Kemper Profiler into 2x10 cab
These two statements are not compatible in most budgets.
Yeah the Profiler is cool, but that $2000 for the amp head, plus the cost of a cabinet, and the cost of an Apple computer required for Locic..... could buy a whole studio more suited to what the OP asked for. He also stated a desire to be Linux based.
In our advertising-driven world, price is often quite a poor indicatior of quality. Expensive mics are not necessarily good mics - the high price is the result of a successful advertising campaign rather than the result of engineering superiority.
Popular mics are also not necessarily good mics. Often a mediocre mic is still widely popular because some famous singer or producer from decades ago used one and had a big hit. It might well be that the mediocre mic was a great choice in 1960 - but if Famous Singer used one back then, that mic might still be very popular and overpriced today, in spite of the availability of better alternatives all these decades later.
I'm going to go out on a limb and share my unpopular opinion regarding the world's most popular handheld vocal microphone - the Shure SM 58. When I was starting to play live music at jams circa 2010 or so, virtually everyone I asked recommended I get an SM58.
But I kept hearing these oh-so-popular mics at jams and other live music events - and to my ears, the SM58 is one of the worst-sounding microphones I've ever encountered. Somehow, an SM58 manages to sound muddy, boomy, screechy, and dull all at the same time.
If you look up the manufacturer's published frequency response, you'll get a indication why it sounds so bad: it's erratic and ragged, and clearly shows the presence of multiple poorly controlled resonances in the crucial middle frequency range. No wonder it sounds so bad. A smooth and adequately wide frequency response is the primary requirement for any audio product to even have a chance to sound good.
The SM58's strongest point is its legendary durability: allegedly you can use one to hammer nails into a 2x4 and it will still work as a microphone after that abuse. To which I would say that perhaps an SM58 makes a better hammer than it does a microphone...
At the other end of the popularity scale, what I found was that the cheap little electret condenser microphone capsules used in millions of bygone consumer products (from cassette recorders to answering machines to cordless phones to early-generation cellphones) sound far better than an SM58, but there are several caveats. Most important for our purposes is that these capsules tend to be omnidirectional - they pick up sound from every direction almost equally - and this makes them extremely prone to feedback and howling if used to perform live music. They also tend to have a relatively high noise floor, and may distort if placed in front of a loud singer. But they are dirt-cheap and can sound pretty good. So much for the "You get what you pay for" myth, carefully constructed by advertising agencies who have been indoctrinating consumers with this nonsensical belief for decades now. When you buy a so-called premium" brand, the truth is actually "You may get what you pay for, but more likely, you won't."
Another wild-card solution is to use a headphone as a microphone. Back in the 1980s Sony did this in reverse: they took an existing dynamic microphone from their product line-up, and turned it into the ground-breaking headphones that allowed them to manufacture the Sony Walkman. If you have a pair of old Walkman-type headphones lying around (any of the lightweight over-the-year headphones with relatively small diaphragms), try using it as a microphone: they typically sound much better than an SM58!
In general, a condenser mic will sound better than a dynamic mic for vocals. There are a tonne of relatively inexpensive boom-mounted condenser mics that are built into headsets these days. For the sort of use you're contemplating, one of these might very well do exactly what you want. A couple of singers at our weekly music jams used these sorts of boom-mounted condenser mic headsets (widely used for video conferencing, podcasting, etc). They produce good sound quality, and are easy to manage for inexperienced vocalists (the mic moves with your head if you happen to glance down at your guitar or lyrics sheet, etc). Some come with a belt-mounted small interface box from which you can run a longer audio cable to your mixer or powered speaker.
There are also more traditional-looking condenser mics designed for hand-held vocal use, with cardioid or hyper-cardioid polar responses. Virtually all of these will sound better ("airier", less muddy, more natural) than an SM58 or other affordable dynamic mic. Unfortunately, most are ridiculously overpriced - I'm talking about a few-dollar mic capsule mounted in a plastic housing and sold for hundreds of dollars.
