GearGossip Vocal Mic Shootout

[@shaniell.mathur6372]

The shure sm58 sounds neutral, warm and smooth . I like it the best .

[@johnyang799]

nd96 sounds really smooth and good

[@graindeseneve2850]

Good job it was really instructive! my choice will be the ND96

[@hobomobile1646]

most honest review I've found simply because you admit it's impossible to judge in a vacuum. I've done live sound 25 years and still encounter new situations and feedback. Having several tools in your kit is a lifesaver. No mic is a substitute for a good EQ and ear/ RTA to find the squeals, but singers will always push the limits and then it's nice to swap in a mic that suits their voice and style. Alas, you never find out in sound check.

[@kusholhumedeo7851]

For sound testing in my opinion it should be effect free.

[@zzzx8017]

I've tried all of those mics and more. I went from the SM58 to a Beta 58 which was an improvement. Then I tried other mics like the SEV7 and Sennheiser E945 and found them to be better, but I stumbled onto EV mics a few years back. Starting with the ND767, then the ND76, but when I tried the ND96 I was blown away! That mic is extremely hot but does an excellent job of being loud with no feedback. I know it comes down to personal preference and every singer should try as many mics as possible to find their best fit, but the ND96 is the best for loud performances. To me it is the clear winner.

[@gerimayawhyte154]

I purchased an EV nd96 upon recommendation and I have to say right out the box that I've been completely underwhelmed myself. It just doesn't have the presence I was looking for tonally. It sounds kind of boxy to me, whereas the sure beta 58 was just crisp and boomy right off the bat. Almost felt like I didn't have to do anything to it eq wise. Maybe it has something to do with the system that I'm using the mic through, but the system is an EV unit so I don't get it. 🤷🏽

[@001mladen]

after 15 years of giging with a shure, i bought ND96... never looked back. its a mean machine!!!

[@officialWWM]

Me too. I own 3 of them and they are awesome!

[@ScarlettMoonMusic]

The MOST pro review I found today! I am looking for a mic with presence since my voice is quite warm despite being a high alto...Your video helped immensely and I have now followed your channel! Thank you!

[@Mr13wonderboy77]

If you don't mind me asking, what vocal mic sounds best on you? Your description of your voice sounds almost exactly to how i feel about my own and its hard to find a mic that doesn't make me sound like i'm talking through a pillow.

[@tbeardmore1]

your vid really helped , im now using the industry standard sm58 to stun fish and mash potatoes and have nice audix vocal with no feedback

[@empathysgone96]

ND96 versus Sennheiser e945??

[@nodaysback1]

The OM7 has the tightest pattern, best feedback resistance and off axis rejection of any live mic that I'v used (I own an sm58, beta58, e935, om7, pr35). But, it also requires a different mic technique than you might be accustomed to using with other microphones that have a wider, more common sweet spot. The pattern is very unforgiving if you drift off mic, and you have to pull away differently when you belt out a loud word or phrase because your volume drops quickly as soon as you move from directly on mic and your tone thins out quickly once you lose the proximity effect. It wouldn't be my choice if I was playing guitar while singing. It probly be good for a drummer who sings some backup bcs of its off axis rejection.. you'd get less bleed off the kit than with other mics, but u have to eat the front of the mic when you sing.

[@jasonbodden8816]

It *is* a very tight pattern but you certainly don't have to eat the mic when you sing. You can't be any real distance away from it but you don't have to be touching it with your lips either. I own the Audix OM-7 and have been using it for a few years. It's one of my favorite mics, particularly for loud situations. I sing in Rock bands and it cuts with superb sound. And I would never sing with *ANY* mic as far from my mouth as Thomas demonstrates here lol.

[@nodaysback1]

@@jasonbodden8816 Yes, u'r right. I should have been more clear about that.. You don't have to be that close to the OM-7. In most cases, two or maybe three inches away is good as long as you stay centered on it. But, you need to stay aware of drifting off center or turning your head to look at your hand while playing guitar. Your level and tone will change very quickly. I like the OM-7 in a loud and confined space like in a small jam room or on a tight stage. You can boost a lot more preamp gain before it feeds back and it picks up much less cymbal and guitar bleed than the other mics I've used. When it gets really bad, a little less gain and eating the mic is helpful as a last resort.

[@jasonbodden8816]

@@nodaysback1 Oh definitely. Drifting out of the direct line of the OM-7 is a no-no lol. I definitely agree there!

