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Telefunken M81 Supercardioid Dynamic Handheld Vocal Microphone

Dynamic Vocal Microphone with Supercardioid Pickup Pattern and 50Hz-18kHz Frequency Response
$249.00

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Telefunken M81 Supercardioid Dynamic Handheld Vocal Microphone
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A Higher Standard of Handheld Mic!

The Telefunken M81 dynamic microphone continues the legacy of the original M80, providing you with minimal proximity effect, maximum feedback rejection, and exceptional midrange articulation. By pulling back the high-frequency response a bit to flatten out its sound, Telefunken designed the M81 to handle a much broader vocal range than typical handheld dynamic mics. You'll also find it incredibly useful for guitar cabinets, snare drums, brass, and pretty much anything else you can throw at it. Live or in the studio, the Telefunken M81 is a true workhorse microphone.

Telefunken M81 Dynamic Handheld Microphone at a Glance:
  • Specially-designed capsule gives the mic a wide, balanced response
  • Remarkably consistent sound no matter what you're plugging into
  • Clear, detailed sound is perfect for vocals or instruments
Specially-designed capsule gives the mic a wide, balanced response

Telefunken designed the M81's head and capsule to reduce the proximity effect created by the supercardioid polar pattern. That means your vocals won't get boomy or indistinct, yet you still get the feedback-fighting characteristics of a directional microphone.

Remarkably consistent sound no matter what you're plugging into

If you're a live performer, you know that it's tough to get a consistent sound every night when you're plugging into a different mixing board each time. Different microphone preamplifiers can operate at different impedance levels, and that affects the sound of your microphone. The Telefunken M81 sports an American made, custom wound transfer that automatically matches impedance, and that means your vocal sound will be consistent no matter what you're plugging into.

Clear, detailed sound is perfect for vocals or instruments

The diaphragm on the Telefunken M81 is super thin, which gives it a fast, un-colored response that captures your sound with incredible detail. Because it's not a midrange-heavy mic like some dynamic mics, it's not just for vocals. You can get great results with the M81 in front of a guitar amp, over a snare drum, or virtually any other instrument that needs a detailed, well-balanced microphone.

Telefunken M81 Handheld Dynamic Microphone Features:
  • Durable, reliable, and great-sounding supercardioid dynamic microphone
  • Clear midrange articulation with tamed highs and minimal proximity response compliments most vocals
  • Consistent supercardioid polar pattern provides excellent onstage feedback rejection
  • Remarkably flat response and smooth transient handling flatters drums, horns, guitars, and more
  • Built tough enough for touring use, yet sensitive enough for studio recording
No mic locker is complete without a Telefunken M81 dynamic microphone!

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Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Dynamic
  • Polar Pattern: Supercardioid
  • Frequency Range: 50Hz-18kHz
  • Max SPL: 135dB SPL
  • Output Impedance: 200 ohms
  • Color: Black
  • Connector: XLR
  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 1.88"
  • Weight: 0.82 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: SYTM-050

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Super warm mic - great for guitars

I highly recommend this microphone for guitars. I haven't used this (yet) on drums or vocals, and will be testing it sometime in the next couple weeks.

I recently purchased this microphone because I wanted a microphone that complimented my AEA R92 mic.

The Telefunken M81 works wonderfully, both on its own, and also when paired with a ribbon microphone.

I've used this microphone with a wide variety of cabinets (Mesa Boogie, Fender Deluxe, Roland JC120, and a MojoTone, to name a few).
Music background: Recording Engineer
Rated 5/5

Excellent Super Smooth Microphones

I have to say that these microphones are really awesome.
The venue I do FOH is a small and intimate one yet some very talented artists come here to perform. Daniel Rodriguez, Michael Amonte, Marla Kavanaugh, Margaret Kelly and Frank Rendo. They sing at Lincoln Center, Carnage Hall and on Broadway and they deserve the best!

I had 4 Sennheiser e945’s and they are a great microphone but they seemed bright to me and I needed something smoother. I also needed dynamics so the Sennheiser XSW-D Base Sets would work. Asked Chris Arnold of Sweetwater and he suggested this combo would work well at our venue.
Could not be happier!

Thank you Chris!!! Used the Telefunken M81 wired and wireless when all sing on the same night. Very pleased with these microphones, the warmth and smoothness is outstanding and crystal clear!

Very happy with them and highly recommended.
Music background: Over 30 years in all areas, location sound, ENG, FOH and installs.
Rated 5/5

Finally, a mic that is a fantastic vocal mic and also does good with a acoustic harmonicas as well.

I am harp player and singer and have been looking for years for a mic that gives me clarity with a natural sound on my vocals and still sounds decent when I play my harmonica up to it as well, a "one mic" solution for stage and live recording. Although I use the handheld Shaker Mad Dog mic with my harp on most songs, I often play up to my vocal mic for a bigger "hybrid" sound or to emphasize my rhythm playing, and I often drop the handheld harp mic and just play sweet fully acoustic harp on a song. I have tried all the Shure Beta Series mics and found that the Shure Beta 57a is perhaps one of the best acoustic harp mics out there with its warm and fat tone, but my vocals were always a little muddy when I sing through it, requiring me to set up 2 separate mics on stage. The Beta 58 & Beta 87a are both great vocal mics with nice clarity and until to this week, I really felt the Beta 87a was one of the best vocal mics out there both for performance and live recording, although it has a terrible tone for harmonica and really loses tone if move around a lot like I do and get off axis. I also tried Blue Encore 200 Dynamic Microphone which does amazing well at both applications for an inexpensive mic, but tends to distort some with the proximity effect and sounds a little unnatural to my ears.

Now that I have a Telefunken M81, all the issues I have had with the other mics are no problem with this one. Vocals sound natural and clear and my harmonica sounds full and natural as well. It sounds great when I am off-axis, just little quieter as well. I have also used it for recording my Native American flutes as the mid mic in a mid-side stereo set up with a Sterling Audio ST170 Active Ribbon Microphone as the side mic. I was very please with the sound of the recording without adding any eq! The M81 is not only the best sounding mic I have every used for my purposes, it seems well-built and is attractive on stage.
Music background: Pro
Rated 5/5

Love this mic!

I purchased this after recommendation from Shawn in Sweetwater Studios that this performs really well as an overall mic that can pick up everything from drums to vocals with clarity. It is only the second microphone I've owned, but I can tell the difference in the smoothness and "roundness" of the sound it picks up. Worth every penny.
Rated 5/5

One of the best!!!

I have owned many microphones from the handmade in Germany on down and such. The M81 hangs with the best of them! Beautiful voice: warm, authoritative, well balanced, articulate, and non sibilant or harsh. The sweet spot is not stingy or tight either. No wonder this mic is an actual winner of an award!

The thing is that Telefunken has differing information about this microphone"s frequency range, pickup pattern, and sensitivity on the box/tube, and pamphlet inside and on their website. It leaves me wondering and wishing that Telefunken would show me consistency. It does not speak well for them! But at least the box/tube container does not have a silly firecracker on it like the super hyped M80.

You pay an extra $100 for the American built transformer in this jewel and it shows.

Highly recommended indeed!
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