Behringer XM8500 vs Shure SM57/58 - Literally the Best Bargain on the Market (Budget Mic Review)

Im also scared of birds

The sm57 definitely sounds better imo, but the xm8500 sounds great for a starter microphone if you want to learn how to eq the muddiness- might be a good learning experience for a beginner

On most of the tests, I was drawn to the 8500. The only real standout was the acoustic guitar test imo which is the only instance I really would have preferred to use the Sm57. In general, if you want something brighter and “cleaner”, I think you should grab the 57, but if you like filthy grungy darker tones, grab the 8500. Better yet, have both

Good review. I'm actually very impressed with the quality of the behringer mic. Especially for the price point.

Call me crazy but the clean and dirty electric guitar licks somehow felt brighter and poppier to me on the xm8500. The sm57 felt like it was occupying too much space in the lows

have the same AI, how do you remove the noise floor ?

Bought this as a replacement to a replacement. All microphones at similar prices and the behringer blows the other 2 out of the water. I wish I watched this before buying the other microphone (I already had one and bought another), this is great

I felt like mic 1 sounded better for voice and mic 2 for guitar.

I wonder how it will sound like when I finally can try this 2 mic setup: one is Samson CO1 the other is SM57 with the Shure foam made for it (which is not the same as a SM58 soundwise btw, it sounds more natural)

Good choice if you need to get 12 of them and use them for a discssion panel in a breakout room and run the PA through some ceiling speakers.

Owning a 58 and the xm8500 it’s insane how similar they are. I do have to put about 3db more into the sm58 so everyone’s info is the same. With slight EQ, its hard for me to tell the difference if I go back and forth while reading aloud. My 58 sounds a bit more smooth, like how people view the 7b compared to the 58.

I am working in a youth club and we have 5 SM58 as Vocal Mics which have been working since the late 90s. Every 10 Years or so we‘ll switch the Grills they look pretty beat up by this point, but they are sounding as if i had walked into my local Music Store and bought them today. For the rehearsal spaces and as spares, we have a few XM8500. The kids go through them like freakin‘ popcorn. We buy like 5 of them every half year to a year. In that time period, they will stop getting low-end and tend to get really harsh and shrill or get very muffled or stop working all together. I know that at that price point, that is to be expected. But i think at least if you want to be gigging, investing in a 57 or a 58 will pay itself in the matter of months, cause the Behringers WILL break on you in the most unpleasant moments.

Very tempted for an extra instrument mic... but anyone had a gander at the b906?

review the sl75c next 🙂

Rockin-it! Loved your 7B Fake Roast - I subscribed.

Nice test audio there! lol 😄

Few years ago I started doing some voice recording. Without doing any real research I bought the xm8500 just because it looked like the perfect starting point. It was so cheap I could throw it away immediately if I didnt like it. I'm still using the mic to this day :D

Bro i have watched couple videos but i couldn't any answer. Do i have to buy an audio interface for this mic? Im just thinking use this with xlr to 3.5mm/usb cable. Is this a mistake?

nicely done, i like your stile.

Great video. I enjoyed it. Btw- those birds are called Canada geese. (Not Canadian geese) But I agree they are terrifying! Kind regards

HOLY CRAP! I liked better the XM8500 in most of the tests!!! O.o

Hey i listen your opinion so it matterd to me so much i bought the sm57. Please do a review on the sterling p30

as a guitarist YOUR CAT IS GIVING ME A HEART ATTACK

tengo uno y anda increible! igualmente yo no lo usaria (a menos que busque el sonido especial opaco) para grabar guitarras de high gain. pero para voces anda muuuy bien, para un podcast o para tener algo en vivo que se la banque! saludos

I appreciate the comparisons. Well done. But Id rather pay extra for sm57.

Id rather pay extra

Does the 57 and 58 sound better. To my ears, yup. But the XM8500 is an insane deal and I can see possibly choosing it over one of the Shures if you going for a certain sound. Also, if you are considering the 57 or 58, I recommend giving a listen the sE V7 and V7x. Can't quite afford one of the $100 USD mics? The sE V3 is respectable as well. FYI, I own or have at one time owned all of the aforementioned mics. Now here is a shocker I have recently stumbled across - remove the grill on a 58 and record toms with it. Surprisingly remarkable tone.

I own this, how do I EQ this mic or what settings on OBS should the cempressor be. Because I ended up using it without EQ nor compressor for singing.

Recording 57, live, save your money. Thanks so much always learn from your videos.

XM8500 is unpleasant sounding. If you’re that deaf, do some listening comparisons until you can hear.
If you think you’re saving money by sounding cheap, you’ll find out better in a few years.

The Shure does sound 👌 better

Never show any fear around geese they sense it and flog

Turn toward it and push your chest out and attack

There will be no fight

Also like for “you know darn well you have a crappy sounding room”

I’m a huge fan of Behringer stuff, but the idea that someone can’t spring $100 for the cheapest “professional” mic on the market does kinda make me laugh. I do have have a dozen Behringer products, and I honestly kind of love them, but it’s just… an SM57 is so inexpensive.

when a goose attacks you, kick the absolute shit out of it, up to and including killing it if necessary. Grab its neck and swing it into a tree, the ground, whatever. Don't feel bad, because it initiated the confrontation. You gotta show them that you're FAR bigger and stronger than they are, those fuckers can sense fear and will capitalize on it. You stand up to them, and they WILL back down.

I prefer the XM8500 for vocals over the SM57. I just bought the Rode NT1 5th Gen. The mic I really want is the MXL Revelation 2 multi polar pattern tube microphone. To me it sounds even better than the TLM103.

BTW I am an audio engineer.

Well, times are changing? If you do any research, the name Beringer, is related to the biggest names in the music industry. Watch out? Names like Midas! Gear snobs like me are learning fast. The old ways of doing things are old, and, expensive! Forget Fender, try a cheaper model. I think you'll be surprised, I am!
C,Mon guys, try them all. Things have changed!

I have one for podcasts and it has exceeded my expectations. Putting a high quality windscreen over the xm8500 JUST RIGHT makes it sound damn near close to a high-end Shure mic as well.

By the by, you said you use Gullfoss for EQ; are there any free versions or something comparable to that or possibly cheaper? I just want something simple to mess with the levels a bit since I'm a big beginner to that kind of thing.

what mic is the best for song you think?

The price has increased. $25 on Amazon and $30 on sweetwater.

Very nice video. Thanks for sharing.

I through the years have had more people grab for an XM8500 than the SM58, so much so that I now have Just as many XM8500's as I do the SM58's. They both equally have their place, I love all my Shures but I like the 8500's just the same. It's all subjective at the end of the day really.

How would you compare the XM8500 with another Behringer XLR like the C-1?

hey, your attacking an insane value microphone with an insane value cheaper microphone

57 and 58 are not the same mic, they simply aren't. The thing about the Behringer (At 20 bucks) is, it's great for what it will do, but it's not that good for what it can't do. The same goes for the 57 and 58, these are stage mics that will last a thousand years, mine are over 20 years old and still do there job just fine. The most important thing is how they sound for what you are using them for, that's the same for ANY mic, trust your ears, test them out at a place like guitar center or the like, read the reviews, do your homework before you put down any money.

In the acoustic guitar demo, I am curious why you oriented the mics nowhere near 90 degrees relative to the guitar neck. It looks like they are almost pointed at the sound hole. Does it boost the bass to match the midrange?

I was surprised that for voice and electric guitar I like the XM8500 better than the SM57