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Behringer XM8500

Test & Review

Are you looking for a microphone that is perfect for beginners? A microphone that has the same title as the legendary ones from AKG and Shure, but which costs less? Why not opt ​​for the Behringer XM8500 microphone? It is a dynamic microphone that displays a cardioid polar pattern. This microphone is particularly designed for vocal recording, but it is also possible to record various acoustic instruments with it. Discover our complete test of this microphone in this guide.

Behringer XM8500 microphone test and review

🎤 by Kevin Jung

Summary of the Test 👇

Behringer's Ultravoice series microphone models are known for their reasonable price and exceptional sound reproduction. These are dynamic XLR microphones designed for vocal recording in home studio and on stage. In this article, we will test the cheapest model in the Ultravoice series: the Behringer XM8500.

Is the audio quality really good with the Behringer XM8500? What are the areas of application for this microphone? What about the quality of its design? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this model? You will find the answers in the lines that follow.

Focus on the Behringer brand

Behringer is a German company specializing in the design of audio equipment . It was founded in 1989 by Uli Behringer. For the record, this German sound engineer did not have the means to start his home studio . He then began to design his own recording equipment . Faced with the great success of his products, he decided to make his activity official by creating a company.

Behringer XM8500 microphone review
Picture from Karimatagumi.co

Today, in its catalog, the brand mainly offers equipment to equip recording studios and to provide sound for events. These include amplifiers, monitoring speakers, mixing consoles, audio interfaces, musical instruments and microphones.

Behringer microphones are best known for their excellent value for money . This brand allows audiophiles to acquire quality microphones without breaking the bank.

In the microphone category, the German manufacturer offers a wide range of choices. These include condenser microphones, USB microphones and dynamic microphones. It is precisely a model belonging to this last category which is the subject of our test. These include the Behringer XM8500.

Behringer XM8500 Microphone Overview

The Behringer XM8500 is a dynamic microphone like the Sennheiser E945 , the AKG D5 and the Shure 545 SD.

This kind of microphones consists of a diaphragm, a voice coil and a magnet. In response to sound pressure, the membrane moves. Being firmly attached to the latter, the coil begins to vibrate. And it is the back and forth movements of the coil around the magnet which will generate electric current.

Unlike condenser mics, you won't need a phatom power supply to operate a dynamic mic. Simply connect an XLR cable to your audio interface and you're done. You can also connect the microphone to your computer using a 3.5mm jack.

Behringer-XM8500-purchase
Behringer XM8500

AT THE LOWEST PRICE 👇

Its installation on a PC therefore seems as easy as that of a USB microphone . The difference is in the type of cable required. The XM8500 is a microphone model that is ideal for beginners . It does not have a button or an on/off switch. At the bottom of the mic, there is just an XLR port to plug in the cable.

It is also a dynamic microphone that is easy to use since it weighs only 240 g. This is also the case for the other models in the Ultravoice series. Indeed, the XM1800 S and the XM2000 S weigh 230 g and 120 g respectively.

Like all models in Behringer's Ultravoice series, the XM8500 benefits from good build quality . This notably has a metal grille and body.

The microphone is delivered in a hard plastic box which is quite resistant to shocks. There is also a 5/8 to 3/5 inch thread adapter.

Behringer XM8500: a dynamic microphone with a cardioid polar pattern

Not all microphones react the same way to sound sources. Indeed, its sensitivity to sounds depends on their polar pattern or directivity.

There are 4 main types of directivity:

  • Cardioid polar pattern : a polar pattern that allows the microphone to capture sound waves in front of it. However, sounds from the sides and from the rear are isolated.
  • Supercardioid polar pattern and hypercardioid polar pattern : these are variations of the cardioid polar pattern. However, these display a more restricted angle of capture towards the front. Furthermore, they are more sensitive to sounds coming from behind the microphone.
  • Omnidirectional polar pattern that picks up sounds in a room equally from all directions
  • Figure 8 (or bidirectional directivity which makes the microphone sensitive to sounds in front and behind
Behringer XM8500 microphone
Picture from Behringer.com

Note that some microphones incorporate two or more interchangeable capsules via a switch. As such, the user can modify the microphone sensitivity at any time depending on the recording context. For example, the SE Electronics Se2200a II condenser microphone allows you to switch between 3 polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional).

The Behringer XM8500 displays a cardioid polar pattern . This means that this model is only sensitive to sounds that come from the front of the mic. This directivity makes it perfectly suited to capturing a singer's voice, whether on stage or during studio recording.

Thanks to its unidirectional polar pattern, this handheld microphone has the ability to isolate ambient noise (echoes for example). However, it must be positioned correctly when recording. Remember to point it towards the sound source you want to capture.

That said, if you want to record two singers simultaneously, a bi-directional mic would be more practical. Most ribbon microphones have this type of polar pattern. This is particularly the case for the MXL R144.

Areas of application for the Behringer XM8500 microphone

The Behringer XM8500 is a microphone designed primarily for vocal recording as it has a unidirectional polar pattern. In addition, this vocal microphone is also useful in other applications such as recording acoustic instruments.

