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Shure SM58 Reviews

5 4.5/5.0 based on 56 customer reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Jeff Barnett
Years ago, I was driving a pickup truck over-loaded with gear down a Texas highway en route to a gig. We hit a bump, our mic case flew open, and two SM58's bounced onto the pavement going 65 MPH. Amazingly, not only did the mic's still work, but their sound wasn't affected one bit (the grille, on the other hand...). Almost every gigging musician has a story like this, and that's part of what makes the SM58 an enduring classic!
Carson McClain
This is the mic I will be using after the nuclear holocaust happens because it will be one of the only things left on earth that still works.
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Customer Reviews


from Delaware
May 23, 2013Music Background:
Live sound , recording, Pro musician, guitar tech,Blues , classic rock guitarist

Industry standard SM58 & SM57

Its not called the Industry standard for nothing, Every sound company rely on them not just because its a road worthy mic. They work well and sound good. Don't make the mistake and go beta, its not the same mic at all. For live use, there are mic's that have more power and claim more gain before feedback, but you just end up turning the channel trin down lower. I'm a firm believer of using all the same mic's. with all 57 and 58's you'll get less bleed over and phasing problems. Like with most music gear Tube guitar amps included, NOS tubes etc. They got it right the first time around. as the saying goes , if it ain't broke , don't fix it.!

from Crofton, MD
May 14, 2013Music Background:
Vocalist, amateur performer

Great with a Bose PA

When used with a Fender Passport Pro PA I thought it picked up too much sibilance or breathiness. I like the Shure 55 or Super 55 for a more mellow sound. But with the Bose L1 Compact the Shure SM 58 sounds great, just like I do in my head!

from Calhoun, GA USA
April 21, 2013Music Background:
Recording and Live Engineer

Shure SM58

Awesome mic for the money.

from Long Island, New York
March 18, 2013

SM58 Shure - is nice!

Speaks for itself......loud and clear

from GOTHENBERG, NE USA
March 12, 2013Music Background:
LEAD SINGER-SONGWRITER

THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN CLARITY

WE HAVE BEEN USING AUDIO-TECHNICA BRAND MIC'S (THEIR HIGHER END BRAND) FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS....
WE'VE KNOWN SHURE MIC'S FOREVER......THOUGHT I WOULD SEE IF I COULD NOTICE A DIFFERENCE......THERE IS A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE IN CLARITY...REPOSNSE.....AND THEY DO NOT POP AS MUCH. BUY THESE AND SAVE YOURSELF SOME GRIEF!!!

from Honolulu, HI
January 30, 2013Music Background:
Gigging Musician, Singer, Producer

Not to be overlooked

Great mic, gets the job done. I had one as a workhorse mic for years, until one day I forgot it at a gig. To replace it, I picked up a Beta 58a. While I was amazed by the feedback rejection and extra crispness of the Beta, I have to say that I miss the SM58. It was just so easy to sing into—if the performance is there, the SM58 will capture it without getting in the way. Every sound man and singer should have at least one.

from Huntsville Alabama
January 19, 2013

Classic Microphone

Yes, there are "better" microphones for vocals. You will be hard pressed to find something that sounds as good and tolerates abuse so well. So many out there that sound techs know how to use them whereas the "holy grail" microphones not so much. A wonderful idiot resistant microphone.

from South Georgia
January 16, 2013Music Background:
Sound / Parent of vocalist

Solid Mic

Just what I expected from a mic with a long running and great reputation.

from DeKalb il.
December 26, 2012Music Background:
Recording an live sound engineer

Sm58

Does this mic really need any more reviews?
Sturdy as a brick and actually useable!
I've heard of people taking the mic off of a stand in a live set-up, using it to hammer in an exposed nail on the stage, and then put it right back up on the stand for the following show. The thing can take a beating. I believe the durability tests that Shure put this mic through involved dropping it out of a multi-story window.
And as far as sound quality goes, It's useable! Not great, but certainly not bad. I know singers who refuse to sing through anything else, on stage or recording. As a previous reviewer stated, If the performance is there, this mic won't get in the way.
In my opinion if you're involved in live sound OR recording, you should have at least one of these.

from Mahwah, NJ USA
November 27, 2012Music Background:
Sound engeerer

The Shure SM58

The stage mic for vocals

from Highlands, Texas
November 20, 2012Music Background:
Live Sound

Still the best!

Sturdy and dependable as always!

from Anchorage, AK USA
October 18, 2012Music Background:
Pro

like an old shoe....

I'm not going to tell you this will get you a record deal. I'm not going to tell you that you'll look good posing with it. I'm not going to tell you it's the big deal. I'm not going to tell you that this is the one just so you can tell everyone you own one. .....that said- I am going to tell you, like the geyser in yellowstone, it's old faithful. When you grab it, it's always there, always the same, always reliable, always sounds great, always WORKS. Face it, we all have a lot to worry about- gate, equipment, dates, on and one...but one thing you'll never have to think about is your mics. Can you place a value on that? Get it. Go for what works..always works. Don't reinvent the wheel

from San Antonio
October 17, 2012Music Background:
Keyboard and leading small choral group

Shure Mics

Great microphones! We always use Shure - they're as reliable as a good truck.

from Swarthmore, PA
September 25, 2012Music Background:
Musician.

