Review: Shure KSM32 Professional Condenser Microphone

Setting up my home studio, my first task was to choose a microphone. If you don't have a good mic, the rest of your equipment is meaningless. Working around radio studios for years, I've had the chance to use a lot of different microphones. The one I've always liked for my voice is the Shure KSM32. With the shock mount (you'll need it) the Shure KSM32/SL was $499. It was a bit of sticker shock when I looked up the price but its what I wanted so I came up with the dough and ordered it. I got mine from B&H in New York City via the Internet at www.bhphotovideo.com. I've done some business with them before and never had any trouble.

It arrived a few days later. If you like this kind of equipment, there is no out-of-box experience quite like this microphone. Adding to the price, Shure spared no expense in packaging and presentation. For a microphone, it is a big box. You open it up to discover an aluminum case surrounded by bubble wrap. The case has a little packet of keys affixed so that you can lock it. I'm not sure what the point is since someone could just walk away with the whole case and break in later. When you open this case you discover some slick literature, the shock mount, some adapters to fit different microphone stands and then a velvet-like case that holds the object of your desire, your new $500 microphone. It's a heavy mic not meant to be hand held by any standard. I had ordered an O.C. White mic boom to hold the beast.

So you take it carefully out of its soft case and look it over. It is a beautiful piece of equipment in a Champaign color. So I carefully studied how I was to install the shock mount and put the whole affair onto the boom. All this was not too difficult to figure out so a little while later I had it up and working. I put on my Sony headphones and started talking. I was not disappointed. The sound that came out was what I had come to expect from using this microphone at work.