Behringer XM8500 vs. Shure SM58

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braincoil

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I know this probably has been covered before but...

My jam-buddy and I did a "Shootout" of Shure's SM58 and Behringer's XM8500 mics (NOT the Behringer XM1800S Mics which alot of people think are the same as the XM8500...which they are Not)

He has a very nice PA system. What we found when we compared these mics...

(Please keep in mind; we used these mics in a "Live" situation. We don't have experience with these mics side-by-side in the studio)

1. The Behringer XM8500 Mics seemed ever so Slightly "Hotter" than the SM58's. Slightly Louder. Again, VERY subtle. But it is definitely there.

2. The Behringer XM8500 Mics, Albeit "Hotter", are less prone to feedback. What I mean by that is, the Gain can be cranked a little higher without getting feedback, and also the XM8500 is less sensitive to mic placement in the room, than the SM58. The SM58 seemed more sensitive where you positioned it when controlling feedback (compared to the XM8500). Again, this is a very subtle quality.

3. The Shure SM58 has a slight "Bump" in the mid / high-mid range (as you probably know). Not a bad thing at all. However, XM8500 has just the opposite, i.e. Slightly scooped in the mids / high-mids (compared to the SM58) and a slight "Boost" in the Lower mids. This is great if you have a "Reedy" or "Nasally" voice. This quality is Extremely subtle but definitely there.

4. The Behringer XM8500 has more "airy" "Clear" high end that is more Pronounced (maybe 6k and higher range). This is not necessarily a bad Or a Good thing. This quality along with the other points, makes this Behringer XM8500 sounds Slightly more "Hi Fi". Again, could be a good or bad thing depending on the use.


Btw, We tried several of them, so variables from mic to mic could be eliminated. So we couldn't say "the reason why the Shure sounds better is because the Behringer is defective" ect.

What have been your experiences with these mics?
 
My friend had six of them and we used them for our a cappella concerts. The Behringers sound good, but personally, under more intense scrutiny (read: when six of them were being used at once) they sort of oversaturated certain parts of the frequency range, especially those lower mids. The proximity effect of the XM8500's is also more pronounced, and it's more prone to popping. It also has slightly higher handling noise, from my experience.

Is it a better microphone than the SM58? No. Is the SM58 4 times better? No. It's also four times the price of the XM8500, so it's not a bad microphone at all, it just has a few caveats.

Also, this microphone seems to have a serious issue with impedance mismatches. Anyone care to comment?
 
Kierkes said:
My friend had six of them and we used them for our a cappella concerts. The Behringers sound good, but personally, under more intense scrutiny (read: when six of them were being used at once) they sort of oversaturated certain parts of the frequency range, especially those lower mids. The proximity effect of the XM8500's is also more pronounced, and it's more prone to popping. It also has slightly higher handling noise, from my experience.

Also, this microphone seems to have a serious issue with impedance mismatches. Anyone care to comment?
Click to expand...

I see.

However, did you use the SM58 in the same EXACT Situation?

It is very hard to tell the difference when it isn’t a true Side-By-Side Comparison in the same room, PA, Vocalists, or even Cables.

Are you sure it was a XM8500 and not a XM1800S Mic?

There was ONE behringer (out of all we tested) that did seem to be a little noisy while Handled. But all the rest were comparable to a SM58...Really Quiet.

No problem with impedance mismatches here.
 
I've owned 6: Gave two away to a friend who never seemed to have his vocal mic with him, leave one at rehearsal for the times I don't want to dig out and carry around my stage vocal mic, and regularly set up and use three as audience participation mics during gigs. The Behri is extremely seviceable for those situations and has taken some scary abuse and drops from, not unexpectedly, general members of the audience. I'll agree with kierkes comments, above----but I'm not sure about the impedence comment or how it manifested itself. PFL/input levels seemed to be close to the SM58s we use but you could easily pick out the difference in sound between the two mics if you were singing into them "blindfolded." I think it's reasonably safe to refer to the sound of an SM58 as a true stage standard, and that alone says something. Whatever I would say about the quality and the timbre of the two mics, an important consideration for me is that, in my experience, the XM5800 doesn't stand up in a mix with other SM58s as well another SM58 will. Outside of that, I find the XM5800 to be more than perfectly serviceable as an inexpensive secondary/disposable/backup unit---maybe unbeatable at its price (3 for $60). It actually doesn't do a bad job of miking snare, percussion or cabinets, especially if you remove the ball.

I don't have much experience with the GLS58, which would probably be the other inexpensive alternative to the SM58.

Paj
8^)
 
braincoil said:
I see.

However, did you use the SM58 in the same EXACT Situation?

It is very hard to tell the difference when it isn’t a true Side-By-Side Comparison in the same room, PA, Vocalists, or even Cables.

Are you sure it was a XM8500 and not a XM1800S Mic?

There was ONE behringer (out of all we tested) that did seem to be a little noisy while Handled. But all the rest were comparable to a SM58...Really Quiet.

