Shure BETA 87C Studio Grade Vocal Microphone with Built-in Pop Filter - Single Element Cardioid Condenser Mic with A25D Mic Clip and Storage Bag, Ideal for Studio Recording and Live Performances

I love microphones and collect them. I am an older male with a sorta deep and dark voice and I sing cover music at bars and record originals at home. For years I used an Audix OM5 at clubs and have no problem with it. I started using a beta 58 and that was fine too. Nobody at a club knows the difference, except I do and it helps when things sit in a mix nicely. Recently I bought vocal mikes from EV, AKG, Audio Technica, Sennheiser and this unit. Today, I was using the Audio Technica e6100 working on new songs and then switched to the Beta 87a and the difference was very obvious….same exact signal chain and settings. For my voice, so far in my shootout the Beta 87 just sits right. I am going to continue switching between the mics: e6100, e945, ND86, and the audio Technica and will update this when I have lived with them a good bit.

I'd been using SM58s and some wireless EKG mics for 20 years or more and was perfectly happy with the sound quality ... UNTIL our sound engineer showed up at a gig with a Beta 87C and let me sing through it. First thing the next morning I was online ordering another for myself. The difference is nothing short of mind-boggling.While the SM58 is a great mic and kinda the industry standard, the 87C provides SO MUCH more clarity and definition. Even in a loud mix, my voice cuts through the clutter without being strident or sibilant-heavy. It's about as close to a studio sound as you're gonna get in a live performance.As other reviewers have noted, though, this mic is not for the faint of heart. If you're anything less than a stellar vocalist, your every little mistake is going to be out there on the table for everyone to hear. There is none of that warming and smoothing that happens with some other mics. This mic reproduces your voice with exacting clarity, both the good and the bad. If you are already a solid singer, this mic will allow the nuances of your performance to shine like gold.The only other potential downside is the mic's weight; it's very light compared with most stage mics I've used. Some folks may like that, but personally, I like a mic that's heavy enough to be used as a cudgel in the event an obnoxious drunk tries to get up on stage with us. (The SM58, swung on the end of a quality cord, is great for this purpose.)But in the end, sound quality must win out over self-defense. This mic is my new go-to!

The product arrived broken

Ordered this from Amazon prime. It came the next day prompt plus it came on a bank holiday which is supurb. Well done Amazon. You always come on time. This Shure Beta 87c is outstanding. I used to have the Shure Beta 87a which is also a excellent mic but on my voice it sounded a tad harsh on the treble register.The 87c certainly deals with that issue. It has a wide frequency range and the transition is so smooth. Even at higher volumes no feedback and never harsh. I used it tonight on a live gig and people were commenting on how great I sound (thanks to the mic). It handles gentle falsetto and let rip full on vocal with ease and a sweetness. Definitely prefer this to the Beta Shure 87a. The 87c has a nice hot output too and I would put it up there with the Nuemann mics. I must say thus is the best mic I have ever sung tnrough. I only used it for an hour tonight and I am really looking forward to using it in the week. I would also say this mic will be ideal for home recording too. Such a great tone.

