Discover the Best Dynamic Microphones
1. Shure SM7B
Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
Voiceover and vocal champ
Reviewed by David Vasser on Guitar Center
Worked in radio for 36 years and the best microphones I ever used were Shure SM7B's. I have used all kinds of microphones, some of which cost more than the SM7B. Name a microphone and I've probably worked at a station that had them. You can keep the tinny sounding Sennheiser MDU421's, boomy RCA 77DX's and 44's, stow away the overly sensitive Neuman U87's, wimpy sounding EV RE anythings and the sterile AKG anythings. Any other Shure microphone, other than the SM5, just is not the same either! I have no idea why the EV RE20 and RE27N/D seemed to have gained wider acceptance at radio stations. I guess because the Shure SM7B is less expensive people think it must be inferior. Yes, it has a slightly lower output than some other mics, but most broadcast and recording consoles have clean beefy preamps with lots of gain headroom and you will obtain a usable level with no outboard preamp required. Where you would need a preamp would be with a cheap mixer or when trying to use it live with a typical PA mixer. Compare the 1000 Htz specs of the EV RE20's 57 dB output at 1.5 mV to the SM7B's 59.0 dB at 1.12 mV and you see there really is 2 dB more audio signal delivered but at a lower voltage. So try it before ordering a preamp you may not actually need. If you do need one just a little boost is required and you can get that from an ART preamp for very little money. This microphone is natural, warm and rich sounding with absolutely no EQ applied and it never sounds boomy or muffled like some ribbon mics do when compressed. If God needed a microphone, he'd probably use this one. It comes with the integral shock mount cushioned stand mount and two windscreens including a close talking one. The thing about the SM7B I like most is the way it converts emotions into audio. It is easier for me to get a good take with one of these. There are adjustable EQ switches under the plate on the end of the microphone. It really comes with everything you need to start using it immediately except the stand and cable. This is the microphone Quincy Jones used to record Michael Jackson's vocals for "THRILLER." Also it was used when Bruce Springsteen or Pearl Jam made their hit recordings. For close talking applications there is nothing better as it has a very natural and smooth sound that compliments all voices. For recording or broadcasting the human voice, the Shure SM7B is tool number 1 for me and I've learned nothing else is close. By the same token the SM7B is not a general purpose microphone. So long as you use it for broadcast or recording studio voiceover narration or musical vocals you will be tickled to death. It has a nice and controlled proximity effect. This basic microphone design has been around for ages and is a descendant of the SM5 and SM5B which are discontinued but still in demand on the used market by voiceover artists. The early SM7 did not have the magnetic shielding that today's SM7B has. This microphone is a gem in noisy control rooms or home studios and equally at home in high end recording studios. Shure stands behind their products and offers full service if you ever need it. Avoid buying one used as there was a recent upgrade of the yoke/shock mount assembly. ... More
Worth every penny and more...
Reviewed by George Byers on Guitar Center
Several years ago I had a Rode NT1-A with a Focusrite MK2 Producer Pack preamp (that's a $2,200 preamp coupled with the world's quietest condenser microphone!) and the quality I was getting was awesome. As time progressed and things got harder I ended up selling my two babies and several years later I recently purchased a new home studio on a smaller (much smaller!) budget. My newer studio was/is equipped with a PreSonus Channel strip and an MXL-V63M (that's a combined price of $400). An experienced audio engineer such as myself can still manage to get some pretty rockin' quality recordings out of this set up, but it was nothing compared to what I had in recent years. Finally I got sick and tired of spending so much time focusing on the technical aspect of things and not enough time on the creative side, so I decided to visit my local Guitar Center. Several guys there pitched the Shure SM7B to me so I picked it up and when I got home I was blown away!!!!! This thing ROCKS!! What had taken me hours to achieve previously I could now record and track with dry takes and little EQ (if any). Comparing my mixes to my earlier years is like day and night. This microphone is worth every penny. Every "serious" musician, sound engineer, broadcaster, etc. needs to have this microphone in their arsenal. If you want to compete with commercial recordings, then this microphone along with a decent preamp (make sure the preamp has at least 60db+ of input power) would make a great weaponry choice. This baby is also durable, comes with a bullet proof pop filter/plosive shield (nothing gets through!). Also keep in mind that microphone is delicate enough to NOT NEED PHANTOM POWER. It does a great job at eliminating unwanted low end frequencies, but I found that by using some subtractive EQing techniques you'll really get a bang for your buck: -4db at 600Hz (remove honkiness -Mid Q) -5db sharp cut at 170hz (extra low end rumble, great for male vocals) +2db or -2db at 7K depending on how bright you want your sound (the SM7B's presence boost does work great at times, but I found vocals to sound more pleasing with a flat top response and -2db at 7k) ... More
