Shure SM81 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone Reviews

Just bought a pair of Shure SM81's to use on the Hi Hat and ride cymbals in my studio! The clarity is amazing. Can't wait to try them on the acoustic guitars and other instruments once we are completed with the drum recordings for the new record! Great addition to my studio and they don't break the bank.

If I could only own one microphone this would be my choice.
It's compact. It's very high quality and has very good frequency response.
In addition to the builtin EQ options, due to the broad flat response you can EQ it versitilely.
It's rugged.
It can handle relatively high SPL.
Some people have commented about the locking ring being missing but it's possible
to accidentally toss it out because it's just a little nylon ring
with a ridge to lock the attenuation ring in place.
You unscrew the cap and install it. Otherwise you could
tape the ring in place. The ring is easy to move so it could
be displaced in handling. Hence the lock.
I haven't bought one recently, so they might have
added a detent to the free moving ring which would serve
the purpose.
In any event this is hands down the best and most
versatile microphone I have ever used.

While this mic has kind of low sensitivity for a condenser, it works to its advantage in some situations... like drum miking. It has been a mainstay in our studio for about 20 years for spot miking hi hat and ride cymbals. It equally shines on acoustic guitar as a supplement to a LDC or on its own, depending on the sound you're going for. The hi pass filters are voiced perfectly. The first filter is a gentle roll off at 500hz which can get rid of room rumble without getting in the way of what you're trying to record. The second is a sharper curve at 100hz that can help reduce kick bleed when being used on a drum set. The pad IS NOT incremental as the switching mechanism would have you think. Its on or off. There is supposed to be a 'lock' included with the mic, but after buying a bunch of these over the years, I've yet to see it included in the box. (its not even pictured in the product shot). Its a tiny piece of plastic that wedges into the housing where the pad switch is and stops the switch from turning. The linked video gives examples on piano, guitar, drum set, hi-hat and upright bass as well as a historical look at the mics origin.

I really debated on spending the money for high quality drum mics. I've got a big project coming up so I got 2 of these for drum overheads (plus 3 Sennheiser MD421's for toms). I'm glad I did. Now I know what a difference really good mics make! After experimenting with the placement and finding the sweet spot, these mics made a huge difference! Thanks always to Sweetwater and Jimmy Hart - You're the BEST!

great product that you csn be confident with.

I started to use this mic back in 97' I have 4 of them. I use them in any application from acoustic guitar to choir, even drums OH and they are excellent. I paid the same price in 97' that means never goes down.
I recommend them

I run a Mesa boogie Rosette for vocals and acoustic guitar on the pickup. That made a very good guitar sound less good. I added the sm81 through a Fender acoustic amp and got the midrange saturation I was listening for. Biggest impact was on the Taylor 12 string.

I was very pleasantly surprised how well this mic records saxophone!
I have other large condensers (TLM 102, MikTek C7), ribbons (Royer 121, Fathead), and dynamics (RE20, SM57) and this would be my favorite. It has a somewhat edgy tone, but in a good way. Darker than Neumanns.

Happy to add this to my mic package. Sweetwater had it delivered instantly. Super wide frequency response. Able to mainstain clarity when it's competitors suffer. Well worth it.

As a long-time musician/short-term music producer my experience has mostly been limited to dynamic microphones. I've acquired a few condensers recently (along with a ribbon) and I can attest that the Shure SM-81 lives up to tradition. Solid construction, great sound, functional, and has a great reputation on reliability. There's a reason this microphone has such a legacy, and I feel confident that my investment provides the expanse to hone my skills in the years to come.

When these mics first came out, Shure actually under priced them. And that was in the 80s. Unlike other musical equipment that goes down in price over time, these remain stable because of the quality inherent in them. Since one of the toughest problems to deal with when miking an acoustic guitar is the proximity effect of boosting the bass and ruining the sound. The SM-81 has a two position roll-off switch that allows you to roll off the "false" base boost that is often an issue for acoustic guitar performers. Secondly, there is a 10 db cut on the mic for when you desire to mic an amp and not overdrive the channel on the board. And if you really want to do something really great, you use two of them at slightly different angles of course to the sound hole, and run on to the left channel and one to the right, OR, one to 2/3's of one channel and 1/3rd to the other. While not the best perhaps for live recording, for studio or small gigs where you can place the speakers where this "natural phasing" can be heard, it is incredible. To hear one guitar, with two "different sounds" coming from each channel is simply a great option for creative recording for acoustic, or classical guitar. If you look at enough performers, you will see these all of the place. Dylan, Allison Krause for her violin. Numerous drummers for their symbols. They are a condenser mic so you need phantom power, but the signal is so hot, you can easily move the mic further away from an acoustic guitar than you are used to and have more freedom to move without having the sound level drop, like on what you have probably used historically. Yes it is always more work to mic an acoustic than plug it in, but I get more compliments on how my Martin sounds, and that is because you can hear it as it is, no coloring, flat reproduction, NO falsely over amplified base.

