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Vocal mic question

AmpedSilence

AmpedSilence

Feb 2, 2012
837
68
L'ville, GA
#1
I've been singing lead in my church youth band for about 8 years. 6 out of those 8 I used a Shure sm58 and was ok with them. I bought two mics for my backup singer and myself about 2 years ago.
I bought a Blue enCore 100 for the female back up singer and a Blue enCore 200 for myself. I love them! The 100 is certainly more clear and less boomy than the sm58.
The 200 is an active dynamic mic, the gain before feedback is great and feedback rejection itself is awesome!
Unfortunately, the 200 is starting to make a loud popping noise when handled. I am pretty sure the mic is the problem (bad soldering/loose wire?). I've tried different mics with the same mic cable and different cables with the 200.
We have a new acoustic guitar player, I let him sing at rehearsal with one of the backup sm58s we have and he sings good!

So here is where I get to my point.
I feel the enCore 100 is a bit too low in gain sometimes for the back up singer, depending on the song we play. That and she has a softer voice. I have been thinking of getting the 200 fixed, let her use that one and let the guitar player use the 100 since he has a stronger voice.
Now, I'd just need to find a good vocal mic for myself, if we end up doing that.

TLDR version - While "great vocal microphone" is a subjective term to use, what are some good $200 range mics for a male lead singer in a youth P&W band?
We have two electric guitars, bass (me :bassist: ), a keyboard, acoustic drums, and an acoustic guitar.
Feedback rejection IS important lol.

I have considered the Blue enCore 300. Does anyone have experience with this mic?
 
#2
Hmmmm, might I suggest an Sennheiser e835?

My lead guitarist has one whenever he sings lead vocals and he let me try it once it totally outshined my SM58. However it was an odd shape in my hands and I tend to like holding my mics close whenever I metal scream into it (Less strain on the voice as cupping the hands makes a natural sounding reverb). I think you should try a Senn.

The e835 should run you cool $100 or if you buy local maybe a $110?
 
#4
+1 on EV 967. Our band also uses the 767 (a little cheaper and probably just as good). Way better than the SM58 (unless it's a Beta SM58).
BTW, feedback rejection on the EVs is really good but you've got to angle your monitors correctly. For the 967's, the monitors need to be pointing at the mic 60 degrees to the left or right. The 767's it is 50 degrees to the left or right. No matter what mic you buy understand the sensitivity diagram of the mic for proper monitor placement.
 
#5
AmpedSilence said:
I am pretty sure the mic is the problem (bad soldering/loose wire?).
Click to expand...

Probably correct. It's a 10-minute job to open up and check/resolder any connections. Sounds like a loose wire close to an earth (or the frame of the mic). We had the same thing with an SM57, but it was stolen before I could get around to repairing it..

We use the AKG D5 microphone for my wife, and SM58Beta for everyone else. We went and auditioned them at the local Guitar Center - won us a friend in the pro-sound department, because he rarely had a chance to get a professional singer in to help him A/B microphones. In his words, "People come in, mumble that they're a singer, buy an SM58 and leave.."
 
#7
Audix OM-5 is very good, the OM-7 is very, very good. One other thing to understand - there is (or should be) a gain control on the mic input at the board. Use that to balance out the gain levels of diofferent mics.

Mic's that have high feedback resitance are generally not as 'hot' as those that do not have great feed back resistance. The OM-7 really chines in teerms of clarity and feedback resistance. I have 3 OM-5's as my front lines mic's I like 'em a lot.
 
#9
XtheDeadPawn said:
... (Less strain on the voice as cupping the hands makes a natural sounding reverb).
Click to expand...
Now there's a sound man's nightmare. Anyway, I'm partial to the Beta 58A, which is well under $200, and the Beta 87A (or C) which can be had for close to $200. If you buy Shure mics, the only place to get them is Northern Sound and Light. You have to call them on the phone to get their price, but they will be the lowest you find.
 
#10
Great selection of mics so far, I was on the Shure website looking at the beta mics, is there a big difference between the beta 87A and 87C?
From what I read, the 87C has good feedback rejection and works well with in ear monitors.

I also decided to browse some other Shure mics and the Super 55 caught my attention. Its retro look picked at my quirky interests. I dont see these used so often but from some reviews I read, they work just as well, if not better than the sm58.

Has anyone else given the Blue enCore mics a try? I really like them, it be nice to hear a direct comparison with others experience. All I've really had to compare it to are the sm58...
 
#19
Hi.

If it doesn't have to look like a "vocal mic", Sennheiser MD421 is hard to beat in that price range.



Munjibunga said:
Now there's a sound man's nightmare.
Click to expand...

Only for the ones who try to make it comprehendable out of the mains.

Just compress the bejesus out of it, cut the appropriate frequencies for that particular screamer/mic combo, delay the monitor feed to avoid the inevitable feedback when the cardioid becomes omnidirectional, and You'll be golden. Or less crappy and squealy anyway ;).

XtheDeadPawn said:
Nobody has complained to me yet.
Click to expand...

Why would they bother?

As long as the audience and the one paying the bills are happy, who cares?
You can bet your last pair of clean socks that the soundperson won't care enough to even mention about it to You.

JimmyM said:
Metal soundmen are used to that kind of thing and can deal with it easily enough.
Click to expand...

Yep...

And even though I'm not (or wasn't) a metal soundman even though I reluctantly had to do some metal back in the day (when you work, you'll do whatever gets thrown at 'ya), IME the "cupping the mic" just doesn't work that well. The best, strongest vocals were from the guys and gals who used the not-so-videolike regular mic techniques.
There were plenty of both.

Regards
Sam
 
#20
Aww, So I found out today my warranty is passed by a year on the mic :crying:

I have zero diagnostic skills/experience when it comes to soldering electronics, does anyone here do any microphone repairs?
The microphone functions perfectly, as long as it is on a stand and isn't handled! once the mic cable is moved, it makes a loud pop/crackle...

I might end up selling as is on eBay, it would be unwise of me to try and fix and further damage the mic!
 

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