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Today we’ll look at the best dynamic microphones for vocals. Picking one is never easy, but my list will sure make it a lot easier. We’ll go over the essential specs, commonly asked questions, and things to consider when buying a budget dynamic microphone.
Here are the top 5 picks of the best dynamic microphones for vocals. The list is just down below!
Alright, let’s get to the list of best budget dynamic microphones already!
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1) Shure SM57-LC
Shure budget dynamic microphones have been dominating the market for a very long time now. What’s the reason? They are incredibly durable, high-quality, and last a lifetime. And that’s not just a new hype. In fact, they’ve been the most popular choice of dynamic microphones for over 50 years now.
Speaking of the dynamic microphone itself, Shure SM57-LC is fantastic. It’s really one of the best bangs for the buck you’ll ever find. It’s perfect for live performances and drums recording at the studio. With frequency response spreading from 40Hz to 15kHz, that’s an ideal budget dynamic microphone for tasks like that.
Shure SM57-LC is an industry standard of budget dynamic microphones.
If you happen to be recording percussions in your music studio, SM57 will deliver the professional and highest-quality reproduction with a clear frequency response. This beginner dynamic microphone has a cardioid pickup pattern which rejects most of the background noise to improve the quality of your recording tremendously. Being one of the most versatile dynamic microphones for vocals in the industry, it’s worth every penny.
When you see a Shure product, you already know it’s going to be a durable one. Shure SM57-LC budget dynamic microphone test includes dropping it 10 times from a meter height. After the test, no loss in quality has been detected. That’s why it’s being used and trusted by singers, rappers, and other artists all over the world.
Shure SM57 is the most durable dynamic microphone for vocals in the industry!
2) Shure SM58
While SM57 budget dynamic microphone is an industry standard which can be used to record anything, SM58 is actually labeled as “vocal” by the developers. Why is that? Well, Shure has equalized the midrange of this dynamic microphone to make the vocals sound brighter. On top of that, the bassy lower end has been rolled off to capture the best of the singer’s voice without adding too much mud to the track.
It works fantastic when used in live performances and studio recording. With the frequency response of 50Hz to 15kHz, you can be confident that your vocals will sound their best. You must’ve also noticed the spherical filter on the top that acts as a pop filter – it blocks the wind and breath noises from being recorded!
If you need a dynamic microphone to record vocals – Shure SM58 is the one!
If you are ever performing on the stage and it happened to start raining, good luck saving your condenser mic. The second you get water on it – you are in trouble. It will either stop working entirely or suffer a quality loss. With budget dynamic microphones like Shure SM58, you don’t have to worry about that!
If you happen to be recording in the studio without an audio interface, you can simply plug the budget dynamic microphone into your computer – no power supply needed. That’s incredibly convenient – plug-in and start recording. That’s another reason budget dynamic microphones are so popular!
For the price, Shure SM58 is one of the best budget dynamic microphones for vocals and deserves its legendary status.
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3) Sennheiser E835
While Shure is a world famous brand known for their legendary microphones, there are other developers of budget dynamic microphones for vocals out there. Look at Sennheiser E835 for example. The dynamic microphone is incredibly reliable, powerful, and easy-to-use.
With a fantastic frequency response wider than the previous two beginner dynamic microphones of 40Hz to 16kHz, E835 budget dynamic microphone is a strong competitor in the race for the best dynamic microphones for vocals. It’s explicitly equalized for vocals and brightens your voice up better than any other dynamic mics on the list.
Sennheiser E835 is one of the best dynamic microphones for vocals!
Sennheiser E835 delivers consistent results when recording. This means every take with this dynamic microphone will sound practically the same, with little to no variance added. This shows the quality of E835 budget dynamic microphone built. Moreover, the developers include the 10-year warranty with every budget dynamic microphone – don’t worry about it dying in a month.
This Sennheiser dynamic microphone for vocals is perfect for live performances too because of its sturdy design and pop shield that protects it from moisture and wind. The pickup pattern is cardioid, so there is no need to worry about your dynamic mic picking up too much noise!
