Which microphone for vocals

As a wannabe pro singer you need the best microphone for recording vocals, but some singers may also be looking for the best recording microphone that can also handle guitar, or perhaps a microphone they can use both in the studio and for live performance. Below is a roundup of my top choices that can fit within a home studio recording budget. Full reviews of these best mics for recording are listed further down the article as well as a breakdown of the ideal technical specs for a vocal recording microphone.

If on mobile please rotate sideways to read better. At a basic level microphones are devices that capture sound and turn that sound into an electric wave that is then either recorded or can be distributed via speakers. When considering the best microphone for singing at home for you, you need to know the main differences between well known home recording mics. You can delve really deep into the inner workings of Dynamic Microphones but on a basic level, dynamic mics are like small loudspeakers but instead of pushing electrical signals out, the dynamic mic works in reverse turning sound waves inwards and into electricity.

Dynamic microphones are the most popular professional microphones for singing live well for music, in general, to be honest because they are relatively affordable and are a durable, all round good quality microphone when it comes to performance.

They also do not require any external battery or power source to use them — unlike condenser microphones — and can take a lot when it comes to sound or everyday wear and tear that a vocal microphone can endure.

These are the mics that you will often see being used by band singers on stage. Condenser microphones are a little more delicate than dynamic mics which makes them more responsive and sensitive to sound. This makes them a popular choice as a home studio microphone.

It can also makes them a more expensive purchase as a vocal recording mic. As I mentioned earlier condenser mics also require an external power supply, this is often supplied by mixing boards or audio interfaces. Make sure you check out the Essential Accessories For Home Studio Vocal Recording section below to make sure you have all the right gear to record with a condenser mic at home.

If you are looking for good quality vocal recording, on a budget and your sole goal is semi-pro recording at home — with no interest in using your microphone in a live setting, then a USB microphone for singing is a convenient alternative to a traditional condenser mic. Some modern USB condenser mics actually stack up quite well against traditional mics at the same price point. That said, the USB mic can only be used attached to your computer, so it lacks future versatility if you want to get into more live sound in the future.

Before solid state electronics, tubes valves were used in the pre-amplification stage of any condenser mic, in order to boost the raw signal.

Today, most condenser microphones are solid state, but some producers still like the retro tone of using a tube mic. Modern tube mics typically have far better electronic design than those old-skool mics, so today you can get a reliable modern mic but with a vintage sound. The cardioid pattern of you studio microphone determines how it collects sound, and where from.

This can make a huge difference to the finished result — how your recorded vocal will sound, as well as background noise. An omnidirectional mic collects sound from every angle around the head of the microphone. This is great for capturing all ambient noise in a room. This causes a very dirty recording and leaves you little flexibility in post production to add or subtract reverb to suit the track. The Cardioid pattern is typical in all the best microphone for recording vocals.

They pickup sound from directly in-front of the microphone and greatly reduce ambient noise coming from behind or around the microphone. Super cardioid microphones have an even tighter directional pickup pattern — meaning even less spill pickup from ambient noise.

They can be so directional that there positioning needs to be very accurate to collect all the intended sound — not always ideal for a singer that moves their head around the mic while singing. But, perhaps very useful if recording multiple instruments simultaneously in a live environment. Records mainly from in front and behind the microphone, ignoring sources to either side. The diaphragm is the part of the microphone that captures the vibrations that sound makes through air.

Different size diaphragms effect the way that sound is collected. Large diaphragms have an essential plus for live audio recording — Lower signal-to-noise ratio.

This means less hiss and static when recording relatively quite sources — such as the human voice or an acoustic guitar. The negative is their cardioid pattern becomes wider and is less directional at higher frequencies — above hz. Small diaphragm mics resolve the cardioid pattern issue, keeping a consistently directional recording field across the full human hearing range.

The compromise is, the signal-to-noise ratio is much worse. This is good for recording a hi-hat, for example. Where the signal volume is high and the transients up to 16k and beyond are needed in the recording. He is an experienced guitarist and enjoys listening to and playing many different genres of music.

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So, you may be a producer or singer, and because of that you might not want or even care about any microphones other than ones for recording vocals and singing. This article is an easy solution for that, providing you with detailed reviews of the best vocal mics available for you to purchase in Shure makes especially durable microphones, and this dynamic mic is no exception.

Getting into the features, the SM7B lets you tailor it to match a wide variety of voices and applications if you need to tone down a high, shrill voice or take away some body from a bass heavy voice.

These dual tone controls make it ultra versatile and easy to accomplish these things. The presence boost is great for female voices and the low cut is great for male voices.

The design of the mic is quite complex; there is an internal suspension and shock mounting system. This eliminates vibration and collision noise during handling. It also has electromagnetic shielding to keep humming from getting into your audio signal, which can definitely be an issue in studios with a lot of electronics. I especially recommend it for those of you who have a professional studio.

The AT is a side address microphone, so you can comfortably stand or sit while recording into the mic with a gooseneck mic stand or even just a normal stand. In terms of design, it has a low mass diaphragm that allows for extremely fast transient response and an extended frequency range. The AT shines with all sorts of vocalists, however there are no controls on the microphone for an attenuation pad or a high pass filter.

