Best Guitar Cab Mic (2024 Update)

This microphone is one of the best suited for handling guitar amps and other louder close mic applications, especially where a low profile is advantageous, such as on stage or in a cramped studio setting. The mike can be hung/slung over a speaker cabinet or mounted on small footprint stand and placed directly in front of speaker cone/grill. The flat design allows for setup in extremely tight spaces. The frequency response of 40-18k works well on most amplified instruments. It is designed optimally to handle high sound pressure levels (loud) without pads. Response is fairly flat and even across the entire range. It is also super-cardroid pattern meaning crosstalk can be kept to a minimum, important when mic'ing multiple cabs. I found these to be superior to the standard sm-57 type mics for guitar cabinet pickup, more bottom end, crisper high end and very low profile. They are also fairly durable. I've been using mine for a long time and they have held up well.Steviebone

Works great as a guitar-amp mic. You can hang it over the top of the amp, or use something like the K&M 25950 (or 25900) stands. I'm not enamored with Sennheiser's mic clips, but they function; I'd be concerned about repeatedly attaching/removing mics from those clips. That could be unwarranted, but time will tell. Otherwise the mic sounds perfect for my needs (micing guitar amps)Dan

This microphone is one of the best suited for handling guitar amps and other louder close mic applications, especially where a low profile is advantageous, such as on stage or in a cramped studio setting. The mike can be hung/slung over a speaker cabinet or mounted on small footprint stand and placed directly in front of speaker cone/grill. The flat design allows for setup in extremely tight spaces. The frequency response of 40-18k works well on most amplified instruments. It is designed optimally to handle high sound pressure levels (loud) without pads. Response is fairly flat and even across the entire range. It is also super-cardroid pattern meaning crosstalk can be kept to a minimum, important when mic'ing multiple cabs. I found these to be superior to the standard sm-57 type mics for guitar cabinet pickup, more bottom end, crisper high end and very low profile. They are also fairly durable. I've been using mine for a long time and they have held up well.Steviebone

Works great as a guitar-amp mic. You can hang it over the top of the amp, or use something like the K&M 25950 (or 25900) stands. I'm not enamored with Sennheiser's mic clips, but they function; I'd be concerned about repeatedly attaching/removing mics from those clips. That could be unwarranted, but time will tell. Otherwise the mic sounds perfect for my needs (micing guitar amps)Dan

This microphone is one of the best suited for handling guitar amps and other louder close mic applications, especially where a low profile is advantageous, such as on stage or in a cramped studio setting. The mike can be hung/slung over a speaker cabinet or mounted on small footprint stand and placed directly in front of speaker cone/grill. The flat design allows for setup in extremely tight spaces. The frequency response of 40-18k works well on most amplified instruments. It is designed optimally to handle high sound pressure levels (loud) without pads. Response is fairly flat and even across the entire range. It is also super-cardroid pattern meaning crosstalk can be kept to a minimum, important when mic'ing multiple cabs. I found these to be superior to the standard sm-57 type mics for guitar cabinet pickup, more bottom end, crisper high end and very low profile. They are also fairly durable. I've been using mine for a long time and they have held up well.Steviebone

Works great as a guitar-amp mic. You can hang it over the top of the amp, or use something like the K&M 25950 (or 25900) stands. I'm not enamored with Sennheiser's mic clips, but they function; I'd be concerned about repeatedly attaching/removing mics from those clips. That could be unwarranted, but time will tell. Otherwise the mic sounds perfect for my needs (micing guitar amps)Dan

I bought to of these to run as a stereo pair for guitar amplifiers in a live environment. They are terrific! They handle whatever two 100 watt amps can throw at them and do not color the sound in any sort of negative manner. They definitely let the amps tone shine right through. I went from two classic Sm57s to these and I just notice more clarity and detail than I did with the 57s. Mic placement is a breeze. I spent all of 5 minutes with a pre-recorded loop figuring out the most natural sound and its very easy to find the large sweetspot with these mics. Again, the 57 does not have a huge sweet spot.Blakemore

