Shure SM81 Mic Review / Test (vs. KM184, MK012, M5, sE8, U87 Ai)

[@Podcastage]

DO NOT contact anyone on Telegram that is claiming to be me. I am not giving anything away. They are scammers trying to steal your money and data.

[@daveball3081]

After struggling to get a female vocalist's sound to cut through a live mix, I threw a pop-filter onto an SM81 and asked her to try it. The SM81 lifted her voice through the mix without being overly sharp. I've flown the '81 over a piano, in front of a cello, and even over a tuba - I agree with Bandrew: it's just going to give you what it hears and not color the sound.

[@Schmuddel]

That's why I love flat SDCs, it's the most natural sound you can get outside of a high-dollar ribbon.

[@ssh3mk]

Yes, I've been using 81 for nearly 20 years to record anything from acoustic instruments to news speech in studio environment. Only "slight" problem when using it to record vocals is if the person comes too close and creates some sort of wind turbulence either by moving or speaking, the SM 81 will cut off immediately. It's much more sensitive to air pressure than most other condenser mics, probably why they primarily advertise it as instrument mic. However, I've been doing live broadcasts with studio guests, four SM81's on, placed around 1 meter away from the speakers, they sound incredible. The flattest sound I've ever had a pleasure to work with. Their pickup is great and off-axis isolation even greater. Once it was some sort of political debate, one person was screaming, the other one was whispering, the third one was cleaning his glasses, the SM81's picked up everything without clipping or dropping.

[@liefhebber6277]

It really is amazing how good you've gotten at reviewing mics, taking suggestions and learning things. Seriously. You are a godsend.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

Bandrew was born with a Neumann Mic in his hand and his first words were Hello Neumann.

[@YHRS]

I bought a pair of used SM81s several years ago and they've been in nearly constant use since then. The ruler-flat response makes it my first choice on something that I've never miked before. It's my go-to for drum overheads and any random percussion or instrument that I just want an accurate capture of. Excellent on acoustic guitar, great as a boom mic for spoken word, and surprisingly good on an electric guitar amp.

[@nafis6668]

Im considering to get this for guitar amp. I grown bored with high mid spike from the sm57.

[@starman5754]

@@nafis6668 I would not recommend the 81 for cabinet micing. Consider the awesome Lauten Audio LS-208....it really is the SM57 killer.

[@nafis6668]

@@starman5754 wow, it has low and high cut filter , the mids is flat. thanks for telling me :)

[@enewhuis]

I suppose the SM81s would def be a huge upgrade for my overheads since I've got nothing but a box full of SM57. If I only had two SM81s and the rest are SM57s and Beta56As then which should I use for overhead versus room? (Yes I've been using SM57 for close, overhead, and room but hopefully not for too much longer.)

[@starman5754]

I've used SM81s for 25 years and you pretty much nailed its profile here. I have characterized these as very flat, neutral 2D image mics. They work best for me in live situations, drum/percussion overheads and misc spot micing of classical instruments. They are very capable mics in the studio but for tracking more secondary things where fine detail isn't needed. If it's going to be mixed deep in the sound stage, these are your go-to. The more foreground the sound, the more you'll want to move to a mic that offers the full body and 3D image of a large condenser. Serious at doing sound? You'll never regret having a pair of these on hand! They can literally do it all.

[@Podcastage]

Great insight Starman. Thank you for sharing.

[@curseleisure5507]

Keep those SDC reviews coming! Would love to see one for the KSM141

[@coffeehigh420]

This channel completely changed my life.

[@ShawnMilo]

My mic comparison notes: Rode M5: A little thinner Sennheiser E614: noticable sibilance SE8: sounds similar to me Octava MK012: Mildly high-boosted in comparison Beyerdynamic MC930: very similar to me Neumann KM184: Sounds high-end boosted in comparison, prefer the SM81 Neumann U87ai: Strong clarity by comparison, made the SM81 sound a bit fuzzy by comparison

[@agork]

I concur on all points

[@mattbailey1501]

I think the Shure SM81 is the mic Chicago's legendary 93XRT used as their on-air microphone for decades, along with the A81WS windscreen. (Yes, the "81" indicates that the windscreen everyone loves on the Shure SM57 was originally intended for the Shure SM81). The SM81 was also famously used to record the UK's Speaking Clock.