Just received my SM81 yesterday. I had been frustrated for years, trying to get a good sound out of my acoustic guitars (Gibson J200, Hummingbird, J45, and Martin HD28). I tried the K&K Pure Mini, and various other internal pickups. The sound was always ok, but never as good as I wanted. Finally I tried the SM81, knowing that I could return it to Sweetwater if it didn't measure up. The result was absolute, jawdropping amazement. I didn't know my little Fender Acoustisonic 90 amp could sound so good! I played last night at an open mic night, and was proud to sound so good! It was a big confidence booster for my vocals too. I'm not the best singer, but when you're singing along with a great sounding guitar, you automatically do better, with more enthusiasm. Many thanks Sweetwater and Shure, I have found the holy grail. And with one mic, I can use all my guitars and mandolin. I'm throwing away all the shipping boxes, this one's a keeper!

I have been told over the years once you buy SM81 you will wished you bought one a long time ago. I wish I bought this Mic years ago. My cymbals sound great the comments I have received about the sound natural not brassy.

Use this for mando and stereo acoustics with Neumann tlm 103. Perfect. Very happy

Shure SM81 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone is a very well constructed mic. It produces what is the specified use. I highly recommend this microphone.

Sweetwater shipping and customer service is the best ever.

One of my favorite microphones, especially for stringed instruments.

This is easily my favorite mic I have of it's kind. I can use it on almost anything from drum overheads to guitar and a lot more. Great quality.

Love it. Sounds great on an acoustic. A phenomenal upgrade from my LR Baggs system in the guitar.

Small home studio. Was using large diaphragm mic or going direct to record acoustic guitars. Worth the money zero buyers remorse.

I am the guitarist in a four piece Bluegrass band. We use two Ear Trumpets mics (Edwina) on stage. Of course they are great but on some stages, it's had to position so we can all use them without a lot of moving around...
So I decided to mic my guitar separately. I also do a lot of recording, so I wanted something that works great both on stage and in the studio.
Shure...ly... this is the one! I love it. Don't hesitate to purchase this mic. Especially for your guitar.

I recently wanted to record acoustic guitar tracks and tried a few of my good large diaphragm condenser mics. They sounded good but with so many saying this is an amazing acoustic guitar mic, I thought I'd buy one and try it out. The reviews couldn't have been more spot on! It has the warmth I was looking for and the detail i needed and I couldn't be happier. If you are cutting some acoustic tracks you can't do much better than this guy!

Had this mic in the studio a couple years now and I use it on almost every session. Its become a go to on acoustic guitar for a live session when other 'fancier' mics are either unrealistic or unavailable.
Recently I've taken to using it along side a 57 for snare work that's more intricate on a drum set. Thinking I need another one or two for hi-hat and acoustic.

Was ready for a better mic to track my acoustic guitars but did not want to spend thousands, I read Sweetwater's guide to condenser mics and it was spot on. I use this and a Mojave MA200 set up in different locations to get a stereo recording.I quickly learned how to place this one in different locations in different rooms and how to aim depending on what kind of acoustic I'm using (D-28, SJ200 or Guild 12 string). This is an extremely versatile mic. Now I'm starting to go back and re-record the past 2 years' worth of songs that have acoustics, it makes that big a difference.

If you think you need a good mic for a home studio get his one!

This mic simply rocks on our acoustic guitars. Superb sound. Complete clarity. Highly recommend this if you record acoustic guitars. Best money I've spent yet!

Can sound great on anything... Low noise, good variety of flavors within degrees of axis and proximity, excellent cancellation from the rear, and they are road tough. These mics are fantastic for the stereo scenario.

A really good mic. Excellent service from Sweetwater. Fast delivery.

Until now I have been using Sm57's which did a great job on all of my banjos. The SM81's however are much better! These microphones deliver a clean pure accurate banjo sound. I would highly recommended the SM81 for anyone looking for an outstanding banjo microphone. As a side note...this is the same microphone Alan Munde uses.

Yes, it really does belong in your mic locker. Great first choice for anything, and even if you add more sdc's to your collection, it will still find its use in a session. Tough, versatile and a good sounding option regardless of price.