These mics came highly recommended by another sound engineer I know and, having owned the lesser e609 mics, I decided to take the plunge when I found these at a fantastic price. Pros: Excellent sound quality. Have used it in front of a few different types of bands guitar amps and found it did a fine job whether they played the blues or rock. The filter suggestions in the manual worked and I look forward to trying it with a heavier band to see how it does. Cons: None so far, but if the quality of the 609's that I own, one for over 20 years, is any indication, then this mic will provide years of quality sound reproduction. Brand new, these come with a soft cloth mic bag, mic clip, mic stand euro-adapter and manual.yankeemuso

I have a Demeter Silent Speaker Iso Box that I have been using a 57 and a 58 in with semi-satisfying results. I built a second box to put the Demeter in to even further cut down on the sound levels in my studio. I have taken the door off of the Demeter to let it breath and it takes away all the boxiness of the sound. The only thing missing was this mic! It sounds so much better I can't even believe it! It's so much more balanced and it has smoothed out the mids that have a tendency to build up in a small space like this. Blending the 58 in brings back a little of the "mid scoop" present in the 906. The super cardioid polar pattern of this mic is perfect for this application. From clean to crunch to distortion, my iso rig now sounds like a mic'd up cab in a dead room. All of my stomp boxes and guitars are now in play as they sound like real guitars and not mid range and nasally toys. I am blown away! Buy this mic and follow this recipe if you want an iso box to sound like an isolation room. I'm sure it sounds great in a room as well but the iso box is a more critical situation that only this mic works in. Buy it!radguitars

This microphone is fantastic for recording vocals. It picks up everything in the room clearly including the air conditioner. This is no problem as the mic has a built in filter that can get rid of the noise from the air conditioner. The included manual has a description for all of the different pickup patterns and their uses. The manual also says the C414 XLII is recommended for vocals, whereas the C414 XLS is recommended for overheads.Jared

Not sure I even received the right mic. The box was not for this product. No owners manual or any mfg.'s materials included and the box was for a different mic. Overall mic condition was good at best!Terry

I bought to of these to run as a stereo pair for guitar amplifiers in a live environment. They are terrific! They handle whatever two 100 watt amps can throw at them and do not color the sound in any sort of negative manner. They definitely let the amps tone shine right through. I went from two classic Sm57s to these and I just notice more clarity and detail than I did with the 57s. Mic placement is a breeze. I spent all of 5 minutes with a pre-recorded loop figuring out the most natural sound and its very easy to find the large sweetspot with these mics. Again, the 57 does not have a huge sweet spot.Blakemore

These mics came highly recommended by another sound engineer I know and, having owned the lesser e609 mics, I decided to take the plunge when I found these at a fantastic price. Pros: Excellent sound quality. Have used it in front of a few different types of bands guitar amps and found it did a fine job whether they played the blues or rock. The filter suggestions in the manual worked and I look forward to trying it with a heavier band to see how it does. Cons: None so far, but if the quality of the 609's that I own, one for over 20 years, is any indication, then this mic will provide years of quality sound reproduction. Brand new, these come with a soft cloth mic bag, mic clip, mic stand euro-adapter and manual.yankeemuso

I have a Demeter Silent Speaker Iso Box that I have been using a 57 and a 58 in with semi-satisfying results. I built a second box to put the Demeter in to even further cut down on the sound levels in my studio. I have taken the door off of the Demeter to let it breath and it takes away all the boxiness of the sound. The only thing missing was this mic! It sounds so much better I can't even believe it! It's so much more balanced and it has smoothed out the mids that have a tendency to build up in a small space like this. Blending the 58 in brings back a little of the "mid scoop" present in the 906. The super cardioid polar pattern of this mic is perfect for this application. From clean to crunch to distortion, my iso rig now sounds like a mic'd up cab in a dead room. All of my stomp boxes and guitars are now in play as they sound like real guitars and not mid range and nasally toys. I am blown away! Buy this mic and follow this recipe if you want an iso box to sound like an isolation room. I'm sure it sounds great in a room as well but the iso box is a more critical situation that only this mic works in. Buy it!radguitars

This microphone is fantastic for recording vocals. It picks up everything in the room clearly including the air conditioner. This is no problem as the mic has a built in filter that can get rid of the noise from the air conditioner. The included manual has a description for all of the different pickup patterns and their uses. The manual also says the C414 XLII is recommended for vocals, whereas the C414 XLS is recommended for overheads.Jared

