Shure PGA81-XLR Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone with Cable (15')

My first XLR mic pair; use heavily; never disappointed.

Im not a career sound person. I do videography part-time (nights/weekends). My points of reference are built-in camera mics; DLSR add-ons like Rodes Pro (short shotgun) & Stereo Pro; and built-in mics on portable recorders, like Zoom H5 & H1. Compared to those, my Shure PGA81-XLRs have been a step up. The balanced line XLR cables pick up less ambient RF noise, giving me less audio clean-up work in post, and better audio results for the clean-up ... Show Morethat I still do. And the cardiod pick-up pattern helps reduce audience noise, and phase interference between mics used in xy pairs for stereo. These are built like little tanks. Ive had them 2 years, and use them every shoot. Seem indestructible. They list at 40-20,000 Hz (I guess all the dogs & toddlers listening to my videos appreciate the 10k+ end; I cant hear it). Since these have no built-in low-cut (a.k.a. high-pass), I use them in shock cages on mic stands and dont handle them during recording. This works very well. (Tip: in floor-pounding environments like theater, I like to put the mic stands atop a hand-cut circle of Damplifier automobile sound dampening foam.) Im not qualified to comment on the ear-love from these: how warm or sizzly or present or they are (with hints of oak, hominy, and spent transmission fluid). But I am very fussy about sound, and these have been my go-to mics for best capture. Ive used them for 50-piece orchestra projects; the conductor said the recording brought tears to his eyes. (Yeah, yeah, I know: happy tears!) I wouldnt hesitate to recommend them, at least for anyone like me, looking to up their audio game from the non-XLR realm. But if your first use is run-and-gun video, then consider instead something like the Audio-Technica AT2022 or AT875R, since both are designed for DSLR-mounting. The 2022 is for low background noise settings and where stereo is important. The 875R is for high ambient/competing noise settings and where monaural sound is no big sacrifice.Show Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video