A lovely exception was the Nady series of SPC-XX mics (SPC-10, SPC-15, SPC-25), sadly out of production now. I have used a pair of Nady SPC-25s for live vocals for many years, and will continue to use them until they fail (or I become too old and sick to continue my musical endeavours). The Nadys sound great; the only real caveat is that they will distort if placed too close in front of a very loud singer. SPC-25s use an onboard AA cell to avoid the necessity for phantom power, so they will work with virtually any mixer, interface box, or other XLR mic input device.
There is an interesting current-production condenser-mic option on the Nady website: the Nady PCM-100, costing around $100 USD at various US suppliers. I've never used one, but the frequency response is much smoother and wider than those crappy SM58s, and it's virtually guaranteed to produce better results. Note that the PCM-100, like most condenser mics, requires 48V phantom power from the mixer or interface box. (Most good mixers and interfaces will offer this feature.)
I'll suggest a wild-card option as well: the Behringer SB 78A cardoid condenser mic. There seems to always be lots of online forum politics and heated opinions surrounding the Behringer brand, but I'd rather pay attention to engineering facts than heated opinions. This seems to be a nice cardioid condenser mic at a good price. It will also sound far better than an SM58, but expect it to be more delicate (and to need phantom power).
-Gnobuddy
It's widely known the sm58 is not the best. In fact sure have improved versions of it available. For live sound it's more that it's a known good enough quantity that everyone knows how to apply that is very available and cheapish (rider freindly). High SPL capability and cardiod pattern is essential for live sound on smaller stages with monitor speakers.
SM57/58 were designed as vocal mics. They use the same capsule. It has an intentional 'presence' peak for intelligibility. Also for those mics to sound good it takes a very good preamp, one with at least 2k input Z. A '57 and a old, original Grace M101, maybe a Millennia HV, or maybe a Massenberg 8304 preamp can sound quite good in some cases.
Also depends on the performer's voice and mic technique. An SM57 or SM58 might be the best mic choice for some performers. It can happen.
Regarding hand held performance condenser mics, they can be great for picking up lip smacks, tongue clicks, etc. Whether or not those sounds are musical is another question. Those mics are great for some performers, not well suited for some others. They may also tend to sound good with cheap, muddy sounding mixers.
Also depends on the performer's voice and mic technique. An SM57 or SM58 might be the best mic choice for some performers. It can happen.
Regarding hand held performance condenser mics, they can be great for picking up lip smacks, tongue clicks, etc. Whether or not those sounds are musical is another question. Those mics are great for some performers, not well suited for some others. They may also tend to sound good with cheap, muddy sounding mixers.
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Thanks for the reply. I agree, and the "sound guy" if there is one, is likely to start out with 10-15 dB of bass cut dialed into the mixer, because he/she is expecting the boomy bottom end of an Shure SM58. They have grown to expect that typically awful SM58 sound.
Agreed, but flatter mic response also helps reduce problems with acoustic feedback / howl-around. And in situations with less-extreme stage volume, a little more mic sensitivity isn't a problem.
I think the OP isn't planning deafening SPL levels as he's going to be performing at home, so the right condenser mic can be a viable (and better sounding) choice for him.
In recent years I've noticed a number of less-loud musical acts who use condenser mics live on stage rather than ye olde SM58 with its unpleasant sound signature, low sensitivity, and mic diaphragm apparently made from aged shoe-leather. Examples of such acts include The Milk Carton Kids and Della Mae, both of which are acoustic acts with no drummer. (And consequently, reduced stage SPL levels.)
Here's Della Mae using three condenser mics on-stage back in 2014:
Della Mae isn't my kind of music, but 99% of the live music I've been involved with has also been without a drummer. I have successfully used my Nady SPC-25 condenser mics on stage with a drummer a couple of times, though.
