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What’s the Best Speech or Vocal Microphone for Me?

What’s the Best Speech or Vocal Microphone for Me?

If you’re looking for the perfect speech or vocal microphone for the stage or for any other live situation, then you’ve probably already noticed that there’s a lot to choose from and that each microphone comes with a different list of specifications. Here, we provide the answers to the most frequently asked microphone-themed questions to help you find exactly what you want. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us!

1. What is a Vocal Microphone or Speech Microphone?

Vocal microphones / speech microphones are all focussed on the human voice. These kinds of microphones are extra sensitive to the midrange frequencies that fall between 1 and 5kHz to ensure that any vocal or speech is well defined and understandable. As such, these microphones are much less sensitive to much lower frequencies because they simply don’t need to be. Also, to prevent any ‘P’, ‘F’, ‘S’ or other hard sounds from causing unwanted noise, a pop filter is always built into these microphones. The housing has also usually been designed to dampen and limit any ‘knocking’ or ‘tapping’ noises that might be made when the microphone is held by the performer.

Tip: This Buyer’s Guide is about microphones that have been designed for the stage and general live use. If you’re looking for a microphone that can be used in a standard or home studio then see our section on studio microphones.

Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones
Speech and Vocal Condenser Microphones
Studio Microphones
Studio Microphone Buyer’s Guide

2. Is There a Difference Between a Vocal Microphone and a Speech Microphone?

Not really. In principle, you can use any vocal microphones for speech. So, it doesn’t really matter if ‘vocal microphone’ has been included in the name, since every example has been designed to register and reproduce the human voice (also see Question 1).

There are microphones available that have been specifically designed for speech. Reporting microphones, for example, often have an omni-directional pickup pattern (see Question 4). This ‘all-round sensitivity’ makes sure that any speech is well defined and understandable. However, for live concerts, this is not so useful since the microphone is in danger of picking up other instruments on the stage as well as the vocals. There are also lavalier microphones (which are usually wireless) that are comparatively small and designed to clip to clothing. These are the kinds of microphones you’ll often see worn during news interviews and so on. However, if the speaker moves around a lot, this will be picked up by the microphone. So lavalier microphones aren’t the best choice when it comes to live gigs.

Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones
Speech and Vocal Condenser Microphones
Reporting Microphones
Wireless Lavalier Microphones

3. Is a Wireless Microphone More Convenient Than a Microphone with a Cable?

If you need a lot of freedom of movement on and around the stage, or if any cables are inconvenient for other reasons, then using a wireless microphone is a really good solution.

Microphones that are connected with cables offer their own advantages. They’re more affordable, since no extra system is needed to transfer the wireless signal, and since there’s no built-in transmitter, cabled microphones are generally more compact. You also don’t need to worry about flat batteries; which frequency band you’re allowed to use; interference caused by other wireless devices, or other things that might interrupt or block the wireless signal – even walls can block the signal!

We also have an entire section dedicated to wireless microphones, but much of what is explained in this Buyer’s Guide also applies to wireless microphones.

Wireless Microphones
Wireless Microphone Buyer’s Guide
Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones
Speech and Vocal Condenser Microphones

4. What Pickup Pattern Do I Need?

This is not as difficult as it sounds. When choosing the pickup pattern (also referred to as ‘polar pattern’), it’s best to think about what you don’t want the microphone to pick up. For example, a stage monitor is usually placed at a vocalist’s feet, and since you don’t want to use a microphone that will pick up the sound of the floor monitor as well as the vocals, it would be best to choose a microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern. These microphones detect very little sound coming from behind (see the included image). This prevents any problems with feedback.

If you’re looking for a microphone for drummers that sing, then a supercardioid or hypercardioid microphone is the better choice because these microphones are very front-focussed and pick up as little sound from behind as possible. This means that the hi-hat and snare won’t interrupt the drummer’s vocal performance too much, if at all.

Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones: Cardioid
Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones: Supercardioid
Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones: Hypercardioid

5. Where Do I Plug My Microphone In?

You can plug your microphone into an active speaker with a microphone input, for example. If you’re using a number of microphones, then you will need to use a mixer that can bring the signal from multiple audio sources together and balance them before sending them to one or more speakers.

If you need something bigger or more complete than just one speaker, but you’re not sure what, then you could opt for a ready-made PA system, or ask our helpdesk for some advice.

If you want a mobile setup that can be used for speech and vocals in smaller spaces, then a portable battery-powered speaker is definitely an option.

