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Condenser mic for live vocals?

#22
Live vocals, live environment, great opportunity to ruin a nice condenser mic. It's more likely to be damaged if the mic stand is bumped and falls over. The dynamic mics mentioned are more durable and likely to withstand a blow. Besides, if the band is playing loud, will the "breathy air" really be captured with the fidelity of a studio recording? Doubt it.
 
#23
Agree with Munjibunga and Tuned - try a Beta 58, or ElectroVoice 767 or 967. Have heard Audix 5 sound great with a female vocalist.
The supercardioid microphones are great in reducing stage noise but you have to be right at the microphone singing otherwise you'll lose volume. For these kinds of microphone, the monitor placement is crucial otherwise you'll get feedback. I know for the EV 767, the monitor optimally needs to be 50 degrees on your left and right and the 967 60 degreees on your left and right. I believe the Beta 58 is 50 degrees as well.
 
#24
eriky4003 said:
Agree with Munjibunga and Tuned - try a Beta 58, or ElectroVoice 767 or 967. Have heard Audix 5 sound great with a female vocalist.
The supercardioid microphones are great in reducing stage noise but you have to be right at the microphone singing otherwise you'll lose volume. For these kinds of microphone, the monitor placement is crucial otherwise you'll get feedback. I know for the EV 767, the monitor optimally needs to be 50 degrees on your left and right and the 967 60 degreees on your left and right. I believe the Beta 58 is 50 degrees as well.
Click to expand...

Sixty degrees for the Beta58.
 
#25
We are endorsed by Audix, and our lead singer also can have a somewhat breathy voice. I wish I had a recording of her using an OM7 (her preferred mic), but it does sound great.

Personally, I use an Sennheiser e835, and love it as well.

Both are tanks, and run in the same price range as the SM58.
 
#28
Nagrom said:
I've used both the 87 & the KSM9. Both very nice sounding mics. The KSM9 is dual diaphragm which is useful. The 87 seemed crisper. YMMV.
Also bring a 58 for when the club's phantom is down.
Click to expand...

The KSM 9 sounds great, but I've never used it live, so I can't speak on the feedback rejection.
 
#30
There is an example to a Condenser working well, traditional Bluegress.

C'mon, you've never seen groups crowd around a mic? Works very well for them........

In a scenario where you may have amplified instruments blaring in the direction of a vocal mic, probably not a good idea.

Also, In ear monitors (without stage monitors) would be one way of combating feedback.
 
#31
I have good success with non-powerfull singers on a 935 too.

No matter what mike you use , hope that there is a good parametric EQ on the board , it will be needed , that's for sure !
 
#33
The audix OM7 is by far the best mic I've used on stage... I've had it up at volume and down low. They are low gain so you have to sing on the capsul but the rejection is great die to that. Very little bleed. I have a thin, soft voice. Sing a lot of top and middle harmony. Some falsetto. I carry that mic body everywhere I go...

The 58... That mic is so over rated it is ridiculous... IMO just being rugged is not the whole enchilada. Built rugged, sounds good, that get's closer... That thing made it's rep back when there were NO other real options. 40 years ago. Maybe it's OK in the 100 range but it doesn't stand up the say the Om5 at 150 or the Om 6 or 7 up in the 225 range. Not even close...

Have a bud with a KSM105. Fabulous and seemingly rugged... He has a monster voice and it works for him. i've mixed it a few times and it really does sound great. he plays upright in acoustic amplified settings. the bleed doesn't seem worse than most anything else. manageable in other words. I am so not dropping 650 on a hand held condenser...
 
#36
I do sound for an 800 capacity medium sized venue. I've seen every vocal mic you can imagine. The SM58 the standard go to mic for many many reasons. A few of those reasons are...

They're cheap.

They sound good.

They're rugged.

They have decent feedback control.

Almost every board is gain staged to an SM58.

Almost every monitor EQ is adjusted for the SM58.

Phantom power can be unreliable on older/crappier boards.

So... just get an SM58 and don't worry about it. For recording, a great mic is key, for live sound consistency is key.

I know lots of people will probably tell me I'm wrong but I doubt they run a soundboard for a living.
 
#37
4Mal said:
The audix OM7 is by far the best mic I've used on stage... I've had it up at volume and down low. They are low gain so you have to sing on the capsul but the rejection is great die to that. Very little bleed. I have a thin, soft voice. Sing a lot of top and middle harmony. Some falsetto. I carry that mic body everywhere I go...

The 58... That mic is so over rated it is ridiculous... IMO just being rugged is not the whole enchilada. Built rugged, sounds good, that get's closer... That thing made it's rep back when there were NO other real options. 40 years ago. Maybe it's OK in the 100 range but it doesn't stand up the say the Om5 at 150 or the Om 6 or 7 up in the 225 range. Not even close...

Have a bud with a KSM105. Fabulous and seemingly rugged... He has a monster voice and it works for him. i've mixed it a few times and it really does sound great. he plays upright in acoustic amplified settings. the bleed doesn't seem worse than most anything else. manageable in other words. I am so not dropping 650 on a hand held condenser...
Click to expand...

Go on YouTube and watch some concert footage. The SM58 is still used on more professional stages than all other mics combined. Someone seems to think they sound good. I keep a batch of them in my gig bag, but I use either a Beta58 or a Super 55 for myself. I also have a Beta87C that I use occasionally.

I sold my KSM105 to buy a KSM9, which sounds a lot better to my ear, and has a switchable polar pattern. The KMS105 has its own issues (although the world's best female singer uses one).
 
#39
My wife switched from a dynamic Electrovoice to a condenser Neumann KMS 105 and never looked back - it added an enormous amount of depth to the voice texture and made all kinds of detail audible, compared to any given dynamic mike. Bottom line: she comes across much better.

Of course she still has to fight the occasional lazy/sexist sound guy who after putting all the house's studio quality condenser mikes on the horn players, walks over to the stage with a SM58 in his hand and tells her 'take this, it's just as good'. No it's not.

OP: I'd go with the condenser if if makes you sound better than a dynamic mike. It's you and your voice, your tone. Everybody else will have to deal with it.
 
#40
theretheyare said:
My wife switched from a dynamic Electrovoice to a condenser Neumann KMS 105 and never looked back - it added an enormous amount of depth to the voice texture and made all kinds of detail audible, compared to any given dynamic mike. Bottom line: she comes across much better.

Of course she still has to fight the occasional lazy/sexist sound guy who after putting the house's studio quality condenser mikes on all the horn players, walks over to the stage with a SM58 in his hand and tells her 'take this, it's just as good'.
Click to expand...

Uh... using a 58 isn't being lazy. It's knowing the mic will work. I've had very very funky things happen with Neumanns. A 58 works every time.
 

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