The Best Microphones for Vocals (With Sound Tests!)

Finding the right microphone for your voice can help elevate your vocal sound instantly! But what microphone should you pick? In this video, I've gathered 8 of the most popular vocal microphones of all time at a variety of budgets and compared their sounds. For each microphone, I give a live vocal test of their sound with and without processing. Then, at the end, I reveal my two favorites!
Did I miss any microphones? Let me know in the comments!
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🔗 Links:
🧨 Vocal Magic 1⤵
musicbymattie.com/shop/vocal-...
📝 Website Article with All the Sound Demos!⤵
musicbymattie.com/the-best-mi...
🎤 Mic Links ⤵
Shure SM58: sweetwater.sjv.io/PyQYv6
Shure SM7B: sweetwater.sjv.io/AWOk1R
Electro Voice RE20: sweetwater.sjv.io/B03eV9
Audio Technica AT-2020: sweetwater.sjv.io/EK6GgX
Rode NT1: sweetwater.sjv.io/R5rYN7
Warm Audio WA-87: sweetwater.sjv.io/NkxovO
AKG c214: sweetwater.sjv.io/q4Kkvn
Neumann TLM-103: sweetwater.sjv.io/xkKXvk
🎥 Videos I Mentioned⤵
DIY Acoustic Panels: • How to Make DIY Acoust...
Vocal EQ Guide: • The Ultimate Guide to ...
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📖 Chapters:
00:00 - Start
00:32 - Shure SM58
02:04 - SM58 Demo
02:35 - SM7B
04:12 - SM7B Demo
04:42 - RE20
05:44 - RE20 Demo
06:29 - AT-2020
07:18 - AT-2020 Demo
07:59 - NT1
09:02 - NT1 Demo
09:30 - WA-87
10:34 - WA-87 Demo
11:13 - AKG c214
12:25 - AKG c214 Demo
12:52 - TLM 103
14:32 - TLM-103 Demo
15:14 - My Favorites

[@yavi4440]

Thank you so much for this video man

[@breonnamoore]

so helpful. Thank you

[@MemphisMike901]

Man. They are all so close in processed. Hard to make a choice! Great vid

[@dhirenadhar]

great video thanks

[@photo-markus]

Sm7B is also my nr 1. Gorgeous video

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Thanks man! SM7b is da way

[@jav6563]

I have the SM7B and the thing is that my voice is on the deeper side, so whenever im processing I have to cut so much around the 100-450 range and boost the high mids it starts feeling a little unnatural, maybe its not for my voice or im not that good at mixing it yet, but definitely something to consider.

[@dikka4991]

thanks for the video :D

[@Music-By-Mattie]

You bet!

[@sashlipinski7034]

I own the TLM-103. BUT, I run it through a LA 610 MKII, and with the right post processing, it sounds awesome.

[@waves7300]

tlm 103 and u87ai here.. love them both

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Great to hear that. Those are some good mics!

[@DouglasThompson]

I like your video, but to me, the comparison doesn't make sense if you are using different songs and different presets.

[@Music-By-Mattie]

That's a good point! If you'd like to hear all of the audio comparisons with the mics singing the SAME songs, check out the article on my website for a more detailed breakdown.

[@DouglasThompson]

@@Music-By-Mattie either way, more info about mics is a good thing. I appreciate your efforts.

[@diveshsingh1673]

​@Music-By-Mattie which do you think represents true to your voice unprocessed and mixed. I know there are some character added especially after process but which would come closest to how you actually sound like... Hopefully you reply

[@blvckdaryl]

Great vid! I personally love the AKG C214. I bought it recently, and I was deciding between the C214, and TLM 102. I think I’ve made the right choice. It sounds great!

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Good choice! I was very impressed with that mic too! It's a great one!

[@redcomn]

Whenever I doubt myself i just shove the Goldilocks from my collection, Vanguard Audio V4. Most of the times I just dan with it.

[@onlyonestinger]

Thank You, question Im a beginner, and I have a mid to low range voice, what would you recommend , and what is the round black disc added before?? a filter??

[@erikchristiansen1323]

Years ago when Elton John was i PUK recording studio, they made a comparisson of all the mics the could get their hands on. None gave the same good result as the Beyer Dynamics MC 840.

[@isabellacombs5657]

I'm looking for a mic that can pick up high notes/whistle notes any suggestions?

[@faaded]

is the nt1 the 4th generation? you said it was best for capturing lower voices, and the 4th gen is known for that. not sure if the 5th is the same

[@meruski7759]

Will the preset works for untreated room, too much base vocal.

[@gabriels-wi2gx]

You can clearly hear the difference between the Neumann and others in the presence of the voice. Compared to previous this mic sounds pro.

[@lexingtonsmp]

If someone with an untreated acoustic room purchased the Neumann 103, could they just throw a Noise Gate plugin on their vocal track to suppress all the extra sounds it would pick up? Or would a noise gate not help much in that regard?

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Good question. Noise gate will work well when the person is not singing to get rid of that room noise, but while the singer is actually singing, all of those extra room relections will get printed onto the microphone and recording. When you go to compress the voice, you'll inevitably bring up the added room noise as well!

