Topic: Help me select a dynamic microphone

[Amir]

Guys and gals, I've been wrestling with this over the past year or so. I know that many of you are tapers -- active in the field of music, but thought I might be able to use your wisdom.
Basically I'm stuck between 2 hand-held dynamic microphones. The Beyerdynamic M59 which is readily available here -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-59 and the Sennheiser MD46 which isn't readily available from the Sennheiser dealer -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sennheiser/MD-46 .
The Sen mic is cheaper and very well reviewed by users everywhere, but the M59 seems to be an odd product with almost no reviews on the web. I want to pair either of these with my USBPre2 and PCM-D100, but am looking for the best -- the warmest and the most quasi-studio -- audio. I've heard the MD46 and haven't seen it, but have seen the M59 and haven't heard it in action.
Which one do you think meets my requirements more satisfactorily? And does the fact that the M59 is a hypercardioid mic (as opposed to the cardioid MD46) significantly affect its performance in face-to-face interviews? I want the mic primarily for monologs, so its effect on interviews isn't my first concern. To cut a long story short, is the M59 as warm and pro-sounding as the MD46, justifying its higher price tag?
Your help and insights would be much appreciated.

[Phil Zone]

I used an md46 as a stage vocal mic and zone micing for non taping things and I hated it, there was tons of feedback, very little bass response and just sounded bad in my opinion. If your just looking for a good dynamic I love love love the shure sm58 with all my heart. Now for taping I've never tried either but that's my experience with the mic.

[page]

If you're pointing the mic at whatever your recording (ala, an interviewer and you're holding the mic at their face) and you want to avoid what's to the sides, then yes the polar pattern would benefit from a tighter side rejection. When I used hypers on stage to spot mic an instrument, it was with the knowledge that I wanted to minimize side bleed over rear bleed (which is actually out of phase so it's sort of masked anyway). Stuff where that wasn't a large concern, or I needed to focus on rear bleed would get cardioids selected.

I personally like the beyer sound, and have owned other dynamics and condensers from them.

[datbrad]

I've used Beyer M88s and they are one of the best all purpose dynamics for the money. I still have a soft spot for the sound of Senn MD441s, but for hand held they are just way too big.   

[ScoobieKW]

Another fan of the M88. Best dynamic  for the money. Buy once, save over time.

[Amir]

I haven't used the M59, but I have used the M69 and the M88.  The M88 is arguably the best handheld dynamic mic on the market.  The M69 is good too, not as nice as the M88, but in the US I don't think it's price competitive with the Shure Betas.  In Europe the situation is reversed and Shure is expensive.  The M88 and M59 seem to be about the same price in the US, so if that is the situation where you are I'd strongly consider the M88.

I don't like the US-standard SM58 at all; I always preferred the Beta 57/58 and carried a bag of them (they have interchangeable grilles which is handy).  But I would have preferred a bag of M201s and M88s instead.

So do you mean that the M88 is a hand-held mic? Isn't it supposed to be a studio-level microphone? http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-88
I already have the Beyer M99 and love it -- it's more or less a studio mic. So does the M88 lend itself to hand-held use quite easily?

[Amir]

I personally like the beyer sound, and have owned other dynamics and condensers from them.

I have no experience with Sennheiser, but I laso like the Beyer sound -- I have an M58 and an M99.

[ScoobieKW]

I haven't used the M59, but I have used the M69 and the M88.  The M88 is arguably the best handheld dynamic mic on the market.  The M69 is good too, not as nice as the M88, but in the US I don't think it's price competitive with the Shure Betas.  In Europe the situation is reversed and Shure is expensive.  The M88 and M59 seem to be about the same price in the US, so if that is the situation where you are I'd strongly consider the M88.

I don't like the US-standard SM58 at all; I always preferred the Beta 57/58 and carried a bag of them (they have interchangeable grilles which is handy).  But I would have preferred a bag of M201s and M88s instead.

So do you mean that the M88 is a hand-held mic? Isn't it supposed to be a studio-level microphone? http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-88
I already have the Beyer M99 and love it -- it's more or less a studio mic. So does the M88 lend itself to hand-held use quite easily?

Yes it's a vocal mic, tight pattern good gain before feedback. low handling noise.

