Customer Reviews

Sennheiser e906 Supercardioid Dynamic Mic for Guitar Amps

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Great mic, and beautiful sound. Pay the extra $$ for the 906 (rather than the 609), because it has three frequency positions (high boost, flat & high roll-off) so you can tweak your sound depending on the guitar amp, cab, wattage, style and venue you play. BTW..."Unique Squared" is THE place to go for this mic: Best Price, Best Service, Super Fast Delivery! The mic comes with a decent pouch, and rubber mic clip, with a thread adapter to fit 2 different size mic stands, (if you decide not to drape the mic.) You may want to use Gaffers Tape if you "drape", and if you end up pushing a lot of "Air". That's to prevent vibrations from bouncing the mic off the speaker grill. I use the new Audix "CAB GRAB1" that clamps on your amp cab, and adjusts to fit different width amps. It has a goose neck to tweak the mics position for finding the sweet spot of the cab. Also, I run the mic through a PreSonus VXP for gigs, but you don't need it with this mic.

If you play electric guitar and need to put a microphone in front of the cabinet, get this microphone. Do not get the SM57. Do not get the beta whatever. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Get this microphone.

I have used the SM57s for years. When I got the 906, I made a recording to compare them with the SM57. The difference is striking - like you took a wet blanket off your head when listening to the 906. Also, referenced to the 57s, the pattern is much tighter with the 906. I run my guitar in stereo and the imaging is substantially improved with the Sennheiser.

The 906 is considerably more sensitive and requires less gain at the front end of the mixer - translation: less noise. As an added bonus, the design allows the user to simply drape the mic over the top of the cabinet, eliminating the need for a stand. Nice.

The Sennheiser e906 is THE answer. I could never get a '57 to get the sound I wanted--either on or off axis--at any distance. Take this mic, drape it over your amp at about the 2 o'clock position, rotate it 30 degrees toward the surrounds and you'll have THE sound you've been looking for in a cabinet microphone. SM57s have their use, but it was designed in '57 and hasn't changed a bit, despite some major improvements in mic design. Something as simple as a flat face makes the mic physically easier to place. A choice of three settings helps you get dialed in pretty close, then the rest is just working on placement. It really opens up the sound. Sounds fantastic through the mains. It is worth the money to go the extra and pick up the 906 rather than the 609 (little brother). Unique and Amazon had the mic at $153 when everyone else was already marked up to $189, too!

Go with this mic--you won't be sorry.

The e906 has become my first choice for guitar amps both live and in the studio. If you are thinking of buying a guitar cabinet mic, you've likely narrowed the field down to the SM57, the e609 and this mic, which is the most expensive of the three. So, is it worth the extra money? Compared to the SM57, the answer is 100% yes. Especially if you are recording, the extra frequency response (18kHz vs. 15kHz on the SM57) is a noticeable improvement. The low profile, side address design makes the e906 easy to use and it doesn't get "woofy" even if you hang it over a cabinet right against the grill. It is just as rugged (built like a tank) and versatile (great on snare, toms) as the SM57 and can handle extremely high dB levels like the SM57 but sounds fuller and less harsh than the SM57 IMHO. The question of the e906 vs. the e609 is a little tougher and depends on what you intend to use the mic for. I have not used the newer "Silver" e609s but have used and loved the older black version. Assuming the guts of the e609 and e906 are the same (and I don't know if that is true or not), the extra $$ for the e906 basically buys you a three way presence switch. For me, that was an easy decision since I do a lot of home recording but don't own a lot of high end studio mics. I want each mic I get to be as versatile as possible and if I get a switch to roll of some highs when needed it is well worth it to me.

All said, microphone choice depends a lot on personal preferences. However, I can't imagine too many people would be disappointed with the performance and value of the e906.

The Sennheiser e906 is the most accurate microphone I have ever used to mic my guitar cabinet. I became aware of these mics when the band starting getting some larger venues and quickly realized how mush better stage sound was. Up to then, I had used Shure 57s exclusively. The 57 is a great mic for the price. They are rugged and do a terrific job when the goal is to target a specific portion of the speaker cone (some sound guys are very religious about that). They are also handy to use for vocal if you find yourself in a pinch.

However, the 906 is in a class by itself. If you can stand to break off the money to get one, you will be amazed at how much clearer you can hear your own work. I am convinced that using one in rehearsal has made me a better player. I also like the "character" switch that allows you to switch between bright, warm, and dark. This feature will help compensate for different playing environments, or just make the sound pleasing to your particular taste.