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Mic Advice??

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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Hello folks, yet another question or two.

Some might remember my talking about playing some sing alongs and such to some seniors at a home across town. Lots of good advice which I'll be sure to read a couple more times. The big hold up was and is on my end. I do hope to be able to do this within a few months. A friend of mine up the street is an assistant director of nursing there and is very much encouraging me to do this. Time to get off my butt and learn some sing-a-longs that some of you suggested to me.

I'll be playing a guitar into a Boss GT-10 and out to my Behringer Keyboard Amp/PA. All's I have left is microphone, stand, the cable, etc, etc, for the vocals. I looked on Musician Friend's and read their buyers guide. So many choices. I want to see what you guys think of a few of these packages.

The very, very cheap. I really doubt this would be worth a hoot, but figure I'd ask.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-SP1-Microphone-and-Stand-Package?sku=277031

The not so cheap, but reasonable still.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musicians-Gear-Microphone-ProPak?sku=580639
and
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Sennheiser-e822-Dynamic-Mic-with-Stand-and-Cable?sku=270872

and the upper end of what I want to spend.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-SM58-Microphone-with-Cable-Stand?sku=485179

And a few questions.
#1: Is it wise to have a backup mic, or do these things not go bad?
#2: Should I not get a package and go for individual pieces instead?
#3: I notices that the cable ends on one of the pictures didn't look like a typical guitar cable end. Is than an adapter I need to get?

Any other tips or alternative selections always welcome and always appreciated.

Thanks!

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@gnease)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

I would recommend the Shure SM58, as it's an indestructible workhorse with a good midrange bump (many like that) and very good cardioid pattern (good for suppressing feedback and nearby off-axis noise). that package price is def worth it. here is the adapter you will need for plugging into a 1/4 " phone jack:

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Planet-Waves-XLR14-Adapter?sku=335209

bu-u-uttt ... you probably could go cheaper and be just as satisfied -- so I'll let others address the Sennheisers and friends (tho Nady is a pretty iffy brand)

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@trguitar)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 3709
 

Believe it or not Roy I bought a couple of those cheap $20 Nady package deals and they aren't bad. My real mic is a Shure, very similar to an SM57. I think it is it's little brother. I paid $80 for it way back when (just the mic, no cable, no stand) but I use it to mic guitar cabs. I sing through the crappy Nadys. I mostly wanted the stand and cable and figured the mic was a throw away but they work amazingly well. I have had them hit the floor too and they are tough. I just figured I had nothing to lose, took a chance and am pleased. Is a Shure SM58 better? SHURE is. 8) They are the industry standard but they cost a lot more too. Oh, and I agree with Greg. That Shure package is a good price. The mic alone is usually around $100.

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Posts: 4459
 

+1 on Shure as greg mentioned we have a coupel that we use and they are really good. I also have a couple XM8500 that are Behringer's version of the SM8500, that I got with the PA and they are good to, definitely good enough for what you'll need it for. See if you can buy that mic seperately it'll probably be half the cost of the Shure which alone is around $100.

As far as needing a second mic, I'd say for what this is for, probably not, but I have had trouble with the cables (maybe because they were Behringer) and mine crapped out in a matter of weeks. I bought new ones and they have been fine for almost two years.

I wouldn't go much lower than $100 personally. I'm sure you'll continue to use it especially when you jam with your buddy or your son, I think it's much better when someone is actually singing the vocals when I play.

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@moonrider)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1305
 

For a first mike, go with the Shure SM58. It's a workhorse that will take incredible amounts of abuse and still sound great. I've got a '58 that's endured 25 years as a weekend warrior's mike, looks its age and sounds just like the brand new 58 I unpacked last week.

Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.

Moondawgs on Reverbnation


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

Believe it or not Roy I bought a couple of those cheap $20 Nady package deals and they aren't bad.
Same here. They're serviceable, and look and feel way better than you'd expect for something that cheap.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@gnease)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

Believe it or not Roy I bought a couple of those cheap $20 Nady package deals and they aren't bad.
Same here. They're serviceable, and look and feel way better than you'd expect for something that cheap.

probably shouldn't have been so general with my aspersions: Nady mics probably sound fine -- there's a good chance they are clones of tried-and-true standards, but I do not believer they can withstand the levels of extreme, long-term abuse that a Shure will take in stride. in a bar fight, I would choose to wield an SM58 as my cudgel with every confidence that it would still work when the show resumes.

one never really owns an SM58, just uses it until lost, stolen or passed on as part of one's estate.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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These seem to be copies of a Shure. Probably intended to be like an SM-58.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@moonrider)
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in a bar fight, I would choose to wield an SM58 as my cudgel with every confidence that it would still work when the show resumes.

Been there, done that, it did. Screen was dented a little. New one cost 5 bucks - screw the old one off, new one on.

Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.

Moondawgs on Reverbnation


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

How about those other shure mics, like the PG-48, SM-48, etc. There's actually one package that looks like it would set me for life. http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-PG48-Microphone-3Pack-and-Stand?sku=600333 Covers the theft and back up cable probs.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@moonrider)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1305
 

How about those other shure mics, like the PG-48, SM-48, etc. There's actually one package that looks like it would set me for life. http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-PG48-Microphone-3Pack-and-Stand?sku=600333 Covers the theft and back up cable probs.

Sound-wise, you probably won't hear much difference. There is one major difference though: the internal shock mounting on the capsule for the lower grade Shure mics isn't as good as the higher grades. This means you'll notice more handling noise (sounds transmitted through the body of the mic - thumps, and rumbles, and other sounds transmitted through the mic stand), more tendency to feedback (mainly from the handling noise), and less resistance to damage from being dropped or banged around. If I had to make a bet on one SM 58 against 3 PG 48s for a "lifetime" service life, I'd put my money on the 58. It'll sound new long after the 48s can't make a sound at all.

Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.

Moondawgs on Reverbnation


   
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(@trguitar)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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Either get the cheap Nady's cause the price is throw away or just go for it and get the Shure SM58. I wouldn't bother with the middle. You'll just end up with a 58 in the long run and have more money in the thing if you get a middle priced mic. Just my 2 cents.

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Posts: 4459
 

I'm with TR, go SM58 or throwaway but since your going out soon and you have been jamming with your buddy I'd go with the SM58 now.

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Good points, guys. Thanks!

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Alrighty. I went to the local, small time music store. The same one I got into an arguement with over a song posted on YouTube. Decided I still wanted a small time store and not just big stores like GC and Sam Ash. I walk in and saw the SM58 box under the glass. Picked out my stand and cable to go with it. He went over to get it, but alas, empty box. He muttered something under his breath about it perhaps being "used" in the recording room.

At any rate, he offered me the SM 87A for the same price. Uh, are you sure? It's marked $249. Yup, he was sure. Box was clean and discovered the contents were untouched. Hokey Dokey. I got the http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-Beta-87A-Supercardioid-Condenser-Mic?sku=270168 for the same price. It's supposed to be better and is certainly priced as if it were. Hopefully it was a good decision. Thoughts?

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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