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(Yet another) mic question

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vinestreet98	(Yet another) mic question	Lead	[-]
Posts: 166 (10/09/08 21:36:26) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None Hey all... I've been using a SM58 for a while now on stage and have come to the conclusion that I can do much, much better sound-wise. I recently played a show where I didn't bring my mic and used their Sennheiser e935... I was blown away by how much better the vox sounded (I record all of my shows and this was simply the best). So... does anyone have any insight into the following mics which are all around the same price range? Sennheiser e935 Audix OM5 Electro-Voice ND767A I'm thinking of going with the Senn. but I also tested out the OM5 and the Electro-Voice and at least in the store today they sounded good too... I seriously can't believe all the hype surrounding the SM58... Sure, it can hammer nails, but don't compromise your vocals!
JoeTechie		#1	[-]
Posts: 6375 (10/14/08 02:00:21) Administrator In the future... Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Audix blows the other 2 away. Stay away from Senn's low end, nothing under $250 is worht crap... sad, they make some of the best mics in the world, but low end is just hard for companies like this. EV = ditto above. Don't sell the SM58 short... First, NO ONE EVER SAID IT WAS THE BEST MIC EVER. It has a very specific sound, that is all. It warms male vocals so they sound better in the low midrange to upper low range frequencies. It also has a bump to add a little presence, but other than that - it is a very simple mic with mediocre response curves. It IS durrable as hell, and on the road (real road, not your 15 nights a summer tour where the mic falls once and a while, but the real road tours where you replace windscreens every 3 months because of all the dents in it) that matters a lot more. All the other mics are much flatter response curve mics... which means a little cleaner sound, but also harsher in some areas that may make you sound worse on stage. If your vocals have progressed, and your are more gentle on mics, grab the Audix... I just saw Alanis Morissette and she is still using the OM5, has for years. Hope this helps, -J
djmmjd		#2	[-]
Posts: 10 (12/17/08 02:35:41) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Absolutely right about the 58, but it depends on what your looking for in a mic. The 58 is a workhorse with a specific sound. If you have a good voice or want a pristine mic that will bring out nuance this is not what you want. I'm gonna have to completely disagree with Joe on the e935. This is a phenomenal live mic. The om5 and om7 are both great mics but I wouldn't get the Audix's unless you specifically need a tight polar pattern. I have used all of the above mics and if had to pick one it would be the 935. There is reason that Dave Matthews Band's crew switched Dave's vocal mic to the 935 in the last few years for both full band and acoustic shows. And this is after him using the kms105 for a few years. I actually personally use either a kms105 or Shure Beta 87a for the majority of my gigs which are mostly acoustic solo shows because I want people to hear nuance. For full band stuff, I use the 935.
JoeTechie		#3	[-]
Posts: 6383 (12/29/08 23:36:27) Administrator In the future... Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I like disagreements, I learn from them. I am familiar with the 800 series (which suck) and the 945 (which I like, thus the $250 comment) but did some more research on the 935 because of the above comments... it is not as bad as I thought. The entire 900 series is made in Germany vs. the 800 made in Taiwan, but for some reason when I replied, I thought it was not. It is not just a 900 version of the crappy 835. Not a bad all around mic. Thanks. However, your argument conflicts with itself... The OM5 has a tighter pickup pattern, but is still cardioid, not super-cardioid, why would you not choose a wider pickup pattern mic for "full band stuff" that gives less off axis rejection ? Neumann KMS105 and Shure Beta87 are an entirely different conversation - condensers on stage requires some understanding of audio engineering principles, vs the wonders of plug-and-sing dynamic mics. I still have a problem w/ people comparing the 58 to flat-response mics. I found my favorite analogy in a while... Think of the 58 as a butter knife. You use it all the time, it is pretty good at cutting through most of the stuff you eat, and spreads well and can even be a screwdriver or lock-pick or ??? But it is NOT a samurai or a ginsu or a chef's knife or a fillet knife or even a screwdriver... These are more specific-use items and much better at their jobs, they cost more, but do it better. If however you compare the butter knife to a spork or a plastic knife it looks pretty good. All about moving forward. Just don't show up to a knife fight with a butter knife! -Joe

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