Outfitting your live mic locker can be a daunting and expensive task. Unlike studio work, where one or two solid mics can sometimes be enough, live sound reinforcement typically requires many more mics. When working with a tight budget, it’s extremely important to spend your money wisely. Here is a list of five mics Sweetwater sound-reinforcement engineers suggest for anyone looking to get the most bang for their buck.
Shure Beta 58A
We all know how popular Shure’s SM57 and SM58 are — so we won’t spend any time on them. Instead, let’s turn our attention to the Beta 58A. Like its cousin, the SM58, the Beta 58A is an excellent handheld vocal mic. Its supercardioid polar pattern makes it ideal for lead vocals, where you have to contend with spill from the mains and monitors causing feedback. Where it outshines the Chuck Norris of mics, however, is in its sound quality. Simply put, the Beta 58A is clearer, cleaner, and more flattering than the standard 58, and that’s really saying something.
Sennheiser e609 Silver
You couldn’t ask for a handier guitar amp microphone than the Sennheiser e609 Silver. Based on the classic MD 409, the Evolution series e609 likes to be right up on the grille of your guitar cabinet, to the degree that you can just drape it over your amp and let it hang there in the right spot on your amp — no stand needed! A natural 40Hz low-frequency cutoff prevents excessive boominess, and it’s virtually impossible to overload the e609, so go ahead and crank it up. Other things to note are its clear sound, courtesy of a powerful neodymium magnet and hum-compensating coil.
RODE M5 Matched Pair
When you need a great condenser mic to capture acoustic instruments, the RODE M5 is on the short list of best values you’ll find at Sweetwater. This set comes as a matched pair, and both mics punch well above their weight when it comes to delivering clear sonics that you can shape to fit the mix. Their tight cardioid polar pattern is also a real bonus, rejecting off-axis spill from onstage. Even if you have more expensive mics to choose from, these mics are ideal for everyday gigs.
AKG D112 MKII
It may look funky, but the AKG D112 has been a go-to kick and bass cabinet mic for generations, and in its MKII format, mounting this mic has never been easier. The D112 MKII features a special diaphragm engineered for low-frequency punch, with a presence boost around 4kHz. On kick, it provides you with a deeply resonant sound with the perfect blend of beater attack, while on bass cabinets (and some deep vocals), the D112 MKII captures the full warmth of the low register without sounding muddy or flat.
Samson 7Kit
Talk about an amazing value! Samson’s 7Kit comes loaded with all the mics you need to cover a 5-piece drum kit. It starts with a pair of C02 pencil condensers for overheads and continues on with a kick mic, a snare mic, and three tom mics. Both the snare and the tom mics include rim mounts, saving you space and extra money on mic stands. If you’re in a situation that calls for miking up a complete kit, or you just need a bunch of decent mics, the Samson 7Kit is the ticket.
If you can stretch a little higher, here are some awesome live mics that are under $500!
