The OM7 is a dynamic microphone that uses a hyper cardioid pick up pattern to maximize gain before feedback. This is not your typical handheld vocal mic. For starters, it's not like a SM58 that can be used for almost anything. The hyper cardioid pickup pattern really helps this mic earn its paycheck in loud, live, stage performances. It offers clarity in its wide frequency response range (48Hz - 19kHz) but also has a lower gain structure than other handheld vocal mics. This actually has an SPL rating of 144dB while an SM58 for instance is off the charts. It is recommended that these are used with higher end consoles with lots of headroom in the faders to get the best performance from this mic.