condenser vocals for live

[martinepiphone]

would a condenser vocal mic not pick up too much surrounding for live...result in feedback? i know people use them, but i was just wondering about the feedback and pickup, because wouldnt a condenser mic give a live performance a lot better quality warm sound? i was just wondering if so, then why doesnt everyone use one when playing live, im considering getting the shure sm...? something , the one that is a vocal mic, but a condenser.

 

[Innovations]

Sure you can use a condenser for live, the problem is using a condenser for handheld applications, or where the mic will need to be moved a lot, or where there will be significant wind noise, which pretty much covers tha gamut of live recording.

Also a typical condenser setup, with shockmount, pop filter, etc. looks crappy to the audience.

 

[martinepiphone]

but waht about the condensers that done have all the shock mount, they look like a regular vocal dynamic mic, but they are a condenser mic, shure makes one and i cant think of the make, i think it is like an 86, or 87...something like that, but i guess the condensers dont actually pickup feed back that easilly at high live volumes???
thanks!

 

[Richard Monroe]

Hand held condensers are like dynamics, or any other mic, in that they sound good on some sources some of the time. Condensers do not necessarily sound warmer or clearer, or more anything else than a dynamic. They are just more sensitive, and generally have a higher output. As such, handheld condensers are somewhat more prone to problems with handling noise, and feedback.
I have used Beta 87c and SM86 with good success. Paradoxically, I prefer handheld condensers for very small gigs, and pretty large ones, but not so much in between. Good for small gigs at low volume levels, where feedback is not a major problem, intimate coffee house settings. Also not too bad for larger gigs where you have someone good on the board with a big-time equalizer, so specific feedback frequencies can be isolated and attenuated. Also, they work better with in-ear monitors, where feedback from floor wedges is less of a problem.
For a dance hall or club setting with 150 or so people, with the house PA, they can be pretty nasty.-Richie

 

[Mr Funk]

I used my AKG 535EB live on vocals and it was good! Look for a mic with internal suspension and pop filter, they are not as good as external ones, but decent enough. I think the Beyer M201 could be good, but I have never used one so I can't say? It has low handling noise and is hypercardoid and thus used as an audience mic on TV shows etc. What do others think of the M201 for live vocals?

Neumann do a hand held, vocal mic (KSM156 or something like that?) as do most other companies, such as Beyer and Sennheiser etc. The AT midnight blue range are good value too.