Behringer-XM8500-purchase
Behringer XM8500

AT THE LOWEST PRICE 👇

Here are some examples of applications of the XM8500 dynamic microphone:

  • Taking a singer's voice
  • Voice off
  • Discussions on Skype or Zoom
  • Press conferences
  • Gaming
  • Podcasting
  • Streaming
  • Capturing a guitar amp
  • Recording sound with a camcorder
  • Recording a guitar, flute, or other acoustic instruments

Note : When recording instruments, dynamic microphones offer a lower level of performance than condenser microphones. Thus, used in this context, this model offers little precision compared to a condenser microphone. If you want to get a microphone to mainly record guitars or other instruments, it would be best to opt for a condenser microphone.

Behringer XM8500 vs Shure SM58

The Behringer XM8500 and Shure SM58 share several things in common.

First of all, these are microphones designed by two reliable brands, particularly in terms of manufacturing quality. Furthermore, they are dynamic microphones with a cardioid polar pattern. As such, these models are intended to record voice . They also offer the same frequency response, notably between 50 Hz and 15 kHz.

Behringer XM8500 packaging

It remains to be seen what points differentiate these two microphones.

In terms of price, advantage for the XM8500. The price of the Behringer model is much more attractive than that of Shure . In fact, the SM58 is sold almost 3 times more expensive than the XM8500.

As for the warmth of the sound, another slight advantage for the XM8500. This offers a warmer sound compared to the SM58.

The Behringer XM8500 also has the advantage of being easier to position than the Shure SM58.

Just like Shure's SM58 , Behringer's XM8500 comes with the ability to effectively reject plosives . In fact, its metal grille is equipped with a multi-layer anti-pop filter.

On the other hand, where the Shure SM58 beats the XM8500 is in the area of ​​application. Indeed, the model offered by the Shure brand is more versatile than that of Behringer. The SM58 notably offers a more interesting performance on instrument sound recordings .

In short, although the XM8500 is sold significantly less expensive than the SM58, the Behringer model has no reason to be ashamed of its performance alongside that of Shure. On certain points, it even offers a better offer, particularly in terms of sound warmth.

Focus on the sound quality of the Behringer XM8500

Let's now focus on a criterion that should not be overlooked when choosing a microphone: sound quality . From the first tests, we can see that the sound offered by the Behringer XM8500 has nothing to do with that of low-end microphones. Indeed, this model delivers a clear and warm sound.

We can note a nice presence of low frequencies , but a little less in the high frequencies. If you want to add more treble, don't hesitate to do a little tweaking on the mixer.

Behringer-XM8500-purchase
Behringer XM8500

AT THE LOWEST PRICE 👇

The majority of dynamic microphones have the capacity to handle noisy sound sources without risk of distortion. The XM8500 is no exception to this rule. You can put powerful sound in front of this model without problem.

To optimize the quality of your recordings, consider covering the microphone grille with a foam windscreen. This device protects the microphone from wind movement.

Since the Behringer XM8500 has a cardioid polar pattern, it is sensitive to proximity effect . This means that low frequencies are amplified as the source moves closer to the mic. The singer therefore only has to move away from the microphone a little if he wants to attenuate the bass.

This model is designed to overcome unwanted noise. In fact, it is equipped with a damping system which considerably reduces handling noise. Furthermore, it remains not very sensitive to feedback.

Technical characteristics of the Behringer XM8500

  • Microphone type: dynamic
  • Directivity: cardioid
  • Frequency response: 50 Hz to 15,000 Hz
  • Sensitivity: – 70 dB
  • Impedance: 150 Ohms
  • Connector: balanced XLR
  • Weight: 240g
  • Accessories included: microphone clip, storage box
Behringer XM8500 dynamic microphone
Picture from Ceneo.pl
Behringer-XM8500-purchase
Our Overall Opinion

Overall Sound Quality

4,5 /5
4.5/5

Value for money

4,9 /5
4.9/5

Global mark

4,7 /5
4.7/5

Our opinion on the Behringer XM8500 microphone

The Behringer XM8500 is an entry-level XLR microphone, but it delivers excellent sound. At this price, it is rare to find a microphone that delivers such performance in terms of sound quality. This is the ideal alternative to the Shure SM58 if your budget is limited.

It is above all a microphone for singing. With its clear sound reproduction, this microphone is ideal for vocal recordings in home studio. Besides singing, it can also be used to capture the sounds of musical instruments such as guitars and flutes.

Another advantage of the XM8500: its ability to significantly reduce handling noise thanks in particular to its anti-shock suspension system.

If there is one thing to criticize about this model, it is the lack of accessories. In fact, it does not come with an XLR cable that would allow it to be connected to an audio interface. Furthermore, it would have been better if the manufacturer included a windscreen. However, given the price of this microphone, this lack of accessories is still justified.

Most :

  • Excellent sound quality
  • Impressive performance on vocals
  • Robust design
  • Effectiveness of the handling noise reduction system
  • Not very sensitive to feedback
  • Affordable price

The lessers :

  • No XLR cable included in the box

Our verdict: The Behringer XM8500 passed this test successfully: it is a good dynamic microphone that keeps all its promises. It also offers excellent value for money. We recommend you to adopt this studio microphone for voice recording.

Behringer XM8500 Demo

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Behringer XM8500

PRICE COMPARISON 👇

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