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

I think GTZ U 87 is the best budget condenser microphone.

[@elvis_presley_dreams]

Hello. I really need your help. All my life i been a singer unfortunately my singing career wasn't able to bloom i was in college majoring in music when my life turned upside down i had to stop what i most loved...after 15 years I've decided to come back to what i love doing singing. I don't have a computer or laptop and no money right now for it only saved money to buy myself a mic so that i can record and start a channel...can you plead advice me of a good microphone for singing recording that can be connected to a tablet or phone...? 🥺🙏🏻

[@chrisbackstage]

Michael Jackson used the SM7, not the SM7B. I can personally recommend the TLM49 for those who find the TLM103 too harsh.

[@omen_apollo]

sm7 has a slight presence boost but I doubt most people can hear that difference. They are effectively the same microphone

[@strawberrycrxme]

There is actually a mic that sounds NEARLY identical to the U87 that is actually cheaper than the WA-87, it's the Shure KSM32. I actually got to demo it along with a U87 and they sounded almost exactly the same. It usually goes for 550-600$ brand new, I recommend that mic like crazy and I plan to actually buy one soon

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Never heard of that mic. I'll have to check it out!

[@SellsEastTennessee]

Would have liked the same song demo for all microphones.

[@Music-By-Mattie]

It's on the website!

[@nickdual]

I subscribed

[@andrewamerson]

is the NT1 signature series the same

[@InaktiverUser]

the NT1 signature series is less harsh and imo better sounding

[@crispys.8907]

I have the AT-2020, but it is very quiet. Do you think it is the mic's fault or my audio interface? (Presonus Audiobox USB96)

[@Music-By-Mattie]

I'm not familiar with that Audio Interface, but the AT-2020 for me is about the same loudness as the other condensers I tested! I've never noticed a loudness problem with it on my system!

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

​@@Music-By-MattieI think you better go for ID 14 Mk II + GTZ U 87 CM.

[@meruski7759]

I have same mic i use it on Scarlett solo with 2 to 3 o'clock gain its audible but its still quite cant give more gain because it introduces more noise after 3 o'clock from my room. You have to eat the mic to see the waveform on my recording but it also introduce too much low eating it. For those bassy voice i dont recommend this mic it only work to those who sing like women😂.

[@crispys.8907]

@@meruski7759 It turned out to be the audio interface's fault. Bought the Volt 2 and it works wonders

[@kigandachristopher8883]

Before you blame the mic, how's your voice?...we all have different voice tones and not every mic suits our hearing desires..

[@dorrol]

Lewitt?

[@spumymay8036]

you know maybe what i have to do when my rode nt1 is really too much harsh and i have to remove -4db in 5khz-12khz

[@Music-By-Mattie]

EQ it up! Or look into a new mic! Those would be my main suggestions!

[@DRETD2124]

Michael Jackson used a SM7.. not a SM7B. Great video though!

[@TBD3.0]

Vintage Radio Shack 3303038 Dynamic Microphone Mic 14’ Cord

[@ronaldregajal]

what model of headphone u use in this video?

[@Music-By-Mattie]

I'm using the Sennheiser hd 650s

[@omgsosa7140]

At2020 and nt1

[@Pianerick]

what about the mic your using in this video inside your shirt??

[@Music-By-Mattie]

That's a DJI lav mic! I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than video haha!

[@deconnectenterprise-6595]

Am so so surprised that the first mic sm58 $100 that has the lowest rating on your video sound so much alike like the $1200 mic the last one you tested, Seriously for me that's crazy .sometimes what we don't expect comes out the best.

[@Music-By-Mattie]

For sure! It's less about the mic and more about the person behind it!

[@M.Holland]

@@Music-By-Mattie* for Shure… ;)

[@fishtheman]

@@Music-By-Mattie yo bro, thanks for the video, and what’s the guitar behind? God bless you bro.

[@PhearNoneGearGadgets]

NEUMANN!

[@chabulux]

Don't wanna over think it,who got that song

[@Farabeats70]

👍👍👍👍

[@someguyfromtheinternet5102]

3:25 beef in the taco

[@TBD3.0]

lol 14:58 this guy is brave.

[@rek8ne503]

Ive Got the at2020 and personally i Think its Way too hissy

[@chazzcollab]

Add an extra thin filter

[@enoqueroni]

sm58 sounded better than 7b

[@lysergichigh6172]

i have the at2020 i can confirm that thing is HARSH

[@Johnluxir]

I mean this in the most constructive of ways but you need to duck the music more when you are speaking over it. It is way too loud in the mix for your voice to come through. Cheers.

[@FistieSplinters]

Thank God for auto-tune, eh? My apologies, but apparently, no auto-tune was used.

[@Fl4ppers]

Your ratings are a little high 😂

[@DeDaK1D]

$160 budget is a mic!!!!!??????

[@Music-By-Mattie]

Uhhh what??

[@Fibliso]

@@Music-By-MattieI think they asked what mic they can purchase if they have only 160$ as a budget