Shure BETA 87A Vocal Condenser Microphone

Shure BETA 87A — Studio-Grade Clarity for the Live Stage

The Shure BETA 87A is a premium supercardioid handheld electret condenser vocal microphone engineered for professional sound reinforcement, broadcasting, and studio recording. It combines studio-grade detail with touring-grade ruggedness, with a tailored frequency response that raises vocal presence so singers sit clearly on top of a band.

What Sets this model Apart

The highly consistent supercardioid polar pattern provides superior gain-before-feedback, with null points at approximately 125° that reject stage monitors and adjacent instruments. An advanced cartridge shock-mount system absorbs mechanical shocks and reduces handling noise, while very low susceptibility to RFI and electromagnetic hum keeps the signal clean in challenging RF environments.

Polar Pattern and Feedback Control — Built for Loud Stages

The supercardioid pickup pattern accepts only the closest and most direct signal sources, minimizing bleed from drum kits, guitar cabinets, and monitor wedges.

• Polar Pattern: Supercardioid — tight directional pickup that isolates the lead vocal from the rest of the stage.
• Null Points: approximately 125° — engineered rejection angles that tame monitor spill.
• Gain-Before-Feedback: superior — lets FOH engineers run the channel hotter in front of wedges.

Frequency Response and Dynamic Range — Vocal Detail Without Distortion

Voiced specifically for vocals, this instrument offers a smooth frequency response with a gradual presence rise that brightens the upper midrange. A controlled low-frequency roll-off compensates for proximity effect, preventing the boomy low-end buildup that close-miked condensers often produce.

• Frequency Range: 50 Hz - 20 kHz — full-range capture extending well above vocal fundamentals for airy, open top end.
• Dynamic Range: 117 dB — headroom for powerful belting while keeping quiet passages detailed.
• Low-Frequency Roll-Off: electronic, compensates for proximity effect — keeps bass tight when singers work the mic closely.

Build Quality and Powering — Road-Tested Reliability

Built for the rigors of touring, this microphone features an all-metal body and metal grille that shrug off drops, humidity, and heat. The unit requires standard 48 V phantom power and ships ready for the road.

• Transducer Type: electret condenser — studio-style detail in a stage-ready handheld format.
• Powering: +48 V phantom power — standard supply from any professional mixer or interface.
• Package Contents: microphone, windscreen, holder — ready to mount on a stand or wireless transmitter out of the box.

Who Should Choose this model

The BETA 87A is the right choice for lead vocalists, broadcast presenters, and houses of worship who need studio-grade clarity in a microphone that survives nightly touring. Touring singers struggling with feedback will appreciate the tight supercardioid pattern and engineered null points at approximately 125°. Front-of-house engineers gain a channel that pushes hot without squeal, while solo performers moving up from a dynamic stage microphone will hear an immediate jump in detail and air.

A Professional Legacy

The manufacturer has built its reputation on microphones that perform night after night in the most demanding live environments. This model is part of that legacy, designed for professional sound reinforcement, broadcasting, and studio recording where vocal nuance cannot be sacrificed to stage volume.