My next mic advice (Looking for a second all purpose mic)

[Ecadad]

I'm gonna be getting a new mic, and I'm specifically looking for a relatively affordable Dynamic Mic. I have several LDC and SDC mics, but only one dynamic (an SM57, which I use on everything. Easily my favorite mic for vocals).

Whatever I end up with, I want it to be able to do vocals, guitar amps, and possibly help with a snare if needed.

I'm looking at getting a Shure SM58 (then I'll have a 57 and 58), a second SM57, a Beta 57A, or a Beta 58A. I'm also open to suggestions... Ideally looking to buy used in the $50-100 price range.

What do you think I should get as a second all-purpose mic?

 

[Jakedog]

I haven’t tried it on anything else, but the best vocal mic I’ve ever had is the EV ND767A. I’ve been using one nearly fifteen years now. It’s discontinued, but the new model is the ND76. I haven’t looked at what they cost, but I know I’m getting one soon. No matter what the price is.

 

[telepraise]

Sennheiser E835. German engineering, very clear and natural. Once you use one, you realize how much is missing in a SM58. Read the reviews.

 

[beyer160]

Save your milk money and pick up an SM7, EV RE20, Beyer 201 or Sennheiser 421. Those are all excellent, versatile mics. You can collect cheap mics all day long, but then you have a bunch of cheap mics. Moving up to a "better" mic is a good investment.

 

[3-Chord-Genius]

I have a Beta 58 and use it for recording vocals.

 

[Ecadad]

Sennheiser E835. German engineering, very clear and natural. Once you use one, you realize how much is missing in a SM58. Read the reviews.

Listening to some demos and wow- it's so clear sounding! I might have to get one

 

[naveed211]

Save your milk money and pick up an SM7, EV RE20, Beyer 201 or Sennheiser 421. Those are all excellent, versatile mics. You can collect cheap mics all day long, but then you have a bunch of cheap mics. Moving up to a "better" mic is a good investment.

I recommend this as well.

An SM7 on vocals (and other stuff) and a 421 on an amp are beautiful things.

Another idea, get a decent ribbon mic for a different tone/mixing two mics on a cab. You already have a studio staple in the 57, that with a more open sounding mic is a classic combo.

 

[schmee]

Sennheiser E835. German engineering, very clear and natural. Once you use one, you realize how much is missing in a SM58. Read the reviews.

^^^^^ THIS

 

[LAPlayer]

Sennheiser E835. German engineering, very clear and natural. Once you use one, you realize how much is missing in a SM58. Read the reviews.

Another vote for Sennheiser. I use E945's and love them. I'm not anti SM58's and have a couple that I used years ago as backups. To a lesser degree than with electric guitars, I believe, knowing how to properly set your gain/volume and EQ can dramatically improve any microphones performance. That's why I have a sound-guy. He is a pro and we get together periodically with my full set up so he can adjust gain, EQ and all my settings so that they are optimum. I'm a musician not a sound-person so I don't try to pretend that I have all the necessary expertise to do it all. Plus, your sound-person has to be out front to make adjustments that you, the musician, just can't hear.

 

[telestratosonic]

I haven’t tried it on anything else, but the best vocal mic I’ve ever had is the EV ND767A. I’ve been using one nearly fifteen years now. It’s discontinued, but the new model is the ND76. I haven’t looked at what they cost, but I know I’m getting one soon. No matter what the price is.

Cheap, too. $149 CAD. I was expecting a much higher price tag.

 

[telestratosonic]

Another vote for Sennheiser. I use E945's and love them. I'm not anti SM58's and have a couple that I used years ago as backups. To a lesser degree than with electric guitars, I believe, knowing how to properly set your gain/volume and EQ can dramatically improve any microphones performance. That's why I have a sound-guy. He is a pro and we get together periodically with my full set up so he can adjust gain, EQ and all my settings so that they are optimum. I'm a musician not a sound-person so I don't try to pretend that I have all the necessary expertise to do it all. Plus, your sound-person has to be out front to make adjustments that you, the musician, just can't hear.

$289.95 CAD. This mic has great reviews.