No problem with impedance mismatches here.
Click to expand...
Yep. Exact situation. Not the same day, but we did a couple of the same songs and the rest of the gear was the same, because the guy who had the XM8500's left the group and we had to rent from the university.

Definitely sure it was the XM8500.

Impedance: it's really strange, because a couple of places I plug other microphones into fine aren't happy with the XM8500, and it emits an obvious hum. The thing is, it could be bad connectors on the microphone itself, but considering that it was happening to every one, and an online search did turn up something about it, I naturally reached that conclusion.
 
Come back and tell us how they compare after they've been dropped a few times.
 
You said it yourself. A 'bump' in the low-mids. This equals 'mud'. Especially live. That point right there would negate my personal desire to own them even at 3 for $60 clams.

A lot of newbies and beginners are constantly on the hunt to justify their purchases. You dont really need to. If it works for you then more power to ya. But in my almost 40 years of sound and playing, I've seen SM58's that should not work a whisper perform like the yeoman standard they are. I've seen them filled with beverages and work perfectly as soon as they dried out....(sometimes before)..

Its no accident that the frequency curve of the Shure is what it is. Yes, there are MUCH better individual vocal mics for stage. I have a bunch and my favorite is the Audix OM5. Its 'better' for me. But for simplicity of set-up and knowing everything is going to work right out of the gate and your sound is going to be close to right by simply pushing up the sliders, I'll take a bag full of 58's any time.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Come back and tell us how they compare after they've been dropped a few times.
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that. My Behri mic has been used as a "Drumstick" by a 7 year old. It was bashed on the floor a few times before I could stop it. Still works like a Champ...
 
cavedog101 said:
You said it yourself. A 'bump' in the low-mids. This equals 'mud'. Especially live.
Click to expand...

Yes, an "Extremely subtle" Bump in the lower mids compared to a SM58. (Which is known to be very flat in that same range)

But also the SM58 has a "Bump" in the higher-mid range.
This is why the SM58 could sound "Flat" or "Nasally" in some situations.
Just like the the Behringer Could sound like "Mud" in some situations.

Like I said, the Behringer sounds slightly more "Hi Fi" than the Shure. Up to you if you want that.

BUT, these are VERY VERY VERY subtle differences, that most people probably won't notice.

But we sure did because of our painstakingly anal retentive test...
 
I mean, it's the same reason that somehow, people owning project studios still buy grossly bright microphones; because the pronounced differences of them only sound different on one source. When you stack them, however, you overload the frequencies, and you end up with a grossly bright mix.

The Behringers sound muddy when they're stacked. Not as muddy as bright LDC's are bright, mind you; I'd still probably buy it for a couple of things, but I'd be wary of using it as a workhorse. It may be my personal opinion, but the SM57's workhorse status would be undeserved if it didn't take EQ like a prize fighter.

P.S. The Behringers may be that microphone, but I honestly don't know.
 
I know! ..................... what were we thinking all of these years?
 
All I'm saying is...

1. Neither mic is "Better". Pretty much identical. I Personally Favor the Behringer Mics for our vocals. (And we have the option for SM58, but they are collecting dust).

2. Compare it to a SM58 SIDE-BY-SIDE before you knock it. Don't take someone else’s word about how it sounds (including mine). TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!

The whole reason I started this thread is to encourage YOU to do a side-by-side test with a Shure.


Also, We have been using them regularly for about 2 years or so with Several different Vocalist, and I have NEVER had a problem the XM8500 being "muddy". That has been "My" Experiences with these mics.


Anyways, TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!
 
braincoil said:
All I'm saying is...

1. Neither mic is "Better". Pretty much identical. I Personally Favor the Behringer Mics for our vocals. (And we have the option for SM58, but they are collecting dust).

2. Compare it to a SM58 SIDE-BY-SIDE before you knock it. Don't take someone else’s word about how it sounds (including mine). TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!

The whole reason I started this thread is to encourage YOU to do a side-by-side test with a Shure.


Also, We have been using them regularly for about 2 years or so with Several different Vocalist, and I have NEVER had a problem the XM8500 being "muddy". That has been "My" Experiences with these mics.


Anyways, TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!
Click to expand...
It's a pretty good idea to give it a shot, since it's cheap guys. But I've told you my experiences with them, as has braincoil. If anything, it proves that microphones are different for everyone.
 
Are you concluding that the Shure is superior to the Behringer? I'm asking this because I have just purchased 3 of the Behringer MX8500s-Thanx.
 
The mic test was in 2011, they may have moved on by now.

Alan.
 
I have used the Behringer up against a '58 a few times.

The Behringer mics are horribly muddy in the low mid, distort at high volumes, and have a nasty frequency peak above the useful 'vocal range'.

Personally I think it's a nasty mic, but it's cheap and for many people that is a priority.

So buy the Behringer if you must, and wait until you can afford a real '58 to replace it.
 
This thread started in 2011, last reply before yours was 2013, please check the dates before hashing up old threads.

holy thread resurrection.webp
 
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