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Shure 849

Vintage Cardioid Condenser Microphone

Peter Kun Frary

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I bought a pair of Shure 849 condenser mics in the late 1990s to record stereo tracks of classical guitar on a Tascam DAT (digital audio tape). Too bright for my taste, the mics lay fallow in a rack drawer for decades. Recently, I pulled one out for a spoken word test and was delighted at how good it sounded.

Shure 849 | With Shure MVX2U interface

Shure 849

The 849 is an electret condenser microphone with cardioid polar pattern. The lack of a large mesh grill to reduce pops indicates it is designed for instrumental and ambient pickup. Shure's 849 manual states that it has a smooth, flat frequency response." That's not true: it has a gradual roll off in the bass, a boost from 3000 Hz to 6000 Hz and another boost from 9,000 to 14,000 Hz:

Shure 849 Frequency Response | Image courtesy Shure

Granted these are gentle EQ bumps, but certainly not a flat profile. Indeed, that boost from 3000 Hz to 6000 Hz put too much twang in my classical guitar tracks. Today I could have lowered the frequencies 2 to 3 dB from 3000 to 6000 Hz, but in the 1990s I didn't have a DAW or an EQ unit. The way it rendered on my DAT was what I got.

I shopped around for a mic flattering for classical guitar, ideally one with a flatter frequency response. The Shure SM81 was first on my search list—still want one—but a pair of Neumann KM 184 fell on my doorstep, proving to be better suited for classical guitar than the 849. They have a treble boost, but a more guitar friendly bump beginning at 6000 Hz and peaking around 9000 Hz.

My rejection of the 849 for classical guitar doesn't mean it was a poor mic. Indeed, it is well suited for miking guitar amps, percussion and instrumental ensembles. That EQ bump from 3000 Hz to 6000 Hz is flattering to many voices. Well, at least this closet baritone.

849 Variants

The 849 was discontinued sometime during the first decade of 2000 and renamed PG81—now discontinued as well. Currently, the SM137 appears to be an updated variant of the 849/PG81/KMS109. It is similar in physical appearance to the 849, identical to the KMS109 and has a similar frequency diagram (same low treble bump) to both mics. Frequency response and self-noise were tweaked and a -15 dB pad replaced the on/off switch.

Self-Noise

There are two standards for rating microphone self-noise, also called equivalent noise-level: dB(A) and CCIR.

dB(A)

The dB(A) scale weights SPL according to the ear’s sensitivity, filtering out low frequency noise. Excellent results (very low noise) in the dB(A) scale are considered 15 dB(A) or lower.

CCIR

The CCIR (CCIR 468-1) scale employs a different system of weighting, so in this scale, excellent results are considered to be 25 (or lower) to 30 dB.

Shure's 1989 specs indicate the 849 has a self-noise of 26 dB (CCIR), so it falls on the excellent side of excellent. And I'm not surprised. Having used the mic extensively, knew it to be extremely clean.

I mainly record low density sound—classical guitar and speaking voice—so there are frequent quiet sections. Self-noise is present with every mic but even tiny amounts of ambient sound usually cover self-noise. Here's an 849 waveform from the first recording in the Sound Comparisons section below:

Shure 849 | The silent sections of John 1:1 are very quiet.

As you can see and hear, not much is going on in the quiet sections. With headphone monitoring, the track sounds clean: no hiss or hum in sections of silence. When I amplified the quiet sections +20 dB, I recognized the faint sounds of outside traffic.

Frequency Response

Shure specs list 849 frequency response as 40 Hz to 16,000. However, its frequency response diagram shows a range of 40 Hz to 20,000 Hz with -6 dB drop-off at 40 Hz and -4 dB at 20,000:

Shure 849 Frequency Response | Image courtesy Shure

In my experience, the 849 falls off gradually below 40 Hz and I was able to hear bass drum fundamentals tuned to 36 Hz on symphonic band tracks.