2. Sennheiser e609 Silver
Supercardioid Dynamic Guitar Microphone
Sennheiser e609
Reviewed by Scott V. on Reverb
I sought out and bought the Sennheiser e609 here on Reverb.com because I knew it was the best all around microphone for miking my guitar amp. It's also one of the best bangs for your buck out there as well. I've been a professional guitarist for over 25 years now and spent the last 20 years playing professionally for the U.S. Navy Band program. The job required me to play all over the world in numerous situations from small jazz combos, full size big bands, rock/top 40 bands (covering everything from pop, country, top 40, light rock to heavy rock) and sometimes even as a guitarist in a concert band setting playing on a pops piece. In all of these situations I usually miked my guitar amp, and the mic that always worked best for me was the e609. Even though most of my experience with this microphone is in live performance settings, I also have lots of live recording as well as recording in the studio experience too. Throughout my years I've played live and recorded with SM57's, SM58's, AKGC414, SennheiserMD421 and finally the Sennheiser e609. Even though for a high end studio session you may want to use a more expensive mic (if you can afford it) like a Neumann U87 or a Royer 121, I have found that the e609 does a fantastic job at capturing the exact sound coming out of my amplifier, no matter what amp I'm using at the time and putting it into the recording. That also goes for live recordings and through the PA mains while playing a live performance. Okay, LIVE PERFORMANCE. Whether your going to record your performance or not, in my opinion the e609 does the best job at capturing the exact sound that comes out of my amp speakers and pushes it through the PA and/or to recording. I must also mention that when you are playing live a lot like I did in the Navy or in the local bar or nightclub scene, we are always in a hurry aren't we. Setting up last minute for whatever reason. The convenience of NOT having to set up a mic stand and wrap the mic cord around that stand so you don't trip on it and then finally positioning the microphone perfectly where you want it at your speaker cone is wonderful. With the e609 I put the mic cord through my amp handle, hang the mic in front of my speaker and move on to the next step in my setup. I know this may seem trivial, but when you're in a rush, you really appreciate those saved 2 minutes. To sum up, I keep talking about capturing the sound. Whether it's in a live setting or a recording session, isn't that what we're really after here with a microphone anyways. As guitarists we work so hard at getting that exact sound we're happy with coming out the front of our amps. What we need is a mic that captures that exact sound without modification and sends it to the PA or to a recording. Add that in with the convenience of hanging the mic quickly in front of your amp for a quicker set up and tear down. PLUS, the e609 is so reasonably priced compared to other mic's in it's class, it was the only choice for me once I retired from the Navy and needed to buy my own mic. Scott Verville/USN retired www.verville-music.com ... More
SM 57 What???
Reviewed by Aaron on Guitar Center
Out with the old in with the new!!! I love this mic!! I never thought I would see the day I would leave home without my 57. But I have now!! I have never heard a mic do what this one does. I like it so much, 2 days after I bought it, I wen and bought another. Its also not bad for vocals either. I highly recocmend this mic!!
3. Shure SM57
Dynamic Instrument Microphone
Worth Every Penny
Reviewed by tacvbo on Guitar Center
After much research and with my financial status, I finally decided to buy a pair of the famous SM 57's. I am a drummer in a band and had previously tried regular vocal mics and was not to happy about the sound when recording. The day I received the SM 57's was one day before our first gig at a local venue. Having them actually made me feel more confident that the sound would be superb. At soundcheck, the whole band realized the difference these microphones made to the drum sound. We were very glad, especially with comments after the gig such as, "the drums sounded very professional." I highly recommend these to anybody because not only are they great for live gigs, but also when recording. We just finished recording our demo and can't believe how well the drums sound. ... More
Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic
Reviewed by CDOG on Guitar Center
After building my friends studio it was time to record some guitars. My biggest problem with recording guitars was getting the amp sound recorded truly with no weird colaration from the mic.The SM-57 made my sound record as I hear it, not like some alien sound from another planet.I'm very suprised that a hundred dollar mic would be so good, and by the way I think this thing could withstand a nuclear blast.Vocally this mic does an excellent job I have no gripes, my hats off to the good folks at Shure!!! ... More
4. Shure PGA48
Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
awesome purchase, great price
Reviewed by Pastor Caroline on Guitar Center
We purchased these mics for our church and they sound amazing, I never thought that for this price your would be able to find this much quality. I recommend it highly....
