Dynamic mics: OM5, E845, Beta58 ?

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badfingers

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My budget is under $200. This is for live use. My current choices:

1. Audix OM5
2. Sennheiser E845 (or 855 ..is there much difference ?)
3. Shure Beta 58

Any thoughts, experiences & recommendations ? Thank you & much appreciated for any inputs.

PS: I've tried Shure 58 & 57 dynamic mics. Like the 57 better than 58 (seems clearer). Are the above an improvement (better dynamic range, focused mids, etc.) than the Shure 57/58 series ?
 
When I was testing Mics for live use nothing beat the Audix Mics .
The OM 2 is a bit like the shure 58 but built like a tank and much much better feedback rejection . If you really want to spend more money get the Audix OM7 . All of the Audix line is USA made and offer the best feedback rejection on the Market today .
 
the beta 58 has good feedback rejection. i dont know if its as good, but seems very good.
 
You might also check out the AKG D880. It's somewhat similar in sound to the Beta 58A. The AKG offers good feedback rejection, low handling noise, and sounds better than the Shure to my ears. Very reasonably priced, too....!
 
beta 58

... i gotta say, i agree that the beta 58 is hard to beat. it has a little hotter signal than a reg 58, and great feedback rejection and proximity effect. i've used most of them out there including the audix line (om2, om3xb, om5, om7) which do have great feedback projection, but don't sound as detailed to my ear, and seem to go downhill a bit over time.
imo shure is the way to go...57, 58, beta 58... great mikes that have stood the test of time.
peace- jv
 
i've not used the betas, only the SMs but i have to say i'm a massive fan of the sennheisers. the radio handheld ones in particular are brilliant and so much better built than the shures i've used. also, the capsule top isn't round like on a shure, so it won't get dented when it's dropped - the number of misshapen sm57s i've seen....i've got 6 E845s and i've also found the 835s to be fine as backup too, a much warmer sound for male vocals than other mics in the price range, altho i got the 845s for £50 each at the time which was a total bargain!
 
noisedude said:
i've not used the betas, only the SMs but i have to say i'm a massive fan of the sennheisers. the radio handheld ones in particular are brilliant and so much better built than the shures i've used. also, the capsule top isn't round like on a shure, so it won't get dented when it's dropped - the number of misshapen sm57s i've seen....i've got 6 E845s and i've also found the 835s to be fine as backup too, a much warmer sound for male vocals than other mics in the price range, altho i got the 845s for £50 each at the time which was a total bargain!
Click to expand...

but the sm58 isnt the same mic as the beta 58. they sound way different.
 
yeah i know - i was just saying i hadn't used them! and also pointing out the design flaw IMO of the round tops which in my experience shortens the life of the mics.

i'd expect the betas to be better than the senns simply because of how much more expensive they are. but as i said i only have experience with the senns and they're great value IMO. sorry for the confusion!
 
Thank you all for the inputs...

So the Beta 58/Sennheiser 845/OM5, AKGD880... are a step "above" the SM58 ? Good feedback rejection is an important feature for me.

I've seen some 3-pack Sennheiser 845 for about $230. Is that a good price ? I think one mic runs about $140.

Also the Audix OM5 comes with "Monster Cable" ...is that really gonna help or a "regular" mic cable will do the job ?

Thanks again.
 
in the uk the betas retail a lot higher than the sennheisers. as i say i got 845s cheaper than sm58s and they're definitely a step up from them...from what the others say the betas or the audix should be a step up again. they're about twice the price in my local shop so they should be!

monster cable = good, but concentrate on getting a good mic that will last. can you go try them out and listen to them?
 
Another point, technical issues aside:

If you are a singer, I'd suggest that you try out several microphones and see how each sounds on your voice and pick the one that you feel sounds most flattering.
 
One of the things that sold me on the Audix Mics compared to the Shures is when you take them apart the build on the Audix is much more robust . I took 3 mics into the live room to test :
Shure SM58
Audix OM2
Audix OM2 the stores demo mic .

Part of the Demonstration with the audix was dropping it ball down from shoulder height . The demo Mic in the store was completely Mushroomed from numerous drops. I did not even realize how much untill they pulled a new Audix and showed me side by side .
We took all three mics into the live room and tested , honestly between the Shures and THe Audix they were very close and comparable soundwise . The demo ( dropped repeatedly ) Audix sounded as good as the new mics . Another point as reffered to on my earlier post is the Audix whipped the shure in the feedback rejection department ( yes we did test this in the live room ) .
As a gigging musician ( as other may well attest ) equipment takes a beating between setup , misadventures on stage , and loadout . I need to know my equipment will work and sound good from gig to gig over time . This also includes Mic cables . You might not notice the difference between mic cables sound wise( it does make a difference though ) but part of this is also durability. My entire setup is run with Monster cable including mic cables .
Part of my thinking on this is if you are a profesional musician ie: getting paid for your services, you deserve and your audience deserves the best possible sound and performance possible . I believe it always pays in the end to spend your money wisely and sometimes " best bang for the buck " is not the best course . I would rather spend my hard earned cash once for quality gear and buy what I know is going to last for years and sound good then buy something that will get me by . I think replacement cost and upgrade cost is a waste of money do it right the first time This is true for a live gig setup as well a recording setup .
Dave
 
None of those mics are a step up from the Beta. They are sideways steps. I prefer the AKG D770 to the 880, like many people prefer the SM57 to the 58. Akg C535 or a Sennheiser MD441 is a step up from a Beta. Beyer dynamics is popular w/ many, such as M88.-Richie
 
Last edited:
To avoid confusion, Meyer = Beyer in Richies post. Simple typo
 
Thank you all for the inputs & MixSit for the link. Wish you all a very good New Year !

Peace
 
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