Tips:

Always check that you can connect a microphone directly to the speaker/sound system you’re considering. Usually, the correct socket will simply be labelled ‘mic’ or have a printed image of a microphone next to the socket.
Most of the time, you’ll need an XLR cable to connect your microphone up. In some cases, you might need an XLR to jack cable (see Question 10 for more information). On the image included here, you can see an XLR and jack input combined in one socket.
If you’re using a condenser microphone, then most of the time, you will need to connect it to a mixer fitted with phantom power so that the microphone will function (see Question 7).

Active Speakers with XLR Input
PA/Speaker Systems
Portable Battery-Powered Speakers
Mixers
XLR Cables
XLR to Jack Cables
Contact

6. Should the Microphone Have an On/Off Switch?

An On/Off switch can be useful if the speaker or singer needs to cut off the sound themselves. For example, if the microphone is being used by a singer who will not be singing on every song during the gig.

If the microphone is connected to a mixer that someone is constantly monitoring or that is placed within hand’s reach, then an On/Off switch won’t be needed since it can simply be done using the mixer. This also prevents anyone else from accidentally shutting off the microphone.

Dynamic Speech/Vocal Microphones with a Switch
Dynamic Speech/Vocal Microphones without a Switch
Speech/Vocal Condenser Microphones

7. What’s Better? A Dynamic Microphone or a Condenser Microphone?

It’s not really a question of which is better. Dynamic microphones are very robust and have a direct character that ensures that your voice can always be heard. No phantom power is needed to power a dynamic microphone and they can be used for any style of music.

With a condenser microphone, you actually have studio quality sound on the stage. These microphones have a more subtle and rich sound than most dynamic microphones and really come into their own when used for jazz ensembles and classical music concerts. Condenser microphones are much more sensitive than dynamic microphones and do require phantom power in order to work (most mixing desks will be able to provide this).

Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones
Speech and Vocal Condenser Microphones
Mixers with Phantom Power

8. Can I Clean the Grille of My Microphone or Change It?

If the grille can be unscrewed and removed, then you can use water, washing up liquid and a brush to clean it. Please note: this can only be done to the outside of the grille. The foam pop-filter inside can be removed and and rinsed. Make sure that everything is completely dry before screwing the grille back onto the microphone. If the grille is broken, you can sometimes replace it with a new one.

Microphone Grilles

9. What do the Numbers Mean When It Comes To Microphone Specifications?

Minimum and maximum frequency indicates the highest and lowest pitch that the microphone can pick up. Anything lower than 80Hz is actually not required for speech and vocals. Dynamic microphones rarely pick up anything above 18kHz, while condenser microphones usually do – this is what gives them an extra sparkling sound. It’s not necessarily a good idea to compare microphones on the basis of the maximum frequency since this doesn’t really say anything about how well the microphone actually responds to that frequency.

Maximum SPL indicates the maximum sound pressure level that the microphone can withstand. Anything above this level will result in distortion and can even damage a condenser microphone. But if you’re only using the microphone for vocals or speech, then you don’t need to be too worried about going over the maximum sound pressure level since the human voice can’t actually apply enough pressure.

Sensitivity indicates the loudness of the sound emitted by a microphone. The closer the number comes to 0, the louder your voice will be transferred to the mixer.

Impedance is the total resistance of each component of the microphone added up. The input impedance of the mixer needs to be around ten times higher than that of the microphone. In reality, this will almost always be the case.

Dynamic Speech and Vocal Microphones
Speech and Vocal Condenser Microphones

10. What Accessories Do I Need with My Microphone?

In the very least, you’ll need:

A cable to connect up your microphone. Sometimes a cable will be included with it. In most situations, a 5 metre long cable is enough length as long as the microphone can be connected on the stage. An XLR cable is the most used microphone cable. If the equipment you’re connecting the microphone to only has a microphone input with a jack socket, then you might need an XLR to jack cable. XLR plugs and sockets can be recognised by their 3-pin contact points, while a jack plug is a single, long round plug.

The following accessories can also be pretty useful:

A microphone stand. A vocalist who also plays an instrument will certainly find a microphone stand essential.
A windshield: if the built-in pop-filter is not enough.
A microphone clip usually comes included. If not, then these can be bought separately (just make sure that the size will fit your microphone).
A microphone flight case. With one of these, you can keep the entire band’s microphones safely and neatly together.

5 Metre XLR Cables
All XLR Cables
5 Metre XLR to Jack Cables
Windshields
Microphone Stands with Boom Arm
Straight Microphone Stands
Microphone Clips
Microphone Flight Cases