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« XM8500 vs. SM58 Verdict: DIFFERENT »
Published on 06/25/11 at 23:13*Microphones are very subjective. Some microphones that work for some brilliantly may be disastrous on others. It is therefore important to understand the context in which this review is written and take it with a grain of salt, like all reviews on microphones should be treated.*
Now. I am first and foremost a live performer. Equipment is a fairly new game with me, but I definitely know what I like to sing into. I have become a bit of a gearhead, but I think that I should stake this review on how I felt and sounded in a performance rather than off a frequency chart and a set of numbers.
This microphone is cheap. In fact, it's less than 1/3 the price on the standard SM58. Behringer released this microphone to go up against it. Does it stack up? Well...yes. It does. But it's not an SM58 at all; it's different in a few key places:
It's much more midrange-sounding than the SM58. It seems a nice touch, but it does make it much more honky and it certainly makes it much more susceptible to *ahem...the effects of the proximity effect.
The space of this microphone is almost non-existent. The treble response of this microphone is not something that you'd buy it for. This microphone sounds BIG, in power, but not big in size, so it is more suited to the vocalist who can create a natural space with his or her voice.
OVERALL OPINION
It's NOT an SM58, but believe it or not, there would be times to choose it over the venerable standard. I personally need a more trebly, hot, and airy microphone because I'm a power-oriented baritone, but I would not hesitate to hand this to an overly wispy singer.
The truth is though, the SM58 will probably always work. There are a few things that the XM8500 is better on, but there are some things it is terrible on. The SM58 may not excel on anything particularly, but it is always usable.
Think about the XM8500 as an SM58 will a little bit of dulling. It's more forgiving, but not always more flattering. For 1/3 of the price though, it can't hurt to give it a shot! It may be the one, who knows...
Now. I am first and foremost a live performer. Equipment is a fairly new game with me, but I definitely know what I like to sing into. I have become a bit of a gearhead, but I think that I should stake this review on how I felt and sounded in a performance rather than off a frequency chart and a set of numbers.
This microphone is cheap. In fact, it's less than 1/3 the price on the standard SM58. Behringer released this microphone to go up against it. Does it stack up? Well...yes. It does. But it's not an SM58 at all; it's different in a few key places:
It's much more midrange-sounding than the SM58. It seems a nice touch, but it does make it much more honky and it certainly makes it much more susceptible to *ahem...the effects of the proximity effect.
The space of this microphone is almost non-existent. The treble response of this microphone is not something that you'd buy it for. This microphone sounds BIG, in power, but not big in size, so it is more suited to the vocalist who can create a natural space with his or her voice.
OVERALL OPINION
It's NOT an SM58, but believe it or not, there would be times to choose it over the venerable standard. I personally need a more trebly, hot, and airy microphone because I'm a power-oriented baritone, but I would not hesitate to hand this to an overly wispy singer.
The truth is though, the SM58 will probably always work. There are a few things that the XM8500 is better on, but there are some things it is terrible on. The SM58 may not excel on anything particularly, but it is always usable.
Think about the XM8500 as an SM58 will a little bit of dulling. It's more forgiving, but not always more flattering. For 1/3 of the price though, it can't hurt to give it a shot! It may be the one, who knows...