Not sure I even received the right mic. The box was not for this product. No owners manual or any mfg.'s materials included and the box was for a different mic. Overall mic condition was good at best!Terry

I bought to of these to run as a stereo pair for guitar amplifiers in a live environment. They are terrific! They handle whatever two 100 watt amps can throw at them and do not color the sound in any sort of negative manner. They definitely let the amps tone shine right through. I went from two classic Sm57s to these and I just notice more clarity and detail than I did with the 57s. Mic placement is a breeze. I spent all of 5 minutes with a pre-recorded loop figuring out the most natural sound and its very easy to find the large sweetspot with these mics. Again, the 57 does not have a huge sweet spot.Blakemore

These mics came highly recommended by another sound engineer I know and, having owned the lesser e609 mics, I decided to take the plunge when I found these at a fantastic price. Pros: Excellent sound quality. Have used it in front of a few different types of bands guitar amps and found it did a fine job whether they played the blues or rock. The filter suggestions in the manual worked and I look forward to trying it with a heavier band to see how it does. Cons: None so far, but if the quality of the 609's that I own, one for over 20 years, is any indication, then this mic will provide years of quality sound reproduction. Brand new, these come with a soft cloth mic bag, mic clip, mic stand euro-adapter and manual.yankeemuso

I have a Demeter Silent Speaker Iso Box that I have been using a 57 and a 58 in with semi-satisfying results. I built a second box to put the Demeter in to even further cut down on the sound levels in my studio. I have taken the door off of the Demeter to let it breath and it takes away all the boxiness of the sound. The only thing missing was this mic! It sounds so much better I can't even believe it! It's so much more balanced and it has smoothed out the mids that have a tendency to build up in a small space like this. Blending the 58 in brings back a little of the "mid scoop" present in the 906. The super cardioid polar pattern of this mic is perfect for this application. From clean to crunch to distortion, my iso rig now sounds like a mic'd up cab in a dead room. All of my stomp boxes and guitars are now in play as they sound like real guitars and not mid range and nasally toys. I am blown away! Buy this mic and follow this recipe if you want an iso box to sound like an isolation room. I'm sure it sounds great in a room as well but the iso box is a more critical situation that only this mic works in. Buy it!radguitars

"Arturo Sandoval's Mic of choice! The Mic used most for High Quality Trumpet Recording! With a Life-Like realism to the sound as if you were hearing it played live. A warm outstanding Ribbon Professional Microphone.thevintagehorn

This R-121 is incredibly versatile for a ribbon microphone – I never fear putting it in front of guitar cabs, raucous horn players, even drums. The sound is incredibly clear and true to what my ears are hearing (a little less abrasive top end). Without a doubt worth having in my microphone closet… or out of it which usually the case. A great microphone investment!Excellent microphone – I will be purchasing more. Worth every penny I paid for this – it is a go to microphone in most every session I do these days… which is to say it is paying for itself. My clients dig the sounds = my gear pays for itself.Fester Spunk

Great mic. works magic on guitars. however you do need a good mic and pre and a decent compressor to place in front of mic! If you can get this mic for a good price (less than $1300) I would buy it! make sure you read the manual before use! If you don't you can damage the ribbon and make the mic sound bad!!!surfgreen101

This microphone is one of the best suited for handling guitar amps and other louder close mic applications, especially where a low profile is advantageous, such as on stage or in a cramped studio setting. The mike can be hung/slung over a speaker cabinet or mounted on small footprint stand and placed directly in front of speaker cone/grill. The flat design allows for setup in extremely tight spaces. The frequency response of 40-18k works well on most amplified instruments. It is designed optimally to handle high sound pressure levels (loud) without pads. Response is fairly flat and even across the entire range. It is also super-cardroid pattern meaning crosstalk can be kept to a minimum, important when mic'ing multiple cabs. I found these to be superior to the standard sm-57 type mics for guitar cabinet pickup, more bottom end, crisper high end and very low profile. They are also fairly durable. I've been using mine for a long time and they have held up well.Steviebone

