The Shure SM58 is probably the best-selling microphone ever and you’ve seen one at almost every live music performance you’ve ever attended. It’s a tough mic that’s built like the proverbial tank and because it’s a dynamic model it works well in untreated spaces and is great for stage use as well as studio recording.
Just because the SM58 is such a popular product doesn’t mean it’s the only game in town. The Sennheiser e835s is an ideal alternative from one of the world’s premier audio brands. This metal-bodied mic has a cardioid polar pattern making it ideal for general use. With very low handling noise, the e835 has earned itself a reputation as a great all-rounder whether it’s used for live performance or taking part in a podcast.
The e835s ships with a handy zippered storage pouch and a MZQ 800 microphone clamp. This is a rugged mic with superb build quality. There’s a variant available without the physical switch for a little less. As a dynamic mic, the e835S doesn’t need phantom power and it’s easy to drive and has plenty of sensitivity.
With its cardioid polar pattern, the e835S picks up a heart-shaped fan of sound in front of it. The off-axis rejection from the sides and rear is good but the pickup pattern isn’t so narrow that you can’t move about a bit without the sound dropping off almost at once. The biggest advantage of this mic is that it works superbly in almost any room or space without the need for acoustic treatments. It’s also excellent at filtering out distant noises like low-level traffic.
Like most pro mics, the e835S has a three-pin XLR connector for attaching to an audio interface. I used the Lewitt Connect 2 interface for my review and the e835S was easy to drive and had very low self-noise levels. Although the mic is good at rejecting plosives—those irritating popping sounds that sometimes happen when saying words beginning with P—I would recommend getting a foam windshield, especially if you are using the mic outdoors where the wind could be an issue. Sennheiser makes a suitable windshield but I managed to find one on Amazon at a very good price.
The Sennheiser E835S has a frequency range from 40Hz to 16kHz. This gives it plenty of bottom end for broadcasting, but it also has enough definition at the upper end to produce a crisp sound without straying into sibilance, making it ideal for a wide range of vocals or speech.
Dynamic mics are way less sensitive than condenser mics and that means they can also handle very high noise levels, making them perfect for live use. The Sennheiser e835S can handle up to 150dB SPL, making it a tough cookie that you could use to mic a very noisy drum kit. With a nominal impedance of 350Ω, this is a mic that will tolerate use with quite a long cable length, also making it perfect for stage use or in a large studio without picking up electrical interference.
The vocal quality of the e835S is exemplary. This good-looking mic has exceptional clarity without ever sounding harsh or shrill. There’s a natural warmth to its sound but it never feels woolly or muffled. When used close to the mouth, the e835 doesn’t go all boomy with a pronounced proximity effect, but it does sound rich and warm at close quarters.
While I used the e835 on a boom arm for my review, I also tried it hand-held. With a weight of 303g, the e835S feels solid in the hand and there is very little handling noise thanks to superb internal isolation. While most vocalists have excellent mic handling techniques, not everyone does, especially when used with a PA system. So even with untrained handling, there is very little noise from the metal body of the mic.
The e835S is a direct competitor to the evergreen Shure SM58. These mics are quite similar in build quality, handling and off-axis rejection. The main difference between the two is clarity. The SM58 is slightly warmer and a little woollier, whereas the e835 has a little more clarity and cut-through on the upper frequencies. I prefer the Sennheiser to the Shure and I think it looks nicer.
Incidentally, Sennheiser also makes the e845 which is almost identical but has a super-cardioid pickup pattern and a bit more richness, making it an ideal dynamic studio mic. But whichever one you choose, both models are an excellent choice.
Verdict: As you would expect from a German audio brand, the Sennheiser e835S is a superb and well-built dynamic mic. It’s perfect for live and studio use. I’d recommend it for podcasting or remote broadcasting, especially in untreated spaces. As well as being perfect for vocals, this is a great mic for instruments, especially loud ones like drums or piano thanks to its ability to cope with loud sounds up to 150dB SPL. If you want an alternative to the Shure SM58 then you simply can’t go wrong with the affordable and robust dynamic Sennheiser e835S.
Pricing & Availability: The Sennheiser e835S is available now from Amazon and other retail outlets. The price is $90 / £77 / €90.
Tech Specs:
- Transducer principle: Dynamic.
- Frequency response: 40 – 16,000Hz.
- Pick-up pattern: Cardioid.
- Sensitivity (free field, at 1 kHz): 2.7mV/Pa.
- Nominal impedance (at 1 kHz): 350Ω.
- Min. terminating impedance: 1kΩ.
- Connector: XLR-3.
- Dimensions: ⌀ 48 x 180mm.
- Weight: 330g.