Low cost entyr to Shure mics.
Reviewed by Scott on Guitar Center
We bought this kit to replace aging equipment used by our worship team. With a budget of nothing this was a real good buy. The mics were easy to setup we also replaced the cables running to our sound board and how the sound has changed I had to lower the trim level by about half and everything sounds perfect.
5. Shure SM58
Dynamic Handheld Vocal Microphone
A must have mic for live use
Reviewed by Fuzzball on Guitar Center
This is a must have mic for any active musician. This mic is excellent for stage use, but it is also very useful in a studio or project studio. This mic has been my main stage mic for over 15 years. The SM58 is known to be great for live use but it is also great to use on vocal recordings. The SM58 is also a great mic to use on a snare drum (especially since it is durable). The SM58 is built tough enough to stand up against years of abuse. If you play live you need to have this mic. ... More
THE mic
Reviewed by Scott on Guitar Center
If you are an active gigger, or recording artist, there is no doubt you've run across at least one of these mics. Extremely cheap, extremely reliable, and great sounding. Although this is mainly a vocal mic, i have used it for instruments, even drums, and gotten an acceptable sound(although we later layered the recordings). If you have big bucks, i would not recommend this mic, because there are many other expensive mics that would do vocals much better. However if you are a low budget musician such as myself, then i would highly recommend this mic for vocals, and as a last resort for instruments, although i would not recommend it if it can be avoided. Happy Rocking! ... More
6. Rode PodMic
Cardioid Dynamic Broadcast Microphone
Great little mic!
Reviewed by Symon on Guitar Center
Great little mic! Almost as good as their Podcaster but at half the price. The sound signature is a little different. Not as soft as the podcaster. Which to me sounds more realistic. The podcaster is just a bit too soft for my voice. The podmic suits my deep voice better, I feel that I get a slightly crisper sound from it. I also like the size, it's nice and small. it doesn't take up as much space at the podcaster or similar mics do. The only thing that I don't like is the mount. It isn't as shock resistant as standard shock mounts. Luckily I had a wide shock mount sitting around (from an old mxl 770) that I was able to squeeze the mic into. The screws that hold the included mount are permanent so they are a bit of an eyesore. But it'll do and is way better now. Oh, and if you need a windscreen, I used a cheapo one (also from the mxl 770) that fits perfectly. All in all, this was a great purchase. Also kudos to Guitar Center for having plenty of these mics in stock when no one else online did! As of this writing, it is (still) near impossible to get this mic! ... More
Perfect Mic for Podcasting
Reviewed by AB on Guitar Center
Amazing sound. This mic makes me sound like I know what I'm doing! A lot heavier than I was expecting, but that is nice to see it is sturdily made.
7. Sennheiser e906
Supercardioid Dynamic Guitar Amp Microphone
Sounds like an MD-421 at 1/2 the price.
Reviewed by Guitarsliner on Guitar Center
As an avid user of the Beta 57, I have high expectations when it comes to dynamic mics. I expect a monster with the ability to handle high SPL's, expensive amps, and shredding guitars. This mic delivered it in spades. I once saw Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman using Sennheiser MD-421's. I got to try one at a real studio once. As a brand new insurance salesman, I couldn't afford one. I thought I would try the E906. It worked. It sounds defined, balanced, and chunky. This would sound great for horns, snares, guitar, bass, etc. It handles Earth-shatteringly loud guitar amplifiers. The ability to mic an amp without a stand is a plus too for my tiny small town dives. I would buy this mic again in a heartbeat. do the same. :) ... More
The e906 put my SM57 out of business!
