Shure
Beta 87C
Handheld condenser · Cardioid · 50–16,000 Hz
- The cardioid Beta 87 — more forgiving of a singer who moves than the supercardioid 87A, and 4 kHz shorter at the top.
- Both weigh 207 g and take the same grille; the capsule is the only difference that matters.
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 87C yet, so the numbers are in the spec table below.
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for cardioid. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Shure |
|---|---|
| Model | Beta 87C |
| Type | Handheld condenser |
| Form factor | Handheld |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency range | 50–16,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | -51.0 dBV/Pa (Shure prints −51 dBV/Pa "(2 mV)"; −51 dBV/Pa is 2.8 mV/Pa) |
| Max SPL | 139 dB SPL (1 % THD; 1 kΩ load) |
| Self-noise | 22 dB(A) |
| Impedance | 100 Ω (output) |
| Connector | XLR3M |
| Powering | Phantom 11–52 V |
| Weight | 207 g |
Specifications: Shure datasheet · 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
- FOH vocal
- Wireless handheld capsule
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 87C 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 87C’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
Not compared for the Shure Beta 87C: response curve not redrawn yet.
-
Shure
KSM9
- Same job: FOH vocal, wireless handheld capsule
- Same type: condenser (handheld)
- Switchable pattern — set it to cardioid
- Same form: handheld
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (152 vs 139 dB SPL)
-
Shure
Beta 87A
- Same job: FOH vocal, wireless handheld capsule
- Same type: condenser (handheld)
- Same form: handheld
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (140.5 vs 139 dB SPL)
- Supercardioid instead of cardioid — deepest rejection at ±126°, not 180°: check where the wedge sits
-
Shure
SM86
- Same job: FOH vocal
- Same type: condenser (handheld)
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: handheld
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
- Max SPL as high or higher (147 vs 139 dB SPL)
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.