I sent my friend an email recently regarding this mic, and I thought it sums it all up well, so I'll cut n' paste it right in (slightly edited):Just got an awesome new mic, the Shure Beta 87A. It's like a $400 dollar mic, and probably the best there is in the price bracket. I first heard some older singer songwriter guy use it at a live concert, and I was like holy crow the vocals sound amazing. When the guy was done, I went up to the stage and spied to see what mic it was, and made a note to get one someday. I'm always very slow to purchase new things 'cos I like to do my research. The Amazon reviews were very good, some of the only bad reviews were things like "it doesn't work at all" ...in which case someone would comment "did you enable the Phantom Power?" Duhhh. Haha.So I did some mic tests, it's pretty badass. These are the main reasons it's good~Light as a feather, yet seems durable enough~Very crisp good overall sound, nice EQ balance~High SPL rating (can take real blasts of noise and be fine)~Has a proximity effect counter/rolloff. This one is big for me. You know on some mics when you go close you get that crappy 'boomy' or 'muddy' sound? This balances that out, but you can still get good bass or close pick up if needed.~Not as feedback prone~Good boost to it, you can pick up sound easy without trying so hard~This is tailored for use as a vocal mic, but I imagine it would be nice for picking up acoustic guitar, percussion shakers, all sorts of other things...The more I think about it the more I hate sm57's/58's. They are one of the most popular mics ever, but gawd they suck compared to the Beta87. I feel like 90% of the bands I see live (especially low grade local bands) use sm57/58's and I always hear that facc-king sh**y muddy turd sound where I can barely hear what the singer is singing. It's like the instant 'unprofessional' sound to me. I found too when I jammed with one it was case of either be barely heard, or crank the sensitivity to the point that there were feedback issues and/or have to make out with the mic, but get the banal BS boom. That's not to say sm57's/58's are total garbage though. They are rugged as hell and cheap, and can be used professionally in good ways (like mic-ing some super loud amp cab). If it was just a raunchy punk band it probably wouldn't matter much about sound fidelity and dynamics etc. But vocally, I guess you get what you pay for. If you want a seriously good 'bang for your buck' vocal mic, go for it, I'm SHURE of it (sorry horrible pun).*SPECIAL NOTE: Beware of bootlegs! There are a lot of Shure bootlegs out there in the world, especially for the fancier mics. However, you should be safe getting from an authorized Shure retailer or otherwise trustworthy seller. Google the bootlegs and there are many sites (with pics even) to show you how to spot fakes!**SPECIAL NOTE II: The Beta 87A and 87C are identical, except the 'A' has a supercardioid sound field pattern, and the 'C' has cardioid. Long story short, the 87C is better for in-ear monitors, the 87A is usually better for stage monitors (yet can be used in the studio as well if need be, the sound will still be great but not quite as nice through a headset).

My favorite mic for live performance!

The shipment took a month. A couple days over the deadline. Good packaging and content complete. I am trying it out today on performance so cannot comment but I have used my friends of the same make and hopefully the clean sound and warmth are the same.

Good seller

Es un micrófono muy bueno, capta muy bien, solo hay que tener cuidado con la ganancia para evitar feedback.

I sing in a contemporary Christian group at church. We have a pretty big PA and full band and tracks setup. I've always felt the Beta 58a our church uses are muddy, but always thought it was a PA thing. I finally bought a beta 87a for myself though and was blown away at how clear the sound was. Even through my in-ears I am finally really happy with the tone I am getting from this mic. Loud, soft, speaking... It's like hearing my own voice I guess is the best way to put it. For the price point I wasn't expecting such a major difference over the beta 58a, but it blows it out of the water.Having said that, I might be careful with this mic if your vocalists are, um, less than pro? This mic won't cover up any imperfections like the 58 will.

Shure è una garanzia di robustezza, affidabilità e qualità. Il mio primo microfono Shure SM58 comprato 30 anni fa funziona ancora in modo impeccabile. Da circa 15 anni sono passato allo Shure Beta 87A in versione radiomicrofono. Ora per occasioni più easy no ho comprato anche uno con filo. Lo Shure SM58 è considerato uno fra i microfoni più versatili ed usati al mondo, lo Shure Beta 87A rappresenta una naturale evoluzione in fatto di qualità e prestazioni. Il confronto diretto evidenza nel SM58 una risposta, seppur sempre di ottima qualità e comunque di riferimento, un pò più grezza. Il Beta 87A al contrario risulta molto più raffinato su tutta la gamma di frequenze. Il Beta 87A è un microfono eccezionale, non perdona le imperfezioni che un SM58 riesce a camuffare. Per me il Beta 87A rappresenta un punto di arrivo dal quale con difficoltà si può tornare indietro. Sicuramente consigliato. Impeccabile come sempre il servizio Amazon che ha consegnato in un giorno, se potessi darei la sesta stella ogni volta che Amazon affida le consegne al proprio sistema di logistica, con loro mai un problema.

The ultimate microphone for vocal .I love Shure microphone's.

If you sing or have speaking engagements, look no further! I’ve tried a lot of mics and this one right here! Oooo, my voice sounds like pure joy! lol The sound quality is AMAZING! This is with low volume too.