The microphone market is becoming more and more saturated. There are hundreds of companies delivering microphones in the market, which makes one wonder what exactly are the best microphone brands. Although this competition between brands is primarily beneficial for consumers, it has some noteworthy drawbacks.
On the one hand, the competition forces the company to constantly improve and be more affordable. But, on the other hand, it makes it increasingly difficult for users to find the best microphone brands. This article would address precisely that and let you know the best microphone brands you can trust.
Over the years, we have received several microphones from the companies to review and let them know what we think about their products. We even bought various microphones by ourselves to test and bring the reviews to the common public. The point of telling all this is that our compiled list of best microphone brands is not an arbitrary one. A lot of effort and experience has gone into it.
Best Microphone Brands – Based on Microphone Type
Microphones have quite a few types, and not all companies have expertise in each of these kinds. Some excel in dynamic microphones while others in condensers. Similarly, some brands focus on studio owners, vocalists, and musicians, while others do not have a specific niche.
The point is, you need to be aware of the expertise of the company while purchasing their products. And in the next section of best microphone brands, we would let you know precisely that. We would try to elaborate the expertise of brands and some popular products that they have delivered.
We must also disclaim that the list given below is not a ranking of any sort. All of these companies have mastered the craft of producing microphones and are placed randomly on the list. So, let’s get into our list of best microphone brands.
1. Shure
Shure is a US-based brand that was founded in 1925 by Sidney N. Shure. As of now, this brand is one of the most popular and not just in the US but around the world. Although the company has delivered decent quality in all types of microphones, their expertise lies in dynamic microphones.
These microphones are generally used for live performances which is why regardless of the region there is a good chance you would see their microphones on the stages.
Their mics have been used by Martin Luther King Jr., E. Presley, Grammys, the Olympics, and even the presidents of the United States. This should give you an idea of popularity and the quality that the brand has delivered over the years.
The key behind Shure’s success is their team which is not an ordinary one. You see, usually, these teams are made up of electronic and sound engineers. However, Shure has a slightly different approach to it as they have included singers, voiceover artists, and presenters in them as well.
The company uses the feedback from these artists and instructs the engineers to address their concerns. The insight and perspective of such individuals are what helps Shure’s product to gain popularity in the market. This is the quality that makes Sure the best microphone company.
Furthermore, over the years, Shure has bagged quite a few awards because of the quality and performances of its microphones. Although there are a number of products that have received impressive responses from the user base, some have left a mark in history. Let us tell you a little about these products as well in this article on the best microphones brand.
Shure SM57
You may not realize it but you have seen this microphone many times on the television. Ever since Lyndon B. Johnson, this has become the standard microphone for US presidents. Although it was released back in 1965, the microphone is still one of the best microphones on the market.
Back in the day, this microphone was known as the “Studio Workhorse”. It gained the nickname because of its extraordinarily rugged and solid construction. Plus, it could be used for a variety of applications and both in and outside the studio. The cherry on the top is, the microphone was inexpensive as well which also played an integral role in its success.
Shure SM7B
We have all danced to Michal Jackson’s songs but not many know that his best-selling album Thriller was recorded on Shure SM7B. I guess it is enough to estimate the popularity of this particular microphone.
It was originally released in 1973 but some modifications were made later in 2001. The changes included a larger windscreen which made it even better for indoor recordings. Fundamentally it has the same design as Shure SM57, mentioned earlier in best microphone brands, but with enhanced features. And these enhanced features are the reason the microphoned earned the nickname of “SM57 on Steroids”
2. AKG
AKG was founded by Dr. Rudolf and Ernest Plass in Vienna, Austria back in 1947. Just recently, in 2017, it was bought by Samsung electronics and shifted its head office to California, United States. However, despite the acquisition, the company holds its separate name and repute in the market. The company has a unique niche that targets the professionals only which is why it is to go-to brands of sound engineers and studio owners.
Moving further, the AKG is usually known for its headphones but it is just as good at producing microphones as well. In fact, it was the very company that developed the world’s first cardioid dynamic microphone. The company has received several awards over the years but the most prominent remains the “Technical Grammy’s Award”.
The best part of owning an AKG’s microphone is that they are visually distinctive and give a premium high-end appearance. Their designs are top of the line and the performance, unmatchable. Some of the notable products by AKG are enlisted below in top microphone brands.
