Karaoke Forums

I am wondering if someone could recommend a good handheld dynamic microphone with a little wider pickup pattern than the usual Behringer XM8500s, Zebras, and Senheiser e835s that I use currently. These mics seem so focused, that they barely pick up anything off axis at all.

I am looking for something that would work well if 2-3 people were singing into it at the same time. Something that would pick up singers that are very close, but to the side of the microphone. I don't want something that is going to be a feedback nightmare, just something that I could get 1 or 2 of to put out when a group wants to sing "It's Raining Men" or "Love Shack", etc.

You get the picture. Thanks for your advise!

Well those mics are as about as wide as you want to go as far as pickup patterns. They aren't designed to be used for group singers, they are designed to be 1-2" from the mouth in a direct straight into it line - not off axis. The tighter pickup is for feedback rejection as it is not picking up everything off axis.

May be better off picking up a couple more of the Behringer mics for the multiple singers.

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You could try an Omni directional mic like the EV 635NDB or RE50B but as Lonnie suggested I don't think you will be to happy with the results. Just a couple of the side effects of using an Omni directional mic in a live situation are usually a pronounced exaggeration of lower frequencies and of course increased issues with feedback.

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

Keep in mind that as you increase the mic's pickup area, you will accept more noise and lower your useful gain-before-feedback. Lonman's suggestion of buying more mics is much, much easier than expecting the singers to share fewer mics effectively. If you really want a mic with a large pickup pattern, try a Heil PR22. I really think you are asking for more headaches, though; and should just give them enough mics.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

You could try a large-diaphraghm condenser like bluegrass bands use for group sings, but as others have noted, feedback is likely if you have any monitor or mains speaker going to the vicinity.

I roger getting a couple more XM8500s for the extra singers, but I do acknowledge there are some group singers who refuse to use their own microphone. Those people really don't want to be heard anyway, so I don't worry about it. (They often have a good reason they don't want to be heard!)

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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.

+1

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Maybe 2 or 3 normal cordial mics is better for the job than trying a mic that have tons of feedback.

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