Go for E835 and never look back – it’s one of the best quality budget dynamic microphones on the market.
4) Audio-Technica ATR2100
AT is a fantastic brand of music gear that makes MIDI-keyboards, audio-interfaces, studio monitors, and condenser microphones. Surprisingly, you won’t see Audio-Technica a lot when looking for a budget dynamic microphone for vocals – ATR2100 is one of the very few.
This beginner dynamic mic is high-quality and easy-to-use. It features 2 outputs – USB and XLR. Depending on the desired signal quality and ease-of-use, you may go with one or another. Generally, XLR delivers better sound quality but requires an audio interface. USB, on the other hand, is incredibly convenient and can be used with your computer USB ports directly.
ATR2100 dynamic microphone for vocals features 2 outputs – XLR and USB – which makes it so easy to use!
The frequency response is excellent – this budget dynamic microphone captures and boosts frequencies you need in a studio and during a live performance. It’s not very robust but will do a fantastic job in your studio. ATR2100 is also great for podcasting! Plug-and-play function and cardioid pickup pattern make the mic perfect for use in your home recording studio setup.
The dynamic microphone for vocals features a headphone jack input to monitor the performance in-real-time while recording. If you don’t own a pair of studio monitors or an interface yet, plug your studio headphones directly into the budget dynamic microphone. How convenient is that?
Are you into podcasting? Then ATR2100 dynamic microphone is a perfect fit for you!
5) Samson Q2U
Samson is a fantastic musical gear brand that is known for high-quality yet budget microphones, both condenser and dynamic. If you’ve seen my list of best condenser mics for vocals, you’ll notice a couple of Samson products there as well. Samson Q2U budget dynamic microphone is an excellent example of a high-quality piece of gear with a very affordable price tag.
Like Audio-Technica ATR2100, this dynamic microphone for vocals features 2 outputs – XLR and USB – to suit every beginner needs and desires. If you don’t have a ton of equipment setup and would rather use a simple USB port for your dynamic mic – you are set. If you happen to own musical gear to produce professionally – Samson Q2U has an XLR input for higher signal quality.
Samson Q2U is one of the most flexible dynamic microphones for vocals out there!
If you ever need to monitor the recording with zero-latency – you can plug your studio headphones directly into the budget dynamic microphone. It’s that easy. It’s suitable for recording your vocals into a digital audio workstation and perfect for podcasting. Also, if you are ever thought of creating a YouTube channel – this microphone will serve you well!
One of the best things about Samson Q2U is that it doesn’t need any plugins or drivers to work properly. This dynamic microphone for vocals is called plug-and-play for a reason. This is incredibly convenient if you ever happen to perform live at a gig and don’t want to use the microphone they provide. Those microphones are used and abused, so the quality won’t be any good. Bringing a dynamic microphone for vocals you feel comfortable with shows your professionalism, so why not?
Samson Q2U is one of the easiest budget dynamic microphones to use in your studio and when performing live!
6) Blue enCore 100
If 20 years ago nobody heard of Blue, now they are one of the most popular budget condenser and dynamic microphones for vocals. Branded mostly to YouTubers and podcast influencers, Blue has gotten more popular than ever. Now the music producers are catching up as well – and for a good reason!
Blue enCore 100 is known for it’s quality built and robust design and balanced mids to enhance the quality of your vocals. Even though most beginners go for easy-to-use Blue microphones such as Yeti and Snowball because of their USB output – don’t overlook enCore 100. The sound quality of this dynamic microphone for vocals is superb, to say the least.
Blue enCore 100 offers you the best sound and comes with an affordable price tag.
This dynamic microphone for vocals also comes with a soft pouch for carrying it around and soft grip clip to prevent slips and falls. The budget dynamic microphone capsule mount minimizes the handling and other outside noises and focuses on the vocal range frequencies – there is no need to buy a pop filter.