I haven't been on stage very often, because ultimately it turns out I don't particularly have any desire to perform on a stage for an audience, preferring to make music with a bunch of other musicians - and no audience.
-Gnobuddy
I have, in fact, encountered one single singer who sounded really good through an SM58.Markw4 said:
She was an untrained alto with a pretty voice who sang country and folk songs with relatively little pitch range, using chest voice only (no airy head-voice), and she sounded great through an SM58.
Her voice never went low enough in pitch to trigger the unpleasant bottom-of-the-barrel SM58 bass boom, nor did her voice ever go high enough in pitch to trigger that nasty treble SM58 screech.
That is the only time I've heard an SM58 not mangle a voice badly, though!
-Gnobuddy
@Gnobuddy and all, thanks for the lovely discussion and tons of info. I am afraid I already got the SM58, and it is past the return date (otherwise I would have tried to return it given the discussion). I am also ashamed to admit that I have not plugged it in yet, and have no idea how I feel about it. I'll do it though once I am back home (traveling for a family vacation right now), and I'll report what I discover.
I did use the two-buck earpod headphones as a microphone around 2000, when I was a grad student without much money. I used it in the very early versions of voice over IP, I was very proud of the whole setup back then. 🙂
I did use the two-buck earpod headphones as a microphone around 2000, when I was a grad student without much money. I used it in the very early versions of voice over IP, I was very proud of the whole setup back then. 🙂
Plug it in man and find out for yourself, it might be just fine. My recommendation was the Samson Q7 due to sounding just fine with a very clean and low frequency response as well as the best ability at avoiding feedback that I have experienced in mics to date. This is my experience with DJing karaoke for a living. Especially with races where the male singing style is low and powerful and the female styles either very girly or cabaret type
You must have had your reasons for choosing the SM58 but hey you could always test it against others at the music shop and sell and upgrade at some point if you think you prefer the sound of others. If I had others packing and transporting my mics and did have much control over the use and abuse on stage than I just might pick up the SM58. Just might, as the Q7 doesn't really give anything away in durability
You must have had your reasons for choosing the SM58 but hey you could always test it against others at the music shop and sell and upgrade at some point if you think you prefer the sound of others. If I had others packing and transporting my mics and did have much control over the use and abuse on stage than I just might pick up the SM58. Just might, as the Q7 doesn't really give anything away in durability
It's very valid reason to invest in a 58. Gnobuddy's preference is Gnobuddy's preference.
A mic is usually not something allround, it works great with some sources, not with others. It is true for every mics, every kind, every price tag.
So does with it, when you'll get bored of it it will be time for another buy.
If you record guitars, your 58 will be of use anyway... it's a standard tool for this ( rather a 57 but pull the grill off and you have same mic) or for snare...
A mic is usually not something allround, it works great with some sources, not with others. It is true for every mics, every kind, every price tag.
So does with it, when you'll get bored of it it will be time for another buy.
If you record guitars, your 58 will be of use anyway... it's a standard tool for this ( rather a 57 but pull the grill off and you have same mic) or for snare...
Folks, I have updated the OP to reflect what came out of this discussion, please see copy below and the pics in the OP. Thanks!
I've now acquired all I had in mind, huge thanks to the advice in this thread. Here's the full list of what I have (also see pictures):
I've now acquired all I had in mind, huge thanks to the advice in this thread. Here's the full list of what I have (also see pictures):
- Allen & Heath Zedi-10FX mixer (with USB 4-channel interface)
- Simple Frontman 10 amplifier, came bundled with the Squier strat
- Using the guitar amp from the above + old Yamaha 8" subwoofer wired together as a monitor for live jamming at home (short-term, will upgrade)
- Sonicake bass multipedal, acoustic multipedal, fuzz; Flamma FS06 digital modeling preamp
- Squier PJ bass, two Squier single-coil strats (hardtail and tremolo), simple acoustic guitar (Johnson)
- SM57 mic (yet to be tried)