Karaoke Forums

Hello everyone, been away for a while, but I do view the posts from my work PC sometimes to keep abreast of the discussions going on. Unable to respond there due to it being the business PC though. Using my desktop at home now.

My microphones that I got with the Yamaha system are starting to give me fits. The connections between the head and wire connection are getting worn and I'm running into situations where I tell the singer to coil the wire and hold with the mic hand for a no break song. It's very simple to do, but emberassing to ask the singers to do.

To put it simply...I need a couple of new quality (lowest cost please) microphones for my setup. A guy (singer) commented that they were cheap mics...and I could'nt argue with him cause he was right (AKG D 8000 S). I looked  them up in my Musicians freind book and they were on sale 2 for $50. I was surprised, I thought they were quality. Shows you my inexperience there. After looking at the other prices of mics, I realized that they are cheap.

I'm looking to spend about $100 for 2 mics...anybody got any reccomendations?
I hope this is enough, but I'm not sure, $$ is tight.

I've also noticed too that the reason the connections between the mic and wire are the problem area is because of the way the people hold them...when there'e a break in the song, they rest them with the wire in their laps/leg area, (a lot of my singers set down to sing...their option) causing a constant bending of the internal wire...just like how you break a wire twist, by bending back and forth until it breaks.  Maybe the internal wire on these mics are of lower quality, but any additional support (overwrap) would do wonders for longevity of the microphone life. Just a thought for future mics.

Thanks for the inputs and suggestions ahead of time...

                                                                                   bigjim56

First an inexpensive mic does not always equal an inferior mic.  My favorite inexpensive mic is an APEX 850 (distributed by Yorkville), >$40.00Cdn, includes clip and 15' xrl to xrl mic cord.  I like it better than the Shure 58.

But putting that aside, I believe that the problem is not with the mics but the mic cords.  Sounds like they need replacing.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Personally, for vocal apps, I'd go with the Shure SM-48 (assuming they still produce that model), and I'd wait until it's being sold at a really good price.  I own the SM-48, (as well as 57 & 58 ), and most vocalists really can't (or at least in my setting) tell the difference between the 48, and 58 regarding standard vocal applications. Shure microphones (while not the only microphones on the market of course) ARE workhorse microphones, built well, and a pretty safe bet IMHO...  For Karaoke my thoughts are you don't need a "high end" vocal microphone. Some use the PG-models, which means you can even save some money.  My guess is there are generic Shure SM-48's and 58's on the market.  A while back Radio Shack had a microphone that I believe was the Shure SM-48 or 58 for a lower price.. I'd try to be resourceful, and see if Shure makes other companies microphones for a lower price.  This used to be the case.


Somebody here recently had tremendous luck on Ebay purchasing Shure SM-58's and a very low price.  Seemed to low a price to be real, but they were real !

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

Agree with Tim, sounds like you just need to replace your mic cords.  Mics don't tend to give 'fits', they generally either work or they don't.  Spend the extra and get a couple lifetime warranty cords, once they start going, you exchange them for new ones - no cost.

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

I think the Shure PG-58s are nice mics for the price - about $55 with a cable, XLR or 1/4".

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

My favorite cheap mics are these. They are like SM-58 clone type and they are about $30 each and sound pretty good. They are a bit fragile compared to SM -58s, which are built like tanks. If you take good care of them, they should be fine. Also, they tend to be more sensitive to higher frequencies than most mics but adjust your EQ and it sounds great.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

They also sell some really nice equipment.  IE.  Jensen speaker 4-packs.  I need to check out the specs of the newer Jensen speakers.  For $200 (a 4 pack of 10 inch speakers)  this appears  like an excellent buy *assuming* these are a decent quality speaker. Haven't followed Jensen in years. While they used to be good speakers, I don't know how they compare today (head-head with their Gold backs, and other 60's speakers).


OK,  This "appears" to be an amazing deal.  These look like the Gold back design, and I have eminence in my current Twin Reverb.  Hmmmmm  
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Jensen-C12N-Guita ... dZViewItem



Eben,  I take it you've personally delt with this seller, and are satisfied with their transacting ?

They carry A LOT of excellent stuff !

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

I vote for these 2 mics for $90 - GREAT for vocals and Karaoke
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=270857

Just out of curiosity, why would anyone want a switch on a (wired) microphone for karaoke? Is there some valid reason?