[Amir]

Thanks, guys, for your comments and insights.
So it seems that no one has apparently used the M59, but there exists some sort of universal approval of the M88TG across the board. It also seems to be cheaper than the M59, so I guess I should go take a look at it myself. I hope it's not heavier than the M59, and that it can be used comfortably in out-of-studio settings -- very much like a hand-held reporter's mic if desired.

[John Willett]

Guys and gals, I've been wrestling with this over the past year or so. I know that many of you are tapers -- active in the field of music, but thought I might be able to use your wisdom.
Basically I'm stuck between 2 hand-held dynamic microphones. The Beyerdynamic M59 which is readily available here -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-59 and the Sennheiser MD46 which isn't readily available from the Sennheiser dealer -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sennheiser/MD-46 .
The Sen mic is cheaper and very well reviewed by users everywhere, but the M59 seems to be an odd product with almost no reviews on the web. I want to pair either of these with my USBPre2 and PCM-D100, but am looking for the best -- the warmest and the most quasi-studio -- audio. I've heard the MD46 and haven't seen it, but have seen the M59 and haven't heard it in action.
Which one do you think meets my requirements more satisfactorily? And does the fact that the M59 is a hypercardioid mic (as opposed to the cardioid MD46) significantly affect its performance in face-to-face interviews? I want the mic primarily for monologs, so its effect on interviews isn't my first concern. To cut a long story short, is the M59 as warm and pro-sounding as the MD46, justifying its higher price tag?
Your help and insights would be much appreciated.

The two microphones are very different.

The Beyer M59 is a stage vocal microphone.
The Sennheiser MD46 is a cardioid reporter microphone designed for speech.

For what you say you ant it for, I would say that the MD46 better suits your requirements.

[Amir]

Guys and gals, I've been wrestling with this over the past year or so. I know that many of you are tapers -- active in the field of music, but thought I might be able to use your wisdom.
Basically I'm stuck between 2 hand-held dynamic microphones. The Beyerdynamic M59 which is readily available here -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-59 and the Sennheiser MD46 which isn't readily available from the Sennheiser dealer -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sennheiser/MD-46 .
The Sen mic is cheaper and very well reviewed by users everywhere, but the M59 seems to be an odd product with almost no reviews on the web. I want to pair either of these with my USBPre2 and PCM-D100, but am looking for the best -- the warmest and the most quasi-studio -- audio. I've heard the MD46 and haven't seen it, but have seen the M59 and haven't heard it in action.
Which one do you think meets my requirements more satisfactorily? And does the fact that the M59 is a hypercardioid mic (as opposed to the cardioid MD46) significantly affect its performance in face-to-face interviews? I want the mic primarily for monologs, so its effect on interviews isn't my first concern. To cut a long story short, is the M59 as warm and pro-sounding as the MD46, justifying its higher price tag?
Your help and insights would be much appreciated.

The two microphones are very different.

The Beyer M59 is a stage vocal microphone.
The Sennheiser MD46 is a cardioid reporter microphone designed for speech.

For what you say you ant it for, I would say that the MD46 better suits your requirements.

Thanks for your comments. The Beyerdynamic website -- http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/m-59.html -- also mentions that the M59 meets the requirements of "ENG/EFP speech and interview applications." This classification means that the M59 and the MD46 have a few points in common by virtue of belonging to the ENG category other than the former's hypercardioid directionality. Quite interestingly, the Beyerdynamic M88 -- which is many users' favorite dynamic mic here -- doesn't have that ENG label: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/m-88-tg.html
I wish I could hear the M59 audio recordings somewhere.

[John Willett]

Guys and gals, I've been wrestling with this over the past year or so. I know that many of you are tapers -- active in the field of music, but thought I might be able to use your wisdom.
Basically I'm stuck between 2 hand-held dynamic microphones. The Beyerdynamic M59 which is readily available here -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/beyerdynamic/M-59 and the Sennheiser MD46 which isn't readily available from the Sennheiser dealer -- http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sennheiser/MD-46 .
The Sen mic is cheaper and very well reviewed by users everywhere, but the M59 seems to be an odd product with almost no reviews on the web. I want to pair either of these with my USBPre2 and PCM-D100, but am looking for the best -- the warmest and the most quasi-studio -- audio. I've heard the MD46 and haven't seen it, but have seen the M59 and haven't heard it in action.
Which one do you think meets my requirements more satisfactorily? And does the fact that the M59 is a hypercardioid mic (as opposed to the cardioid MD46) significantly affect its performance in face-to-face interviews? I want the mic primarily for monologs, so its effect on interviews isn't my first concern. To cut a long story short, is the M59 as warm and pro-sounding as the MD46, justifying its higher price tag?
Your help and insights would be much appreciated.

