20 Best Mics For Home Studio Vocals (Feb 2023 Update)

It has a reputation, because it is that good. Takes any vocal and places it at a higher level. Clarity, warmth, presence, yep. If you could only buy 1 piece of gear and youre doing vocals, forget everything else and get this microphone. Run through any interface with a daw, and youll see the difference. Its expensive, yep, but its an investment. Been doing more serious recording over the past 2 years, now I want to go back and re-record all the prior vocals.wdalgabbar_0

An ultimate aspirational mic for me. I have compared this with a vintage u87. For vocals, the vintage U 87 has a slightly more noticeable presence. By presence, I mean that you feel like the microphone is a noctilux-level macro lens focusing in on the singer's articulation and bringing them up close to your ear. All that, but it doesn't sound like it's trying. The new U 87 Ai is almost the same as the old U 87, but a bit more neutral. Less emphasis of sounds like ch (as in, chess), and the specs say less noise. That's my two cents, at least! The U 87 Ai is an amazing sounding mic and lives up to its name. I'd agree with so many reviewers who say that it's just plain good on anything.Peter

This microphone is made of the highest quality. The sound is absolutely unbeatable for voiceovers. Very natural, neutral, and clear in the midrange. It has a reputation for being the best for a reason. Yes, you can buy wonderful microphones for cheaper, but none of them are a Neumann U87. Neumann uses the best materials and craftsmanship out there. If you are looking to record primarily vocals and like the magic of tubes I would also recommended the Neumann M149 and if you are on a budget the Miktek CV4 is quite good. The Neumann U87ai will do anything however. It's great on any instrument and is probably the accurate microphone for realistic voiceover work. It just sounds polished and EQ's nicely. I use a Neumann Pop Screen and a Neumann Wind Cap on it usually to reduce noise as it is very sensitive. Must have for a quality home or professional studio.king11.11

I set up in my basement with it a few weeks ago and started messing around, have found nothing to be disliked. The overall sound is good, it has strong low end for my growls, and it doesn't have any problems with recording at any volume. I even put it in front of my drumset to see if it'd pick up okay, which it did surprisingly well with. I haven't been doing vocals for very long, but from what I can tell it easily competes with mics twice the price. 10/10 would recommend, worth it. P.s. get a pop filter toothe wheat man

The sound is a massive improvement on my previous microphone. The shock mount works well and the pop filter fits nicely and makes it easier to keep a consistent distance from the microphone for different takes when recording.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

sE 2200 mics are really great mics. Hand built. It's NOT lightweight. Heavy in this case means quality. The sound compares well to my AKG414 and Neumann tlm103. I have two of these.dswheele7

For this pricepoint I wasn't expecting top notch quality, especially since you get a shockmount, a nice study pop filter and the microphone itself. The durability of this microphone is good until you get to the grill/mesh covering the capsule, which you can easily dent compared to other microphones. It's not a problem if you can look after it and hold it in a good stand, but if you drop it a couple of times it could risk any dent if you cared for the look of your microphone. The sliders for the gain knobs are not difficult to push over, but difficult to find out where it is already located due to the slim spacing between the texting, making it difficult to find where the middle of the scroll to see what it's positioned. The high pass filter is extremely useful on top of the shockmount. I'm using a noise gate on top of it with a DAW software and I can not at all hear desk noises or any unwanted noise. That's pretty awesome to have. What I LOVE about this microphone setup is; The shockmount: I came from a Rode Procaster and had to use a Rode PSM-1 shockmount. The knob to screw the microphone on the Rode was SO difficult to screw on. This one, the microphone slots into place without passing through the hole, and you screw it on with a large knob. It's as simple as that. I love the setup, but my favourite part is the shockmount by far.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

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

I looked up and down everywhere to see what's the best mic for all around, Like the hidden gem in the cornfield. People told me the rodemic, Razer and snow xlr mic, But from looking past the "Normal" I seen the sm57. A famous hidden mic no one really knew about, Basically has the same tone sm7b just a little different. $100ish instead of $400 count me in, I been using it for zoom calls, Twitch, Discord and everyone i talked to said i went from a very noisy and outland voice to a solid nice tone. I personally use mine with a boom arm, the a81ws, focusrite. No issues with it and i had it for about 3 months, I'm not the gentlest on it either so I feel comfortable using it on a day to day basis. Who would i recommend this to? To be totally honest everyone, You want it to do something? Trust me it will. 10/10Bradleigh, K

I've only had chance to do a quick sound check miking my Bugera V22 and recording the sound using my new Tascam DP-008 EX 8-track recorder. Sound quality was very good, especially for a basic home office recording setup. I can see why this mic is so popular in the industry. For perspective, I am a hobbyist and don't perform, but like to have the best sound for my limited budget to make recordings for myself and maybe friends and family. This mic lives up to its rep for being a great value for what you pay, punching above its class, no doubt.Steve