 

[telestratosonic]

Sennheiser E835. German engineering, very clear and natural. Once you use one, you realize how much is missing in a SM58. Read the reviews.

$129.95 CAD is a good price. I have a SM57 and a SM58 but I'm looking for an upgrade for live performances.

 

[haggardfan1]

I haven’t tried it on anything else, but the best vocal mic I’ve ever had is the EV ND767A. I’ve been using one nearly fifteen years now. It’s discontinued, but the new model is the ND76. I haven’t looked at what they cost, but I know I’m getting one soon. No matter what the price is.

Good to know something similar to the ND767 is still available. I inadvertently sold mine with a trailer full of gear, and I've never, ever, since tried a dynamic mic I liked as well.

That said, the EV Cobalt CO9 is a pretty good mic for the money, that's what I'm currently using.

I also have two or three Behringer XM8500 mics, that I use all the time for utility stuff like drum overheads and guest amps and vocals. I've sung through them myself, and they sound amazingly like a 58, IMHO. Plus they're really inexpensive.

 

['64 Tele]

I've used sm57&58s for live use for years and 57s in the studio.
A friend brought over his Beta 57 and I was shocked at How much better it was for live vocal use.

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

Heil PR-20 or 22. Use it on anything, & sells used within your price range. I have 6 of them & no longer use any Shure other than an SM-81.

 

[nojazzhere]

For thirty years or so, all I've used were SM58s......with occasional use of a 57. I also have a box full of miscellaneous mics (mostly various old Shures, including several Shure PE 585s from the early seventies, which are still the "crispest", most presence mics ever, but high impedance) Often I'll play somewhere that provides a sound system, and they often have "cheap" mics......and you can hear the difference.
Going by a few recommendations here, I just ordered a Sennheiser E835 on Amazon. I'll give it a try and if I don't like it I can send it back.

 

[3-Chord-Genius]

I've used sm57&58s for live use for years and 57s in the studio.
A friend brought over his Beta 57 and I was shocked at How much better it was for live vocal use.

Somebody actually gave me a Beta 58 a couple of years ago, and I've been using it for our band's main vocal mic. Also, most of the recordings we did use that mic as a vocal mic. It sounds quite a bit better than an SM58.

 

[Jakedog]

I’ll be the voice of dissent and say that I can’t stand the E835. The way it’s voiced does nobody who can really sing any favors. It’s terribly lifeless. It’s boosted and scooped in the right spots so it sounds like it’s got more clarity, but if one is a real singer it sucks all the meat out of your voice and just makes it sound generic.

That said, anything is better than a traditional 58. They were the best in their day and I used them for many years. I still have two that my dad bought in the 70’s that still work. And tow that I bought in the 90’s that still work fine. There’s no arguing their dependability. But compared to a nice EV or Audix or something similar they sound like they’re at the bottom of a fish tank.

Those cheapo Behringers (and the same priced mic by Samson, they might even be the same mic just rebranded) are actually really nice sounding. I’d take one of those all day long over an E835 or a 58. Their only downside in my experience is handling noise. They aren’t insulated very well, so they don’t make very good live mics IMO. But for home recording where it’s gonna sit on a stand and not move, or have somebody stomping around a hollow stage, I think they’d work better than fine.

 

[Jakedog]

Somebody actually gave me a Beta 58 a couple of years ago, and I've been using it for our band's main vocal mic. Also, most of the recordings we did use that mic as a vocal mic. It sounds quite a bit better than an SM58.

Yes. The Beta versions are entirely different microphones. Those things sound awesome.

 

[memorex]

I haven’t tried it on anything else, but the best vocal mic I’ve ever had is the EV ND767A. I’ve been using one nearly fifteen years now. It’s discontinued, but the new model is the ND76. I haven’t looked at what they cost, but I know I’m getting one soon. No matter what the price is.

I have an EV ND767A, too. I think it sounds fine. A lot better than the 50 year old SM58 I have, it sounds like it's ready for the trash can. I used to have a pair of Beyer M500's back in the day. Those sounded like studio mics, but, I sold them a long time ago.