The two microphones are very different.

The Beyer M59 is a stage vocal microphone.
The Sennheiser MD46 is a cardioid reporter microphone designed for speech.

For what you say you ant it for, I would say that the MD46 better suits your requirements.

Thanks for your comments. The Beyerdynamic website -- http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/m-59.html -- also mentions that the M59 meets the requirements of "ENG/EFP speech and interview applications." This classification means that the M59 and the MD46 have a few points in common by virtue of belonging to the ENG category other than the former's hypercardioid directionality. Quite interestingly, the Beyerdynamic M88 -- which is many users' favorite dynamic mic here -- doesn't have that ENG label: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/m-88-tg.html
I wish I could hear the M59 audio recordings somewhere.

The Beyer M88 is a wonderful mic., but, again, it's really a vocal mic.

It's the Beyer M58 that is the speech mic.

A hyper-cardioid is almost never used for ENG work - normally an omni is preferred (eg: Sennheiser MD42, Beyer M58), though some do like a cardioid.

The nice thing about an omni is that it has no proximity effect, however close to the mouth it is.

[Amir]

The Beyer M88 is a wonderful mic., but, again, it's really a vocal mic.

It's the Beyer M58 that is the speech mic.

A hyper-cardioid is almost never used for ENG work - normally an omni is preferred (eg: Sennheiser MD42, Beyer M58), though some do like a cardioid.

The nice thing about an omni is that it has no proximity effect, however close to the mouth it is.

Nice point about the Beyerdynamic M58. I have that microphone and love it for the reasons you mentioned. However, I'm trying to complement my gear with a hand-held dynamic cardioid for its off-access rejection in some recording settings. The M58 offers no off-base rejection since, as you rightly said, is an Omni. Cardioids/hypercardioids also tend to have a warmer/quasi-studio sound -- something which I'm looking for. The more I think about it, the more I gravitate toward the MD46. What a painstaking endeavor!

[mitchellm]

I'd love to hear more about the M88. There are times where it would be great to have a smaller dynamic mic to use for recording speech. I'm thinking less of a reporter's mic, but more for my own voice when traveling. The mic looks small enough for me to bring, hook up to my Sony D100, and record at a high level. My other two mics (EV RE20 and Schure RE7B) don't travel well!

For reporting I'd be worried about handling noise with this mic, but for my usage I'd be able to also bring along a small tripod.

Any further, more detailed, thoughts on the M88 for spoken voice recordings?

[Amir]

I'd love to hear more about the M88. There are times where it would be great to have a smaller dynamic mic to use for recording speech. I'm thinking less of a reporter's mic, but more for my own voice when traveling. The mic looks small enough for me to bring, hook up to my Sony D100, and record at a high level. My other two mics (EV RE20 and Schure RE7B) don't travel well!

For reporting I'd be worried about handling noise with this mic, but for my usage I'd be able to also bring along a small tripod.

Any further, more detailed, thoughts on the M88 for spoken voice recordings?

You really can't go wrong with the M88. In fact, it's extensively used in our radio studios and produces excellent, warm audio. Till today I didn't know that it's small enough to also be utilized as a hand-held, but it truly qualifies as a hand-held. If, however, you're looking for something a bit cheaper and more speech-oriented, the Sennheiser MD46 is an obvious choice. It has a warm sound and has received tons of positive reviews.
I have the Beyerdynamic M99 which is also a stellar hypercardioid dynamic, but it's almost 100 grams heavier than the M88 and might not yield itself to portable use.
BTW, I envy your RE20! As I already have the M99, I can't spend at least $500 on RE20 and its dedicated shock mount, but the RE20 is a true classic -- I prefer it to the SM7B.