What’s The Best Budget Dynamic Microphone For Singing?
I’ve been a singer since I was eight years old. I’ve performed in front of thousands of faces and used many different microphones in my career. I’m often asked “What’s the best budget dynamic microphone for singing?”. First of all, budget is a relative term. One person’s budget $200.00 microphone is another person’s expensive $200.00 microphone. It all depends on how much disposable income you have to blow on a dynamic microphone! For the sake of this post, I will consider any dynamic microphone below $100.00 a budget mic. Also, for those of you who don’t know the difference between a condenser microphone and a dynamic microphone, we will be comparing dynamic mics. Dynamic microphones do not require phantom power and are most prevalent in live stage scenarios. Now that the ground rules have been established, let’s look at some of my favorite “budget” microphones and find the best budget dynamic microphone to help you achieve great vocals on a budget!
Shure SM58
My all time favorite dynamic microphone is the Shure SM58. In fact, I still use the very first SM58 that I purchased myself at the tender age of sixteen years old. You can pick up one of these babies just about anywhere for roughly $100 or even a bit cheaper if you look for a sale. My SM58 sounds just as good as it did thirty-two years ago. In fact, it still looks pretty good too (thanks to the replacement basket I picked up on Amazon a few years back!). The Shure SM58 also happens to be the industry standard, work horse dynamic vocal microphone of choice for sound engineers and musicians everywhere. Mine has never let me down to date. It has a cardioid pickup pattern, a natural tone, excellent feedback rejection, ample power, and just plain works like it should. If you have roughly a hundred dollars to spend on a “budget” microphone, you can’t go wrong with the Shure SM58.
Comparison Chart | Read Reviews on Amazon
Shure SM48-LC
The next budget microphone in my search for the best budget microphone is the Shure SM48-LC. The SM48 is basically an SM58 clone made by Shure! Looking at the specs and the photos it’s easy to see that this dynamic mic is closer in look to the SM58 than in performance. The biggest difference is the frequency response. This will effect the overall sound produced by the microphone. After reading numerous reviews, most people admit that it’s not as good as the SM58, but close to it. Many do claim that it can hold it’s own on stage and sounds very similar to the industry standard SM58. Not sure if that’s enough for you, but I’ll have to pass on this one.
Comparison Chart | Read Reviews on Amazon
Behringer XM8500
Now for those of us that find up to $100.00 too steep for a budget mic, there is still an excellent option available. One of my favorite SM58 clones is the Behringer XM8500. I purchased two of these microphones about six years ago and they’ve performed very well over the years. I’ve primarily used them for backing vocals and karaoke. I think the XM8500 actually performs similarly to the Shure SM58. At roughly 20% of the price of the first two mics in this comparison, it definitely performs much better than it’s price would indicate. A cardioid pattern, Nice tone and good feedback rejection make this an excellent cheap microphone for singing any type of music. I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase one or two of these again!
Comparison Chart | Read Reviews on Amazon
Sennheiser e835
The first dynamic microphone in the lineup is the Sennheiser e835. I have used this dynamic vocal mic with great success in the past. Sennheiser is best known for it’s pricier microphones, but this one performs nicely and is priced near the top of the budget for this comparison. As a former “lead” singer, I appreciated the extra boost this dynamic mic seemed to give my voice. I thought it was stronger than the SM58 and actually preferred it for some time. This mic can handle high SPLs, so don’t be afraid to scream into it (if that’s your thing!). It has an internal shock mount for extra quiet handling. This may be the best budget dynamic microphone for the high energy rock n’ roll lead vocalist!
Comparison Chart | Read Reviews on Amazon
My Choice For Best Budget Dynamic Vocal Microphone Is:
After reviewing my alternatives, I have to say that the Behringer XM8500 is the best budget dynamic microphone for singing because it actually holds it’s own with the likes of the Shure SM58. At $19.99, it certainly is a hard bargain to beat. Many people have stated that this clone is an SM58 killer. I don’t believe the SM58 can ever be vanquished, but the XM8500 clone certainly puts up an excellent fight! I hope you can now choose the best budget dynamic microphone for your needs! Be sure to check out my other posts for the best in pro audio! | Check Out the Behringer XM8500 on Amazon!
Budget Dynamic Microphone Feature Comparison
| Shure SM48 LC Read More | Behringer XM8500 Read More | Sennheiser e835 Read More | ||
| Mic Type | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Polar Pattern | Cardioid | Cardioid | Cardioid | Cardioid |
| Freq. Resp. | 50Hz-15kHz | 55Hz-14kHz | 50Hz-15kHz | 40Hz-16kHz |
| Output Imp. | 150 Ohms | 150 Ohms | 150 Ohms | 350 Ohms |
| Weight | .66 lbs | 0.82 lbs | 0.53 lbs | .73 lbs |
| Connector Type | XLR | XLR | XLR | XLR |