# The Shure SM81-LC - any good for vocals ?



## Bansaw (Mar 19, 2019)

I think the *SM81-LC* is primarily an instrument mic, good for drums etc.

Anyone know what its like for vocals? I heard that a couple of decades ago that it was used for vocals, but everywhere I've looked just seems to mention it as a good instrument mic.

I have it for a couple of weeks. I also have the more well-known *SM58* for a couple of weeks too.
I'll try them both out but wanted to know if anyone had an opinion...


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## JamieLang (Mar 21, 2019)

No. Its cant take the spl. Even with the pad engaged.


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## Joe_D (Mar 21, 2019)

The older SM81's came with a good screw-on windscreen. Using that windscreen, you can get very good vocal recordings from it, depending on the singer and style of music. Note that most singers are used to a side-address large diaphragm mic with a pronounced high frequency bump for "sheen." If you or the singer miss that presence boost, you can try a few db EQ boost - start boosting somewhere between 4k and 10k.

If your SM81 doesn't have the windscreen, use a "popper-stopper." They cost a few bucks.

(edit - set up the mic parallel to the ground and aimed at the singer's nose, not their mouth -- that should also help to reduce plosives.)


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## Bansaw (Mar 22, 2019)

Thanks..
I used it and was not overwhelmed with the result vocally.
I might switch back to the SM58.... or maybe try some of the orientation tricks you mention above.


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## studiostuff (Mar 22, 2019)

I like one on acoustic guitar, back a few feet, and it works OK on drums as a stereo overhead pair.

I think of it as a little bright for vocals. Isn't the freq response flat from DC to Blue Light? 

It might work for Vox in some situations, but I prefer a LDC most of the time.


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## Joe_D (Mar 22, 2019)

The SM81 is fairly flat indeed. That stands in contrast to most LDC’s used for vocals, most of which have a presence boost somewhere above 4K.

It’s definite true that must engineers will use a LDC — they want that built-in presence boost to make the vocal stand out, increase intelligibility, and give it a bit hyper-real intimacy. 

The SM58 does have a presence boost as well (as well as a built-in low cut); maybe that’s why you like it. But it doesn’t capture the same level of detail as the SM81. 

So, try recording with the SM81 and bumping up a fairly broad band (about 2/3 of and octave) by a few dB and sweep it around from about 5k up to 10k. You might get the sheen and presence you want, but with more detail. 

That’s what I’d try if I had only those two mics. Use whatever sounds best, though, of course. 

In fairness, I have many excellent LDC’s, and I do use them for vocals the majority of the time.


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## wst3 (Mar 22, 2019)

The nice thing about all the microphones in the marketplace is that there are always options.

If you own an SM-81 give it a try. If you don't own one try to borrow one, and give it a try.

I can't imagine using an SM-81 for vocals, but I'm old and set in my ways, and in fact I don't particularly like the SM-81. More accurately, I've never been able to do good work with one, and I know lots of folks that have.

Have fun!


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## Sojournerfornow (May 12, 2021)

I sometimes do narration work (in additional to acoustic musical recording), and usually the client loves to see my U87 or MKH416 on Zoom. But I do have more sophisticated clients who love and appreciate the character of an SM81 on my voice, as do their engineers who handle the raw track I send. As a young engineer, I went for mics with a lot of color and lift, particularly for vocals. In the bad old analog days, a lot of the color came from the hardware, and the post production options were somewhat limited. I used the mainstream Neumann, Sennheiser, AKG, Scheops, vintage ribbons... all the usual suspects. At this point, I find myself trying to capture as much of the transient and "real" character/balance of what I'm recording as possible, and then work with it minimally in post. Now, I tend to go for mics with broad, fast, subtle character, and often that's small diaphragm condensers, and reach for an SM81 more times than not. It is really a remarkable mic in many ways... very under-rated and under-appreciated. Just one perspective.


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