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There are currently no videos for this product. If you are registered with us you may log in to add additional videos related to this product. You can also register an account to add a related video.Shure Beta 87A Reviews
Worth every penny!
I\\\'ve been gigging with the Shure SM58 for a while now, and was looking for something better, something that supports my voice a bit more. Don\\\'t get me wrong the SM58 is a great mic, but quality difference between it and the Beta 87a is huge.
You\\\'ll read in the reviews about a smooth frequency response, this is 100% true. It picked up my voice all the way from the lows to the highs, playing in a covers band we hit quite a range of music. No matter what I sang into it, the result was the same, a clean, clear representation of my voice.
Now the pickup pattern, I don\\\'t know whether it\\\'s a proximity effect or just great pickup. My voice can be pretty weak in the pretty low sections of songs, get nice and close to the mic and it just powers out to the audience, the SM58 came out with a boomy mess in comparison. We can attempt more songs now I\\\'ve got something that\\\'ll carry my voice all through the songs. Also it picks up what it\\\'s pointing at, without feedback. May sound a bit obvious, but in some venues we played at the SM58 didn\\\'t like the gain being very high as the room was a weird shape and promoted feedback. Using this mic, was the first time I\\\'ve had to turn myself down!
To get the best out of it you\\\'ll need to use a bit of microphone technique, not just get as close as you can and belt out a tune.
I was a bit nervous using my first condenser mic live, in a pub. After the first song I was nothing but happy. After the first gig I realise exactly how good this mic is! 10/10, worth every penny.
Shure Beta 87A
Shure Beta 87A Supercardioid Condenser Microphone
If you have been looking for a good vocal microphone, I sure you will agree, there is no shortage to choose from. So how does one go about narrowing down the field, and being sure that they are making not only a good decision, but also the right decision for their specific needs? This is actually easier than it might sound. The first thing one must decide is to determine what the microphone will be used for, and under what circumstances or conditions that it will be used in. Next, it is always wise to go with a well known name brand when making a purchasing decision. A company with a good well known name brand, typically has earned its reputation by making good trustworthy and reliable products. A company with a reputation for quality is also much more apt to stand by their product if the item you buy has some type of manufacturing defect, or some other related problem. That is not always the case with a lesser known brand, and perhaps that is part of the reason why they are a lesser known brand in the first place.
Bearing the above in mind, there are a few microphone brands that I have come to think of first when it comes to making a microphone purchase, and one of these brands is Shure. Today I shall be reviewing the Shure Beta 87A Supercardioid Condenser Microphone. The Shure Beta 87A can be had for £195.73. Read on and see if this sounds like a microphone that you might be interested in auditioning the next time you are visiting your local musical instrument or electronics store.
Shure is arguably one of the most trusted and respected brand names in the world of microphones, and if you stick to their better models, it is very hard to go wrong. O.K., but what performance characteristics does the Shure Beta 87A have that might be suitable for your needs? Well for one, the Beta 87A is a microphone with a “Supercardioid†polar pattern. As some of you who are reading this may already know, a microphone with a cardioid polar pattern is more sensitive to sounds that emanate from directly in front of the microphone, and less sensitive to, or rejects sounds that originate from the sides or the back of the microphone. A microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern is even more directional, in that it is even less sensitive to sounds that originate from the sides or back of the microphone. Thus, a microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern is very desirable in situations where it is crucial to minimize picking up sounds that originate from sound sources other than from in front of the microphone (i.e., the audience in a live performance, or the sound of the instruments from other band members). Thus, a microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern is one that would be good for a drummer who is also a vocalist. A supercardioid microphone is less likely to pickup the sounds of the drums and cymbals than a microphone with a more open pattern, such as a cardioid microphone. Another great feature of a microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern is that it will be able to also be less likely to feedback in high gain situations, such as from poorly positioned stage monitors.
The Shure Beta 87A is also a condenser microphone. This is an important point to keep in mind, as unlike a dynamic microphone, this microphone will require Phantom Power in order for it to operate correctly. This is much less of a problem today than it was a few years ago, as even relatively inexpensive sound system mixing boards manufactured today typically also have built in preamps that can provide phantom power to a condenser microphone. That was not the case when I was first starting out in the music business. Thankfully that has changed.
So what are the best uses for the Shure Beta 87A? The Shure Beta 87A was designed to be used as a hand held vocal microphone. It has a frequency response of 50 Hz all the way up to 20,000 Hz. With that type of range, I am sure you can easily think of a number of other uses for this microphone other than for vocals. However, although the frequency response is primarily flat, there is a slight presence rise in the midrange which serves to accentuate the human voice, whether spoken or sung, and it is that feature that makes singer’s voice more clear and pronounced in the mix than might otherwise be the case. The Shure Beta 87A also has a low frequency roll-off that partially compensates for the “proximity effect.†As some of you who are reading this may already know, the proximity effect is the increase in low frequency response that occurs when a microphone is placed in close proximity to a sound source. This can be a useful tool for a singer to use, in that close vocal techniques can add a sense of intimacy and deep breathiness to a quiet and sensitive vocal passage. On the other hand, the proximity effect can be a real nightmare to a sound engineer who is trying to carefully set levels for a vocalist in a recording or in a broadcasting situation. The Beta 87A partially compensates for the negative aspects associated with the proximity effect.
The Beta 87A also has a built in pop filter to minimize the effect of wind and breath noises that are associated with close vocal techniques. Regardless, I still suggest that use of a wind screen in studio recording situations where close vocal techniques are going to be used by a singer. While we are on the subject of close vocal techniques, this would be a good place to point out that the Shure Beta 87A has a sound pressure level (SPL) handling capacity of 140.5 dB. That is quite adequate for a microphone that is going to be used to capture vocals. It is also quite adequate for a number of other recording or sound reinforcement situations. For instance, I would certainly consider using the Shure Beta 87A to record strings, a conga drum, a high-hat, and possibly even an acoustic guitar. However, there are certainly much better choices to use for these purposes. Remember, the Shure Beta 87A was designed to be a hand held microphone that is capable of delivering professional studio quality sound for live situations, and that is what it does best.
If you have apprehensions concerning purchasing a condenser microphone for everyday gigging and road use because you a concerned that all condenser microphones are delicate and fragile, think again. Although the Beta 87A is certainly good enough to use in a studio recording situation, it was designed by Shure to be durable and capable of surviving daily use, and a bit of abuse as well. After all, after a long night of playing, who hasn’t dropped a microphone when they were packing up. The Shure Beta 87A is built to handle rigors of the road, and still keep producing.
I hope that you found this review helpful. Good luck to you mates, and may music always be your mistress.