[@samhughes1747]

Hey. I'm always amused at how annoyed you get doing the shootouts, but your comparisons are singularly fantastic. Thanks for doing the legwork and walletwork for all us mere hobbyists!

[@jasonthompson2059]

This mic is known to be one of the very best for recording classical guitar - great workhorse mic, enjoyed the review!

[@alexcloud1252]

This channel has completely changed how I think about SDC's, specifically when it comes to vocals.

[@iaian7]

Can confirm, the Shure SM81 is a fantastic microphone. I got a Rode NT2-A when I was building out my home kit, thinking the SM81 was more of a live performance microphone and the NT2-A would be better in the living room studio. I was wrong. The SM81 is just fantastic, and I’ve now been using it with traditional woodwinds for years. So long as it has wind protection of course!

[@mustafaunsoy]

Thank you very much for sharing your experience in recording traditional woodwinds with SM81. I play Turkish ney and I've been looking for a good SDC for recording the ney. I have tried various different budget mics. I got the best results with se8, and (if I direct the mic a bit above the embouchure) SM58. However some famous mics, including Octava MK012, Seinheisser e945, and NT1A, gave very bad results, picking too much wind noise.. I had to use weird mic placement with these mics to reduce the wind noise. So for now, I'm stuck with SE8. I want to upgrade to a better SDC with a flat response (which I believe is critical to prevent excessive wind noise). I've been thinking about buying Austrian Audio CC8 or SM81. And thanks to your comment, I think I will buy the SM81.

[@iaian7]

@@mustafaunsoy Wind protection (good foam, careful mic placement) is critical, but once in place, the mic should work great. Though I play irish whistle, and I wonder if the ney has more wind turbulence? I’ve tried to play it before, and failed terribly. 😆 I’ll be curious what you think of the SM81!

[@Pandellon]

Damn, that sounds so natural

[@ScottGrammer]

The SM81 is one of the mics I owned back in my studio days. it worked a treat on bright "bluegrass" instruments like mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, also a great drum overhead. Not as great on acoustic guitar, but not bad. Not for use on vocals. The AKG C451 was better on guitar and less-bright instruments. All IMHO, of course.

[@TechSecSpaceGeek]

I agree with all of that from my live days. They were my everyday hi-hat and overhead mics, worked great for bright fretted instruments, and I used them a time or five on the high strings of a piano. Absolute workhorse of a pencil condenser.

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke No 2! This No 2 is for the hard throw!

[@Podcastage]

Thank you so much Rainer! You are a legend! This money will go towards my batting cage time so I can get better at baseball and join the major leagues. ;)

[@techmed-rainer]

@@Podcastage Haha, yeah! I will visit all your games then! If you were here, your choice probably would have been handball.

[@tstankie]

When I worked in Polish Radio Krakow four years ago they've been used in the main studio (complimentary with two Rode Boradcasters) with Shure A81g dedicated windscreens. So they used to look like a hybrid of a SDC and a handheld mic.

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@frankcoffey]

The tone of the SM81 is just perfect for instruments and it tends to just pick up what's in front of it and that's a feature. By contrast the AKG C451 B is going to pick up all kinds of room noise, even the air moving! So the C451B is a great mic when you want to pick up every little detail. If you are trying to capture one thing for a track the SM81 is the way to go. It's also great on cymbals.

[@gabrielobrien21]

One of the best for sure. KSM141 is a great alternative and can be omni or cardioid. I’ve been using the Telefunken M60 FET on all my Taylor stuff for the last year, before that it was all SM81 and Audio Technica ATM450

[@sirlordbaltimore9403]

Hey buddy - thnx for reviewing this. I've used this mic on my last 2 records and love it to death. It's audible and present, and just tucks into a mix is such an agreeable way. LUV it !!! Looking 4ward to watching UR review - ty

[@MidnightMiik]

It’s often used as a drum mic so the lower output could be useful. I recommend checking out the Line Audio CM4. It’s an extremely inexpensive SDC that sounds amazing!

