Karaoke Forums

So, had one of our locals offer me a "deal"....... what do ya'll think about Behringer XM1800S microphones.................. from what I've read they're designed for karaoke and supposed to be good mics, but your real world experience can tell me better than an ad can. Thanks, S.

I use them exclusively for my shows. They can take a beating and they sound reasonable. What kind of a "deal" are you getting? They retail for roughly $25 - $30 new. If they are selling for $20 or below I would grab them. Others on here will tell you nothing less than Shure SM58's will do, however, I can't justify spending that amount of cash for something that takes a beating like mics at karaoke do, despite my best efforts to avoid it. Most patrons can't tell the difference in sound quality between the two, anyway. Maybe because they're drunk or maybe because they don't care. Either way, the Behringers work well for me.
I once experimented with having both a Behringer and a Shure available at my shows and no one noticed a difference.
I guess everyone has their own opinion, though.

Thank you!!! The offer was for 3 mikes in a case with all paperwork and cords, used once @ a month ago for $50............... already called and took the deal!!

Actually, where I live, I can purchase them new for 17 bucks each, or you can get a six pack of them for 99 bucks (which is slightly less than 17 each). I used to use them as my main mics, I do like them, but there are better out there for sure (Shure,hehe). The Behringer XM8500 is very durable, I own 7 of them, and have used most of them on and off for over 6 years.. Take that for what it's worth. Good luck.

Thanks for the info, will keep 'em in mind if I start growing or upgrading!!

I don't understand why anyone wants to cheap out on microphones to the extent that they are buying $30 mics instead of a $100 mic which is the industry-standard and the most widely-used live vocal microphone. I look at it this way: my songs cost many thousands of dollars, so why would I keep spending money on songs and worry about the cost difference between $30 mics and $100 mics?

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Because most people either cannot tell the difference in sound and it's negligible anyways, considering the application, or they just aren't that concerned with it. Or maybe they aren't made of money when the item in question is just abused night after night.
I could throw a question right back at you, "Why would anyone spend more money than they have to on an item that is destined to abused, no matter how much you try to prevent it, when something suitable is available for less than half the cost"?
Unless, of course, you like to throw your money away...
Now if we were talking cordless mics, my opinion is a little different. When considering those, you get what you pay for.
JMHO

SM58s have a reputation for durability. This, much more so than sound quality, is why they have been a live sound staple for longer than I've been alive.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

That's the truth! They'll probably oulast any other piece of gear you'll ever own. I've owned three of the Behringers. One of them still works after 5 years. I've been using my SM58s for ten years. They've gone through hell.

Guess you are buying the "MONSTER" brand cables/patch cords too?

I can go to Best Buy get a monster HDMI cable for $120, and buy one of the www for $20. I can tell the difference, should I but the $120 one?

Again if the singers don't know the difference, why does it matter?

BTW, been using my Behringer mics going on 5 years, and no problems. Figure I got them for $20 each, give them a life of 5 years, that 25years of microphones for $100

Just currious, is there a SM58s out there that is 25 years old and still working?

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

No. I can't imagine why you would assume I am some kind of fool for purchasing durable, industry-standard microphones.

Singers might not know the difference between a crappy mic and a great one, but they certainly can tell when their performances sound great at one venue and bad at another.

Would you use the cheapest speaker you can find?

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Someone has recently sent me a set of Nady Duo wireless mics for an evaluation. I used them in my show as a test last Thursday the entire first round, had 27 singers. The good singers could tell the difference instantly & refused to use them on their next turn given the choice of a better mic - in this case the SM58. The not so good singers (about 6 or 7) actually liked the wireless, but again, they did not care how they sounded. So yes the singers CAN tell the difference if they know what they are looking/listening for.


Well they aren't 25 years old yet, but i'm using the same 3 SM58's I bought in 94 so they are 16 years old - used nightly, dropped, kicked, swung, flung, hit floors, hit walls, I replace the metal screen every so often to make them look good again after so many tumbles. I am about to get them replaced through Shure for 3 new ones (only run $54 each through Shure), only because the barrel where the mic clips/locks are so worn, the mic cable falls out and I have to tape them - but other than that, they still sound as good as the day I bought them and have no doubt I they would go another 9 years.

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First, we have a mic kit that includes 58's and 57's that was purchased back in 1980. All 12 mics are still working, so that's 30 years and counting. I have one 58 that was purchased in 89 and has been dropped, kicked, run over by a skid loader and is still working. The funny thing is, replacing the screen they still perform as well as one would expect from a new 58.