We used to want one because at the time our mixer had no mute button.  But if you have a mixer that can mute the individual channels, there is no reason to have a switch on a karaoke mic - it often confuses people & they sometimes switch it off when they leave the stage not really thinking & the next singer gets up & starts singing into a dead mic not knowing it was off & need to restart the song.

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

Ever step off've the stage when things appear to be nice and quiet, perhaps quickly for some reason, and for some reason (such as resonance) you don't hear the horrid feedback until it's culminated to intolerable noise levels ?   Given the choice,  I've always opted for microphones with the on/off switch (the price difference is usually not much on models such as Shures that often give you both options).  Good thing to have depending on microphone placement and stage layout.  Personally, at loud volumes I just like to be able to cut a microphone, and not have to worry about noise.  Sorry, you stated for Karaoke.. I'm thinking of most other aspects.  At loud volumes feedback can be quite a nuisance. Especially given extraneous noise conditions, or when the mixer isn't close to a microphone stand.

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

Being a bit of an afficionado (my wife would say lunatic) I always check the switch, of course, but I have seen quite a few people do just what you say, and that was the thing I was thinking about. In fact, I have seen a number of KJs tape over the switch.

Thanks everybody for the feedback. It's only been one day and I have a lot of reccomendations to choose from, plus some cable ideas as well. The switch discussion brings up some problems I've had as well. Especially like the mics
with the cable included. Nice ebay link Eben. Jamkaraoke - Nice German made mics there at 2 for $90...I got a 10% coupon that could reduce the cost even further from Musicians Friend.
                               
I'm keeping all the old heads/cables for salvage operations...I do suspect the cable as the higher risk problem area...the way it gets bent/twisted just seems likely that it is the weak part. When the singers sit and sing (a lot of mine do), when it comes time for a break in the song they invariably lower it to their waist and leg area, and raise and lower it as the song proceeds. The cable in this area is undergoing constant movement.

Thanks everyone for your inputs...

                                                                              bigjim56

I have ordered about 7-8 mics from them as well as some mic cords and never had problems with them. Why 7-8 mics? As I said, they are not a rugged as SM-58s and I treated them as such and had to replace a few of them. Now, I take a better care of them and they last a lot longer.

I would definitely recommend them.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

I don't get it.  $30 mics that you know aren't as good (reliabilitywise) and already have had to replace a few of them - assuming a few is about 3-5 = $90-150 on top of the initial $90-150 for the few you replaced?  
I've had 2 $100 SM58 in operation 7 nights a week since 94 & they are still working & sound great - been abused, dropped, swung, flung like any other - they get dropped on average 1 night per week, I just replace the wind screen on them every so often & they look & sound like a new mic again.

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

Well, it's hard to explain. I bought their six pack originally so I was going to use 2 of them on my show, with 1 spare and use a couple of them for my home use. They were cheap. I didn't know about their fragility at that time. I ended up with 3 mics go bad because people dropped it etc. I thought about buying a SM-58 for $100 but would have to pay $200 for two just to have a set. I ended up with 3 more for about $90 and started to take better care and haven't had problems. I needed at least 4 mics, two for the show and two for home use (I don't bring in equipment inside my house) so it ended up costing me about $300 for the entire lot, where as if I were to buy 4 SM-58s it would have cost me $400 or more. I still saved some money and they sound pretty good.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

Hello,

anybody knows Behringer ULTRAVOICE XM8500?.

What're your opinions?.

Thank you.

I own These 4 Microphones - SENNHEISER-835-VERY NICE  SHURE-SM-58-VERY NICE  SHURE-PG-58-BEST BUDGET MIC MADE, But My Favorite Microphone of ALL Is The AUDIX-OM-2 BEST NATURAL UNCOLORED Sound And The BEST FEEDBACK REJECTION Of All Four In The 100$ Price Range.

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Man Must Know His Limitations -Clint Eastwood

That's odd -- I own the same four mics except that my Sennheiser is the 935 and my budget is the PG48.

I like the OM2 OK, and the Sennheiser 935 very well, but I keep coming back to the SM-58 for my vocals for some reason. The Sennheiser seems to have better dynamic range, but I just like the way I sound on the Shure.

I Also Like The Industry Standard SHURE-SM-58 Very Much. it's My 2nd Favorite Out Of The Four, But I Get More Gain Before Feedback Out Of My AUDIX-OM-2 From My MACKIE-CFX Mixer, Now I Wonder If I Would Like The SHURE-BETA-58 Better Than The Others As I Have Never Sung On One Of Those...So Many Quality Microphones To Choose From!

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Man Must Know His Limitations -Clint Eastwood