Karaoke Forums

Hey Lonnie? just cuz a piece of equipment is inexpensive, doesn't mean it's "cheap". Or that an expensive piece of equipment is a good one. I agree fully that the Shure and the Sennheiser are great mics, along with some others too. But the Behringer XM8500 is also a really good mic, just not an expensive one. I put a Behringer and a Shure out one night at the same time, set the settings on the mixing board the same and tried to tell the difference, and then swapped the mics around so that they had a chance on both channels..Guess what? nobody, that means nobody in the bar could tell any difference. And I even asked them. I own six XM8500, and use 3 night after night, with absolutely NO problems at all. The paint even still looks good after over 4 years of use.

The only venue that I have, that the Behringer is a problem, is a very "tight" area, where any mic has issues with feedback, it's just simply a hard spot to set up. The XM8500 might be an issue with this type of problem, but when it's used in open areas, like my other shows, they perform as good as the other mics we've mentioned, and the durability is solid as can be.

Don't think money first, then quality and features,,,think the other way around,,maybe people will save themselves a bit of grief and a few bucks in the process. I said it before, and will say it again, I will compare my Behringers to the Shure 58 any day. Luv the Behringer stuff!!

I'm sorry to disagree, the Behringers does have more handling noise for the main difference in sound and caused a little more feedback at the same levels - neither which are a desireable trait to me. Yes I have used them as well as a test at my show. Brought them back the next morning. I won't buy the best mics for karaoke or most live situation - unless it's a live recording situation, but won't get less than the 58 for general purpose vocal singing reproduction.
I was talking cheap as in just because it's cheap it's disposable? If something needs to be replaced every so often (like my friends situation), it is no longer cheap. He could have spent $100 one time & pretty much be trouble free, not having to replace a mic, but he spent about $150 replacing 1 mic 5 times. He figures they are cheap so it's not a big loss. I just do not like to keep spending money replacing something, when I can buy once and get the quality I personally want & know it's going to last.

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I like the XM8500 and own two of them. They sound really good, in some ways better than the SM58. They make great background-vocalist mics. But they have handling noise that you don't see with the Senn. or Shure. I don't see any reason to have that -- it detracts from the show in my opinion.

I also have a hard time believing they can be as durable, but can't speak to it. I am not a knee-jerk Behringer hater, but for my main vocal mic I would pick the Shure or Sennheiser every time.

For home where price matters, I think the XM8500 is the best choice under $70.00. For $70.00 you can get an EV Co9.