beyerdynamic M-88

I've been recording and producing for over 15 years, and have worked on some of the most cutting edge recording consoles available to date. I've used pretty much every piece of gear available to humans.

This dynamic microphone is THE best kick drum microphone available. You can literally throw this inside a kick drum (about 6 inches away from the beater head) and with a bit of compression, you're set. No real EQ is needed at all (except for taste). I have used EVERYTHING under the sun, including D112, D6, SubKick, etc etc etc... For both live and recording atmospheres, this is the one. It'll give you all the low end you'd ever need, and rolls off the sloppy flappy high end like no other. This is my go-to microphone for the kick. I have used it on many other instruments as well, but nothing outperforms this mic better on a a kick drum.

I'm making music for more than 37 years...
I've recorded a lot of live and studio music, broadcast audio postprod and broadcast field recordings.

I'm now a days recording to Logic Pro in the studio and to Sony XDCam and Marantz 660 (thru Sonosax field mixer) for broadcast field recordings.

Studio listening : DynaudioAcoustic BM15 passive hp (plus NS10 for low-fi monitoring) and Accuphase E210 amplifier. Field listening : Sennheiser HD25 headphones and Sonosax SX42 field mixer.

Basicaly I'm a recording musician using Shure SM57 and Neumann U87 for my guitar playing (mainly electric but also acoustic) as well as using exclusively Neumann U87 for vocal tracking. As you can see I'm totaly fanatic about these two mics...

The Beyerdynamic M-88 is a dynamic hypercardio hand-held live vocal mic that can also be used for other purposes (music instrument recording for instance).

I was using the M-88 especialy for broadcast video interviews. I would hand this mic to the reporter (asking questions) while recording the "subject's" answers with a Shoeps hypercardio mic on boom-pole.

My problems with the M-88 was : way to much hand-held contact noise (wich is also very bad for a live singer), not enough high-end definition, precision and transparency (wich gives a very boomy and artificial voice sound).

The M-88 mic is very well done though (it looks great). It is rugged and inexpensive. Certainely OK for some specific instrument tracking (or for some live application) as long as you aren't looking for full transparency, full sonic reconstitution and very low contact noise.

I've replaced it with the Neumann KMS 105 (hand-held condenser supercardioid). This mic is just fantastic ! I've compared these two mics using them for the same purpose (hand-held voice mic) and the difference of quality is just incredible.

OK, the KMS 105 cost 3 times M-88's price, but it's worth any cent of it ! The KMS 105 can do all the work of the M-88 and even a lot more in a amazing better way (exept for the kick recording for wich it lacks a little low-end due to its integrated high-pass filter).

My M-88 ended up in my "obsolete gear closet ". I'm kind of sorry for him but he's just unable to compete anymore.... ;)

Live sound engineer for 20 years. Tour extensively all over the world with recording acts.

I am endorsed by Beyer Dynamic. But having said that I could have gotten endorsements by two other major label manufacturers. I had used Beyer Dynamic mics for years before the sponsorship and believe me the M88 can take the SPLs. I use it on kick drum all the time. I probably do 200 shows a year. After using the mics from my sponsorship, I actually went out and bought about $8000 worth of the product because I liked them so much. That way I don't have to stop using them if the endorsement ends. All of Beyer Dynamic's mid to top line mics are leagues above the major labels. They really give me an edge in festivals because they are so linear in their response. They stand out sonically amongst the rest. They are very smooth sounding microphones and I highly recommend them...wait, don't buy them...I don't need any more competition!

drummer for 28 yrs.
recorded 1 complete album and various other tracks will different groups. digital and analog.

beyer dynamic m88 bought like new barely used for live kick drum. placed the mic just inside of front head hole not pointing directly at the beater. absolutely wonderful sound obtained but..i killed it in about six months (30) nights of use maybe. this mic cannot handle the spl's of a kick drum and i regret buying it for that application. too bad. should have researched a little more before buying but i played a large outdoor venue last fall and the sound company there was running one of these in my bd and a figured it was the way to go. probably a good recording mic where it wouldn't be subjected to hours and hours of contant boom boom.

I'M 52 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN PLAYING SINCE 12 ,AND RECORDING SINCE 16 YEARS OLD. THE BEYERDYNAMIC MIC FAR OUTPERFORMS SM58'S,57'S,BETA 58'S,BETA 57'S,D112(FOR KICK) AND AKG'S FOR LIVE VOCALS. THERE IS ONE MIC I LIKE AS MUCH ,HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE TOP END BUT NOT AS MUCH BASS ON VOCALS IS THE ELECTROVOICE N/D 967. THIS IS A SUPERCARDIOD DESIGN WHICH HAS A FLATHEAD RESEMBLING AN M69 BY BEYER.IT IS (FOR MY VOICE) INCREDIBLE SOUNDING - LOTS OF VOLUME(HOT) AND SMOOTHE TOP END WITHOUT THE BOOMINESS YOU GET OUT OF THE MICS LISTED ABOVE. THE BEYER M88 IS SUPER FOR VOICE,KICKDRUM,GUITAR CABINETS,BASS CABINETS ETC. THEY'RE A LITTLE PRICEY BUT ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY. ERIC CLAPTON AND JACK BRUCE USED THIS MIC ON THEIR CABS AT THE CREAM'S REUNION CONCERT. CLAPTON ALSO USES THIS MIC IN THE STUDIO ON HIS TWIN REVERB.