Works great as a guitar-amp mic. You can hang it over the top of the amp, or use something like the K&M 25950 (or 25900) stands. I'm not enamored with Sennheiser's mic clips, but they function; I'd be concerned about repeatedly attaching/removing mics from those clips. That could be unwarranted, but time will tell. Otherwise the mic sounds perfect for my needs (micing guitar amps)Dan

Following extensive research on the Net, I purchased this microphone for general male and female live vocals home use, to replace an old AIWA vintage dynamic microphone. I particularly wanted a brighter, crisper vocals cadence. I am not at all qualified in sound engineering, therefore my opinion is based solely on personal taste. I am delighted with its sensitivity and clarity, appearance and robust construction, as well as the zipped bag, microphone clip and non-kinking microphone cable supplied with it. To me, this microphone appears to have a pleasing, slightly reduced proximity effect, in that vocals bass tone is not unduly exaggerated or muddy when singing very close to the microphone (e.g. approximately 50 mm from the mesh). Based on the research I did, for my personal taste, this appears to be an improvement on a Shure SM58 microphone. The manual states that this Sennheiser E835 requires phantom power. In view of its excellent performance, this is not an issue and I am using it with a TC Helicon VoicelivePlay which from memory provides 48v phantom power. This microphone doesn't have a switch, which for my limited budget kept the price down. At the price of AU$99.00 I paid, including delivery, I would definitely purchase another.2008_prado

Overall: For an extra $10 you also get a cable and boom stand?!? It would be foolish to pass on this mic if you are currently in the market for one!! I didn't purchase mine through zZounds, so I did not get the extras, which is a Great offer!! I will review it here anyway, since I Love this company and want people to know about this microphone. This mic is AMAZING!! Yes, it is wonderful on guitar cabs, but it sounds just Insanely GREAT on Any and All Acoustic instruments. Besides being a musician, I am also a serious, professionally-trained audio engineer…so, I am not a novice with no perspective. I mostly record (and play) Rock, Metal, Punk, Acoustic, etc etc types of music. However, I recently recorded a group I usually do not record…which was a Bluegrass group who also played a little bit of Country and Gospel. In fact, I had never recorded or played this type of music before this. They played Mostly Very Traditional songs (some very old) and wanted a VERY Natural sound and the way they put it was that they Only used instruments that would have existed and been available to mountain musicians back in the 1800s. Sadly (for me), this meant there were no drums. Regardless of the genre, I Always try to get the sound the client truly wants. I already knew the e906 sounds Great on guitar amps/cabs, whether distorted or not. But I decided to try it on some of the acoustic instruments in this situation. Among other mics used, I recorded some Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, and Mandolin using the e906. And……WOW did these instruments come out sounding nothing less than Spectacular!!! I did not try it on Bass or Vocals so I cannot comment on the e906's performance with them. But I have NEVER been disappointed with this mic on Anything…EVER!! If you are thinking of getting an e609 (a Great mic) and have the extra money….upgrade and get THIS MIC!!! Especially with the current offer of an extra $10 for a cable and boom standDavid

I have the AKG 414 xls. use it in my home studio ,and bring it to other studios. we have done many shoot outs against everything you could imagine either vintage or recent, even those costing ten time more, and the 414 constantly is the last choice.ruhtra

I prefer this over the XLII, Modern Sounding and great detail. Pair with a good mic pre and you will not be disappointed. But this is not a vintage voiced mic. I use on everything with 1290 Neve, 610, and stock ensamble pres.david001002

