This mic is one of Sennheiser's nicest mics for live vocals. It is a dynamic mic, so it doesn't really have the super smooth top end that condensers will give you in the studio, but its other benefits far outweigh that loss when it comes to the live setting that this mic was designed for. First of all it is a dynamic mic, so it is by definition going to be a little bit less sensitive than other types. This is a good thing on stage, because you only want the singer in your signal, not everything else. The polar pickup pattern is supercardioid, so anything behind and to the sides of this mic is going to be almost completely rejected. I have found this to be one of the tightest patterns I've ever heard on a mic, which is great news for loud rock bands struggling to keep their singer audible over blazing guitars and drums. It also has a couple other nice features, like an internal shock mount that reduces any rumbling you get from handling the mic. It has a built in pop filter to cut down on singer plosives, and an on/off switch which is very key for a live show when you need to quickly cut the mic. You can also lock it in the on position so you don't accidentally knock the switch off. Overall, the sound is very crisp and punchy, and should be able to sit on top of a band mix pretty well. It doesn't need any phantom power and will connect with a standard XLR cable.

OVERALL OPINION

I have used these at a few shows, and I was surprised to see that they didn't have SM58's set up. I was very pleased with how the vocals sounded every time, and upon listening back to a live recording from one of these shows I was amazed at how clean the lead vocal track was. It was a testament to just how good the off-axis rejection is on this mic. I definitely recommend picking up one of these for your singer, it sounds great. It is a little bit more pricey, but it should be worth it.