[@SGBass]

I think you nailed this one! I have even seen the SM81 used in a pinch as a choir Mic, and it performed equally well. It is rare to find a microphone this neutral.

[@Dracomies]

This sounds fantastic. Man, I'm thinking I just have a liking to Shure mics ie KSM32, SM7B and this mic. Well, maybe not the Sm58 lel. But overall, a great sounding little mic!

[@gitpho]

Same! I might just be conditioned through exposure, but there’s just something about Shure mics that hits the sweet spot for me. I wish Bandrew would bring some attention to the KSM42-such an underrated vocal mic and my personal favorite.

Note for Bandrew - we’re waiting for the ksm42 review! Please do it 🙏

[@chrishowe8614]

After watching a few of your videos, something occurred to me. Since you seem to have a large and growing mic collection, you are really well placed to do clone and copy comparisons with the originals. Warm Audio comes to mind. You probably don't want to buy a bunch of copy mics but this could drive a lot of viewers to your channel.

[@fhilario]

Hi Bandrew! I would love to see a review and comparison of the Austrian Audio SDC 🥰

[@nickgoogle4525]

Just buy it. Best buy IMO besides the more expensive Schoeps or Sennheiser options. I prefer it over the KM184 btw.

[@fhilario]

@@nickgoogle4525 you mean the Austrian Audio CC8?

[@darikdatta]

Would like to hear the Rode NT5 in these comparisons, I like it a lot better than the M5. And of course I really want to hear how the AT4053B stacks up against the competition.

[@ElijahG98]

LOL that plosive test. This is an excellent sounding mic. Most mics are too boomy or too tinny. This just sounded good in every test. very similar to the KM184 for less money.

[@sojournerfornow]

Nice review and yes, pretty much the most honest SDC out there and has been for decades. It's not often thought of for vocals, but it can be a real hero for many both male and female because of tremendous honest articulation. Not mentioned... It can be wonderful for overheads and string instruments such as cello and acoustic bass. Excellent room mics and for stereo pair use. Now, there are many less expensive SDC out there to consider but at the time, this was the choice if you couldn't spring for Shoeps or Neumann

[@mashburnofficial]

This mic saved me on one song in particular, with acoustic guitar. It's a song where the acoustic is by itself, with a vocal, for the first part of the song, and then bass, drums, electric guitar drop in partway into the song, and the challenge was getting the acoustic to sound smooth and intimate in the first part of the song, but still cut through the dense "rock" mix once the drums and everything drops in... This was really challenging for me. I tried every room position I could think of using the SDC mic I had on hand (Soyuz 013, a great mic), even resorted to treating the room better acoustically (adding more dense bass trapping in corners, etc.); I tried everything I could think of EXCEPT a totally different microphone. Finally, I did a shootout with the Soyuz, an SM-81, an AT-4041, and an AKG C451B. The SM-81 (using the bass cut switch on the mic) beat out all the other microphones. It sounded smooth enough in the beginning of the song where there's nothing but an acoustic and a vocal (the other mics were TOO detailed or had too much high end information / boosting and just sounded distracting from the vocal in this part of the song; you could hear every single string noise and pluck and it wasn't "neutral" enough), and it ALSO cut through the dense drums and bass that drop into the song once the full arrangement comes in. Pretty amazing that this little relatively inexpensive mic beat out these other more expensive options, like the Soyuz 013 which is typically my go-to mic for acoustic guitar. Just wanted to share.

[@franflannery]

nice review - its a very good bottom snare mic as well - The shure A81G is a slide on metal grill pop filter specifically made for the sm81 and does a good job (better than the foam) at handling plosives- I am not positive they still sell them though

[@LorneVignettes]

I'm glad my SM81's came with hard cases. I got mine directly from Shure though.

[@nickgoogle4525]

Great review. Waiting for the CC8 review… :-)

[@Podcastage]

I don't currently have one so it's not on the schedule at this time, but thank you for the suggestion.

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

I am just at the point where I am beginning to think about getting a microphone (for acoustic guitar, mainly). I appreciate the thoroughness of your approach.

[@Podcastage]

Thank you very much for watching. I'm glad the videos are helping you in determining what mic may be best for you. Best of luck on that and happy recording.