Okay so I was going to use this along with a KSM137 for acoustic guitar. However, after completing acoustic guitar using a Royer R101 and this sm81 I sang vocals triple part harmonies with the SM81 and OMG!! my 4k dollar tube mic isn't that great. total silence when no singining but when i do sing oh boy does it shine. Honestly I really feel bad that my 4 thousand dollar tube condenser mic actually isn't too great compared to the SM81. I just cannot believe the nuiances that this mic picks up especially when recording harmonies. It actually sounds more like my school's studio with their SSL console. Usually we use a TLM 103 or a Rode tube mic (forget which number it is) for vocals but the sm81 kicks butt. i say buy it for anything - acoustic instruments, amp/cabs, drums, vocals, etc. this is a winner.

I first purchased my SM81's in 1984 after they consistently won "blind-fold" shootouts with other L.A. studio mics. Drum overheads, acoustic instruments, amps, vocals and percussion all are captured well by this mic. I still have my two old 81s, so I'm only writing this review to steer someone else away from all the competitors. This is like buying an SM58: With proper use, you'll never break it, and you'll never sell it.

I've only had mine a few days but I put it to work right away. I hire out for live sound. No two shows are ever the same. I have had to amplify large groups of acoustic instruments. No matter what I put in front of this mic it broadcasts well. I've used it on hi hats, baja sexto, ukeleles, violins, and a vihuela. Did an outdoor show and the wind screen came in handy as did the frequency switch.

Bought the SM81 from Sweetwater last year. Just recently completed several acoustic guitar recordings…. finger-style, intimate solo guitar stuff. Pointed the SM81 at the 12th fret from about 12 inches away, and I am in love with the sound. The low end especially comes through richly. Did not even use a mic pre. I bought this mic mainly due to good reviews after looking for something different than the "regulars" in my collection. For now, this mic is my go-to for that kind of playing.

We bought one of these for micing my wife's violin for live gigs. She had been using a piezo pickup for years, and her fiddle sounded like it was coming through a 1910 Victorola. Not so with this baby! Now it sounds clean and full...just like it is supposed to. If you play live or record with any type of acoustic instrument, buy this mic. It will be the best $350.00 you ever spent! She even tried using it to record some vocals with it, and was floored listening to the playback! I haven't read a bad review of this mic yet...and there's a reason for that...it is simply the best. Period.

I bought this mic recently to use in a spaced pair arrangement on acoustic guitar because I’d heard it mentioned often as a great choice on various discussion boards. I typically use a LDC off the picking hand and a SDC aimed at the 12th fret, and I’d used an AKG Perception 170 in the past. This mic, to my ears, is several classes above that one. I tried this mic out with a number of different preamps in either position, and it was really great in every case. With the right preamp, it captures the instrument accurately as it sounds in the room, which is exactly what I wanted. It is detailed and balanced. I will continue to use it in the neck position but I wouldn’t hesitate to use it anywhere really. Just a top quality mic, very happy with the purchase.

Love these mics on acoustic drum overheads!

I am the house sound engineer at a very large church. Each week we run a different set up for our worship teams, and run many special events during the year. I have found that these mics always perform and do what I need them to. I LOVE to have a pair of them on the top and bottom of my snare drums, I have also found them to be great overhead drum mics, and great mics for flutes and violins. For harder/metal music where you have two guitar cabs in a stack I like to pair one of these with another mic and then run them together as a matched pair on my PM5D

You rarely ever read a bad review about these mics b/c as long as you have some clue about what you are doing, these mics rarely every give you a bad sound. I often pair a set of these with an A-Designs MP2-A preamp and get nothing but amazing results on acoustic guitar and drum overheads. I also love this mic on percussive sources. Its response is a quicker than most LDCs so you get a little more out of percussion. The 3 position Low Cut filter is always nice and the -10db pad comes in handy when tracking transient rich percussive sources. They also sound stellar on top and bottom snare. This is not designed to be a vocal mic but I have employed them as such several times and I am always pleased.

A bad mic with a good preamp sounds about as awful as a good mic with a bad pre. If you already have a decent pre or two, this mic (especially in pairs) is a studio workhorse that always gives me excellent results.

I've owned a pair of these for about 10 years. I also own AT4050's, Shure KSM's and some CAD mics. The Shure is a very very neutral mic that does not color the recording. (What goes in, comes out, with very high fidelity.) The microphone is a small diaphragm design. This typically reduces output a bit but improves linearity. If you need a high quality, very accurate mic for recording acoustic instruments, this is about as good as you will get. It outperforms and outlasts mics that cost a lot more.

If you are like me and don't have the means for a pair of KM84s then this is your mic. A pair of these with good converters and you have a stereo kit for acoustic guitar, percussion, and drum over heads. The sound is transparent, clean and with no unwanted fizzle at the top. They're not really colored and they take eq very well if needed.