The cardioid polar pattern makes sure no noise is being recorded by rejecting all sounds outside of the pattern – there is no need to worry about having to clean the mix from all the mud you’ve recorded by accident during a take. Moreover, Blue enCore 100 dynamic microphone for vocals is incredibly sturdy and will last you a very long time. There is also a 2-year warranty included in case you’ll have any issues with this budget dynamic microphone.
If you are on a budget and looking for a good dynamic mic – go for Blue enCore 100!
7) MXL BCD-1
If you’ve read my post about best condenser mics for vocals, you’ll remember MXL. It’s known for the fact that they overdeliver for the price when it comes to their products. Look at MXL BCD dynamic microphone for vocals, for example. It was developed with the purpose of broadcasting but soon has become popular among music producers – mostly because of its warm, rich tones which tend to enhance the vocals recorded.
The dynamic microphone for beginners comes with a swivel mount to position it the way you want. The developers suggest using a BCD boom stand, but it’s up to you as MXL BCD-1 is very flexible. The grill it comes with gets rid of internal reflection – no extra noise is being recorded.
BCD-1 may be a little more expensive than the majority on the list – but it’s worth every penny!
To get the best performance out of MXL BCD budget dynamic microphone, you should run an XLR cable from the mic to an interface with a preamp and then to your computer. This way the signal quality stays high and the sound being recorded ends up being crystal clear. It’s equalized moderately to brighten your vocals, but you can always adjust that with an analog EQ or a digital equalization plugin.
And unlike the world-famous Shure SM57, the interface with a built-in preamp will do fine for BCD dynamic microphone for singing. WIth Shure, you’d likely have to purchase a separate preamp unit to utilize it to its full capacity – and analog preamps are far from cheap. That’s why MXL affordable dynamic microphone is fantastic for beginners who don’t have a lot of disposable cash.
Considering the sound quality and built design – MXL BCD dynamic microphone for vocals stays one of the best dynamic mics to buy up to this day!
8) Electro Voice RE-20
Electro Voice has been a well-known brand of condenser and dynamic microphones for vocals for a very long time now. They aren’t as popular among beginner due to their higher price tag and more complicated setup. Little do they know that Electro Voice RE-20 also delivers one of the highest-quality recordings in the music industry.
Mostly used by sound engineers and broadcasters, RE-20 is used professionally by radio and TV stations, live shows and festivals organizers, and more! To put it simply, this dynamic microphone for beginners and professionals is a jack of all trades. If you happen to add one of those to your music studio setup – you might never want to use anything else.
One of the best in the industry Electro Voice RE-20 will constantly overdeliver in both sound quality and durability!
RE-20 dynamic microphone for vocals is built to minimize all the outside noise and get the clearest signal possible. It features blast and wind filters and built-in heavy-duty pop filter – don’t worry about noise in your track ever again. It’s not the lightest, but one of the most robust in the game right now.
The frequency response of RE-20 extends from 45Hz to 18kHz, which is the best response on the list. If you already own a budget dynamic microphone and happy with the results – try RE-20. You’ll notice the difference in the quality of your vocals the second after you click “playback!”
If you are trying to step your game up – do yourself a favor and try RE-20 – you’ll fall in love instantly!
9) Shure SM7B
As you’ve noticed already, Shure is a very notable brand in the world of both budget and professional dynamic microphones. If you’ve ever used an SM57 or SM58 and loved them – you’ll be impressed by how much better SM7B sounds in comparison to the previous two.
This dynamic microphone for vocals gives you a flat frequency response to reproduce the vocals or instruments in the most natural and clean way possible. Shure SM7B is tweaked to roll-off “noisy” bass frequencies and boost the mids to make your vocals sound their best.
Shure SM7B is the top-of-the-line product of the world famous brand!
Besides built-in shock isolation to remove mechanical noise transmission, SM7B dynamic microphone for recording vocals features custom Shure pop filter that removes any unnecessary frequencies from your voice when you sing – plosives and breath sounds. They can easily be removed inside your DAW but this adds extra work to every single session – and you’ll have many of them in future.
