Shure Beta 87C condenser vocal microphone

General

While the Shure Beta 87A is a super-cardioid microphone, the 87C has a cardioid pickup pattern. It requires less experience to use, but is more susceptible to feedback because it also picks up sounds via the peripheral of the mic, while the 87A does not. Nonetheless, the Beta 87C is a well-known mic in the professional audio industry, from rental companies to recording studios and radio and TV broadcasts.

The 87C consists of a controlled low-frequency roll-off which compensates for the so-called 'proximity effect'. This can occur when singing directly into the microphone, causing a change in the frequency response of a microphone, therefore emphasising lower frequencies. Speaking of frequency, this mic has a range of 50 Hz to 20 kHz, resulting in a soft, warm sound. A three-stage pop filter makes this sound even more pure by keeping disruptive wind and breath noises to a minimum. The icing on the cake is the included stand adapter that filters out annoying vibrations and handling noise.

• The difference between the Shure Beta 87A and the 87C is the pickup pattern. The Beta 87A has a super-cardioid pickup pattern, whereas the 87C has a cardioid characteristic. This way, the 87A allows less feedback when used by experienced vocalists who know how to direct their vocals straight into the microphone. The 87C, on the other hand, is a little more susceptible to feedback, but requires less microphone technique because it picks up sound from all sides.