Karaoke is a lot more fun when people can actually hear you clearly.
You don’t need an expensive studio microphone to sing karaoke at home. But a good vocal microphone can make your voice sound clearer, reduce unwanted background noise, and give you more freedom to move around while performing.
The challenge is choosing the right type.
Some karaoke microphones are traditional wired vocal mics that connect to a mixer, PA system, or karaoke machine. Wireless microphones are better for parties because you can move around without dragging a cable behind you. There are even all-in-one Bluetooth karaoke microphones with built-in speakers for casual singing.
For serious karaoke, I prefer a traditional dynamic vocal microphone. The Shure SM58 is my favorite overall because it’s rugged, dependable, and designed specifically around vocals. The Sennheiser e 835 is an excellent alternative, while an inexpensive wireless system may make more sense for family parties.
What is the Best Karaoke Microphones?
Here are eight of the best karaoke microphones to consider.
1. Shure SM58 – Best Karaoke Microphone Overall
The Shure SM58 isn’t specifically marketed as a karaoke microphone. That’s actually one of its biggest advantages.
It’s a professional dynamic vocal microphone designed for live performance, and the same qualities that make it popular on stages also make it excellent for karaoke.
The SM58 uses a cardioid pickup pattern. That means it primarily captures sound from the front while reducing unwanted sound coming from other directions.
This is particularly useful for karaoke because your speakers may be playing loud backing tracks in the same room. You want the microphone focusing primarily on your voice rather than capturing everything around you.
Shure also builds a spherical wind and pop filter into the microphone. That helps control breath sounds and plosives when you’re singing close to the grille.
The frequency response runs from 50 Hz to 15 kHz and is specifically tailored for vocals. It’s also extremely rugged.
For a microphone that may get passed between friends at a party, durability is a major advantage.
The downside is that the standard SM58 uses XLR, so make sure your karaoke machine, mixer, audio interface, or PA system has a compatible microphone input.
2. Sennheiser e 835-S – Best Karaoke Microphone With an On/Off Switch
The Sennheiser e 835-S is another excellent dynamic vocal microphone. For karaoke, I’d specifically consider the “S” version because it includes an on/off switch.
That little feature is surprisingly convenient. If you’re passing the microphone between singers, you can mute it without reaching for the mixer.
The e 835-S uses a cardioid pickup pattern and has a frequency response of 40 Hz to 16 kHz. Sennheiser designed it to maintain relatively consistent sound when singers move slightly on or off axis.
That’s useful for karaoke because casual singers don’t always maintain perfect microphone technique.
The microphone also uses a rugged metal housing and is designed to reject handling noise and feedback. Like the SM58, it uses a standard three-pin XLR connector.
If you want a professional-quality wired karaoke microphone with a built-in switch, the e 835-S is one of the strongest options.
3. Shure PGA58 – Best Budget Karaoke Microphone
The SM58 is excellent, but not everyone needs to spend that much on a karaoke microphone. The Shure PGA58 is a more affordable vocal microphone designed for singing and speech.
It uses a dynamic capsule and cardioid pickup pattern, making it well suited to the same basic karaoke environment.
The biggest reason to consider it is value. If you’re putting together a home karaoke setup that only gets used occasionally, spending premium money on several microphones may not make sense.
A more affordable vocal mic lets you put more of your budget toward speakers, a mixer, or the karaoke system itself. It’s also useful when you need multiple microphones.
For example, buying two affordable microphones for duets may be more fun than spending your entire budget on one premium microphone.
4. Sennheiser e 835 – Best Alternative to the SM58
If you’re deciding between Shure and Sennheiser, the e 835 deserves serious consideration. It’s a dynamic cardioid vocal microphone with a 40 Hz to 16 kHz frequency response.
Sennheiser designed the e 835 to provide clear vocal reproduction, strong presence, and good feedback rejection.
It also handles high sound-pressure levels. That’s useful for loud singers.
The e 835 is designed to maintain relatively consistent bass response when the singer moves closer to or farther away from the microphone.
Again, that’s useful for karaoke. Experienced singers learn to control their distance from a microphone. Casual karaoke singers usually don’t. A microphone that’s somewhat forgiving of movement can make the entire experience easier.
Final Thoughts
For most serious home karaoke setups, the Shure SM58 is my top choice. It’s simple, rugged, and designed around vocals. The cardioid pickup pattern helps isolate the singer, while the built-in pop filter and internal shock mount make handheld use easier.
If you want a built-in on/off switch, consider the Sennheiser e 835-S. Sennheiser specifies a dynamic cardioid design, rugged metal housing, feedback rejection, and a silent switch.
For parties and duets, consider a reputable dual wireless system. And for kids or extremely casual use, an inexpensive Bluetooth karaoke microphone with a built-in speaker may be all you need.