With so many levels of protection against noise, SM7B dynamic microphone for vocals is a perfect candidate for every music studio. It also provides minimum coloration, so you can make your vocals sound the way you want them to – the frequency response is essentially neutral.
SM7B is worth every penny and will always deliver the best results!
10) Sennheiser MD421
If you happen to be looking for an all-in-one dynamic microphone – Sennheiser MD421 will do the best job. It’s perfect for recording drums, strings, and most other acoustic instruments. On top of that, it works with vocals too! With an extended frequency response going from 30Hz to 17kHz MD421 is one of the best dynamic microphones for vocals, instruments, and percussions.
Sennheiser MD421 is one of the most well-known dynamic mics in the industry and is being used by professionals all over the world. With a clear sound reproduction and outstanding outside noise and feedback rejection, you can shorten your get high-quality sound without the need to apply a lot of equalization to every sound recorded.
Sennheiser MD421 is the most versatile dynamic microphone that can be used for vocals, instruments, and percussions.
As an addition to the fact that the sound quality is amazing, MD421 is one of the most reliable mics for live performances because it’s rugged, robust, and resistant to dust and moisture. No wonder it’s been Sennheiser’s most popular and in-demand dynamic microphone for over 3 decades – even though the price tag is high.
MD421 features include low-frequency roll-off switch to use the dynamic microphone in different recording studio settings. With cardioid pickup pattern and a couple of built-in filters you can be confident you’ll get only the best sound out of it. Moreover, the stainless steel built will ensure the MD421 dynamic microphone will last you a lifetime.
If you are looking for the best quality and ready to invest in your future career – buy MD421 and never look back!
Things To Consider When Looking For The Best Budget Dynamic Microphone For Vocals
There are a few things you should keep and mind when look at a number of dynamic and professional dynamic microphones – let’s take a look!
1) What’s your budget?
Dynamic microphones for vocals can vary in price tremendously. You can find one for $50 and another one for $1000+. Which one should you go for? Clearly, you should pick the best dynamic microphone you can afford.
While the more expensive professional dynamic mics will likely have a clearer and better frequency response, you shouldn’t spend all your money on your first dynamic microphone – there is so much more to a successful career!
2) What do you need the dynamic microphone for?
Some producers use budget dynamic microphones solely to record drums. Others prefer to use them only when touring. Your microphone should have a purpose. It may be tempting to buy a ton of gear simply to have it, but you have to be smarter than that.
Think of the ways you’ll utilize your dynamic microphone and then buy the one that will suit your needs. The budget dynamic microphones on this list are for instruments, vocals, podcasts, YouTube, live performances, and a lot more. Each has its own purpose – so choose wisely!
3) How durable and flexible do you want your dynamic mic to be?
Used by comedians, singers and rappers, announcers, speakers, and a million other people, dynamic microphones go through a lot of wear. They are often used when it’s raining, windy, or dusty, and slip and fall constantly.
If you plan on touring with your own dynamic microphone or use it at gigs at a nightclub – make sure to spend a few extra dollars and invest into a robust and reliable mic that can withstand a lot of stress.
4) Do you need your mic to have XLR output? USB output?
Depending on the music studio setup, most music producers know what output they are looking for in a microphone. Most budget dynamic microphones for vocals come with either an XLR or a USB output. Sometimes you’ll see both on a single microphone.
The USB input is the most convenient and often called plug-and-play because usually you don’t need to install any extra plugins or drivers. XLR provides better signal quality and is commonly used when recording to get the best sound quality possible.
Commonly Asked Questions About Dynamic Microphones
The questions below are the ones beginners ask the most about budget dynamic microphones and microphones in general.
What are dynamic microphones used for?
As a rule of thumb, in a music studio, dynamic microphones are mostly used to record loud instruments that can damage more sensitive and fragile condenser mics such as drums and “scream vocals.”