[@zasheus2146]

Please review the Oktava

[@artysanmobile]

SM81 is frightfully sensitive to wind. The screen Shure provides is not nearly enough for any outdoor use. The A81WS, which we’ve seen on every White House event for decades is a required accessory. On the good side, it is a really durable condenser microphone. I have had 10 in my remote truck’s kit for over 40 years and needed repair on only two of them, which Shure did for a flat $90 each. My use is pretty rough, typically crowd or ambience mics, and they are amazingly tolerant of moisture. With the A81WS, they can be used in full-on rain day in day out without ever suffering the dreaded capsule frying. I don’t know how Shure accomplishes this. Another plus is the replaceable capsule. Again, odd since there is no alternative capsule, but a great advantage for hard use. I have two spare capsules and have never needed either of them!! This is not a mic that makes anything ‘sound good’, with a very flat response, which is a big deal for me. It makes the 81 a very versatile microphone to own. Drums, percussion, ambient and speech with the mandatory A81WS, bass and guitar speakers, most any acoustic instrument, orchestral spot mics, the list is endless. Close speech is about the only no-no. All this said, if purchasing new, I’d consider the KSM137 as an alternative.

[@jeremyg2245]

You should definitely check out Austrian Audio’s SDC offering, it’s frequency response is ruler flat

[@The-Skyking]

Wondering when this video was going to be made. Hands down, best acoustic guitar mic. Cona, ANY air going into the mic will be loud. I mean, walk by the mic too quickly and it'll blow the mic out. The output is really low. I like the middle setting of the HPF. Aside from that, it's great and pairs well with other mics if you're dual mic'ing anything. SUPER natural sound. Takes to EQ really really well. that neutral sound is great because it gives you a blank canvas to play with.

[@tedozhvania1268]

I really appreciate what you do. Your channel is very interesting to me, since I'm NYC based sound engineer building my career here since 2017. Can you please review a Shure SM137. I think that microphone is really interesting and it should sound really good for podcast proposes with its windscreen. Moreover it is under 200$ and can be a budget friendly for many applications. Thanks for you videos and good luck.

[@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent]

Hey Bandrew…specific question. How would this compare to the MKH416 for vocals in a moderately treated room? For example…the Tiny Desk concerts sound excellent with the MKH416…would this mic fair similarly? Rejecting the room and other instruments as well while giving clear Vox that pop?! Loaded question, who better to ask though, right?!

[@rafaelocandof]

You should review the Soyuz 013 FET

[@TheGracefulOrange]

Happy 3OOK podcastage 🎉

[@TheGracefulOrange]

@Podcastage. ? you sure

[@hsnlens]

Please we need a review about Tlm 193 😢

[@EzyoMusic]

I've been playing with the idea of getting a pair of more neutral SDCs to complement my MK-012s that I love, but I'm probably going for a pair of Line Audio CM4.

[@dovydaslaukysofficial]

this is insanely detaled AND THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE. BRAVO.

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm glad the video was detailed and helpful.

[@ElvenSpellmaker]

I love you saying _"Hello Neumann"_ , there was a video the other week where you didn't say it after saying "Neumann" and it just didn't feel right!

[@COPiX]

Congrats on 300k! I am from the future

[@chrisisasavage]

Id love to see you review the Samson C02 pair. It's cheap and apparently supet noisy but I've heard some good recordings from them.

[@BandrewScott]

Those will be reviewed. It’s on the Podcastage review calendar, but I made a joke that I wouldn’t review them until they’re “vintage” and that means next year they will be reviewed because they’ll be 20 years old.

[@WyattOShea]

I give the both throw a 9.2 out of 10.

[@Podcastage]

Thanks. I am trying out for the MLB, so maybe they’ll finally let me in.

[@TC_Conner]

I use that mic for recording my D28, not vocals. Love it.

[@GhostOfLorelei]

I’m genuinely impressed by how “not terrible” it sounds in an untreated room. I mean, you could hear it easily in the comparison, but I wonder how noticeable it would be for voice over to the average ear? One of the best I’ve heard on the channel I think.

