Talking around the mic, the level and audio quality were consistent from on-axis to approximately 45 degrees off-axis, where a slight attenuation began. The grille by the way, is a sturdy wire and foam affair, and it appears to provide excellent wind and saliva resistant qualities. The hypercardioid pattern is ideal for discrete audio capture, especially in high-level situations where isolation and high gain before feedback are desired. It uses 48V phantom power—but can operate down to 11V (though Shure says it will deliver slightly less headroom). Shure’s KSM9 is a stage condenser in a traditional handheld form factor. That said, in a live concert application this might not be at all audible. With both kick drums and bass guitar cabinets the KSM9 lacked low end heft, which was as expected. Shure Incorporated On first listen, the KSM9 had quite a bit more upper midrange presence than either a Shure SM58 or Beta58 when auditioned in a controlled studio environment. Those in the market for a high-end handheld condenser microphone should definitely give the KSM9 a listen. The higher range gets some gentle boost, resulting in more transparency and helping to cut through more easily. For more information and reproduction guidelines please contact us at 919-325-0120 or info@churchproduction.com, Review: First Look: Shure KSM9HS Handheld Vocal Microphone. Therefore, if you can afford this mic, go ahead and start digging that difference. Unlike with other mics, both patterns of KSM9 work flawlessly. The KSM9 was much truer to the source than the Beta 58. Cardioid is more natural but may need a louder vocal to combat feedback. Gary Parks has worked in various management positions with Clear-com Intercom Systems, Electro-Voice, Meyer Sound, and EDX Wireless. KSM9 is also amazingly crispy and I find it quite amusing. It may likely suffer from cosmetic defects, such as grille deformation and less likely scratches. This makes it almost identical in size to Shure’s KSM9 … Great site. The entire midrange, which corresponds for vocal and most instrumental sounds is precise as never before. KSM9 is a top line mic and I assure you it’s pretty tough – the capsule is well protected, and if dropped, the internal suspension can easily handle the shock. Shure KSM9 is a professional on-stage condenser mic. Last but not least is an interchangeable polar pattern. There was a slight hardness or roughness in the sound that wasn’t apparent over the Beta 58, but was apparent when listening to the actual output of the singer! Shure KSM9 has a fantastic quality and it gives a very natural sound. The subcardioid pattern was also quite consistent in its frequency response throughout its much wider polar pattern, and similar tonally to the other polar pattern with a bit less proximity effect. Great on voice, excellent in a kickdrum! The grilles are of course replaceable… Yet, considering the price of the unit, you’d still want to treat it with all due respect and I hope this is a no-brainer. The mic has a well-behaved and consistent hypercardioid pattern, lending itself well to circumstances where achieving high gain before feedback is difficult. Shure KSM9 has two modes: cardioid and supercardioid. Handling noise was also minimal. That’s not to say that they’re bad products, only that they have been eclipsed in performance by more recent products. However, when the stage gets more aggressive and louder, you will need the improved rejection and gain before feedback of supercardioid. The greatest attenuation “nulls” are at 110 degrees off-axis. Picking the mic up reveals that it is pleasantly weighty, at 330g, and it feels well balanced in the hand. Case in point the beyerdynamic M88tg. Between the KsM9 and the E935 which would be better for handheld studio rap/vocals? This helps to achieve an extremely fast transient response and make the sound more vivid. Keep in mind, Heil mic is more sensitive, which is both a pro and a con. I own a SM7b and want a mic with similar quality for when I feel like holding the mic and being free. Understanding different microphone polar patterns. The lows are being naturally rolled off to avoid that unwanted mud and boominess. The KSM9 is primarily a premium vocal microphone with a switchable polar pattern (allows users to switch between cardioids and super cardioid). For example, as a lead singer you will naturally lean towards a more balanced sound of cardioid. Its grille assembly unthreads, revealing the mic capsule and a well-marked switch to select the desired polar pattern. How vulnerable are these mics to dropping on the stage? The microphone uses a ¾-inch, gold-layered, dual-diaphragm design within the shock-mounted head assembly to create the two distinct polar patterns. Gary is a freelance writer and can be reached at garycparks1@gmail.com. Using the subcardioid setting, even a person holding the mic vertical to the floor and speaking into the side can be heard and understood. (U.S. only) +1(800) 25-SHURE Just make sure to point it where you want to and it will do the rest. The mic has a dual-diaphragm 19.8mm OD electret condenser capsule, with diaphragms mounted 3.7mm apart. The level dropped evenly and significantly at the rear of the mic. It maintains a great accuracy at higher freqs (where other mics err), and even those high-pitched harmonics sound so much natural! Sonically the KSM9 is a good sounding microphone for its intended purpose, but in my opinion it is bested by the Neumann KMS105 and KMS104 microphones which offer lower self noise, smoother response,better low level resolution, and surprisingly a lower price. The KSM9HS lists for $874. For more aggressive styles like metal, technically you’ll still get a better quality vocal, but among those loud and heavy guitar riff sounds you may probably not be able to notice the difference. Fax: +1(847) 600-1212, M-Audio Pulsar II Microphone (Stereo Pair) →. The output of these capsules is manipulated electronically to support two pickup patterns, cardioid and supercardioid. The Shure KSM9HS is a great-sounding mic, offering two distinctly different polar patterns for a variety of sound reinforcement applications.