Dynamic mics also dominate all live events where singers, rappers, announcers, comedians, and other influencers carry the mic around the stage and may drop it by accident or get some water on it. Because of their durable design and a set of built-in pop filters and shields they’ll be able to handle a ton of abuse before finally breaking – usually after years of extensive use.
What’s the difference between dynamic microphones and condenser mics?
Dynamic microphones tend to be less sensitive. This is just the general rule of thumb, but it applies to a lot of budget dynamic mics. Most of them actually.
Therefore, the dynamic mic should be the obvious choice for loud drums like snares, “screaming vocals,” and guitars. Obviously, you can use it for a lot more stuff than just the 3 examples above.
Another difference between the two is the frequency response.
If you’ve read my list of the best affordable condenser microphones, you might’ve noticed that most of them have the frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
With dynamic mics, it’s usually not as wide. It usually starts from 40-50 Hz and goes up to 15 kHz. While the difference on the lower end is not as noticeable, quite a big chunk of higher frequencies is being rolled off when using dynamic mics.
As I’ve mentioned before, it depends on what you need/want.
With most vocals, the narrower budget dynamic microphone range will be fine. And if the higher frequencies are a “must have” for you, then look into condenser microphones.
Almost forgot, generally dynamic mics don’t need a power supply and are good to plug-and-play. If it has an XLR input, you will still need an interface, as adapters don’t always work properly and can screw your pricey microphone up. If it’s a USB mic, you will be good to just plug it into your computer or laptop for music production.
The last feature of a dynamic microphone is its durability and reliability.
Since there are few parts to break and no electronics to fail, they tend to be able to withstand a lot more wear and “abuse.” That’s one of the reasons you see dynamic microphones a lot in bars and on stages because those are not “soft and safe” studio environments.
What type of microphone is best for live performance?
Dynamic microphones tend to be the most stable and reliable during live performances because they are not as sensitive. Moreover, most dynamic microphones are wind, moisture, and dust resistant, which makes them better when performing live.
Are condenser mics better than dynamic?
Not at all. They serve different purposes. Condenser microphones are more sensitive and fragile, so they are often used in studios for vocals. Dynamic mics are the best to record a loud instrument. They are also better for live performances because they are rugged, durable, and easier to use.
Are dynamic microphones good for recording?
It depends on what you are recording, but as a rule of thumb – yes, they are! Depending on your budget, knowledge, and the source of recording – getting a dynamic microphone can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make. If you don’t spend all your time in the studio but travel or perform at open nights and clubs – high-quality budget dynamic microphone is a must-have!
What type of microphone is best for singing?
Depending on whether you are singing live or recording a take at a studio, both condenser and dynamic microphone can come in handy. Condenser mics have better sensitivity and can capture your voice better. If you perform live, there is no better mic than a dynamic – it’s wind and moisture resistant and won’t break if you happen to drop it by accident.
What kind of microphone do professional singers use?
Once again, this depends on what they are trying to achieve. You will rarely see a start performing on the stage with a fragile condenser mic that will break if dropped by accident. In the studio, on the other hand, most pop stars and rappers use condenser microphones only in order to capture their vocals’ full frequency range.
Conclusion
Okay, now we’ve looked at 10 budget dynamic microphones for vocals. They all have their pros and cons. Some are more expensive than the other. Overall, all are high quality, reliable and will overdeliver for the price.
Look for a beginner dynamic microphone that suits your needs and don’t overthink everything too much.
My first microphone was an Earamble that I purchased for $15. It came with a shock mount, power cable, foam cap, manual, and warranty. Oh and free shipping! How good do you think the quality is going to be?
I don’t have a degree in Business, but no matter how big demand it, you can only lower the prices so much before starting to compromise the quality!
Therefore, stay away from cheap dynamic microphones as they rarely deliver the desirable quality. Hopefully, you enjoyed this article and found this helpful. See you soon!
Last update on 2024-06-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API