Shure
Beta 53
Electret / lavalier · Omnidirectional · 20–20,000 Hz
- An omnidirectional headworn condenser: 139.4 dB SPL with the RPM627 preamp, 150.5 dB as the WBH53 on a bodypack.
- Omni means the tone does not change as the head turns, which is the whole argument for it in musical theatre.
Frequency response
No response curve yet.
MicSense only draws a curve redrawn from a graph the manufacturer publishes — it never estimates one from the microphone’s class. No published graph has been redrawn for the Beta 53 yet, so the numbers are in the spec table below.
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for omnidirectional. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Shure |
|---|---|
| Model | Beta 53 |
| Type | Electret / lavalier |
| Form factor | Headset |
| Polar pattern | Omnidirectional |
| Frequency range | 20–20,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | -54.0 dBV/Pa (Beta 53 with RPM627 preamp; Shure prints −54.0 dBV/Pa "(3.16 mV)" — −54 dBV/Pa is 2.0 mV/Pa, the figure Shure gives for the WBH53) |
| Max SPL | 139.4 dB SPL (1 % THD; with RPM627 preamp; WBH53 on a bodypack 150.5 dB) |
| Self-noise | 42.5 dB(A) |
| Impedance | 160 Ω (RPM627 preamp output) |
| Connector | TA4F into RPM627 in-line preamp (XLR); WBH53 version for bodypacks |
| Powering | Phantom 11–52 V (phantom 11–52 V via the RPM627 preamp; WBH53: 5 V bias from the bodypack) |
| Weight | 135 g |
Specifications: Shure specifications page · last checked 2 Oct 2026. These are the maker’s published figures for this model. A dash never means zero: “not published by the maker” means the maker’s documents give no figure; “not yet checked” means MicSense has not confirmed one yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.
MicSense notes
| Price tier | Pro |
|---|---|
| Introduced | — not recorded |
Price tier and “a rider regular” are MicSense’s own judgement, not the maker’s.
What it gets used for
- Theatre lav
- FOH vocal
MicSense tags microphones by the job on a live stage, not by studio category — so you can filter for “kick in” or “monitor vocal” instead of working backwards from “large-diaphragm condenser”.
Beta 53 alternatives: closest in published specs
Based on published specifications only — always listen at soundcheck. These are the microphones in the MicSense library whose datasheet figures sit closest to the Shure Beta 53’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
Not compared for the Shure Beta 53: response curve not redrawn yet.
-
Sennheiser
SL Headmic 1
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same omnidirectional pattern
- Same form: headset
- Max SPL as high or higher (143 vs 139.4 dB SPL)
- ≈ 8 dB more output — about 8 dB less gain
- Check: Powered from a wireless bodypack — on a cable it needs the maker’s phantom adapter
-
Shure
Beta 54
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same form: headset
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (141.4 vs 139.4 dB SPL)
- Supercardioid instead of omnidirectional
-
Sennheiser
ME 3
- Same job: theatre lav, FOH vocal
- Same type: electret / lavalier
- Same form: headset
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (150 vs 139.4 dB SPL)
- Cardioid instead of omnidirectional
- Check: Powered from a wireless bodypack — on a cable it needs the maker’s phantom adapter
Compare it against the alternatives.
MicSense lets you put up to four microphones side by side — spec table, overlaid response curves and polar diagrams on one screen. Free with a free Squaresmile account.