Nah, that's probably a bit of false bravado– also not alot of Irish traditions in my family, and to say that my admiration for this mic will extend to my dying day, that I will breathe my last breath holding onto it and capturing some musical performance– a nice picture, but how realistic, really? I guess I just metaphorically, in a Clint Eastwood kinda way, want to impress on you that, if we were all cowboys, this mic would be the six-shooter that everyone longed to have– lawman, outlaw, everyone in between. There's a reason it's a standard of the industry and you've heard its coolly accurate wondrous alive-sounding exceptional capture on a gabazillion records. It gets and gives you what's really there. The self noise is so low, 6 decibels, that there is no self noise. Everything comes through crisply and clearly. I will confess to you– I've cobbled together a subsistence farming kind of audio life, recording singers and ensembles, and I've always made do with gear that checked in much lower on the food chain than this. So when the house tech at a classical quartet concert had a pair of these and set them up just basically at the front edge of the stage, and offered to feed them into my tape deck, I swooned. Back in the studio mixing that performance, the 414's were smooth and airy and cast a lovely perspective on the players. Okay, that's it, I am getting myself a pair! What did I hear when I set up a pair of these for the first time in front of a guitar player? Within the ringing density of the guitar sound, a whole rainbow of colors, a detailed picture down to the granular level. The dual capsule will give you any and every polar pattern, from omni to hypercardioid, with halfway settings in between each setting! Also, four versions of low-cut roll-off, and also three levels of volume pads. A finely crafted German-engineered shockmount, and double sided (the best kind!) pop filter to affix to a mic stand. And a windsock. There are going with me everywhere from now on. Although– this overblown elaborate packaging with all this cut-out foam– no, give me all-put-together-and-ready-to-go in the smallest space, please. (I attach a picture of the pair suited up and ready for the showdown.)Joel

Bought this mic for my little home studio. Have been using it for a few months now and I am very please with it. Works great for just about any application! I use it for acoustic guitar, drums, vocals and clean guitar. Have tried it on distorted gutiar but it just doesn't capture the crunch, but if you pair it with a good dynamic you get the best of both worlds! Built like a rock (but thats Shure for you. I would highly recommend this mic if you're looking for a good pencil condenser that is fairly versitle.Wunderwhirl

Used this mic along with another one that I already owned to mic a 20 person choir on Easter morning. Our contemporary Praise and Worship band usually runs around 98 db on stage so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get the choir above the music. I was wrong. The mics have a tight focused pattern that let me really zero in on the choir without picking up a lot of stage noise. My gain before feedback was great with hardly a squeak of feedback and I had to really push them to get that. Didn't use much eq at all. On of the best small diaphram mics I have ever used. The other one I already owned, I used as a drum overhead. Worked very well in that position too.Bob

I think this was originally introduced as the KSM-109 in champagne finish. It was discontinued from the KSM line and became the SM-137 in black finish. I have used it for a variety of tasks including close instrument pick-up (both wind and brass), strings, controlled vocals, podcasts and orchestra. This is a sweet, FLAT microphone. Used with a high end mic preamp, it will not disappoint!Nick A.

Our church has a few aging SM58 mics. Some time ago I purchased an XM8500 and just recently added three more to our closet. Buying the Behringers was cheaper than upgrading the SM58 mics. The Behringers actually seem more brilliant than the Shures, but admittedly I am comparing them to the aging SM58s. Regardless, the sound is excellent. A big thumbs down for the mic clips, which were totally useless. I couldn't even slip a mic into them. I ended up forcing them onto an old mic and then I hit them with my heat gun to relax the plastic. That seems to have worked OK. At least I can get a mic into them now.rer-tar

To my ears, the XM8500 sounds just as good as any other XLR microphone. Its body is fully metal, and feels strong enough that I could throw it at a wall without so much as scratching it. It even comes in a hard plastic carrying case, which is much higher quality than the price would suggest. The included clip isn't amazing, you need to permanently stretch it to even be able to put the XM8500 in it, but it's still much better than nothing. If you're going to be close to the XM8500, I recommend getting some kind of foam windscreen, which DJ City doesn't sell for any kind of reasonable price. All in all, I highly recommend the XM8500 if you're after a high quality mic at a fair price.Charles M.

I heard a ham radio operator using one of these and his audio was simply GREAT! Based on this, I decided to invest $20 for one. It came promptly as scheduled. I connected it to my Elecraft K3S {an absolutely awesome radio} in place of either my Heil PR-781 or Shure SM-58. I immediately got GREATsounding audio reports. In comparing the specs and frequency response of the Shure SM58 {basically a $100 mike} and the Behringer XM8500, the 8500 has a wee bit more high end. Otherwise they are identical I've listened to my station and my voice in a critical listening environment, and I agree, it is a good sounding mike. Correctly interfaced to the radio and with the radio properly adjusted, it should produce great sounding audio on yours as well. Of note – I find with many mikes, and this one is no exception, the correct mike technique is the single most important factor to getting great audio reports. You can equalize and compress and process until you run out of knobs to turn and settings to adjust. If you don't use the correct mike-to-mouth distance and correct mike position, you'll never get great audio!k4tax