The closest current relative of the 849, the SM137, has a similar frequency response profile but boasts a 20Hz to 20,000Hz range with -6 dB drop off at 20 Hz and -5 dB at 20,000 Hz:

Shure SM137 Frequency Response | Image courtesy Shure

Build and Features

Although the 849 has a classic pencil mic form, it is full-sized and the serious heft makes it feel like an industrial tool. Indeed, the thick steel case of the 849 won't be crushed underfoot if dropped on a stage or studio floor. The outer case is non-resonant and, typical of Shure's stage mics, sports an internal pneumatic shock mount for reduced handling noise. Fit and finish are impeccable.

Finish is an attractive silvery champagne with a light metallic dusting. Yes, it does sparkle a little under stage lights. Similar models that followed the 849—PG81 and SM137—are goth black and more stealthy on camera and stage.

The 849 has an on/off switch but no pad or high pass switches. Being a condenser microphone, the 849 requires phantom power. However, it can be powered by an AA battery if needed. There is no battery charge indicator, so I wouldn't want to depend on batteries in a mission critical situation.

Environmental Isolation

The cardioid polar pattern of the 849 is focused on sound near the front of the capsule, rejecting off-axis sound. Thus, sound reflections, outside traffic and AC rumble are significantly reduced compared to the front of the mic. The fact that the 849 is a condenser mic should make it more prone to picking up background noise than a dynamic mic. However, off-axis rejection of the 849 is excellent and better than my AKG C3000B, Lewitt 240 Pro and Neumann TLM 102. Off-axis rejection is nearly on par with the Shure Beta 57A.

Vibrations from electric motors and foot taps can spoil recordings. Among the dozens of mics I recently tested, the Shure 849 and Beta 57A were the only ones that didn't pick up vibration or hum from my hard drives and nearby AC units.

Shock Mount

When recording, any mic will benefit from using a shock mount. I've ruined many tracks with a careless bump or tap on the floor. Unfortunately, the 849 is too small to fit the excellent but petite Shure A55M. However, I was surprised to find the 849 and SM137 fit perfectly in the relatively small AKG Acoustics H85 shock mount, the shock mount designed for the AKG C3000, C3000B, C4000B, C414B, etc.

RFI Resistance

That thick steel case provides great RFI shielding. Here in RFI infested downtown Honolulu, I suffered no static, clicks or rogue radio stations while using this mic.

Voiceover

After hearing how good the 849 sounded, I used the 849 for several voiceover videos. In the video below, I paired the Shure 849 with the Shure MVX2U (digital audio interface) and AKG H85 shock mount for voiceover segments. And that combo sounds great: smooth, warm and clear. No audio processing was used other than normalization. I didn't want a mic in my face for the talking head sections so I used a Synco wireless lav mic. It sounds like utter crap: weak and muffled. Next time, I'll use a full sized mic on a boom for talking head scenes. Guitars were recorded with a stereo pair of Neumann KM 184.

Beat and Meter Basics | Professor Peter Kun Frary (7:16)

One of the things I love about the 849 is how easy it is to adjust position and angle for optimal sound and comfort. Side-address mics like the Shure SM27, Rode NT1, etc., are more challenging to position due to the upright position and awkward shock mounts.

Sound Comparisons

Below are short audio samples of the 849 and other mics I've used for voiceovers. I maintained an 8 to 10 cm speaking distance. Mics were mounted on a boom arm clamped to my desk, the room was partially treated, and I recorded into TwistedWave at 48 kHz and 24 bits. Gain was staged to hit around -12 dB. No processing or normalization used. Mics were fitted with a foam pop filter.

Shure 849

For this recording, I plugged the 849 into the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X interface. Gain was set to 54 dB.

The Shure 849 was surprisingly flattering for my voice: smooth, warm, clear and very clean. With a foam windscreen or pop filter, it is extremely forgiving of plosives and small puffs of air. Because it was designed for isolating and miking stage instruments, off-axis sound rejection is excellent.