Awesome product. I use 2 of them for overhead drum mics. They are worth every penny. And of coarse, sweetwater came through with great customer service. i wouldn't buy from any other place.

Stop messing around trying to figure what mics to use on your drum kits and acoustic guitars. Do you want to sound like a real record? Well, then purchase the Shure SM81's. No, they are not "free" :) But they are an industry standard and don't break your bank. One of the best purchases I have ever made.

These mics do not color the sound. What you hear when you play is what you will hear out of the mixer. Fantastic mics.

Also very viable for any rental company..

I use 2 of these to record acoustic guitar in true stereo and I'm blown away by the clarity and detail. This is a truly great studio tool.

Whether you are in the studio or touring live, this mic is a must have. I always keep a few around because they are so versatile. Great on almost everything. Choir, overhead, acoustic guitar, strings, woodwinds. They are expensive but well worth having a couple.

We have four SM81's, having just bought two new ones. I've found them great when paired on a Steinway and of course perfect for overhead drums. Tonight, I have all four out on stage working under a variety of high energy Indian drums but just last week we used one with wonderful results on a delicate Flamenco guitar performance; just a truly excellent mic. In my opinion, if you are putting together a mic inventory, make sure to include some SM81's. You will quickly learn to rely on their versatility and great sound.

I purchased my first SM81 in the mid 80's and I'm about to purchase my 3rd. I was never quite happy with my snare sound and I had an arsenal of drum mics to choose from. A fellow engineer at the studio suggested trying the SM81 on the snare drum. It's not quite as indestructible as an SM57 so you need to pay attention to placement (top mic). The SM81 is awesome, very transparent and the low cut position comes in handy with the snare. Its polar pattern is also very nice for the snare position. You cant go wrong with this mic because you can use elsewhere with great success.

Over the years singing in Southern Gospel Quartet's I have used all kinds of Mic's.
To get that rich full low bass in a studio is very easy, but on stage doing a live concert, we all strive to have that same studio quality sound.
After useing The Shure SM81 it gave me the very clean and full bottem double low C note
That why The Crownsmen put there trust in Shure Microphones the other members use Shure Beta 87A.
All of our road equiptment was purchased at Sweetwater Sound,Thru Dan Vanamerongen.

Big step up from the AKG C1000 I was using for recording acoustic guitars. Natural, unprocessed sounding mic. Easy to mount on a stand - solid. I have two of these now, and they work nicely for x/y stereo recording.

One of the best SDC I've heard. It is super well built. No need to worry about being careful or if you drop it. It comes with a nice sturdy case. It is a bright sounding condenser, but it is not harsh at all like cheaper condensers. Compared to a 57 it sounds very open, wide, bright, and natural on my acoustic guitar.

I would've given this mic 5 stars, but the low pass filter switch can sometimes be a little hard to move because its small, but it is not a big deal because it is very useful. After experimenting with it, I now leave the 80Hz rolloff on almost permanently, so it is no longer an issue for me. The other con is compared to other condensers this is one of the least sensitive so it will need a good amount of gain from your interface/preamp, but it doesn't need as much gain as a dynamic mic like a 57 or a 7B.

Other than those two cons, the sound quality, the build quality, and the case all make up for it. If you buy this mic, you likely won't need to upgrade until you hit the really expensive ones. This mic took my acoustic recordings up to the next level. It is a professional sounding mic, and one that you are familiar hearing on records with acoustic guitars. Overall it is an excellent mic,and one that will remain in my mic collection for a long long time. I'm glad I waited and saved up for it. It's a keeper and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Nice mic! Somewhat expensive, but worth it. Works well for Acoustic Guitar (Guild D55), an improvement over the $400 Large Condenser and $100 Small Condenser Mics I was using previously. Needs a little more Gain (50 vs typical 40 for my other MIcs) but very low noise, even with higher gain.

Sweetwater great to deal with. Thought I had a problem with the 1st SM81, but it turns out it was MY operator error - had inadvertently used wrong settings in my Apogee Duet when testing it. Quickly sent me a 2nd mic, had same issue since I was still using wrong setup. SW offered full refund, but it was unnecessary, since they helped me discover MY error!

Very happy with the SM 81 AND Sweetwater!! Steven Chamoun (sales engineer) GREAT to work with!!!!

So, I used this mic a great deal in the 80's and 90's and always had good results. I use it primarily for acoustic guitar recording (Martin Dreads usually) There has been a ton of new technology and equipment to come along since this mic was introduced. I would agree that there may be better mics out there at this point. Not gonna argue that. Maybe it's not the most sensitive mic. Maybe it's not the "fastest/quickest" mic on transients.