Overall: I ended up using this as the vocal mic on a project. The singer was more comfortable with the sound and response of this one versus some other options. This performed great and is clearly tuned for vocal use, tidying up some common shortcomings that can come across on some microphones. You wouldn't believe the vocals were recorded with this and an SM57 a few feet away. It sounded great and proved that this mic can compete with more pro choices in certain circumstances. I've used it for demos and field recordings and it did the trick there too. It's no replacement for "real" studio mics but it's great to have on hand for those moments where you need an extra, and it really does sound good. It honestly has no business sounding as good as it does. If you're considering this mic (it's ideal for a lot of nonstandard applications) it's worth getting.Russell

I have the 990/991 set, and the 990. Both came with stand mounts. Whether your giging, or just knocking out tracks in a buddies studio, you'll want these rigs. The 991 on a fixed stand in front of your accoustic, and the 990 dangling in your face comes out pure heaven on tracks. Crisp, clean, and as good as any $500+ I've been in front of. The cases protect them well. If you set in with your buddies band occasionally, bring these, your instrument, plus your mic stand, and everybody will be using your rig over the 54, 57s, or 58s up there. No kidding. They sound THAT much better. Use the shock mount and a pop screen for best results. One night I had to use electrical tape, and my cord box foam for a pop screen, and it worked great. I've had my stand kicked over, dented the screen a tiny bit, but it kept running like champ. How tough is it? 2 years of S. TX bars tough. So tough that after the first one took a HARD hit and kept running, that I bought another. Money well spent. Get one if you can. Needs phantom power, but if your boards, amps don't have it, you can get the mini amps, compressors that provide it. You won't regret getting one. I put a 54, 58, my 990, and a Peavey into our mixer/power amp, same settings, and this had the best clarity and volume. I'm going to buy a couple more before they go extinct at these prices.guitarasaweapon

Iv'e been recording professionally for over 30 years. I have worked with artist like Prince, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, Luther Vandross, DJ Quik, TLC, Tyrese, and the list goes on and on and on. Initially I purchased 8 of these mics to use to record a choir. I had a high end board so I figured I couldnt go wrong with them. BTW .. Marshall produces some pretty amazing high quality microphones. Do not be fooled by the price. An experienced engineer can get the best out of any equipment. But Marshall really does produce good microphones for an unbelievable low price. I was amazed at the performance of these little mics. Since then I have used them on everything from vocals, acoustic guitars, guitar amps, overheads for drums. One day a friend came in with his that he did a 3 dollar modification on. He simply changed out 3 capacitors and opened the head basket. We recorded his vocals and I was floored. We did a A/B with my Nuemann 103 running into a pair of Avalon M5s and again I was floored. I modded 4 of the 8 and they have been my go mics for several years now; and we have a mic locker most would kill over. Even with out the Mod you cant go wrong with these. Get a GOOD pre-amp and I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed. Am I saying that these mics are going to compete with a C12, Telefunken, Neumann that cost anywhere from 1500 – 13,000 …. Yes …… and NO! Just depends on the platform. If using a kick drum or overheads ..NO! Vocals …. yes/no (a tube mic will sound different). But then you have to ask yourself if the difference is worth 10,000 …. If I had one complaint about them is that the mids can be a little harsh with a lower end pre-amp. But even a 10k mic wont sound its best through a terrible pre-amps.Boogie Wonderland

I bought this mic a few weeks ago and I was able to use it at work for some podcasting. The shock mount slides over the mic easily and locks in place. I attached the shock mount to a Proline Desk Boom mic stand, plugged the mic, connected it to a mixer, and then connected it to a Tascam recorder. Off in running in about 5 minutes. I love that the mic comes with a case for transport. The foam protects the mic and shock mount and allows me to transport the mic without having to worry about moisture or having the mic battered around in the car. I looked at some of the audio samples today and I great great audio at a small price.Jonathan