Among the mics I tested, the 849, SM137 and the Beta 57A were the only mics that picked up little or no vibrations and hum from my hard drives and nearby AC units.

AKG C3000B

The AKG C3000B, circa 2009, is a large diaphragm side-address condenser mic. It remains in production as the AKG C3000 and sells for $350 USD. The lower treble frequency bump makes it too bright for classical guitar. On the other hand, that bump makes it a good mic for spoken word, exhibiting clarity, detail and a bit more treble bite than the PodMic USB.

The C3000B was recorded through the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X with gain at 46 dB.

Lewitt LCT 240 Pro

The Lewitt LCT 240 Pro was plugged into the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X. Gain was set to 47 dB. This is a small diaphragm side-address condenser mic designed for home studios. It's an attractive and compact design, especially the effective yet space saving magnetic drop-in pop filter.

The 240 Pro flatters my voice with a pleasing but somewhat bright timbre and above average clarity and legibility of words. With the pop filter, plosives and sibilance were well controlled. Without the pop filter, the 240 Pro sounds like a wind storm. Wear protection!

While the bright character makes for clear and understandable words, it also makes the 240 Pro more prone to picking up background sounds than many of the mics here, save for the Neumann TLM 102.

Without accessories, the 240 Pro is priced at $100 USD. The shock mount and pop filter kit clock in at $159.

Neumann KM 184

Obviously, the KM 184 is not designed for close miking of spoken word: no protection from plosives and moving air. That doesn't mean the KM 184 won't sound good for spoken word, but use of a pop filter is mandatory.

The KM 184 is a sensitive and dynamic mic—why I like it for instruments—but with only a foam windscreen, plosives were out of control. I nixed plosives by speaking offset about 30 degrees but didn't like the duller sound. Finally, I added an external pop filter and that worked well enough to squeeze out a test track. The KM 184 is flattering for my voice: smooth, clear and very clean. As I experienced with guitar, off-axis rejection of sound is excellent.

Would I use this mic for voiceovers? Probably not. It is extremely sensitive and requires good vocal technique to keep plosives and dynamics under control. Somebody with better voice technique may find it doable but the KM 184 cramped my style. With that said, the KM 184 is my pick for best spoken word sound among my mics. My favorite for solo guitar tracks as well.

For this recording, the KM 184 was plugged into the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X. Output from the KM 184 is robust: gain was set to only 36 dB, lower than my other condenser mics.

Music track recorded with two KM 184 in a X-Y stereo configuration aimed at the bridge. "Through the Eyes of Love" played on a Romero Creations 'ukulele by yours truly:

Neumann TLM 102

One of my favorite mics for recording classical guitar is the Neumann TLM 102, a large diaphragm side-address condenser mic. Pointed at the bridge, it renders a beautiful and sweet plucked string tone. For guitar, it needs little or no EQ.

While great sounding for voice—smooth and natural in character and flattering to my voice—it is extremely sensitive to mouth sounds and puffs of air. I used a foam filter from the Deity VO-7U to help control plosives. That wasn't enough so I added a clamp-on pop filter but still had to be careful while speaking.

The TLM 102 is also more sensitive than average to vibrations from the floor, computer fans and off-axis sounds! I used a clone of Neumann's shock mount to help nix vibrations. It is unusable without a shock mount.

I recorded the Neumann TLM 102 through the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X. Gain was set at 46 dB. The TLM 102 is at its best in an acoustically treated and soundproof room.

Currently, the 102 retails for $750 USD.

Rode PodMic USB

I plugged the XLR output of the Rode PodMic USB into the Rode Streamer X and set gain to 63 dB. The Rode PodMic, along with the Shure SM7B, rule over the video blogging and podcast kingdoms. Of course, they sound good and offer excellent isolation but also are large and visually impressive status mics.