[@tatangakarvel8667]

For your answer I will find and kill a Shure-Sticker :P First of: I totally love your videos. Creative, funny, entertaining and quiet some effort for songs to recording. Rock on! What would you recommend for Booming indoors? (-> a directional microphone for small spaced) "Pencil" SDCs seem the logical choice (shotgunmics annihilating too much of the sound caused by small room echo/reflection), but since I record atm more music than moviemagic, I thought something like the "km184" might be a nice solution. Would you recomment that? Or more the Sm81? 'Cause it looks like nobody is using the KM184 for it. Might just be the pricetag, but who knows? xD At least you mentioned the SM81 to be usefull in that category. Thanks in advance! Rock on!!! Aaaaand I know it's been quiet a long time since you uploaded this, but still hope anyone is reading this xD

[@Michael19960127]

Imho the best SDC is AKG C391. It’s criminally underrated.

[@idealfather3547]

I find it really hard to decide between the SM81 and KM184. I am currently trying both. SM81 almost half the price of the Km184. They sound very similar, but KM184 seems to sound slightly better in the high frequencies. The KM184 also has way less noise/hiss compared to the SM81. I can boost the high frequencies by a silly amount and not hear any hiss. The SM81 on the other hand has a lot of hiss if you boost the high frequencies or record a weaker signal. So the 184 seems slightly better, but is it worth it at almost double the price? I really can't decide.

[@mackenlyparmelee5440]

This thing sounds fabulous

[@MxxRie]

Very underrated microphone, great Allrounder for any sound engineers mic case. Take them over a km184 any day of the week

[@Podcastage]

A truly impressive mic, that's for sure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.

[@nicksonthevet]

Since it is a small condenser, can you use this for live singing?

[@samuelwittke511]

I think after Neumann's SDC there is only Schoeps(Mk5 has omni and Cardiod)and DPA left. Finally someone tells the world SDCs can be used for Voice. Due to the consistens polar pattern these are better for bad sounding rooms than an LDC.

[@ShawnMilo]

Just curious -- what is the point of the clap test in a treated vs untreated room? Doesn't that test the room more than the mic?

[@Podcastage]

You can hear how much of the room is picked up. It's a data point for comparing video to video. How much of the room is captured on the SM81 vs. the KMS184/ which one rejected more of the room?

[@ShawnMilo]

@@Podcastage Thanks!

[@PaulSultana]

Why do you hate stickers so much??? Your videos are my go-to for researching mics. Thank you!!

[@galaxymob7336]

Yes, the sm81 is too quiet for me too, and when I record an acoustic guitar I have a problem. Amplitudes are very small on the recording tape and I am very quiet on the mixer and I record at 20cm. away from the guitar. On the focusrite clarett+2, the gain is increased almost to the end, so the only solution is to amplify the guitar with a compressor. So you also have a quiet sm81?

[@Podcastage]

The SM81 is a bit on the quiet side. I had my gain on the 18i20 set at 4:00 when I was ~6 inches which is ~15cm. So that seems to be similar to your finding.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

What do you do with all these mics? Do you keep them all for refrence or future videos or do you sell or give them away?

[@Podcastage]

Stored for reference and comparison in future videos.

[@gagnerealtygroup]

I am struggling with selecting a mic. I want a mic that is excellent recording acoustic guitars, ukulele and banjo, but is also great for my voice, which tends to be soft side and doesn't cut through well. I have been leaning toward the Telefunken ela m 260, Telefunken TF51 or just spend less money and go with the Sure SM81. I feel like an SDC is the way to go. Thoughts?

[@CatDieselPwr]

Stam Audio SA-87i

[@pjlira]

Please, please, please, do a review on the AKG C 451 E. Please... 🙏

[@BasicYTUser]

@Podcastage I bought the hype and got a pair of Line Audio CM4. You want to review this? I can send it over if you are interested.

[@charliestrickland2417]

Had to click the like when he hit the 🎃- Bandrew knew we wanted a direct hit!

[@DannerPlace]

SM81 sounds very good, so does the SE8, and the Oktava, IMHO.