We run Shure SM7b and Electrovoice Re20. For grand piano, this lowe cost unit exceeds them both. We were surprised. Granted, you can get better performance from other much higher priced units but for a budget unit, the MXL 770 is remarkable. It even comes with a case and shock mount. And B&H gives free shipping. Really, it is hard to beat this value proposition.Moses

I recently purchased the little MXL 770 mic through Best Buy. I LOVE it!! It’s perfect for my small home studio and didn’t break the bank. So far I’m really pleased with the clarity and warmth I’m getting with my vocals, and while it’s very sensitive and picks up well, I’m not noticing any unwanted noise. Great addition, I highly recommend it.Jude

A few years ago I was cutting vocals with my AKG 414 TLII when a friend came by with 2 of these 214’s his church had bought. We decided to cut the harmony vocal with the 214 and compare to the 414TLII. It sounded terrible and I trashed the takes and used a TLM 67 instead. The 214 sounds like a Chinese condenser from Amazon. I understand people want the AKG pedigree for an affordable price point, but this mic is not it. You may not be able to hear it right now, but trust me and the other experienced ears that have said similar. This mic is the sonic equivalent of a sugar loaded donut. It sounds good if you have few examples to compare it to, but the sound has no “nutritional value” and will fatigue you fast. Especially if you use this for most of your tracks. It is very much worth it to not skimp on microphones. I have bought and sold many, many mics in my career so trust me and save a little longer and get something a little better. No matter what price point you’re buying at.Marty

. Used this on and off for a few years, but was never really happy with it. Very average sound…better on piano, weaker on vocals. Sold it on Ebay and picked up the C414 XLII. WOW!! On the piano it is fantastic. Vocals are excellent too. Much more detailed, nuanced, smooth sound. Really, really like the C414 XLII .Daniel

This was my first condenser microphone that I have purchased for my small in home studio. After months of research I decided upon this mic based off the price and versatility of the product. I am a full time guitarist and vocalist but have never been much on the production side, pretty much saying I know what sound I am looking for. I use this mic mainly for vocals and I’ve got to say that the recordings sound so good out of the mic that I really don’t have to do much as far as mixing goes which I love. This mic has definitely helped boost my confidence in my recording ability and I know that if the track doesn’t sound great it’s from my personal error not the mic. Overall would definitely recommendBrennan

I've been recording my music and vocals with my phone for a while now, and I bought an SM7B last summer to replace my basic earbud mic I've always used. I wasn't aware at the time that I'd need an interface to get it working with my phone. Looking for interface suggestions online turned into a ton of mixed results no matter which brand or product I read about. Scarlett, Presonus, Focusrite, etc. Pros of those products were all met with users commenting plenty of cons involving all sorts of different issues. So, I emailed Shure and asked if their MVi would for sure work my iPhone. They responded quickly and told me that it's exactly what I needed to get the mic working. It came in the mail three days later and it's perfect for what I do here at home. Simple to set up and use with my phone. It works with my recording app as well as with recording videos or voice notes. I know very little about recording music beyond the very basics, but the MVi has made it possible for me to finally get to use my actual studio mic to start recording and learning with.David K.

I bought Shure MVi thinking it would be 'ready to use out of the box' to use with an iPhone. Was I ever wrong! The older ones came with a 'micro usb to a lighting cable'. The newer ones do not. The cables are hard to find and in the $30 to $40 range. Shure don't tell you this. (The tech. support person at Shure said he didn't know this.) There is a work around to this. Get a 'usb C to a lighting adapter and a 2 input adapter for a second power input. This will supplement the power loss at the adapters. I know it sounds crazy, but it works! Come on, Shure, get with the program and send the correct cable!Joe S

Ok the mic makes GREAT reproductions. Especially for a usb mic! And the connectivity to iphones, and androids, and computers & tablets whooo buddy. I don't know of anything else on the market that can accomplish this laundry list. It's visually beautiful and a work horse to boot! This device solves so many problems for me! But there is one big draw back here… A draw back I can cope with due to this mics other strengths, but one wold really like to see redesigned on the next release of this mic. You can't adjust the mix between mic monitor signal – and audio that is being played back over USB. Nor can you adjust the monitor levels independently. You can accomplish this by altering settings in whatever app you're using, but the onboard controls leave something to be desired. I'd much rather have control over the monitor mix rather than all the DSP, compression & EQ features that they offer on board. MORE DETAILS BELOW ON WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE: V So let's say you're on a zoom call and you want to monitor your own voice in your headphones while you talk to a friend… The MV51's functionality allows you to monitor your self with no latency, fantastic!…. but to adjust the volume of your friend on the other end you have to do this via the output settings within the zoom app… and if your chosen app doesn't have out put settings, well you're out of luck because the MV51 is an audio interface – so you can't adjust the output volume via your system settings… at least on a mac, because the mv51 overrides these controls.Dan P

