Which vocal mic are you using?

#81
I used a Shure Unidyne 545 (57 with a switch...and prettier) from '75 to the 2000's. (I quickly learned to suppress SS's and P's and only used a windscreen outside if there was wind.)

I have several mics, but prefer a Beta 57. I didn't care for the beta 58. I have three EV ND series mics. I like them at first, but after a couple years, they start to change tone...losing low end. Don't know why.
 
#83
Steve Dallman said:
I used a Shure Unidyne 545 (57 with a switch...and prettier) from '75 to the 2000's. (I quickly learned to suppress SS's and P's and only used a windscreen outside if there was wind.)

I have several mics, but prefer a Beta 57. I didn't care for the beta 58. I have three EV ND series mics. I like them at first, but after a couple years, they start to change tone...losing low end. Don't know why.
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I have one of those! A friend found it during a home cleanout - and it was clean / functional!
 
#88
Personally, i use an Audix OM2 (best $100ish mic IMO) most of the time. I do have a Shure Beta 87C that I use some of the time but it can be challenging in louder stage environments. Shure SM58 is always in the mic box as well...not the best but usable for just about anything.
 
#90
Whatever your voice range, it really comes down to how the mic suits *your* voice. Some will, some won't. A Sennheiser e935 will work for almost every voice, IME. Really, a SM58 killer.

Audix OM-5 for my voice, though.

In live situations, a consistent pattern, bleed control and good feedback rejection are equal to good sound. You can always further adjust the sound (if it's "close enough") with EQ.
 
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#91
Lot's of good choices but really you need to try a few and see what works for you. Shure 58 or beta 58 I like to have on hand, Super 55 or 55SH's have a great look and sound (awesome stage presence if you like the look). My preference though are Beyer M88's and M69's. I like my voice through a M88 (or EV RE20). I would also look at the Beyer TGV50d or TGV70d
 
#94
I used an sm58 forever until a used audix om5 came through the music shop I was working in. I tried it out and was sold. I don't have a boomy, bassy, voice either and the smooth mid and low mid response of the audix just fit my voice better than the sm58 ever did. The rumbly muddy tone was gone and it was clear and clean, sitting in the mix right like it should. Almost like they engineered the mic for my voice.
 
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#95
I sing mostly backup, with foh provided at most of the gigs, so I find myself singing in sm58's most of the time. The 58's are fine if you have learned to keep close to the mic and not move too far off when singing.

I have three or four mics of my own, a sinnheiser 835 and a 935, which are my favorites, a wireless sm58, regular one, and maybe a beta, which ever one has a switch. I also have a cheap one model not even sure of the make, but it's really hot and sounds suprisingly good.

The 58's are a little midrangy, but work ok with my voice. The 835 and 935 are hotter and seem to be fuller across the spectrum, and they are my first choice.

Honestly in a live mix I can't tell much difference personally, and a tweak of the eq in the monitor seems to make a bigger difference than the mic brand.
 
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#98
SM58. I'm very familiar with skl its quirks having used them since forever and I know the techniques for how to "work it."

There's probably better these days. But for all around general decent rock vocal sound, a '58 is pretty hard to beat. Affordable and virtually indestructible too.
 
#99
Audix VX-5. Best vox mic I have ever sung on in a non-studio environment. Ahand held, damped condenser, I can back way off and sing old or get up on it and sing softly or loudly. No real proximity effect. I love it. I do roll some high end off but nowhere near as much as I would on a beta 87. They are quite similar but the Audix is sweeter or maybe less harsh and it is less feedback prone.

I know that $250 seems like a lot fora voxmic but if you're singing on 50+ gigs per year a high quality mic just seems to make sense to me...

I'm still offerring on-5's and 6's plus sm-58's as my front line vox mic's for sound company use.
 
#100
I'm a tenor and love my Sennheiser E935. I had used an SM57 in the 70s and 80s and upgraded to a Beta 57 when they came out. Though the Beta works well with my voice, two years ago a live engineer suggested the Sennheiser and I fell in love with the studio condenser-like clarity live. Although I might get heat for this, I recently bought a Samson mic after watching a Richie Kotzen live concert on YouTube. His voice sounded amazing live and close ups revealed that it was a Samson Q7. I looked it up online and found it was only $49! I ordered one out of curiosity and asked a couple of my favorite FOH soundmen to A/B it live with my E935 during sets with my band. Both were incredibly impressed with the sound and said they ended up running the mic completely flat at the board to get the sound they wanted. If you don't have much money to spend on a mic, or just want to add something new to your mic arsenal, I'm not sure you could do better than the Q7 since it compares very favorably to my $169 Sennheiser.
BTW, the Richie Kotzen Live 2015 concert is just amazing. Richie is an insanely talented singer and guitar player and the band is as tight as it gets. They are one of the best 3 piece bands I have ever heard and Dylan Wilson is now one my favorite bass players. Check it out on YouTube, it will be time well spent.
 
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