New amateur home studio user – Recently purchased this set as my first ‘proper’ studio microphone after some dubious USB versions and so far really impressed with the excellent quality of this microphone. Given the price point, I’ve been quite amazed at the overall quality of both the microphone and the other enclosed items. Initially wasn’t sure whether Scan had accidentally sent me the wrong item. Everything feels solid and really well made – the shock mount is a work of art and even the XLR cable seems to be really good quality with solid connectors. Even better, it seems that this whole set seems to be made in Australia rather than the ubiquitous ‘Made in PRC’ which is a very good thing. If you are just starting off and dithering about which microphone to buy – get this set and start recording stuff and just have some fun. You can always get the Neumann or other prohibitively expensive microphones after your first song has gone viral. As for Scan, their service is brilliant and over the past few years I’ve have actually found that most of time, their prices are often better than DV24 or Thomann UK and if you order at the right time, its next day delivery. I actually work for the NHS and have no shares or connection to Scan 🙂Tabbysoft

This mic was a surprise to me since it’s a budget mic. My expectations were for a less than ideal sound and a bit of self noise basically because it’s a budget mic. Seeing it first, you just notice how thin it looks on camera and its weight. Nice build and built in pop filter, although it is better to be safe by adding a foamie. It’s pretty sensitive and doesn’t need a lot of gain and its rejection characteristics are very good. It resisted quite a bit of reverberation in my front room. Sound is really robust. For my voice, I needed to step back a bit because of proximity effect. It can get a bit muddy if you’re too close. Treble is not harsh at all and the mic sounds fairly smooth. It’s flattering sounding rather than analytical. It’s a really good value for money microphone.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I was looking for an inexpensive entry lvl XLR mic. And this one fit the bill nicely. I have it paired with a Focusrite Scarlet and mainly use it for things like streaming or Discord and my voice is clear. And it is much smaller and lighter than the old Yeti USB that I was using before.Jason M

The Martinez MPM-1000 is really a fantastic little mic. I also have a Rode condenser mic (bought from GG as well) valued about 4 times the price of the Martinez and to be honest there's not a huge difference. I'm delighted with both.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

budget pro quality condenser. I bought this to use for streaming vocals – appears good quality and I've had good feedback from listeners. Previously I had a cheap Sennheiser dynamic and this is a lot better and easier to use. Directionality is a lot more useful. Includes a useful shock mount, foam filter, lead and table stand. I haven't used the table stand as I have a boom mount but all the other accessories work fine.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

I set up in my basement with it a few weeks ago and started messing around, have found nothing to be disliked. The overall sound is good, it has strong low end for my growls, and it doesn't have any problems with recording at any volume. I even put it in front of my drumset to see if it'd pick up okay, which it did surprisingly well with. I haven't been doing vocals for very long, but from what I can tell it easily competes with mics twice the price. 10/10 would recommend, worth it. P.s. get a pop filter toothe wheat man

New amateur home studio user – Recently purchased this set as my first ‘proper’ studio microphone after some dubious USB versions and so far really impressed with the excellent quality of this microphone. Given the price point, I’ve been quite amazed at the overall quality of both the microphone and the other enclosed items. Initially wasn’t sure whether Scan had accidentally sent me the wrong item. Everything feels solid and really well made – the shock mount is a work of art and even the XLR cable seems to be really good quality with solid connectors. Even better, it seems that this whole set seems to be made in Australia rather than the ubiquitous ‘Made in PRC’ which is a very good thing. If you are just starting off and dithering about which microphone to buy – get this set and start recording stuff and just have some fun. You can always get the Neumann or other prohibitively expensive microphones after your first song has gone viral. As for Scan, their service is brilliant and over the past few years I’ve have actually found that most of time, their prices are often better than DV24 or Thomann UK and if you order at the right time, its next day delivery. I actually work for the NHS and have no shares or connection to Scan 🙂Tabbysoft

This microphone is the gold standard for vocal recording, and I can't believe that I used anything else before now. What's the secret to the sauce? While besides the decades of experience backed by the Shure name, this microphone features a VERY defined cardioid pickup pattern. What's a cardioid? Why do I care? If you're asking these questions, I'll simplify it by saying this: if you're recording in a situation where you want the least amount of background noise, this is the pattern for you. Especially vocal recordings, podcasters, and the like, will enjoy the dynamic range that won't clip or cut out at loud sounds like you do with condenser microphones. The pickup range is not directional, but you do need to be conscious of distance, as I'm sure you'll find once you start using it. I did use this microphone plugged into an audio interface into my computer, so that may have introduced a tiny bit of noise, but I was blown away by the results I got from recording. This is nothing like the lower cost and less dedicated microphones I have used in the past. Very well made, as you would expect from a microphone at this price point, and the frequency response modes are set by sliders on the back of the mic. The mounting and cable connector are set up for a boom arm or a stand. Because of the integrated pop filter cover for this microphone I toyed with the idea of using it without a pop filter, but I think i'm just too "spitty" for that, so I've shifted to using one. I highly recommend this microphone. If you're someone who records vocals, spoken word, etc, this will change your game.dronedad