The web says this mic is noisy. I haven't found this to be the case as I run it into my Xenyx 302 mixer. It isn't the lightweight, ultra-portable podcast mic (like my Tonor BM-800) – but then it doesn't weigh like an elephant either! The pickup pattern is nice too. You don't get bells & whistles with Behringer – just solid performance at a good price. BUY IT!anthonmallabur_0

The acoustic pickups sound great. I was a more than a little nervous drilling into my Martin D28 but it all went OK. The guitar sounded very good acoustically before fitting and that unique character is still there after putting all the gubbins inside the soundbox. A little tricky to fit but the instructions are straightforward. You have to be brave though! If you are not, get someone else (a professional) to do it for you. Very pleased with the sound and non-intrusive looks.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Bought this to replace a 30(!) year old pizeo pickup that had developed several dead spots. I've built a few electric guitars, and am a generally able woodworker. If you aren't, or don't have adequate tools, just have it installed professionally. Chose to install it myself as I needed it the next day. If you're replacing an existing system, plan to replace the saddle. The box doesn't include directions, but they were easily found online. Reaming the tail pin was a minor challenge, as the older pickup had a smaller hole, but a 1/2" step bit easily started the hole, followed by a regular 1/2" bit. Setting the depth took several attempts. Tip on tightening the nut under the strap button: there is a small hole that a small screwdriver will fit through allowing the nut to be easily tightened. Setting the UST took drilling a few holes in the bridge. I installed mine with the entrance hole on the 'bottom' (high E string) and notched a small (< 1/16" deep) hole on the other end to make sure that the entire length under the saddle was engaged. It took several attempts to get the saddle correctly installed (and the string height correct). Placing the mic was super easy, a few end pins in the bridge allow you to feel center, and the proper placement area. The other two parts are pretty self explanatory, and obvious. Setting the tone blend was pretty simple, and I am really impressed with the sound quality.Kevin

I had heard some beautiful sounding audio demos of the LR Baggs Anthem SL and really wanted to like it, but for me the tone sounded awful no matter how I calibrated the piezo and tru-mic pickups. My setup: I play mostly fingerpicking and some open hand strumming through a Martin 000-15m, and I use D'Addario phosphor bronze medium-gauge (.013-.056) strings tuned down a whole step, which gives me the ideal string tension and a nice warm tone. For amplification I use a Fender Acoustic 160 SFX, but I have also played the Anthem SL through professional PA systems. Tone problems: I had the Anthem SL installed at a Guitar Center, and the boomy, unfocused bass response was evident from the start. The Anthem SL allows you to dial between the under-saddle piezo pickup and the internal microphone, but the tone on mine was borderline unlistenable no matter how I adjusted it. Turning it all the way to the piezo pickup produces zero high end, like a speaker muffled by a pile of blankets. I found this odd since piezos are reputed to sound thin and "quacky," which is basically the opposite of what I was getting. Adjusting the balance to the middle produces a hint of high frequency response but nowhere near sufficient for a live performance. Adjusting all the way to the mic brightens the tone a bit but not enough to hear the high notes clearly over the boomy low E and A strings; it also picks up excessive handling noise and feedback. I took my guitar back to Guitar Center to make sure the pickup was installed properly, and the guitar tech assured me that it was. He thought the medium-gauge strings that I use could be part of the problem, but I remember it sounding similar even when I used lighter strings. Since the boomy tone is unusable at high volumes I got a $50 Seymour Duncan magnetic soundhole pickup, the Woody, and frankly it sounds a lot clearer than the $200 (+ installation fee) LR Baggs, which I now use merely as a supplemental pickup to dial in extra bass on the Woody.Eron