Beyerdynamic - M 88

Some of my favorites that I got for very cheap: Phillips stereo mics -- input two XLR connectors on. Sound awesome on drums, on guitar cabs, and for acoustic recordings. Beyerdynamic m300 -- killer on toms. I prefer these to the Sennheiser md421s. Cheaper too. Huge bottom end and punchy as hell. Senator hifi microphone -- I can't find much info. Dual impedance. Paid like 40. Put an XLR instead of the din. Basically looks like a German copy of the RCA starmaker 97 from the 60s and 70s. Built like an absolute unit. Sounds great on snare, bass and guitar cabs, and boomy acoustics. Strasser m88 copy -- awesome for clean guitars and vocals. Uher mics -- I have several different models. I convert to XLR, and these have all surprised me. People say the capsules were made by akg, but the uhers sound better than every akg dynamic I've ever had. The capsules tend to be larger than most dynamics and it does something special. I would pick the Uher over an sm57 any day. Don't let the plastic body models fool you. They're excellent sounding. Great on vocals, guitar cabs, toms, snares, kicks, bass, brass. Toa microphones -- slept on Japanese mics. Some models are better than others, especially the stuff they made in the 1970s when they were making high quality studio gear. I've gotten several rather cheap and they don't disappoint. Beautiful designs that stand out and excellent quality. Both the dynamics and pencil condensers are good. The pencils aren't overly hyped, so very nice for today's digital world.

Beyerdynamic M88 on kick out, sennheiser 441 on snare top. I get pissed when I encounter a kit where I can't fit the 441 in on snare. Its delicious and is amazing for hat rejection.

Also, in fairness, I think the M88 is a little pricier than the 421. Great mic though

Seriously - try a Beyer M88. Yes, it’s a moving coil dynamic mic, but it’s legendary for studio vocals.

Unless you're really certain that you need a super- or hypercardioid for monitor placement or other gain-before-feedback reasons, then I'd recommend sticking with a cardioid because that pattern is a lot more forgiving whenever it comes time to sway from side to side or peek at the fretboard. While the Beta 58a, M88, M80, and MD431 will all have a touch more \*sparkle sparkle\* than an SM58 when you're right on top of them, move your mouth an inch to either side and all of a sudden they've got a blanket over them. The AKG, being a condenser, seems like more trouble than it would be worth unless you're planning on switching to in-ear monitoring. While not fancy, the Sennheiser e935 might be worth a try if you just want a bit more clarity than the SM58.

M201/M88 and you'll have no excuse.

V7 is incredible for live so know there isn't too much of a gap here. My pick is a M88, it has such a tight low end pick up for baritone with a nice presence bump. Translates V well through any speaker. Love it. V7 has better plosive rejection, just sounds a little hyped where the M88 is v natural.

I think the answer is: it depends. If they do classical, Schoeps or DPA. Maybe Gefell or Josephson. Rock: dynamics like MD421, MD441, RE20, EV635, M88, M201, SM58, SM57. Acoustic/vocal stuff: Gefell, good Neumanns (KM84, U67, U57), Beyer MC930, Josephsons. A ribbon can find its place in many places as well.

While I'm personally no fan of the SM7b, I acknowledge that it's probably been used to good effect on thousands of quality recordings. That said, I have personally never felt that any of the shure dynamics are capable of capturing the detail and nuance I generally seek in a vocal. Some styles of music don't require all of that, but for vocal features I tend to prefer condensers, assuming the recording environment is suitably treated and the particular mic suits the voice. I've spent what probably amounts to tens of thousands on 'high end' mics, but until I found "the" mic for my voice, I had bought and paid for far too many expensive mics that did not fit the bill. Ultimately my favorite mic for my voice is a very expensive model, but the first several runners up are much more affordable than that model, and much more affordable than any of the other high-end candidates I spent money to try. Next time you are in the studio, ask if you can track using a 2nd or 3rd mic for comparison. If you are already paying for time it shouldn't be much extra to hear your voice through alternatives. Keep in mind that technique will vary, and first impressions are often misrepresentative. The way you sing into the SM7b will necessarily be a little different to how you approach a u87, or an r44. All that said, it sounds like you are getting good results in the final mix, and your producer may be making that choice for good reasons. If you want to try other mics, don't automatically gravitate to expensive options.. heck, I'd probably try a Beyerdynamic m88 before any more expensive options, and I think it often beats the heck out of a 7b .. but all of this is highly subjective as well as voice and context dependent. The main thing I learned from my search is that more expensive rarely means better.. but no two mics are the same, so any alternatives should be different. Good luck.

It’s not exactly a hidden gem, but I find that I can use my Beyer M88 for almost anything and get a good result. The M88 is usually my first choice for instruments (and often vocals) and I’ll only swap it out if I need a different sound.

I think they all have a place, Sennheiser 935 is their best live capsule that would suit a majority of voices, 945 is good but a lot brighter so you gotta take the HF boost down with that one plus it has a limited working angle so if your slightly off it dissapears , Used to love the Shure Beta 87a but then I found the AKG C535 and wayyy prefer that over it for live main vocal duties. A 58 will always be a solid option so always have a few, I have had three SE V7 capsules go dull on me and the paint comes off them so easily despite looking pretty and so as great as they are for the price the inconsistency lets it down. Telefunken M80 is similar to 945 but behaves better on rejection and has a slightly wider axis response but yet it has some plosives close up, it’s very workable and higher quality paint grades over the V7 colors. AKG D5 is good but sounds a little veiled but again can work on some people, Earthworks Sr117 is my new go to for live condensers for band work where clarity and flat tonality is necessary and you can really carve the sound to this mic. I’m trying to keep it to myself as a secret but for the money it’s bloody awesome. Beyerdynamic M88, M69 or Soundstar Mk 2 (M400) are insanely good if you can find them for good money