Second, why should you buy something when your singers won't notice the difference? Well I have a few thoughts on this. One, if I notice the difference, that's important to me. It'll drive me nuts hearing crap coming out of my PA. Additionally, I've never been one for doing a job just good enough, I always want to do it to the best of my ability. Could I save $70 buying a Behringer, sure. Even if they both last 20 years and say I bought four of them, that's still only $280. Over 20 year's that's not even a drop in the well so why should I suffer with an inferior product? Beyond that let's look at other things you may notice that your singers won't. Gain before feedback is a huge one, your singers won't notice because they won't realize that the ringing their hearing from your PA is from you trying to drive too much out of an inferior mic. Proximity effect is another. Your singers may not understand that the mic is the reason that the singer's voice lacks depth and just attribute it to their vocals. So all in all, while your singers may not know why they're hearing what they're hearing and attach that to the mic or they just don't care to think about it that much, they do hear the difference I can assure you.

Of course for me when talking Karaoke, this is all a moot point because I don't use any SM58's in my show. When providing production for bands, if I set out a row of Behringers at a festival, the bands would like at me like I was insane and would be grabbing their contract riders to show me where I'm in breach.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Well, be careful what ya ask for right? Anyway, Thank You all for the information, this is an extremely small 'show', , we maybe have 8-15 singers in a night, usually drunk by the time they decide to sing, the room we sing in is about 20X30 feet, most are locals who've been here for 20+ yrs, karaoke for us is a diversion from the reg........ and most are 50 yrs old + so they don't like "Loud, Stage type music" . Which, at times, is a HUGE P.I.T.A. but that's biz............. I'm not trying to do anything fancy, even if I did, it wouldn't fly around here, so I think the XM1800S will do fine for us............. if some day I decide that I'd like to grow up and start getting larger, younger, more diverse, talented singers in, I'll definitely use all the info I've gotten here in order to give 'em a "First Class Show". Since I now know a little more than I did when I asked this question, I'll say again, Thanks Everyone, Peace. S.

Sorry, but I beg to differ with your evaluation. Maybe from some crap Fender mics, sure, but the Behringers really are pretty good.
I barely (negligible, like I said before) notice a difference between the behringers and SM58s.
Hardly "crap".
And I have NEVER had ringing due to driving the mics too hard. If you're having to do that, then mics are not your main issue. I never, EVER have to drive my mics. You might want to have a look at your board. Or maybe bring everything else down and use your mains like you should.

The Behringers do sound fairly good, especially for the price. It's the durability that's the issue, which is the case with almost all their products. Most of their stuff sounds good, but is somewhat unreliable in any setting that isn't "home use". I've used Sennheiser, Audix, Audio Technica, etc, and none could stand up to 3-6 times per week karaoke use (abuse) like the SM58. I don't like the scenario where a mic is dropped 50 times and is still OK, but the 51st time kills it.

If your mics don't get abused very much, the Behringer is OK. If they do, it's just a matter of time before one dies. And when they do, you don't get any warning. One minute it works, the next minute it's dead.

I also think the Behringer mic sounds good. But 1) it has more handling noise, and 2) is not as durable. I believe those two go together, in fact -- if it has more handling noise it won't be as durable.

I bought a few of them, but ended up giving most of them away as gifts to karaoke hosts who have Nadys.

I get some musicians singing with me from time to time, and I know that they notice and appreciate my Shure and Sennheiser mics. They see a Shure, and they know what to expect.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Jeez...take it easy, never said you were a fool.


So Joe Crap KJ host with his rat shack system has SM58, and that someone make his sound better? I think not. Yes a good microphone is part of a good system, but saying that you sound better at one venue compared to another is only dependent on a SM58 is total BS.



If I can buy a speaker at 1/2 the cost of another brand, and no one will know the difference. Then heck ya I will buy the cheaper one.

Oh yea, BTW, I do own 2 SM58's, and have used them at shows. One Behringer and one Sure on the TV stand. Guess what, no one noticed.

Yeah the SM58 i9s a more rugged microphone, but if your mics are getting swung/tossed/dropped/abused, you need to get control of your show. I give people one warning, then they sing no more. Haven't had a swinging mic for over a year now.

But do the singers really care how they sound is what you need to ask. Does it really matter to them? If they do not, then of course no one would know the difference.


No need to get control of my show, very much in control of it. This is over the course of 16 years working 7 nights a week, not a regular occurance But it does happen on occasion to even those most in control - if it was on purpose, you bet they do not sing anymore, not for the night - but ever! If it's an accident, hey accidents happen, glad it was a 58 and not something that might break!
My point was kj's say 'well if it's dropped & breaks I can just get another cheaply' etc. Mine have been dropped numerous times (again over the course of 16 years) with the only damage being in the screens. When it does occasionally happen, they can take it with no ill effects.

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