[@aaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Is the PR35 really good for low male voices? I need a handheld mic with good low frequency (to be similar to sm7b) and everyone recommends this one

[@nodaysback1]

@@aaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa PR35 is a great mic for a deep voice. l'd say better than an SM7B in that regard, becs it has a considerably larger diaphragm. But, it is noticeably sensitive to plosives becs of that too, esp hand held, w/o a pop screen. It has a low-cut filter switch on the mic which helps a lot with P's and B's, but possibly at the expense of also filtering some of the low register you want it for.. Good technique with this mic..

[@Mix7Studio]

First of all, the feedback you're speaking of with Shure mics made us all (my guys) laugh out loud. Only a true FOH engineer would know of the nightmare those mics were. When I first started running sound years ago it was 57's on instruments and 58's on vocals. With the use of the occasional use of the Sennheiser 421 on drums. But really the Shures were all we had back then. I'm a FOH Engineer as well as a full-scale studio owner, mix and mastering engineer. Over my 30+ years "in the biz" I've used just about every mic ever made except the Audix OM7 and others I'm sure. When I owned the music stores we were a "master dealer" for Audix, which means we supplied the smaller stores with microphones at A or B collum dealer pricing for Audix. The last mic I used from the Audix OM Series was the OM5. I must admit, my guys and I all agreed and actually fell in love with the Audix mics. Especially the D Series. The D2, D3 and D4 were incredible sounding instrument mics. The D1 was somewhat useful for overheads, under snare micing and for micing hats if it's all you have to use. But in reality, the D1 is something that should have never been made in the first place lol. We rarely used the D1's. And the D6 had too much coloration straight out of the box. It seems they tried to boost the frequencies we typically boost when using a kick drum mic right out of the box and it failed in my book. We stayed with the D4 and still use them to this day. Before I went to school to get my degree in Broadcast Engineering/Science Arts I was a lead singer/ bass or guitar player. I had one of the ND767, I believe it was, and it was a GREAT sounding mic. As a matter of fact, I used it for so long that it began to come apart haha. The housing slid off the mic so I wrapped the handle of it with black gaff tape and it lasted another 3 or 4 years. But getting back to this video, I personally feel the EV or the Beyer are the only real choices. And after that, it comes down to the individual's voice and personal preference between the two mic. All IMHO

[@AlbertoMartinezDelRio]

Great review

[@Aniki82]

OH nice vidéo thanks for this review! :) Always nice to watch

[@thilokaal]

Toll, vielen Dank! Schöne Feiertage!:-)

[@easternman9695]

Incorrect test regarding feedback. Shure is cardioida, and Audix, Bayerdynamic and EV are supervardioid and hypercardioid. Fedback appears in cardioid when the monitors are on the side, while supercardioid and hypercardioid appears when the monitors are in front of the microphone. Fedback test failed. You had to use Shure beta 58 for testing

[@Tazmanian_Ninja]

That's true, but also a huge oversimplification. Numerous other factors play a part in feedback, and as you can hear Thomas conclude at the end of the video, feedback varies wildly from one scenario to another. And no, it's not just about using a cardiod mic when using wedge monitors which would otherwise hit the rear lobe of super- and hypercardiod mics. That said, of course, a figure-8 ribbon mic will indeed reject everything at 90 degrees to either side, but be a horrible idea for a monitor positioned behind (180 degrees) the mic. In the real world, many other factors play a huge part in the feedback susceptibility.

[@JuanBlasBecerra]

The best mic the 88 beyerdynamic

[@holmes1978]

Excellent

[@napalmhardcore]

I'm detecting you aren't a big fan of the SM58. Like many people I was told it is the standard, so when I was looking for my first decent (the term "decent" being relative) mic, that's what I bought (can't remember exactly when I bought it but I think it was around 15 years ago). I've personally been very happy with my purchase and have bought another as a backup. While I'd like to try other mics, I must admit I'm a little apprehensive. The SM58 has worked well for me and my style (I like a bit of space between myself and the mic rather than eating it like 90% of people I've watched using them). I see it as a fairly safe option for a variety of reasons. In my experience the SM58 works well in live applications because it isn't offensive to the ear. It tames some of the less desirable frequencies and sibilance (perhaps at the expense of sparkle, but a dull mic offends less than a bright one). It also sits well in a live mix (which can differ from a recording/studio mix) without too much work if the person operating the mixer doesn't know what they're doing. On a case by case basis, particular mics may suit particular individuals voices better, but the SM58 works well for most peoples voices in a wide variety of applications. Please note that my comment isn't leaping to the defence of the SM58 simply because I own one (well... two actually). Much of what I've said about why the SM58 is popular has been said before (I'm not going to pretend the points I'm making are original). I'm just saying that my experience with it reflects what so many other people have said about it. Great video as always :)

[@Tazmanian_Ninja]

Not really. The SM58 isn't quite the smoothest mic out there. But if you're happy with it, enjoy it! No one ever said this was a football or similar sporting match, with teams you can root for, while boo'ing the other team. Feel free to enjoy your mic! No one here says you can't or shouldn't 😉 I also owned the SM58 for years. Sold it. It's fine, but for my use there were (many) better options.