The Shure brand is synonymous with quality microphones, and with the SM7B comes the top-notch build as well as the dynamic range appropriate for multiple applications. Its versatility, craftmanship, and overall reliability make the Shure SM7B a must-own for serious recording. Out of the box you'll notice the mic comes with only a few accessories (cover plate, large foam windscreen, thread adapter) and no XLR cable. You should be familiar with your own audio applications and interfaces to use this mic, as it is no joke. It is pretty weighty and should be mounted on a good microphone stand or hung firmly from a boom. The swiveling bracket adjusts easily for precise positioning. The SM7B feels great, slim and smooth, and its construction feels reliable and sturdy, though I personally limited my usage to studio and workspace recording. In my testing, the SM7B sounds amazing. It has just a very clean output for my instruments and vocals alike. It performs exceptionally well in my small, soundproofed studio affixed with foam wall fixtures. But I was more impressed with the sound quality in a non-optimal, unfixed bedroom environment. The flat, wide-range frequency response is unmatched; there is zero feedback and no static interference whatsoever, even around several operating laptops, two external monitors, and numerous electronic devices. The included windscreen makes up-close vocals and whispers move without the pops and crackles of lesser microphones. Bottom line, this is the microphone that provides the professional performance you need to be taken seriously in any recording environment. Shure's SM7B is everything you need in a dynamic microphone, with its rugged build, versatile application, and unparalleled quality. The brand you should trust with your recording needs did it again, and it isn't a surprise. This is the mic you want to have. Full disclosure, I received this product for my honest, unbiased review.NJRY

SUMMARY: As we dip our toes into the world of podcasting, we all start with an elementary setup that might be as simple as aiming your face into your cell-phone camera and talking into its microphone. But if you get serious, you will soon want a better audio/video setup. The Shure SM7B cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone will be a fine choice until you’re so famous that you have your own professional studio with a production crew and your name on the building. Honestly, most people’s hearing and their listening equipment can’t hear any improvements as you advance beyond this level of studio mic. FEATURES: • The switches under a cover at the back end allow you to set up the dynamic response of the mic. Shifting curves give you a visual indication of what frequencies you are pushing or reducing. • Excellent sound reproduction. • Fits standard mic mounts. • The Cardioid sound pick-up pattern is very direction and ignores sounds coming from anywhere in the room except the front making it a VERY quiet mic for studio use. • Two Year Limited Warranty. PROS: • Pop Filter, Air Suspension and Shock Isolation assure only the voice gets through without ambient studio noise. • Advance electromagnetic shielding prevents interference or hum from monitors and computers in the studio. CONS: • At this level of mic, it’s assumed you’re probably upgrading your system, so if you don’t already have certain other audio items like Mic Stand, Cable or Mic Activator, you’ll have to purchase them separately to begin using this mic. It won’t simply plug into your cell phone. CONCLUSION: The SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone won’t hold you back in creating excellent sound quality.JimF

New amateur home studio user – Recently purchased this set as my first ‘proper’ studio microphone after some dubious USB versions and so far really impressed with the excellent quality of this microphone. Given the price point, I’ve been quite amazed at the overall quality of both the microphone and the other enclosed items. Initially wasn’t sure whether Scan had accidentally sent me the wrong item. Everything feels solid and really well made – the shock mount is a work of art and even the XLR cable seems to be really good quality with solid connectors. Even better, it seems that this whole set seems to be made in Australia rather than the ubiquitous ‘Made in PRC’ which is a very good thing. If you are just starting off and dithering about which microphone to buy – get this set and start recording stuff and just have some fun. You can always get the Neumann or other prohibitively expensive microphones after your first song has gone viral. As for Scan, their service is brilliant and over the past few years I’ve have actually found that most of time, their prices are often better than DV24 or Thomann UK and if you order at the right time, its next day delivery. I actually work for the NHS and have no shares or connection to Scan 🙂Tabbysoft

