Versatile Dynamic Microphones | Gear Guides

Often imitated, often counterfeited, never equaled. Alongside its sibling the SM58, the Shure SM57 is an ubiquitous industry standard. Its frequency response, a visually distinct cluster of little hillocks at the upper midrange, is at home with virtually any instrument. Since its durable housing conforms to Shure’s military-grade specs, even the U.S. government uses SM57s for press conferences.

The SM57 was designed with close miking in mind, so it lacks the bulbous mesh windscreen of most dynamic mics. In its place is a flat, exposed diaphragm you can put right up to the source for maximum input. This makes it a favorite for amplifiers and snare drums. Of course, if you do want a windscreen, there are several foam options available separately.

The SM57 is one of the most common mics in the world, so they are easy to find used for a lower price. There is one in practically every commercial studio, too, so you don’t have to worry about finding a substitute when out of town. Even then, the SM57’s slim design makes it highly portable.

Lightweight, supercardioid and tank-tough, the sE Electronics V7 is a dark horse. The sound quality has been compared to a high-end condenser mic, while its tight pickup pattern and high gain threshold took the music industry by storm. The wireless versions, the V7 MC1 and V7 MC2, are now a favorite among pros for live vocals.

The V7 has several small considerations that put it way above its price range. Compared to other handheld mics, the V7 is less top heavy, making it less awkward to hold. A patented shock mount for the diaphragm reduces handling noise, while a beveled ring around the grille keeps it from rolling off of raised surfaces (reducing the likelihood of fall damage). Customization has also been accounted for, as each mic comes with two windscreens (red and black) for interchangeable colors. A chrome finish is also available with the V7 Chrome and the V7 BFG.

What puts the V7 over the edge is its tone. The frequency response is remarkably similar to that of the prized Neumann U47 FET, giving it that pristine sound few dynamic mics achieve. That is not to say the V7 has the exact sensitivity of a real condenser mic, but it makes for a cheaper alternative.

The Electro-Voice RE20 was designed as a broadcast microphone and remains iconic for such purposes. Yet, its rich bass response has carried over to many other studio applications, appearing on hundreds of popular records. Vocals are a general favorite, but the RE20 has also proven ideal for kick drums, bass cabinets and even brass to name a few.

The RE20 has one particularly unique advantage over other microphones. Thanks to Electro-Voice’s “variable-D technology” (the vents on the sides of the chassis), it is resistant to the proximity effect. This enables one to get close to the source without excessive bass coloration, which is valuable for capturing the natural sound of your instrument. A switchable high-pass filter is included for extra insurance.

Accounting for the fact that radio hosts need wiggle room, the RE20 also has a fairly wide off-axis range for a supercardioid microphone. This is forgiving in instances of angled miking, such as with amplifiers or horns that might be too loud or trebly for head-on recording. An integrated windscreen and a humbucking coil help to reduce plosives and mechanical noise that would otherwise reach the airwaves.

The most adaptive mic on this list, the Aston Stealth can cycle between four different voices for the best match: V1 (male vocals), V2 (female vocals), G (guitar) and D (“dark”, a ribbon emulation). The filter technology behind this uses contour networks, reducing phase distortion and maintaining the organic timbre of the capsule, such that the tone remains even across selections. Most of the manipulation is subtle, between 800 Hz to 4 kHz and below 300 Hz, but the changes are significant and pleasant.

It should be noted that the Stealth doesn’t just look like a cannon, it has the power to match. Adding +48V phantom power automatically engages an internal Class A preamp, increasing the output signal by an impressive 50 db. It is an efficient and economical feature for engineers that also boosts bass and presence frequencies. Aston took the courtesy of adding a purple light to indicate when the preamp is on.

Notwithstanding plosives, the Stealth earns its name by being incredibly quiet in passive mode. This is accomplished by the miniature Faraday cage enclosing the transducer, substantially reducing electromagnetic interference. For minimal handling noise, the Stealth is complete with an internal shock mount incorporating Sorbothane, the same industrial-grade vibration dampener used for NASA’s TVIS and shuttle cameras.

Conceived as a technological successor to the Beyerdynamic M380 and the AKG D30, the DrAlienSmith Alien8 is one of the few bidirectional dynamic microphones on the market. This is usually avoided due to an increased proximity effect, but the Alien8 uses such a phenomenon to its advantage. The low end is incredibly defined, picking up on the nuances of every rumble with surprising accuracy.

The secret lies in the Alien8’s capsules, consisting of twin headphone drivers that can be isolated or used together for tonal variation. The top capsule emphasizes treble without hyping the midrange, offering a rhythm guitar sound that sits tamely in the mix. The bassy bottom capsule is sonically comparable to a ribbon microphone, making for a useful substitute at higher SPLs. Blending the two yields a balanced frequency response for all-around applications, although both capsules shine individually on kick drums, imbuing them with a hearty punch.

Another appreciable aspect of the Alien8 (say that five times fast!) is the flat design. It permits miking in especially narrow spaces and makes the Alien8 incapable of rolling around. Of course, there is nothing stopping you from spinning the microphone; since the capsules face opposite directions, the Alien8 presents a rare opportunity for faux-rotary recording if you loosen the axle.