

Build quality is outstanding, making the M80 feel reassuringly beefy yet well-balanced in the hand. It’s just as robust as the SM58 but boasts a wider frequency range that delivers more clarity and high-end presence. If you hanker after something a little more exclusive with a broader sonic palette, and don’t mind paying a bit more for quality, then we recommend the Telefunken M80 (opens in new tab).

OK, we made that last bit up, but it does sound feasible.īest of all, the SM58 is dirt-cheap – it probably costs less than your guitarist paid for their fancy oxygen-free, mono-crystal, pure-copper guitar lead. The only things proven to survive an atomic blast (or a Mogwai concert) intact are cockroaches and SM58s. What’s more, it’s virtually indestructible. Ask any young kid to draw a microphone and they’ll trace the shape of an SM58 for you in primary- coloured crayon. The SM58 is a legend, an icon of the stage. And, whether they were belting out an anthem or delicately delivering a soulful ballad, we bet it sounded so fine that the hairs on the back of your neck were standing to attention. Chances are your chosen artist will have been singing into a Shure SM58 (opens in new tab). Actually, let’s include the late ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, too. Pick a live performance by your favourite artist. Best live vocal microphones: Our top picks

A supercardioid will do a marvellous job of rejecting off-axis noise, but that will include your vocals if you’re constantly moving away from the mic while singing. We know which one we’d rather listen to.įinally, choose a mic with a pickup pattern that matches your on-stage physicality (i.e. What they hear in their in-ear monitors can spell the difference between a confident, spirited performance and one riddled with anxiety and self-doubt. Mics need to make live vocals sound great, too – not just for the benefit of the audience but also for the singer. To survive life on the road, vocal mics need to be robust and reliable. Likewise, the back of your mate’s old van that transports you from gig to gig may mist up like a steam room, but it’s no health spa.
#Best live performer full#
The stage can be a hostile environment for mics, full of strange liquids, unidentifiable sticky substances and accidents just waiting to happen. To get the very best from a singer’s performance, live vocal mics need to fulfil some basic needs. Who knows, with a handful of help – in the pleasing shape of the right mic – you could be the next artist to join our list of stage greats.
#Best live performer how to#
An exploration of how to choose one, and choose one well. So, this is our ode to the best microphones for live vocals.
