Big, cheap microphone for karaoke

All live mics are similar to the SM58. It's a standard... Consider also the Rode M1. It has a sound very similar to the SM58 and it is less a general use mic. It is more tailored for the voice. Price is similar.
 
Just buy the SM-58. As other have said, all vocal mics are pretty much the same size. The "big" ones you see are all wireless, high-end, and expensive, and their size doesn't really have anything to do with the sound of the mic.

Not only is the SM-58 "the standard" and "bulletproof" it's also easily replaceable. Best feature: when the drunk kariokers drop the SM-58, it won't be hurt, but its windscreen will eventually get smooshed. Replacement windscreens are readily available on line for about $8 and will make 'most any '58 look new again.

Just buy the SM-58.
 
How about this one, What a strange discussion, the mic is not big enough? I thought how does it sound may be a better discussion? Just get singers with small hands.
Alan.

s-O-BROTHER-WHERE-ART-THOU-large.webp
 
I'm mainly buying this for my parents (and 2 for myself), and I'm sure my parents will feel that the SM 58's are "cheap" because they're so small.

I'm betting they wouldn't think that because 58s are pretty heavy and very solid.
You could literally hammer in nails with one.

Some of the Sennheiser handhelds are bigger than a 58, but not like in your picture.

The bigger mics you see are likely to be wireless or not hand-held, like the re20/sm7b/md421 etc.
 
I'm mainly buying this for my parents (and 2 for myself), and I'm sure my parents will feel that the SM 58's are "cheap" because they're so small.

That's why I want to get a big microphone. It's for karaoke, so sound quality isn't exactly a priority.

I missed this before, both those lines are priceless.

:laughings:

Try this:

7433301286_bac3affd71_z.webp
 
I'm mainly buying this for my parents (and 2 for myself), and I'm sure my parents will feel that the SM 58's are "cheap" because they're so small.

Actually, they are not 'small'. They are normal size. I don't imagine your parents would be that superficial.
 
Audio/microphones are an area where "it's not the size, it's what you do with it" really IS true!
 
So I've decided to buy the Behringer XM8500. Seems like SM58 knockoffs for 1/4 of the price.

Can I use this directly on my computer with a XLR to 1/8'' adapter plugging into the mic in?
 
so from your OP, "I was set on buying the Shure SM-58, but it looks so small and cheap in person". you decided to go with a 15.00 mic? The adapter should work. Good luck.:facepalm:
 
So I've decided to buy the Behringer XM8500. Seems like SM58 knockoffs for 1/4 of the price.

Can I use this directly on my computer with a XLR to 1/8'' adapter plugging into the mic in?

The Behringer is 1/4 of the price and 10% of the quality, Strange that you ask for advice and totally ignore it. :facepalm:

Yes, you can plug it into the computer, you should get about 10% of the quality of the 10% quality mic doing it this way. It seems price is everything in this case.

Alan.

doublefacepalm.webp
 
The Behringer is 1/4 of the price and 10% of the quality, Strange that you ask for advice and totally ignore it. :facepalm:

Yes, you can plug it into the computer, you should get about 10% of the quality of the 10% quality mic doing it this way. It seems price is everything in this case.

Alan.

View attachment 88330

I am so confused, I thought size was the deciding factor. figures, they start off wanting something big then settle for cheap. story of my life.:drunk:
 
I bought a set of three of those behri mikes for when I was doing music for footie clubs and stuff like that.

When the drunken yobbos wanted to sing Khe Sanh at the end of the night, having a $20 mike or two was handy for (a) keep the natives happy and (b) protecting my good stuff.

I found them to be surprisingly good: they didn't sound too bad, and they were very durable. For someone starting off with no money, they are not a bad option.
 
Whoa, I'm surprised by the responses. I'm definitely not ignoring your responses. I'm just combining your advice with stuff I read from the internet.

I did some reading, and apparently the XM8500 is very close to the SM58. Are they actually that different? I was thinking I definitely don't mind paying 75% less for a mic that's 90% of the SM58, especially when I'm buying a "small" and "seemingly cheap" mic. I'm buying 4 mics, and the $350 difference is not chump change for me, especially since this is just a "toy" that I use maybe once or twice a month.

I'd like to avoid buying a mixer if I can. I can't imagine doing a mic in on a computer be that much worse. I don't know anything though, so please enlighten me. I thought mixers are just to add effects to the voice, like reverbs and stuff.

Lastly, size is important, but it seems like I won't be able to get a big mic unless I plan to spend at least 2-3x the price of a SM58, and that's far too rich for me as even the SM58 is really pushing my budget.
 
There's nothing wrong with the Behringer mic, especially for something like karaoke where, let's face it, quality is not the top issue. I also carry some cheap mics (not Behringer in my case but they just as easily could be) for use on things like that.

However, I'm not quite clear on how you plan to feed four mics into a computer without some form of interface or mixer? At best, you can only hook up one.

Indeed, of bigger concern to me than the cheap mics is the whole idea of trying to plug straight into your computer without an interface. The super cheap sound card that comes on the mother board of most computers is literally a 39 cent chip and that will have a far bigger effect on your sound than the mics--you'll find a noticeable "hiss" and also that you don't have much headroom and can easily "clip" (overload) the signal...and doing karaoke with a round trip via the computer could easily result in some troublesome "lag".

If you only want two mics at a time there are tons of cheapish USB interfaces or USB mixers that would do the job for you but if you need all four mics at once then things get a bit more specialist (and expensive!). What are your plans?
 
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