Shure
Beta 98H/C
Small-diaphragm condenser · Cardioid · 20–20,000 Hz · a rider regular
- Clamps onto a horn bell or a drum rim, with the gooseneck and a ratcheting swivel built into the clamp.
- The WB98H/C version ends in a TA4F plug for Shure bodypack transmitters instead of the in-line preamp and 25 ft cable.
- Its spec sheet calls the pattern supercardioid in the feature list but cardioid in the specification table; the user guide and product page both say cardioid.
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 98H/C 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 98H/C |
| Type | Small-diaphragm condenser |
| Form factor | Clip-on |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency range | 20–20,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 1.6 mV/Pa · -56.0 dBV/Pa |
| Max SPL | 155 dB SPL (1 % THD; 1 kHz, 1 kΩ load, typical; Shure's product page adds 163 dB at 2.5 kΩ) |
| Self-noise | 31 dB(A) |
| Impedance | 150 Ω (output) |
| Connector | TA4F to RPM626 in-line preamp (XLR3M); WB98H/C variant TA4F for bodypacks |
| Powering | Phantom 11–52 V (phantom 11–52 V (via the RPM626 in-line preamp)) |
| Weight | 65 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 | Mid |
|---|---|
| Introduced | — not recorded |
Price tier and “a rider regular” are MicSense’s own judgement, not the maker’s.
What it gets used for
- Horn / brass
- Toms
- Wireless bodypack 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 98H/C 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 98H/C’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
Not compared for the Shure Beta 98H/C: response curve not redrawn yet.
-
Sennheiser
e 908
- Same job: horn / brass
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: clip-on
- ≈ 8 dB more output — about 8 dB less gain
- Check: Max SPL 8 dB lower (147 vs 155 dB SPL) — check it on horn / brass
-
DPA
4099 CORE
- Same job: horn / brass, toms, wireless bodypack capsule
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Same form: clip-on
- Supercardioid instead of cardioid — deepest rejection at ±126°, not 180°: check where the wedge sits
- ≈ 12 dB more output — about 12 dB less gain
- Check: Powered from a wireless bodypack — on a cable it needs the maker’s phantom adapter
- Check: Max SPL 17 dB lower (138 vs 155 dB SPL) — check it on horn / brass
-
Shure
Beta 98AMP
- Same job: toms
- Same type: condenser (small diaphragm)
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: clip-on
- ≈ 6 dB more output — about 6 dB less gain
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.