A day doesn’t pass where we aren’t grateful for the fact that in this day and age we are able to get our hands on any kind of great yet affordable gear, including some cheap wireless mics for singers. You can perform live, record at home, or even record your live performances on a budget. There are even plenty of DAWs these days that are completely free of charge. Just imagine the world of possibilities that opens up with a simple cost-friendly setup.
However, things are never that simple. If you really want to make things work in your favor and perform music that would sound at least somewhat decent in today’s oversaturated market, you need to stay competitive. This means that you’ll also need solid equipment to capture the desired sound quality. Without a solid input, there’s no way to make things work in the mixing process. No matter how great the PA system, the mixer, and people working with the equipment are, there’s no proven way to make your bad gear and instruments sound good.
In this particular guide, we will be focusing on the topic of wireless microphones. We’ll primarily look at the random no-name products you can find on amazon. So can these budget mics work as well as famous brands like Sennheiser and Shure? Let’s find out.
Cheap mics on Amazon
If you’re a beginner musician looking for a wireless mic, you probably tried looking for cheap alternatives via Amazon. After all, a basic Shure or Sennheiser setup might be a bit too much for someone just starting out.
To be quite honest, getting one of these cheap mics is a double-edged sword. On one hand, being a beginner musician, you’re still learning basic stuff and getting familiar with overall concepts of the studio and live work. And it can happen that a lot of these mics are actually good. Especially in this day and age where legit users and buyers are there to give their opinion on the product.
On the other hand, if you’re serious about making and performing music, it might be a good idea to get at least a mid-level setup. A good example would be Shure GLXD24/B87A that’s slightly below $600. This way, you’ll get familiar with how quality equipment works and looks like and will even keep using it for years when you reach higher levels of musicianship. After all, this is the price a bassist, guitarist, or even a drummer will pay for their intermediate setup.
Are Shure and Sennheiser wireless mics better options?
If you want a short answer – yes, Shure and Sennheiser microphones are a better option than cheap knock-off brands. But things are usually never that simple. Like we already said, some of those cheap mics below the $60 mark can actually work surprisingly well. However, there’s a solid chance you’ll stumble upon a random knock-off brand that makes inconsistent products. One-piece might be good and you’ll read positive reviews, but the next year they’ll be probably cut the production costs and use subpar materials and production practices which completely ruin their sound and operation quality.
So take Shure or Sennheiser for example, which are industry standards at the moment. The quality levels have not changed over the years and have remained consistent. The pickup pattern and the overall sound quality will be the same, not to mention the ruggedness, resistant to moisture, and reliability with wireless operation. These qualities make them the perfect choice for going on tour.
A few more thoughts…
At the end of the day, if you’re a beginner, you can’t really go wrong with any of the cheap no-name brands, as long as they’re not selling for prices below $50 or less. What’s more, in the age of the internet, there are plenty of reviews to find on the internet. If you see a few red flags popping up in Amazon’s review sections, keep lurking and find another cheap wireless mic setup. When you get to a higher level, then you can increase your budget along with your musical skills.
Yes, there are people who managed to make some pretty decent-sounding music with basic setups. Some used even cheaper instruments and microphones. Maybe using a cheap microphone will be a great way to practice before you get more serious about your work. However, you can’t expect a $40 wireless microphone set with all the accompanying gear (and you can stumble upon some of those on Amazon) to work as well as a well-established model of a famous brand. There are even some sets with two wireless microphones and a receiver that can be acquired for as low as $50. But these usually don’t have many positive reviews and should be avoided.
Conclusion
There are plenty of really simple and cheap wireless mics with receivers out there, with price tags way below $100. You’ll just need to be aware of their limitations. Something more expensive will not only give you better sound quality, but also a more reliable operation.
If you do decide on getting a cheap alternative, be very thorough in your research. Also, make sure to choose something that will work well with your needs. Considering budget brands like Behringer instead of no-name brands is certainly one of the options to think of. It is also a more reliable alternative to Sennheiser, Shure, and other famous big brands.
If you’re planning to perform live with a cheap wireless mics set-up, you don’t want for things to go wrong mid-show. Be really careful with choosing any of these before you schedule your gig and get up there on the stage.