THIS IS A HYPERCARDIOD MIC THAT REALLY EXCELS!

I am a professional musician. I play and record guitars for several artists.
I use Nuendo 3, and a lot of stuff (amps, eqs, comps, all real), and UAD-1 cards.
I love analog and pure sound

This the perfect mic if you want sing in live performances and you don't want feedback.
This mic is used by Phil collins and sussane Vega. Very ggod sound without feedback.
For guitar and bass is perfect in several recordings situations.
If you want a fat sound in your guitar, use it.
I use SM57 and this mic. 57 is clean and thin, 88 is fat with clear sound. BODY.
If you want heavy guitars, this is your mic. Very fat heavy sound, but perfect. No too bass, in the just quantity.
This mic has the 800hz low, and this is better for fat sound.

Been recording/playing for 25 + years.
Lots of recording experience, 25 years.
I use Cubase.
Monitor with Tannoys and AKG cans and a boom box.

I find this to be my favorite workhorse mic. I think it surpasses the sm-57 in the studio. I love it for live vocals, Bass cab, guitar cab, toms, and kick. Beatifully built mic too.
I chose this mic because of its multi-purpose quality. Works great on brass too.

10+ years live sound experience and limited recording.

The M88 is a fantastic mic. It has a nice round tight bottom end and nice presence...think of it as the Anna Kournikova od the microphone world, lol.

I use it on bass, kick, guitar and vocals. Great output and durable. I have mine for 15 years and its still like new.

Its a shame that beyers are hard to get. Buy this mic if you have a chance!

I've been playing music in various bands and projects since I was about 12 years old (13 years ago). I play guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, synths, drums, and I sing occasionally. I began recording with my first 4-track when I was about 14 years old, and have began a career as a professional sound engineer about a year ago (after I graduated from a sound engineering school). I use a Digi002 rack (pro tools) at my studio and I use a Lexicon Omega interface at my apartment (for mastering and home demo recording of song ideas). I use a TC Gold Channel for my mic pres and A/D conversion (when I'm not recording more than 2 chs at once, of course). I monitor mostly through a pair of highest quality Altec Lansing speakers with sub(when I'm at home). I do this because I find that it allows me to monitor music as the common listener would; sort of the idea behind monitoring through Yamaha NS10s. If I need to, I can also monitor through high quality, powered JBLs at my studio.

The M-88 is a workhorse dynamic mic with a hypercardiod pattern and a frequency range of 30 - 20,000 Hz. It's made by Beyer Dynamic, which is another great German mic company. It looks like a generic stage vocal mic, which doesn't do it any justice. I wish Beyer would go back to their crazy 60's designs (like the M-81 or the Soundstar X1N, which looks like some kind of ray gun from the original Star Trek). Although it looks like any other mic, it's got an amazing sound for a dynamic mic. I've used it on everything from toms and snares to tenor saxaphones and upright acoustic basses, all with very satisfying results. It's great on bass cabs, too. I also hear that people use it a lot on kick drums, but I've never tried that myself. One project I worked on, there was a particular song where I used it on almost every non percussive instrument (tenor sax, upright bass, electric bass, trumpet, as well as the floor tom and background vocals; the only remaining instruments were piano, which I miked with two condensers, and electric guitar, which I miked with a Royer 121, although I could have easily used it on the electric guitar as well and gotten a decent sound). It even sounds BETTER than condensers that cost 4 or 5 times as much on the right person's voice. The only intstrument I tried it on and didn't like it's sound was an acoustic guitar; but that goes without saying usually. I bet if I found the right acoustic guitar, though, I could get it to sound just as good as nice condenser because it does pick up more detail than your normal dynamic; maybe stereo miking with two M88s would work.

Anyways, if you are looking for a mic you can use on a variety of different instruments, check out the M88. While everybody over uses their 421s and SM57s, try the M88; think of it as a secret weapon.

Beyer makes great mics and I was very surprised to see that there wasn't even one review of a Beyer Dynamic in the mic reviews. My friend put it best: "Beyer is like a high quality Volkswagen compared to Neumann, which is like a nice Audi or BMW; they may cost less, but they have the same high quality German approach to engineering and comparable working interiors."