Reviewed by John V. on Reverb
I've always used SM57s on my guitar cabs when playing live, and in conjunction with other mics in the studio. It always sounded great, so I felt no need to look elsewhere. But, after hearing the e906 in action a few times, I decided to try one for myself. I'm glad I did. The e906 is proudly labeled "Made in Germany," and comes with your standard-issue accessories: a mounting clip, zippered carry bag, and the documentation and user's manual. The build quality appears to be excellent, though not quite in the SM57 built-like-a-tank category. Sennheiser provides a 10 year factory warranty. With the presence filter switch set to the brightest position, it's a bit more vibrant and harmonically textured than the SM57. Fast, detailed, transparent, airy, open and articulate. The SM57 is punchier, gutsier, rawer, and more forwardly aggressive sounding in the highs and upper mids. Both have warm, natural lower mids and tight lows. With the presence switch in the mid position, the e906 sounds kinda like a SM57 and SM7B had a love child together, but with the overall "Sennheiser house sound" shared by the e835 and MD421. It sheds a little of the exaggerated high frequency bite and becomes smoother, fuller and flatter, with virtually zero EQ needed when chicken pickin a Tele through my Dr. Z Stangray. Finally, with the presence switch in the cut position, the sound becomes more warm and silky; with just a hint of the ribbon mic vibe or that warm, smooth EV RE20 thang in the lower mids. We also tested the e906 on acoustic guitar, mandolin, snare and even a Hammond organ through a Leslie 122. It sounded superb on each source, much better than a $200 dynamic mic should sound. Its sonic performance and amazing versatility are definitely impressive, and it's become my new standard. Some may still prefer the SM57 sound, because its edge and aggressiveness may suit their preferences better. It's all about what YOUR ears like, but mine definitely fell in love with the e906. ... More
8. Shure BETA 52A
Dynamic Kick Drum and Bass Instrument Microphone
What more can I say?
Reviewed by Drumur on Guitar Center
What more can I say? This is the "Industry Standard" of kick drum mics. I've seen this mic being used on the kick drums in national act concerts more times than I can count. This mic kicks butt. I originally bought the Audix Kick drum mic that is supposed to be so great, but I returned it and bought this one. I got exactly what I was looking for. This mic has great lows, punch, and click(slap). I love it and I'm glad I own one. ... More
Another Industry Standard!!!!
Reviewed by fivesixonesk8er on Guitar Center
This mic sounds Awsome in any situation needing a low freq. mic. I ALWAYS use it for the Kick Drum and Bass Cabs. I use it nonstop while recording and has stood up through ALL the abuse. Im sure it will last forever and will never go out of date!
9. Sennheiser e 835
Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
A great upgrade.
Reviewed by Niceman832282 on Guitar Center
I purchased the Sennheiser E835 6 months ago. I run it with a Phonic EQ, and old Peavey Mixer. This mic has held up to all of my bands practice sessions and through all of our shows. It has been dropped, stuffed in the bottem of the gear bag, thrown, spun, kicked and spit on and it still works just as new (aside a few scratches). When comparing it to the Shure SM58, my Sennheiser picks up the screaming portion of my vocals with a near perfect sound. I have used this mic in recording as well, everything came out clear. Granted a condencer mic would be a better tool for recording i think. This is a worthy front man mic. Durable, reliable and definitely worth it's money. ... More
Buy these mics
Reviewed by Rocky on Guitar Center
This mic pack is good in many ways.To start,the sound.Tight bass,smooth highs,the frequency is in the range of vocals.These mics have very high gain before feedback,and a super-cardioid pattern to make it even more feedback resistant.I dont believe Sm58's have a super-cardiod pattern.The price is a steal on these.Normally $99 each.The pack saves you $80 if you bought 3 of these seperately,or 3 sm58s seperately.How could you turn this pack down? ... More
10. Shure Super 55
Deluxe Supercardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
AWESOME MIC
Reviewed by Jenni on Guitar Center
i bought this mic for my husbands birthday present. this mic is just plain awesome, upgraded from a Sure SM 58, this mic has the best clarity, you can hear every word and note as clear as a bell, didn't realize how muddy every other mic sounded until this one!! not to mention the look is HOT! one trip to Sun Studios and he knew this is the one he wanted just for the look, we thought it was a little pricey at first but the sound quality is so good the price is worth every penny. he plays classic rock, country , alternative and it works great for all, no feed back! buy it , you'll love it! ... More
Pefect mix of style & performance
Reviewed by Chris Carter on Guitar Center
I was truly impressed when the functionality of this device matched if not outshined it elegant design. The style speaks for itself. I tend to play blues / oldies so the tone this mic produces is perfect, however I would not advise for use with hard rock or heavy metal as distortion may cause feedback.