Does it still bring the goods? Yes. I sure does. The SM81 just plain works. It sounds excellent!

I have been able to get some great sounds very quickly. It has a smooth, natural sort of top end that makes my guitars sound good. I'm glad to have this in my home studio. It will get a lot of use.

I've wanted an SM81 for a long time but hoped I would find a deal on one before paying full price. I've had the mic about 2 weeks and it has performed remarkably on hi-hat and acoustic guitar (alongside a KSM27). Well worth the full price ticket! It's a must have mic.

I've used this on a couple of gigs (celtic/folk/liturgical) now and been very happy with it. Seems warmer and fuller than the Schertlers I've used and it's nice to be able to switch instruments and not have cords to struggle with/be terrorized by. With tenor guitar, bouzouki & bass mandolin it is now my hands down preference. I'm still working on whether it beats out the Schertler for mandolin. I also like it's length, making it easy to position under the forScore laden iPad. I do run it through an ART tube amp and am pleased with that as well. It is quite sensitive to wind noise, even with the sponge that came with it, so I don't expect to be able to use it at outdoor venues though.

Bought this mic from Sweetwater a year ago because I wanted another condenser option for guitars and vocals, and the reviews of this mic across the web were impressive. I have to say that I love this little guy. LOVE it on acoustic guitar, with a pre-amp or not. I've used it for intimate solo fingerpicking acoustic guitar, as well as for strumming out. And as much as I don't want to believe it, it sounds great on vocals. I also have an AKG 214 (industry standard for vocals), so I always try that first. But sometimes I like the sound of the SM81 better. Like any mic, this won't solve all your problems, but I strongly recommend it if you're looking for great tones from a mic that we all can afford.

After owning an SM81 for many years to record my acoustic guitar, I bought a second to create a stereo pair for using as drum overhead mics. The SM81 has fantastic definition as an OH mic - particularly on cymbals, which sound both clear and full. Our drummer actually liked the two SM81 overhead tracks more than the full drumset submix! You get a clean "true" sound from this workhorse mic.

I have recorded 'ukulele, acoustic guitar, and upright bass on this mic. And I am very much pleased with the natural sound that can be obtained from this skinny little microphone. It's definitely a great mic to have in your locker for all you acoustic musicians and engineers.

For 'ukulele, I recorded with just the SM81 about 8-10 inches away, in front of the 10th fret. The 'ukulele I used is not my favorite 'ukulele, it's a spruce top with maple back & sides, so the sound really isn't too great. But the SM81 did translate it pretty well. It sounded just like the 'ukulele.

When I recorded acoustic guitar, I used a Takamine dreadnought, spruce top and mahogany back & sides, which sounds very, very nice, with an even tone. I had the SM81 about 12 inches away, directly in front of 12th fret. It did a really good job with translating the sound. The only thing I would say is that as I listened back to it, it did catch a bit of boominess, but it was easily taken out by some simple eq. I cut a little of low-mids and mids, and boosted a little of high-mids and highs, and now, the guitar sounds natural and sits very well in the mix.

When I recorded upright bass, I used this mic in combination with a LDC, about 4 or 5 inches away from the body and it worked out very well. It caught the true tone, nice and even, very little eq-ing and it was ready to go.

Like I mentioned, it is definitely a great mic to keep in your locker. It is also a good mic for recording choirs. I also know a guy who used to put these on his ride cymbals to catch a little more sizzle and I did end up liking the sound of them pretty well. If you record a lot of acoustic stuff, don't hesitate to get this mic, it's very great to have around. Buy a couple maybe, just to have that stereo pair option.

Been using SM81s for years and they continue to deliver great sound quality on many applications.

These have come to be one of my favorite mics for acoustic guitar. One at the sound hole and one on the "sweetspot" of the finger board. I find them to be transparent, which is also why some people don't like them - they don't have a lot of their own character - which leaves the character up to what you are recording! That a good thing when you need it! Also great as overheads, apparently there used to be an omni capsule you could buy for these, but now it's not easy to obtain. I think I would give it higher marks if I could get an omni cap.

I bought two of these mics and while I have to say I have heard livelier mics, I am impressed with what I got for my money. They are rock solid and massive (would you expect anything less from Shure?). I use them extensively for overheads and acoustic guitar - usually in XY configuration.

I am impressed with this microphone as a whole, but there are certain things that could make it better. Mainly, I have found the mic to have very low sensativity. There are a few other issues that took a little bit of time for me to overcome, but again I am happy with this purchase.