AKG D7 is a premium dynamic supercardioid stage mic with a smooth and open sound that is quite resilient to feedback. On paper it may look identical to D5 but don’t get confused because there are distinctive differences in the sound. AKG D7 is a step up in quality, and it is also more expensive but fortunately, you do get what you pay for. As a reference mic, it delivers a very natural tone despite…
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Rode Videomic NTG is a hybrid DSLR / USB mic of a compact size that can be mounted both on top of a camera and on a tripod while connected to a computer. The most beautiful thing about this mic is that it doesn’t have any cumbersome battery decks attached to it (unlike previous models). Videomic NTG is compact and sleek due to the fact that the batteries are stored inside. The internal components do…
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Comica VM20 is a budget miniature shotgun with a 3.5mm TRRS output, which can be connected directly to cameras and cellphones, while other DSLR mics require an additional splitter to work with cellphones in particular. The sounds is clear and natural out of the box, which is also crucial if you intend to record and publish videos using your phone. The low cut and extra gain controls are very handy too. In contrast with other…
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Rode VideoMic Pro Plus is an enhanced version of the VideoMic Pro, where the main difference is the size. VideoMic Pro+ is considerably bigger and weightier than the non-plus version, and although the specs might be similar for the most part, the Pro Plus offers a substantial difference when it comes to directionality. VideoMic Pro+ rejects background noise much more aggressively while focusing more on what’s in front. Tighter pickup pattern translates into a better…
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Sennheiser e965 is a premium large diaphragm vocal mic with a true condenser capsule, switchable between cardioid and supercardioid patterns. This mic has been out for some while remaining relatively unknown. The price was high in the beginning, it costed as much as Neumann and other high-end models, so those willing to try it out were few. But recently, the price has been significantly reduced, so we finally decided to give it a shot and…
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Shure Super 55 Deluxe is a supercardioid prop mic for live sound. It may certainly look cool on camera while sparing you from having to procure an expensive and delicate Neumann or some other signature microphone in order to impress your audience. You have to understand it doesn’t have anything to do with the old mic other than having the similarly styled body. Those times are long gone and we have a small cylinder-shaped capsule…
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Sennheiser MKH 8050 is a supercardioid microphone, an industry standard for miking dialogues indoors as well as spot miking. It has natural, well-rounded sound, distinctively rich and warm in character. It offers significantly more side rejection than a cardioid but less than an interference tube shotgun. Unlike shotgun however, MKH 8050 has very little off-axis coloration, sounds more natural and less susceptible to comb filtering, which is a common problem when interference tube mics are…
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Sennheiser MKH8060 is a professional short shotgun that features very low noise levels while being highly directional. It has distinctive switches for adjusting frequency response and offers an improved off-axis response at higher frequencies, which helps to reduce the unwanted comb filtering effects when operating in proximity to the walls. It is highly sensitive yet there is no audible distortion and the on-axis response is as neutral as it could possibly get even at 20 kHz….
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Sennheiser e845 is a budget version of the e945 supercardioid handheld with a less refined response and a slightly lower output. It is still as good in terms of gain before feedback and the supercardioid pattern it offers is as tight as ever. That is why this mic is well suited for noisy venues as well as back vocals where you want to keep the background noise to minimum. The higher end is as open…
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Sennheiser MKH416 is a professional shotgun microphone, which is also a renowned industry standard for filmmaking, documentary, television and voiceovers. It uses a true condenser, externally polarized capsule of a high quality that can tolerate harsh conditions very well. Featuring a fantastic rich and natural, clean tone it requires little to no postproduction at all. The amount of rejection is not too tight, it is also one of the few shotguns that works well for…
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Shure Beta 58A is a great performance supercardioid mic, capable of delivering nice and clean vocals without killing your budget. Fairly bright but unobtrusive in character, it clears up vocals without exaggerating on the higher register. It has a linear response throughout the entire vocal range, which is especially appreciated by versatile singers. All in all, this mic is very easy to work with, both for singer and sound engineer alike. It is also quite…
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AKG D5 is a cheap but rugged supercardioid mic. It offers similar but slightly superior sound to Shure SM58. Tighter pick up pattern also gives it more flexibility to deal with gain before feedback. This mic can thus be considered as a more viable, cheaper alternative. However, it does suffer from the same disadvantage, which is the lack of detail. When comparing to more advanced handhelds, D5 may kind of sound inarticulate but as a…
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Shure KSM9 is a professional on-stage condenser mic. This model is renowned and remains a favorite choice of many musicians. It offers a natural, open sound, with a very balanced low-end, beautifully smooth midrange and brilliant highs. Giving just enough brightness to put you in line or slightly ahead of the instruments, I find it working great for all types of voices too. As expected from professional equipment, you’ll get that superior quality and low noise levels. The unique…
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Rode VideoMic Pro VMP is a compact professional mic that perfectly sits on any DSLR camera while leaving minimum footprint. For an average consumer it may seem somewhat expensive, but it is Rode and it pays out with quality. If you want to achieve a decent sound for your recordings this would be a must have addition, as even high-end cameras sound terrible with their in-built mics. Not only can this model deliver a clean…
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Sennheiser MKE 600 is a fantastic quality, 10” short-range shotgun. Although considered an entry model, which is available at rather modest price, it has just about professional performance! Moreover, I’d say this mic is probably the best raw performer in its range. This is not only about the quality but also about the design. It may appear modest, but it’s certainly more convenient than both AT897 and Rode NTG2. It also performs great in both close and open areas without relying on…
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Shure Beta 87A delivers a superb quality, open sound with lots of detail and clarity. It has a wide dynamic range and can handle both weak and powerful vocals without distortion. This mic is well tuned for stage performance and it easily cuts through the mix without putting strain on the singer. With a supercardioid pattern it achieves superior gain before feedback and minimum stage bleed, giving you the ability to perform on smaller and more aggressive stages when needed. The frequency response is nicely balanced and sounds natural throughout…
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Electro Voice 767A is a cheap but very good sounding vocal mic. Although it may not be as durable as Shure SM58, it certainly has a way better performance for just about the same price. It has a bright high-end with a smooth bottom end. Whatever your voice is, it will never sound muddy as this mic always delivers a lot of detail and clarity. If you need a good entry-level mic with above standard sound…
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Sennheiser e945 is a great example of a great vocal mic. Made of quality, it produces an extraordinary for dynamics clear ‘n natural sound with a pleasant bit of warmth while easily cutting through the mix. This mic is not ‘picky’ about your technique, be it clean or grungy voice (or even something more extreme?). Gain before feedback is also quite very good – way better than most of the available mics on the market…
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In this article, you'll learn how to choose professional and budget
