A good handheld microphone needs to do more than make your voice sound good.
It needs to feel comfortable in your hand, survive regular use, reduce handling noise, and help keep unwanted background sound out of your performance. If you’re using it on a loud stage, feedback rejection becomes important too.
That’s why dynamic microphones dominate the handheld microphone market.
Dynamic microphones are generally rugged, don’t require phantom power, and can handle loud vocals without much trouble. They’re equally useful for singers, DJs, public speakers, karaoke, churches, schools, and live events.
For most people, the Shure SM58 is still my favorite handheld microphone. It’s affordable enough for beginners but dependable enough for professional stages. The Sennheiser e 835 is an excellent alternative if you want a slightly different vocal character, while the Telefunken M80 is worth considering when you want a more detailed premium sound.
What is the Best Handheld Microphones?
Here are seven of the best handheld microphones to consider.
1. Shure SM58 – Best Handheld Microphone Overall
The Shure SM58 is one of the most recognizable microphones ever made. There’s a good reason for that.
It’s a dynamic cardioid microphone specifically designed for professional vocals, live performances, speech, and sound reinforcement.
Shure gives the SM58 a frequency response of 50 Hz to 15 kHz. Its frequency response is shaped for vocals, with a brightened midrange and bass roll-off. That helps voices remain clear in a live mix.
The cardioid polar pattern focuses primarily on the person directly in front of the microphone while reducing sound from other directions. That’s especially useful on a stage filled with speakers, instruments, and other performers.
Shure also builds a pneumatic shock-mount system into the microphone to reduce handling noise. There’s an internal spherical wind and pop filter too.
Durability is another major advantage. The SM58 has developed a reputation for surviving years of touring and rough stage use.
If you’re buying your first serious handheld microphone and don’t know where to start, this is the safe choice.
2. Sennheiser e 835 – Best SM58 Alternative
The Sennheiser e 835 is one of the strongest alternatives to the SM58. It’s another dynamic cardioid microphone built specifically around speech and vocals. Sennheiser gives the e 835 a wider stated frequency response of 40 Hz to 16 kHz.
More importantly, the microphone is designed to maintain relatively consistent sound when the singer moves slightly on or off axis.
A microphone that remains relatively consistent as your position changes can make the sound engineer’s job easier.
Sennheiser also designed the e 835 to handle high sound-pressure levels and provide strong feedback rejection. Handling noise is controlled through internal isolation, and the microphone uses a rugged metal housing. An e 835-S version is available if you want an on/off switch.
3. Telefunken M80 – Best Premium Handheld Microphone
If you’re willing to spend more, the Telefunken M80 is an excellent premium option.
It’s a dynamic microphone, but Telefunken designed it to provide more of the high-frequency extension and detail people often associate with condenser microphones. The M80 has a frequency response of 50 Hz to 18 kHz.
It uses a supercardioid pickup pattern rather than the standard cardioid pattern found on the SM58. That provides tighter directional pickup and strong rejection of off-axis sound.
This can be useful on loud stages where you want to keep the singer’s voice clear and reduce bleed from other sources.
Telefunken rates the M80 for a maximum SPL of 135 dB, making it capable of handling powerful vocal performances.
The microphone isn’t limited to singing either. Telefunken also recommends it for sources such as snare drums and brass instruments.
If you want something more detailed and open-sounding than a traditional stage dynamic microphone, the M80 deserves consideration.
4. Shure Beta 58A – Best for Powerful Live Vocals
The Shure Beta 58A takes the basic idea of a handheld dynamic vocal microphone and moves it toward a more focused professional stage design.
Unlike the SM58’s cardioid pattern, the Beta 58A uses a supercardioid pickup pattern. This gives it tighter directional characteristics.
That can be an advantage on loud stages because the microphone can provide stronger rejection of certain unwanted sounds when your monitors and speakers are positioned correctly.
The Beta 58A also has a brighter, more extended vocal response than the regular SM58. That can help some voices cut through a dense band mix. However, tighter pickup means microphone technique becomes more important.
If you regularly move the microphone far away from your mouth or speak into the side of it, a more forgiving cardioid microphone may be easier to use.
For confident singers who know how to work a microphone, the Beta 58A is an excellent step up.
5. sE Electronics V7 – Best Value Performance Microphone
The sE Electronics V7 has become another popular alternative in the handheld dynamic microphone category. It is designed primarily for live vocals and uses a supercardioid pickup pattern.
This makes it particularly interesting for performers working on loud stages. The V7 is built around vocal clarity and off-axis rejection while maintaining the rugged construction expected from a touring microphone.
It also has a distinctive design compared with more traditional handheld microphones.
For singers shopping beyond the usual Shure and Sennheiser choices, the V7 is well worth trying.
That’s particularly true because microphones don’t sound exactly the same on every voice.
A microphone that sounds slightly harsh on one singer may sound perfect on another. If possible, test the V7 against an SM58, e 835, and Beta 58A using your own voice.
6. Shure SM58S – Best Handheld Microphone With an On/Off Switch
Sometimes the smallest feature makes a big difference. The standard SM58 doesn’t have an on/off switch.
That’s often preferred on professional stages because the sound engineer controls the microphone from the mixing console. But a switch can be useful in many other situations.
Imagine you’re giving a presentation. You finish speaking and place the microphone on a table. Being able to switch it off immediately is convenient.
The same applies to DJs, karaoke hosts, churches, schools, and small events where a dedicated sound engineer may not be constantly controlling the mixer.
The SM58S gives you the familiar SM58 design while adding an on/off switch.
You still get the dynamic cardioid capsule, vocal-focused response, built-in pop filtering, and rugged construction.
7. Sennheiser e 935 – Best Handheld Mic for Professional Singers
The Sennheiser e 935 is another strong choice for singers who want to move beyond entry-level stage microphones.
It is designed around professional live vocal performance and offers a clear, present sound that can help vocals remain noticeable in a busy mix.
Like the e 835, it’s built for regular stage use. The biggest reason to consider microphones in this category isn’t necessarily because they are objectively “better” than an SM58.
It’s because voices are different. One microphone may emphasize frequencies that flatter your voice. Another may make the same voice sound overly bright, dark, or thin.
Professional singers should ideally try several microphones before deciding.
If the e 835 appeals to you but you’re looking for something aimed further up Sennheiser’s stage microphone range, the e 935 is worth testing.
Which Handheld Microphone Should You Buy?
For most people, the Shure SM58 is the best handheld microphone overall.
It’s rugged, simple, widely supported, and specifically designed for professional vocals and speech. Its cardioid pickup pattern helps minimize background noise, while its internal shock mount reduces handling noise.
The Sennheiser e 835 is the alternative I’d try next. It offers a 40 Hz to 16 kHz response, cardioid pickup, rugged metal construction, and strong feedback rejection.
For a premium option, consider the Telefunken M80. Its supercardioid pattern and extended 50 Hz to 18 kHz response are designed to provide detailed vocals while maintaining the durability of a dynamic stage microphone.