Karaoke Forums

Although I'll probably get crucified I thought I would give some feedback on a wired mic I just bought and tried out.

BEHRINGER - XM8500

Purchased from MF for $20 NEW.  Obviously this mic is not a shure SM58 for $100.
But I liked it much better than the SHURE PG58 I had and used in the past which is about double the price.  The Behringer mic was solid feeling and gave a warm and full sound.  I was surprised of how little gain I needed on the channel to get some decent volume.  (compared to the Senheisers e825's I've been using.)

I wouldn't reccomend throwing your SM58's away but if you need a wired "back up" or have a very rowdy crowd or just want a low cost decent sounding mic.
This was (for $20) a very good buy  ( and no I don't work for Behringer just giving some ACTUAL experiance and advice)  :wink:
 [font=Comic Sans MS][/font]

Someone that comes to my show on occasion brings in her own mic & that is the same one - she insists on using it.  I have to turn the gain up on it slightly more, & eq the treble out of it more as it sounded piercing - could have been her voice too - again, she never has used my SM58 so this may not be an honest assessment, just what I experienced.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

In ranks of the microphones we use Sienniesser is number one, Apex (under $40 Cdn, includes clip and 15' xlr cord) is two, the Shure three, then the Samson.  Personally I'm not crazy over the Shures, give me the Apex anytime.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

Okay, as picky and whiney as I am about everything else, I know I'm gonna get called out on this one, but here goes.
I picked up some cheapo mics to use at my shows. I had been using my Shure mics, but just really didn't want to see them get trashed. One Shure that I was using, I've had forever, so it does have some sentimental value to me if nothing else.

I bought the Behringer XM1800S three pak for 39.99. The guy at the music store told me about them and he was very honest, they're not the best mics, but for the price you can't beat'em and they'll get the job done, If one of them by chance does break, I can buy three new ones a lot less than it would take to replace my Shure. I did try them out at the store, messed around with the sound for a while till I was pretty happy with what I was hearing.
He went ahead and let me take them with me to try out on my system. Yes, it's true I did have to tweak around with them a bit, til I got it sounding to my satisfaction.
Friday night comes showtime, I leave them up along with my Shures. As folks would come up, they would ask which mic was best, and all I would tell them was to give a mic check and see what they thought. 9 out of 10 times each person went to the Behringer, kid you not. So I kept them and have been using them since.
I've never bought anything I would consider bad from Behringer. Of course there's better stuff out there, but for the price of their product, I consider it an excellent choice. But just like everything else, this is my opinion and I'm only speaking for myself. I'm not out to impress anyone with latest and greatest, I'm just trying to get the best bang for the bucks I can afford.

James
Maninblack

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

Maninblack,
I'm sure if you bench tested a Shure SM58 against say a Behringer the Shure would probably win.  But as a "business" decision sometimes you can't beat a "good deal" . Some mihjt even prefer the Behriner like you mentioned .

I've used the SM58 before (not for Karoke) and I've also used like I mentioned the PG58 ,the SAMSON cheapos and the lower line of Senheisers.  

The samsons sounded HOLLOW with a lot of handling noise, Pg58 was good and until this weekend the Senheisers were my 1st choice.  I haven't made up my mind if the Behringer will take the place as my  1st choice for karaoke shows but the point of this ..was to give some INFO out there

I have a few non-brand Chinese mics that sound good IF the eq setting is done right. Those mics have a tendency to have a lot of hi. Even the look alike chinese ms58 sound good.

_________________
I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I can adapat to any system karaoke and band and sound good.. With a cheaper mic I struggle with a system with no fx (home karaoke) With a sm58 I can comensate alttle better in a bare system and sound good...A good system can use cheaper mics....An average system needs a good mic...When proper fx are applied and a sm58 mic is used nobody sounds terrible it takes a sound man....However the the cost of a good Shure mic is in the durablity and lasting quality which you wont find in a cheaper mic.  An sm 58 will last for years dropped on stage etc...And still have the same qualitiies that the specs provide...