It also does not have any built-in noise suppression or an internal pop filter or shock mount, and it can be a little noisy at times. It would fit well in a home studio, bedroom studio, or project studio, but probably would not be high enough quality for a professional studio. The TLM is a large diaphragm mic with a cardioid pattern capsule specifically designed for a new generation of Neumann mics that were made to be great for a ton of different applications.

While the TLM sounds great with instruments, it sounds incredible with vocals and definitely excels in that area due to the 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response range. The TLM is a very low noise microphone and reproduces audio sources accurately without adding much color.

The response is boosted a little bit after 6 kHz to add some presence which makes it sound much sweeter. The smoothness enhances the vocals and adds more dimension. The TLM has extremely low noise and a ton of clarity. This is thanks to the design not having a transformer; it has an electric circuit instead that prevents interference.

This condenser also has a built-in pop filter and shock mount system which is not something you typically see in condenser mics, you normally see those features in dynamic mics since they are more often used for on stage performances.

All the same, it just adds to the versatility of this microphone. The Neumann TLM is the perfect compact mic for the studio. It would fit well in professional and hobby studios for an intermediate to advanced producer. The Reference Gold is a large diaphragm, multi pattern tube condenser mic. Accuracy and clarity are the main focus in the design for the Reference Gold.

This microphone is one that you can use in the studio and learn something about your vocals in the process and hear all the nuances. The Reference Gold shines no pun intended on vocals. Getting into the features, the RG has 3 polar pick up patterns : omnidirectional, cardioid, and figure 8. It also features a 10 dB pad to tailor the proximity effect to your desired sonic outcome.

The Reference Gold is made with the materials of the highest possible quality. The mic grille is made out of stainless steel and the body is brass great for shielding from EMF interference that has been plated with 24 karat gold. This is the type of microphone that belongs in a professional industry studio and I strongly recommend it for that use. Neumann is probably one of the most well-known, best-selling vocal microphone companies in the world.

Being that this is the case, the Neumann U 87 Ai is one of the most popular top-end large diaphragm condenser microphones in the world. It features 3 different polar patterns, a switchable high pass filter, and a 10 dB pre-attenuation pad. Not only that, but it also is extremely versatile and ideal when recording a wide range of sound sources as well as using different techniques.

Do note that it requires phantom power. For vocals, the U 87 Ai is exceedingly brilliant. The U 87 Ai is not a microphone that gives you a completely flat response — there is a slight boost in the mid highs to give your vocals some presence, but the mid range is all flat, and you have the high pass feature built into the mic if you need to use it. It handles sibilance very well. Both versions offer five polar patterns nine if you include blended options , three pad and low cut filter options that make them applicable on numerous instruments.

The 80Hz low-cut, in particular, is handy for rolling off low-end rumble mitigating environmental noise. The LCT Pure is an affordable large-diaphragm condenser that sports a fixed cardioid pickup pattern. With some smart software, Townsend Labs claims the Sphere L can mimic both the frequency response and polar pattern of many desirable mics. Its dual-channel design even lets it track in stereo. Of course, all this does come at a premium, but if your pockets are deep enough to plump for this in the first place, you may never have to buy another vocal microphone.

Warm Audio is renowned for its affordable reproductions of sought-after studio staples, ranging from some of the best vocal microphones such as the Neumann U87 to rack compressors such as the UA and LA-2A. The OC18 is the cardioid-only edition of the two microphones and is well-suited for tracking vocals and other acoustic instruments. When we reviewed both mics last year, we found that the OC18 had a slightly more boosted mid-high frequency than the OC, which can be flattering on some vocals.

Read our full review here. Instead of being a reproduction of a particular microphone, however, this large-diaphragm FET condenser culls features from the EMI TG Transfer Consoles for a genuinely unique microphone. Condenser microphones use thin membranes of mylar and other materials to capture sound, which gives them unparalleled sensitivity and helps them excel at reproducing a high level of detail—and makes them ideal for acoustically optimized spaces like studios.

Dynamic microphones use moving coils, which makes them great for recording in loud public spaces or untreated rooms.

Why it made the cut: The portable Neumann TLM packs a robust and detailed sound rivaling that of much larger condenser microphones. The Neumann TLM is one of the best microphones for vocals overall. Why it made the cut: A counterpoint to the more expensive and sensitive studio condenser designs available, the Audio-Technica M is a durable, affordable vocal microphone optimized for handheld use. Similar in design and frequency response to the Shure SM58 , the Audio-Technica M is a lightweight dynamic microphone that uses a moving coil to capture sound and has a relatively high SPL of dB.

It has a hypercardioid pickup pattern for incredibly focused sensitivity and good rejection of outside sound, and its full frequency response range is 50 Hz to 14 kHz, with small bumps around 2. A studio staple that sounds as good on acoustic guitar, piano, and drums as it does on voice.

Why it made the cut: A high sensitivity combined with a wide array of adjustable settings make the AKG C XLII one of the most versatile microphones on the market today. If you have a bit more to spend and want to get the most bang for your buck, a more versatile condenser microphone like the AKG C XLII is a foolproof option that will perform well in almost every situation.

The C XLII has an SPL limit of dB and an extended frequency range of 20 Hz to 20, Hz, making it a great all-rounder microphone for vocals, guitars, drums, and just about anything else you can throw at it. Built for modern studio usage, the C XLII is set apart from more niche options by its wide range of onboard switches that include a three-position low-cut filter, a volume pad for louder sources, and a whopping nine switchable pickup patterns.