[@nicholasboule5134]

Came here to hear the sE8 and damn I was surprised how good the sE8 sounds for like $260

[@onlymyopiniontech]

Nice mic for anyone needing something like this. It should work well in about any room.

[@NotAFanMan88]

Some say "boring", I say preferred. Neutral is such a great place to start since its easier to flavor it afterward. Great mic!

[@Ted_Swayinghill]

Im still surprised you havent tested the line audio cm4

[@TheAsjdj]

Idea for a video What mic's would be ideal / good for home use for video calls, streaming and general gaming / discord in the price range of 50-250 USD

[@nkb9668]

review the Fifine k688 pls

[@stevejones4061]

Have used these in the past as a dialogue mic on a Fischer boom for TV Drama, never a favourite though - it just happened to be the one that was in the mic store cupboard. If I had the money now my choice would be the Schoeps CMIT 5. Interesting that you are reviewing a mic that was released more than 40 years ago (1978). Shure still feel they can charge over the top for an product that has seen little development since then. There are better more modern mics out there for similar money.

[@seacave853]

best mic for strings and acoustic guitar. always easy to mix.

[@ffhr8607]

Please try Line Audio CM4

[@mattmsharp44]

Mine went bad 18 days after the 2 year warranty ran out crazy crackling that renders it unusable with the low cut filters on, I think they wanted 180 as a flat fee to fix it. I took it to the dealer before the warranty ran out instead of sending it back he used contact cleaner on it. I am mad about it.

[@Rey7430]

sheesh Bandrew didn't think that throw through, did ya? XD

[@vallmak]

OK but what is a small diaphragm condenser?

[@kudrna_krepice]

A comparison with the Rode NT3 and M3 might be interesting, but I don't think you've even reviewed them yet :-)

[@joemontana2]

I like this review

[@A-Mana]

MC930 self noise is quite impressive

[@Podcastage]

The MC930 is a great mic for sure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@marshpw]

I've always thought these were some of the best

[@David_Logr]

You should set up a mic rental service!

[@thizzyglider555]

Sounds great 👍

[@Podcastage]

Agreed it's a great sounding mic.

[@JackNiles]

But will it straighten out a warped Acrolite snare drum?

[@R.O.E.]

are u do workouts?

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

Halloween must be over (poor pumpkin).

[@TheRolyPoly]

I came to see Bandrew's review of the sticker... 😅😅😅😂😂😂

[@EtherealGodKing]

REVIEW THE SV33!!!!

[@MrMegaManM3]

all the way solid

[@eddwardmusic]

Maaan! I'm still waiting for review of the Sony C800g and U47s! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!

[@Podcastage]

I’m going to need to start getting a few hundred thousand views per video to be able to afford that. haha.

[@patrickmersault4298]

@@Podcastage Or two more kidneys.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

Hell of a Halloween box throw, Bandrew. Right in his stupid jack-o-lantern face!

[@ColocasiaCorm]

That senny not bad!

[@Altair4611]

Thanks

[@abstinentelven]

Are you Shure?

[@jabnls]

Bandrew, just need 10 seconds of your time. I spoke on the re27n for 11 years. I'm really trying to find a budget mic that sounds the closest to it. Everybody is telling me that the $40 Zoom zdm1 but I find it hard to believe. Can you recommend a microphone under $200 that sounds most similar to the 27n or the re20? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese. It's 10 seconds of your time

[@maxheadroom5532]

I wonder if Shure is gonna show up here in the comments asking what they did wrong to warrant that throw...

[@Matt-wr5kx]

Damn not even gonna mention this is by far the coolest looking SDC? Def not the reason I own 4 of them…

[@Podcastage]

It does look like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. Could totally be the barrel for a blaster or something.

[@Schmuddel]

Great mic, but when the e614, sE8, NT5, and FC4 from GAP exist at half the price, it's just not worth the money.

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

Definitely not my fave for vox. This is one of those mics where it sounds good if you like this specific flavor. She's a little heavy on the low-mid end (sorry dear, not that this is a bad thing), but it certainly seems like it would be nice to have a couple of these in your tool box as I am sure you can find uses for it compared to other LDCs. It has a quality that lets you know, 'this is a really nice mic.' You just have to find the right use for it.