder if there's anything that's as durable but that will sound a little better while providing suitable gain before feedback. The mic would be dealing with a singing to yelling vocalist, going up against distorted guitar/bass and a pounding/crashing drum machine.

I don't need Sinatra detail, but want something that gives me more than Lamb of God/Bob Log range.

Ideas?

= Justin

Hey Justin,

tmidgett wrote:on tour, i once used a crown CM-310A. it sounded pretty good, and it had very good gain before feedback. you might try to scare up one, though they can be expensive, i think.

I'm considering buying one of these for live use.

I only used one on one occasion. But the sound has stuck in my head for the last ten years. And it was really fucking loud.

Plus as mentioned it was good enough for Kurt Cobain, so what the fuck? It's not gonna be good enough for us? I think it will be TOO GOOD for us if anything.