Audio review
Shure SM58 Review: An SM57 With a Ball on It
One source calls the two microphones the same product with a different grille. That is close to true, and it explains both why this costs so little and why it lasts so long.
By Paulo GerchonPublished 2 min read
Photo: Laineema, CC BY 2.0
Shure
Shure SM58
Excellent · researched from 3 sources
The reason this microphone is on every stage in the world is that it does one job well, needs nothing to drive it, and survives being dropped. For a voice into a PA or a podcast, nothing at the price beats it.
- Buy if
- Live vocals, which is what it was designed for · Podcasting and spoken word on any interface · Anywhere the microphone will be handled, moved and knocked about
- Skip if
- Capturing fine detail on a quiet acoustic source · Kick drums and bass guitar, given the low-end rolloff · Studio vocals without a separate pop filter
We don’t list prices, because Amazon’s change hourly.
The same microphone, twice
Higher Hz says it directly: the SM58 and the SM57 are, for the most part, the same exact microphone. The difference is the ball grille and the pop filter inside it.
That is worth knowing because it settles the choice. The SM57's smaller grille lets you get the capsule closer to a snare drum or a guitar cabinet. The SM58's ball keeps a singer's plosives off the diaphragm and puts a fixed distance between mouth and capsule.
Buying for a voice, buy the 58. Buying for a snare, buy the 57. There is no third consideration.
Why it needs nothing
SoundGuys' most useful finding for anyone comparing microphones: at 150 ohms this requires neither phantom power nor much gain, and no separate preamplifier is necessary.
Set that against the SM7B, which Shure specifies at around 60 dB of gain and which most people end up pairing with an inline booster. Same brand, same dynamic principle, completely different practical requirement.
Plug this into anything with an XLR socket and it works.
The tuning is a decision, not a limitation
50 Hz to 15 kHz, with what SoundGuys describes as deliberate attenuation between 40 and 100 Hz.
That attenuation exists to fight proximity effect, the bass swell that appears when a singer moves within an inch of a directional microphone. Without it, a performer leaning in would boom.
Behind The Mixer describes the audible result as a brightened midrange that accentuates warmth and clarity on voices.
The corollary, which SoundGuys states plainly, is that kick drums and bass guitar will sound quiet through it relative to vocals and guitars. The microphone is designed not to hear that region well.
Where it stops
SoundGuys recommends a separate pop filter for studio work despite the built-in one, because the integral filter is designed for a singer at a live distance rather than a mouth two inches from the capsule.
They also note limited sensitivity for capturing intimate detail, and that better options exist for close-micing instruments. Higher Hz agrees a condenser is the right tool for acoustic guitar, while allowing the SM58 will do in an emergency without much sparkle or nuance.
The part everyone already knows
Higher Hz rates the build a perfect 5.0 and calls it one of the most robust microphones ever made.
Behind The Mixer, writing from live work, says the steel mesh head means it survives the occasional drop, and reports theirs holding up wonderfully.
SoundGuys describes a tapered metal chassis, a removable steel grille and an internal shock mount, and notes the design has been in production and proving itself for more than fifty years.
A microphone that costs very little, needs nothing to drive it, and survives being dropped off a stage is why this design has outlived nearly everything launched alongside it.
How it scored
The overall 9.0 is the weighted average of these five criteria — we never adjust it by hand.
Sound quality
SoundGuys describes deliberate bass attenuation from 40 to 100 Hz to fight proximity effect. Behind The Mixer credits the brightened midrange with warmth and clarity on voices.
Value
SoundGuys gives it an Editor's Choice. Higher Hz scored it a perfect 5.0 and lists nothing worth mentioning under drawbacks.
Build quality
Higher Hz calls it one of the most robust microphones ever made. Behind The Mixer says the steel mesh head means it survives the occasional drop.
Ease of use
SoundGuys notes it needs neither phantom power nor much gain at 150 ohms, so any interface or mixer drives it.
Off-axis rejection
A cardioid pattern that SoundGuys calls versatile and forgiving on placement, with Higher Hz crediting it with strong rejection from behind.
Pros and cons
What we liked
- SoundGuys says it needs neither phantom power nor much gain
- A built-in pop filter inside the ball grille, which the SM57 does not have
- Higher Hz rates the build a perfect 5.0 and calls it among the most robust ever made
- An internal shock mount that reduces handling noise on stage
- Bass rolled off from 40 to 100 Hz to counter proximity effect per SoundGuys
- A zipped pouch and a swivel stand adapter in the box
What we didn’t
- SoundGuys says a separate pop filter is still needed for studio work
- The 50 Hz to 15 kHz range means it will not capture deep low end
- SoundGuys notes limited sensitivity for capturing intimate detail
- Higher Hz says a condenser is the better choice for acoustic guitar
- There are better options for close-micing instruments per SoundGuys
Specifications
| Type | Dynamic, cardioid |
|---|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz to 15 kHz |
| Low end | Attenuated from 40 to 100 Hz to counter proximity effect per SoundGuys |
| Impedance | 150 ohms rated, 300 ohms actual per Higher Hz |
| Power | None required; no phantom power and little gain per SoundGuys |
| Grille | Removable spherical steel mesh with an integral pop filter |
| Shock mount | Internal |
| Included | Zipped pouch and a swivel stand adapter |
| Difference from the SM57 | The ball grille and its pop filter |
How we researched this
We have not had this unit on the bench. This review synthesises the manufacturer’s published specifications, independent measurements and owner reports listed below. Every figure on this page comes from one of those sources rather than our own measurement.
3
sources reviewed
SoundGuys supplies the frequency response detail including the deliberate low-end attenuation, the impedance and gain requirements, the accessory list and the criticisms about studio use and sensitivity, and gave it an Editor's Choice. Higher Hz supplies the SM57 comparison, the impedance figures and the build assessment, and scored it 5.0 with no drawbacks listed. Behind The Mixer is a live sound engineer's account and supplies the durability experience and the description of how the tuning suits voices. None of the three published a measured frequency response curve, so the response is described from their reports rather than plotted.
What we read
Common questions
What is the difference between the Shure SM58 and the SM57?
Do I need a preamp or phantom power?
Is it good for studio recording?
How does the frequency response affect what it records?
How tough is it really?
The bottom line on the Shure SM58
The reason this microphone is on every stage in the world is that it does one job well, needs nothing to drive it, and survives being dropped. For a voice into a PA or a podcast, nothing at the price beats it.
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