Although vocal tone sounds nice, I struggled with plosives and sibilance when using the PodMic USB. Somehow the Shure SM57 and 849 have fewer problems in this area. An external pop filter and 30 to 45 degree mouth angle were required to keep plosives and sibilance under control. I prefer the tone speaking straight into the mic but suffered too many do-overs.

The PodMic USB retails for $200 USD.

Sennheiser MKE 600

That was the unprocessed sound of the Sennheiser MKE 600 recorded into an iMac Pro using the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X. I spoke directly into the MKE 600—no offset—from 10 cm (4 inches) away. At that distance the proximity effect is apparent but still sounds good, similar in character to the MKE 400 but with more bass. Offset speaking of 25 to 45 degrees at close distance rolls off highs a little but not as severely as the MKE 400.

Spoken word on the MKE 600 sounds best at 30 cm (12") or closer. For me, the sweet spot is from 10 to 15 cm. At about 12 cm (5 inches) it yields a noticeably clearer, brighter and less bassy sound. For this sample, I used a high pass filter at 80 Hz to reduce the rumble of an AC unit and spoke from 12 cm away:

While the MKE 600 has excellent off-axis rejection, it is extremely sensitive and picks up distant sounds directly in front of the capsule more readily than the MKE 400 and other mics I own. Careful mic placement is critical. The MKE 600 behaves like a traditional shotgun mic rather than an arm's length video blogger mic, and sounds good boomed 25 or 30 cm above a talking head.

The MKE 600 lacks the integral blimp-like housing used on the MKE 400 and 440. It needs a foam windscreen if speaking at close distances. With windscreen installed, the MKE 600 demonstrates excellent control of plosives and sibilance.

This mic retails for about $330 USD but is often discounted.

Rode X Streamer | Mounted on a Manfrotto arm for easy port access.

Shure Beta 27

That was the sound of the Shure Beta 27, a large diaphragm side-address FET condenser mic with multiple high pass filters and pad. It differs from other 27 series due to a supercardioid polar pattern, rather than cardioid, and a nearly flat frequency response instead of the typical Shure treble EQ bump.

That flat frequency contour makes it ideal for instruments. Indeed, it sounds natural and smooth for guitar and ukulele. I found it natural and balanced for spoken word. The Beta 27 has more going on in the deep bass than most mics. Indeed, it picks up bass guitar, low brass and kick drums extremely well.

While mounted on a desk boom arm, vibrations and hum from my six external hard drives leaked on to the tracks. Shure claims that the Beta 27 has an internal shock mount but it is not as effective at nixing vibrations as their stage mics. Like the PodMic USB and the Neumann TLM 102, I had to unplug my backup drives to get a clean track. The Beta 27 needs a shock mount for desktop use.

Shure Beta 27 with High Pass Filter

For my speaking voice, not much is going on below 80 Hz and, set flat, the Beta 27 has a bit of the "big bottom" sound. Clarity of my voice increased slightly by using the built-in 80 Hz high pass filter:

The Beta 27 was recorded through the Rode Streamer X with preamp gain at 50 dB. I spoke straight into the capsule from about 15 cm (6 inches). The mic’s 3-layer mesh grille did a good job of nixing plosives and mouth noise. An external pop filter was not used. Sibilance was well controlled.

For this sample, I used the Shure A27SM - ShureLock Rubber Isolated Suspension Shock Mount. And it made a major improvement in isolating the Beta 27 from my six external hard drives. Shure should have included the A27SM with the Beta 27 (they do with its near twin, the SM27).

The tight supercardioid polar pattern made for above average off-axis rejection of sound, besting most of my mics. Unlike the similar SM27, the Beta 27 is ideal for recording on stages and untreated rooms.

Music played on a 1990 Jose Ramirez 1A and miked over the bridge. "Thoughts for Monday" (improvsation):

This mic retails for about $400.

