What are good alternatives to the Shure Beta 58A microphone?

If you’re shopping for a vocal microphone, put the Shure SM58, Sennheiser e945 and Sennheiser e935 on your audition shortlist alongside the Beta 58A. There’s no universal winner: the useful comparison is how each works with your voice.

The supplied best new prices put the Beta 58A at £161, the e945 at £167 and the e935 at £169, so the two Sennheisers are close enough to warrant a listen. The SM58 price is supplied in euros, so it isn’t a straight like-for-like price comparison.

For a practical test, sing the same passage at your normal working distance and compare at similar listening levels. Listen for clear words, comfortable handling and any harshness. If you’re open to second-hand gear, the Used vocal microphones list is another useful place to look.