C 414 B-XLS
C 414 B-XLS by AKG is a series of microphones that gained unprecedented popularity. It was introduced in 2004 as the next generation of AKG’s C series of microphones. Although it had big shoes to fill, it turned out to be even better than its predecessor that included microphones like AKG C 12 A, C 414, and C 414 EB-P48.
The technology in this new series was superior and the quality far better. In fact, these are probably the most versatile studio-worthy microphones that are available in the market. And it is why you would often see them in studios around the world.
D MK II
D MK II is the most recent microphone that was released by AKG back in 2015. Although some other models have been put in the market as well, none has gained popularity like this particular microphone. It was released as the replacement for D112 which was the standard kick drum microphone. However, as of now, D MK II holds that job in the audio industry.
3. Electro-Voice
Electro-Voice is a top-tier company known for its loudspeakers and other live sound systems. However, not many people know that this company has also delivered quite an impressive line of microphones as well. And if you have tried them before, trust me, they are totally worth it.
The company was founded back in 1930 and it has become pretty much a household name these days. The company was already a leader in engineering and design of audio equipment like speakers but now they are on the road to becoming the leader in microphones as well. If they continue at this pace, it will surely become one of the top microphone brands.
The company has registered numerous patents on top microphones that are available on the market. And it has never outsourced the production of components to other companies. It might not sound like a big deal but it is quite impressive for a company of its size.
Some of their products that we think to deserve your try are given below in the best microphone companies.
635A
Electro-Voice released this microphone back in 1965 but to date, it is in production. This should tell you the quality and performance that this microphone delivers. After its release, it quickly became preferred for the news reporters and its popularity has never dipped ever since.
RE20
RE20 was released soon after the 635A in 1969 and it captivated the audience that 635A could not. It featured Variable-D technology, patented by Electronic Voice, which minimizes the proximity effect and that too without disturbing the unidirectional polar pattern. Because of this unique feature, it quickly became the standard microphones for music applications and also for broadcast.
Even today a number of radio shows, podcasts, and studios use RE20 for several applications.
RE320
It is the most recent, released in 2011, modeled by an electronic voice that has gained significant popularity. The key to its success was the unique switch that essentially made it two in mic. At one position, it provided a natural but lively response to the vocals and at other, it delivered unmatched performance on kick drums by providing curved design.
4. Audio-Technica
Audio Technica is not but not the least brand to make it to our list of the best microphone companies. Like the AKG, this company is also known for its headphones but it offers top-of-the-line microphones as well. In fact, it is one of the really good microphone brands that are available on the market.
Unlike the other three mentioned in our list of good microphone brands, this company is based in Tokyo, Japan, and was founded in 1962. Besides the microphones and headphones, the company produces all sorts of audio equipment and is the leading problem solver in the audio industry.
Furthermore, Audio Technica has quite a number of awards to its name. Plus, it has a significant presence all over the globe. Their microphones are installed at the United States House of Representatives and Senate. They have been used in presidential debates for quite a long time now. However, most importantly they have been used at Soccer World Cup, Super Bowl, and other renowned shows in the world.
Like the other microphone manufacturers on this list of the best microphone manufacturers it has delivered plenty of microphones in the market but some are superior to others. And those microphones are listed below in the best microphones manufacturers.
AT897
It is a shotgun microphone that was released in 2004 for the Production and Broadcast series. And since then, it has become one of the top microphones for the vlogger and other such professionals.
AT2020
AT2020 was also released in 2004 but it targeted a slightly different audience than AT897. It was a large-diaphragm condenser microphone that had an affordable price tag. At the time of its release, the performance of this microphone was far above the other microphones in the same price bracket. This is why it became an instant hit and to date holds the same reputation.
Some Other Best Microphone Manufacturers
Besides these brands mentioned in the top microphone company, there are some other best mic brands as well. However, the problem is, one cannot discuss all of them but we have compiled a list of the best mic brands that should help.
- Sennheiser
- Neumann
- Rode
- Danish Pro Audio
- Schoeps
- Royer Labs
- Blue Microphones
Conclusion- Best Microphone Brands
There folks, this is everything that we had on the best microphone brands. We hope this article has answered what you were looking for. We know we could not discuss all the brands but one can only do so much. Thus, if you have any other queries regarding the best microphone brands or want to add anything to the best microphone brands, let us know in the given section we would love to respond.