Shure Beta 57A

You just heard the sound of the Shure Beta 57A plugged into the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X.

Beta 57A isolation from off-axis sound is excellent: better than the Rode PodMic USB, Neumann TLM 102 and AKG C3000B, and on par with the Shure 849 and SM137. Like the 849 and SM137, the Beta 57A features Shure's internal pneumatic shock mount to smooth away handling noise and minor vibrations.

With the Shure A57AWS - Locking Foam Windscreen installed, resistance to plosives is highly effective, easily besting the Rode PodMic USB and Neumann TLM 102 in this regard. Without the A57AWS, it is plosives galore albeit a little better than a bare SM57.

The sound is smooth, clear and surprisingly sensitive for a dynamic mic—dare I say almost condenser like? Clarity and legibility of words is above average—can cut through a busy sound track without cranking gain too much. The Beta 57A has a brighter character and more extended frequency range compared to the darker voiced SM57. Although they share two digits in their names, the SM57 and Beta 57A have little in common in terms of tonal character.

Although the Beta 57A is small and traditional in appearance, the faded matte blue finish and matte silver grill are more upscale in appearance compared to the industrial look of the SM57.

The Beta 57A retails for $150 USD.

Shure SM57

The iconic Shure SM57 was recorded through the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X with gain at 67dB. It requires more gain than most mics, albeit not as gain hungry as the SM7B. Like the SM58, the SM57 sports an internal pneumatic shock mount to smooth away minor vibrations. It has excellent rejection of off-axis sound.

Designed as an instrument mic, the SM57 is legendary in the rock world for miking guitar amps and drums. It lacks a pop grill, so I installed the Shure A2WS Popper Stopper Locking Windscreen.

For this track, I spoke straight into the mic from 10 cm away. If you prefer less brightness, speak offset to the capsule. This nearly indestructible mic sounds great: warm, smooth and easy on plosives. SM57 tone is more flattering for my voice than the Rode PodMic USB.

The SM57 retails for $99 USD.

Shure SM137

For this recording, I plugged the Shure SM137 into the XLR socket of the Rode Streamer X and set gain to 47dB. The Shure A3WS Foam Windscreen was installed. Like the Beta 57A and 849, the SM137 has excellent rejection of background and handling noise. Indeed, Shure's pneumatic shock mount system smooths away minor vibrations and makes hand held use practical. Albeit slightly brighter, it sounds similar and looks like the Shure 849. The SM137 retails for $190 USD.

Final Blurb

I enjoyed working with the Shure 849. While not my choice for classical guitar or 'ukulele, it is a versatile mic, suitable for most instruments, small percussion, guitar cabs, overheads and spoken word if used with a pop filter. I've seen many stereo pairs selling on eBay, apparently the 849 was once popular for miking church choirs and school ensembles. A few years back I saw this model selling for $50 or a little more on eBay. Apparently word has gotten out on this sleeper mic and prices are trending at $100 to $200 depending on condition.

The third generation descendant of the 849, the Shure SM137, is still in production, but made in Mexico rather than the USA. It has the same EQ bump, the classic 849 case design, sounds similar to the 849 and sells new for just under $200 USD.

Garden at Twilight | EOS 6D MK II and EF 24-105 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Features & Specs

• Small diaphragm cardioid electret condenser 
• Phantom power 12-48v or AA battery
• Max SPL: 131dB
• Output Impedance: 600Ω
• 40 Hz to 16 kHz frequency response
  

Physical

• XLR connector
• On/off switch
• Dimensions: 191 mm x 28 mm
• Metal housing
• Weight: 250 g

Included accessories

Soft pouch and clip

Optional Windscreen

A3WS (foam)

Country of Origin

USA or Mexico (depending on year of production)

1989 to early 2000

Instruction Manual

PDF Manual

Price

$250 in 1998

Typically available used for $100+ depending on condition

Website

Shure USA

09/01/2024