Overall: Seeing the pictures online made me think one thing. But then seeing in my hand made me think another. This is a rather small microphone in comparison to what I've used in the past. Transitioning from a monsterous Sterling Audio ST-79 to the TLM-102 made a HUGE difference. The depth of the vocal is outstanding. The frequency range is great and the Higher SPL makes it able to withstand some of the loudmouth vocalist rappers it will be used on. I myself have a deeper raspier voice and this mic works wonders on the clarity of it. In the mix there is much more control on dialing in to get the sound you want. This little Big Dog is now my Go to mic for Vocals out of my collection which includes: a. (1) ST-79 -Sterling Audio – Condenser b. (1) ST-55 – Sterling Audio – Condenser c. (1) MXL 990 and (1) 991 – MXL – Condensers d. (2) Fathead I – Cascade – Ribbon e. (1) TLM-102 – Neumann – Condenser (these are just my Vocal specific mics) All in all I love the mic and the mixing flexablity, its smaller size, and its versatility in use. Sure there is not a bass roll-off, or pad switch so it may not be best for SOME RANDOM VERY SPECIFIC NEED. But for the typical use of a microphone this thing has become my best friend.Chris

I play acoustic fingerstyle guitar and I was looking at some mics options to do some recordings… this mic is absolutely brilliant ! It captures amazingly the sounds of an acoustic guitar, very detailed and all nuances can be heard. Very rich and natural sound and exactly what I was looking for acoustic guitar recordings. Furthermore the look is stunning and the quality amazing. Love it! I am now considering getting another one so I could pair it nicely with the one I owe. Highly recommended!! Here is a recoding I've made with this mic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIThVYPlJ5MReviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I set up in my basement with it a few weeks ago and started messing around, have found nothing to be disliked. The overall sound is good, it has strong low end for my growls, and it doesn't have any problems with recording at any volume. I even put it in front of my drumset to see if it'd pick up okay, which it did surprisingly well with. I haven't been doing vocals for very long, but from what I can tell it easily competes with mics twice the price. 10/10 would recommend, worth it. P.s. get a pop filter toothe wheat man

The Seiren Mini is an honestly wonderful microphone for personal computer usage. It picks up voices accurately and clearly while often successfully ignoring background noises such as large summertime fans. This mic is about the size of a 355ML soda can, which makes it easy to relocate on your desk when in or out of use. Unfortunately, this size comparison makes it easy to accidentally attempt to drink from your microphone out of reflex if you're a habitual soda drinker. My only real complaint is that the microphone's top half is designed in a way that's very easy to collect dust or other stray particles that you wouldn't want on your mic. Cleaning has been easy, though it may concern messy eaters or people who work with paints or other craft materials. I'd happily recommend this product, though do be very careful to keep the space it's in clean!V1ral

I pick one of these up while I was building a better zoom/Microsoft teams set up. I wanted something that had better sound quality than the integrated mics in laptops or webcams like the c920, along with good enough noise isolation that I could use it on a desk with speakers, and perhaps most importantly it had to be truly plug and play. One of the primary users of the system it would be part of is my elderly father so having to fiddle with settings menus regularly would be an immediate disqualifier. I'm happy to say this little mic exceeded my expectations in every way. Sound is crisp and clear even when the mic is positioned fairly far away from the speaker and the pick up pattern is tight enough that there's no weird echoes or feedback from the speakers on the desk. The easy of use is also great, I did a little fine tuning in the settings menu of zoom and teams but honestly that step could be skipped it worked perfectly well right out of the box.Cecil

Overall: mic is very simple to set up, very easy to use. foam case is nice touch. My only gripe is it feels cheap and plasticy. Wish it had more heft to it. Feels very fragile, like it might break if dropped. Also where it threads at the seam if you tighten just right the seam is completely flush but its not tight enough (snug) one little more gentle twist to tighten and the seam bulges and you can feel the unevenness.Edwin

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

I’ve owned several mics for video production and going for wireless mics has been a game changer for me. My first was the Rode Filmmaker wireless mic set and I used it extensively with bow issues. This new Wireless Go version is honestly a step up from the bulk the previous versions had. It’s pocket sized, easy to set up and the included internal mic works great in my small studio. It really feel like it’s quick set up and effortless to use. I’m really happy with this product and trust it. I recommend it for any vlogger and video maker. Great for interviews.Marvin

I love it. Really worth buying it. Even though I watched how to put the wind puff on top of the mic, it still doesn't click and it falls off a lot of times so that thing should be replaced. I think. 🙂 Overall I love it and easy connection to speaker and I use it outdoors no problem. Unsure how long the battery last for how many hours of usage because after 2 hours of using the bar went to half and I charged it again.Kaizel M.

Have only used a couple of times so far, but impressed. Solidly built and supplied with a useful "dual mount". Can't comment yet on durability, but initial impression is that they're built to last.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

A nice setup for the price but the mike clip is made from soft rubber. It doesn't hold the mike securely at all and it easily slips and falls out. Tech support did kindly send me a replacement but it's the same thing. AT needs to supply a mike clip that can securely hold the mike. If you buy this mike you will need to get a better clip.Anthony