[@MrHooskerdu1]

You get what you pay for with the SM58, an averae sound. Very durable, but not a very dynamic mic. These other mics are $40+ more in price and are both better sounding and better at feedback suppression.

[@huss03]

For voice, you should have tried the M69 instead of the M88

[@ThomasSchuber]

exactly why?

[@huss03]

M69 response is tailored better for vocalist applications, whereas M88 is more flat wide-bandwidth general purpose dynamic. M69 will sound more "right" in vocal applications more of the time than M88 will.

[@huss03]

BTW I really like your singing

[@huss03]

At close range, the M88 doesn't sound right...too much proximity bass-boost and not enough presence-range boost. The M69 has a better balance of the right amount of proximity effect vs presence-range boost for close-up work. The M88 is a bit hard to control without EQ, whereas the M69 is closer to being "just right" as soon as you bring the fader up.

[@huss03]

I've just watched this video again and focused more on the feedback test part. Very interesting.

[@michaeldiaz5473]

It would be a good idea to say what mic you are using

[@ThomasSchuber]

I think i said i'm using the Audix

[@devonbiker]

M88 Sounded best to me

[@dennisjohnminicz8036]

What is the name of you eq? What preamp do you recommend for max 500$? Thanks in advance / Dennis

[@mosesturgemanofficial4889]

M88 TG

[@melindakiss2083]

My best microphone beyerdynamic m88 tg number one

[@gorilkamil6514]

Great review I like it so much. Sure if I had a chance to work with a great Eq system on the stage I would choose M88. But since I’m a singer songwriter who has to work with not the best sound system of a live music venue. I have to choose nd96. I’m already using nd767 I love the clarity of it but if I boost up the treble as much as I desire, then I’m facing with the feedback issues. That’s why I’ll go with its feedback resistant big brother nd96.

[@neilmorrison4239]

Can you please tell me what headset mic you are using?

[@tomspiller2449]

EV - ND96

[@antonmirsaputra4592]

Talk about on stage, have you considered the polar pattern for each microphone? Unlike SM58 which has cardioid polar pattern, TG 88 & OM7 are hypercardioid, ND96 is supercardioid, meaning that the monitor speaker should be placed slightly off axis from the mic (slightly to the left or right) since it will pick up little amount of sound from the back of the mic itself. And yes, those mics (TG88, ND96 & OM7) was built for a passive singer, whose likely to be sitting or standing at one spot. And I agree, with good equalization (and knowledge about mic characteristic as well), those mics can be a good alternatives than SM58. I like the TG88's proximity effect though.

[@Mix7Studio]

True but, the test was to compare what the industry dictates as vocal mics. So in the context of the video, it would apply equally as well as the others. I've used 57's and 58's for longer than many people reading this have been alive and personally speaking, I would never spend another dime on either of those mics again.

[@900672]

Interessant

[@torbenhellborn3175]

One big forgetting . . in around 4 minutes when you finish talking and begin . . it is for me completely un-understandable why you do not write the name of the michrophone you guys are using. Now I got a pretty good memory (and also own an SM58 or two) so I can more or less SEE what you are holding in yur hands - but come on where is the writing . .

[@seanobrien7568]

lol that knob twiddling

[@Tazmanian_Ninja]

They are matching the gain, you fool.

[@GuitarKobe86]

Hi Thomas, question, would a microphone like de OM-7 help to record voices in a non treated room ??? i mean if would it help with room reflections in a room with non acoustic treatment. Thanks for the great review !!!!

[@mosesturgemanofficial4889]

1. M88 TG 2. SM58

[@coreysousa6480]

I have an om7. Had to special order it back in the day. And they looked at me sideways. SM 58s have a beta, and played n sung through 10's of em. Maybe 100's. The others? I love an om7 thru a tube pre into a mackie or soundcraft or Allen and Heath. Old boards not this new crap.

[@miguelacosta4298]

beyerdynamic m88 has unmatched performance ...