You can buy a $40 dollar pair of boots in Walmart and in 2 years they are gone or buy a $80  pair of boots which last longer..Dont you think they have this figured out by now? I have an old sm58 which I can walk into your gig and blow everybody away and it doesnt matter what your system is like or what fx you run...

I have a wireless SM58 for myself and use the 3 pack Behringer 1800s for the crowd.

I can use the Behringers straight out of the box with flat eq no problem but my Shure needs a bit of mid-hi added to make it cut through. (I use a Mackie CFX12 and the house PA)

Recordings of my singers show that the Behringers are more than satisfactory at their budget price. Cheap as chips, go get 'em.

GH

_________________
Gadget's Karaoke : Boldly singing what no one has dared sing before.

I like My Shure Beta58A corded, I also use Two Nady wireless UHF mic's, My old Favorite that I very seldom use anymore is My Fendr P1  what a mic!!  It Came with my Fender Passport. Great corded Mic.

well if anyone can get past the karaoke side of things and recommend a good mic for female vocals I would be grateful. I am using an sm58 but its old and I would kinda like to treat myself if there was going to be something better. If anyone can name the mic Diana Krall uses in the live in paris dvd that would be even better
I have done a google search and cant find what she used onstage only what she uses in studio. But the sound on that dvd is incredible




*****flies back to the rafters to sip more magic mushroom soup****

_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

I've never seen the live performance in question & the only live pic I could find (with a mic) was the one i'm attaching.  Usually performers will use the same mic from venue to venue so assuming this is the same one, it looks to be a Neuman KMS series mic.  You can't see her performance mic very clear, but the outline is very much the same.
{edit}  I had to shrink the pic for in here so with the smaller size, it doesn't look the same.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I use ES-58 mic from these guys and I am pretty happy with it. It's a SM-58 clone but costs less. I do admin they don't last as long as SM-58s (lost a couple of them in a year) but they are cheap and they can be replaced easily. I carry 4-5 of them any one time and use them and don't cringe as much when drunks drop the mics. They will survive half the time.

_________________

Seize the day and SING!!!

I wonder if there's a noticeable difference between the Shure SM-48 and 58..  I have both, the 48 was less costly than either the 57 or 58, and personally, I hear no difference.  The AT microphones I don't like... except for louder rock...

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

of course for louder rock just about anything works  LOL

Jam,  the nice thing about the Shure's is they are durable,  they last and last, sturdy microphones.... For that reason alone, I like them. I don't know about how the other's rank in terms of the quality of their construction.

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I've had 2 SM58's I use & have had them both in service since '94.  $200 for both.  How often do people change out the cheaper mics @ $$ per mic?  These have been dropped countless times, some when they fell out of the mic stand, some fell out of peoples hands while they were singing.  Big drops is why I also put a compressor/limiter on the main output as well, speaker protection.
Now I do change the mic balls every so often - you know being dropped all time dents them up pretty good.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I went thru several costlier AKG's in the 70's... Decent sounding microphones, but the insides were pretty fragile.... That's not a good thing when you can't take the time to baby EVERYTHING you own...  As far as balls,  have you ever purchased the MF replacement balls that are now 5.99 per ball ?  If they are of the quality the SM-58 balls are, that's quite a decent buy.  Assuming they are the finer wire the older unisphere series were... So-so.  What I'm asking is should a grab a few at 5.99 a head ?  That seems like a good price.... I don't know who makes these however

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Well for the price, it's just a ball, give it a shot, if it doesn't stand up, you'll know not to get it.  If it does just as good as the $15 replacement, then go for it.  I haven't seen them, you got a link?

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Lonnie,

  I'm looking at the recent MF cataloque.  23rd anniversary celebration/ August 2006/red white cover... Page 134 right side.. "Performance Plus" is all I see in the heading...  I'll check the site, see if I can link you.

ADDED IN..

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=421333

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Looks to be ever as good as the Shure stock replacement.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

[schild=1 fontcolor=00008B shadowcolor=FFD700 shieldshadow=1]Lonman is my HERO[/schild]

She wore a jacket onstage in that dvd exactly like that
I have noted it Lonman thank you sir

_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."