Classic

THE classic live vocal mic. Inexpensive, tough as nails, and best of all sounds GREAT.

from San Diego
September 12, 2012Music Background:
Live

Its a 58! Nuf said

It came new. What else needs to be said about an industry standard mic? Its a work horse.

Yo send me some candy!

from Anaheim.CA
August 17, 2012Music Background:
Musician

Works Great

My brother recommended it for live performances. He's a sound engineer and he was right!

from Mahomet, Illinois
August 6, 2012Music Background:
NA

Excellent microphones

The Shure sm58 mics are truly excellent quality I purchased them for use in our church and they replaced some cheaply made mics we had been using for some time. These will last longer and perform better I am certain.

from
July 21, 2012Music Background:
Rockabilly

Gotta Love It!!

Classic clean and simple, these suckahs last forever!

from
July 21, 2012

The Best

GREAT MIC!!!! Very good price! GREAT SERVICE!!!!

from Chicago, Illinois
July 20, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist

Shure SM58

Takes abuse well. When you yell in to it, it doesn't talk back. When you smack it with a drum stick and knock it off the stand, it doesn't take a swing back at you. It just lays there waiting for you to pick it up. I LIKE it! No dents, no bruises, just performance.

from United States
July 20, 2012Music Background:
hobbity-bobbity

SM = single mic

If you can only buy 1 mic, buy this one. Although known primarily as a live vocal mic, it can be used to do just about anything in a pinch. If I would have bought one of these instead of the $30 special when I first started recording I would have saved myself a lot of grief. I have 2 now -- YAY!

from Cable, WI
July 19, 2012Music Background:
Senior Pastor

Great Mic

This is the industry standard for this type of mic

from
June 26, 2012

Good, dependable, and tough.

Good, dependable, and tough... all at a reasonable price.

from OH
June 23, 2012Music Background:
musician/singer hobbyist

SM58

great name with Shure, good bundle price with Sweetwater, includes on-off switch! Recommend

from United States
June 5, 2012Music Background:
Musician, Vocalist

Most Excellent Standard

Excellent response and the ONLY mic I use for live gigs.

from St. Louis, MO
May 31, 2012Music Background:
Live Performer

Good All Around Mic

Great little mic. Good tone and true sound. Can't go wrong for the price. I'll pick up a few more just to have them for live performances.

from
May 30, 2012Music Background:
Live sound, and recording studio work.

GREAT!

Great service and sound. Quality products with perfect price. Couldn't be better. :)

from Cole Harbour Nova Scotia Canada
May 29, 2012Music Background:
50 year entertainer/studio Bass Player

Best LIVE Stage Mic..

If I was ordering this mic again I would consider the SM-58S Model..I have several SM-58 mics. I use them in the Studio and in Live Stage applications....

from
April 30, 2012

adequate

so far everything works-that is all the matters

from
February 23, 2012Music Background:
Musician

Great product as usual.

The Shure SM58 is a dependable and proven item that I continually choose to meet my needs.

from I live in a van down by the river
February 13, 2012Music Background:
Pro Part Time Musician

Muddy

I had one and dumped it shortly after. Cheap. You get what you paid for. Why drive a Pinto when you can own a Cadillac? Spring for the Shure Beta 58A instead and you'll be a whole lot happier.

from Kalamazoo, MI
February 9, 2012Music Background:
Worship Coordinator

A real workhorse

This mic measures up to it's reputation. You could hammer nails in with this thing and it would still give you great sound quality. We use only these mics on our worship team and they stand up to the test. You can't beat these microphones, especially if your on a budget.

from Florence, CO
January 24, 2012Music Background:
Pastor since 1987

Tried and True SM58

Always excellent and very reliable.

from Colorado Mountains
January 20, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist

SM58

Only issue is that there is no on/off switch. Great Mic

from Kumasi Ghana
January 18, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Mixer

Must Have Live Mic

Lead vocalist in my live band drops expensive wireless mics for these 58s.

from Canton, IL USA
January 2, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist, Student

Clear Voice

Wow! I recorded a friend, who wants to be a big time Christian artist, and when I went to edit the recordings, they were sooooo clear! I used an SM57 for his acoustic guitar. Smartest desicion I made. WOW!

from san luis obispo Ca.
December 18, 2011Music Background:
singer songwriter performer

love SM58

I love the classic Shure SM58 mic, great live mic!
stvincentfolk.bandcamp.com

from New York
November 16, 2011Music Background:
Student,Music Producer

Great Mic

I use the SM58 for voice-over and vocals. Adds warmth to the vocals

from Toms River, New Jersey
October 6, 2011Music Background:
Went to Juliard for awhile for guitar but switched to Bass :)

My New Shure 58's

I've been playing with Bands a long time now and I had ONE Shure 58
but I did at one time have a high impedence rig. Anyway, I finally got sold on the 58's with my new Berhringer package. I really am Blown away with 3 Shure 58's and stands through that particular PA is incredible! I'm really Happy now! Thanx Sweetwater.

from
July 26, 2011

What can I say?

Rock solid.

from Pennsylvania
July 22, 2011Music Background:
play for the fun of it.. at least i sound good to myself.. :)

shure sm58 mic

The mic is great, Has a great sound. I use it thru my amp and use a harmonizer while i play keyboard.

from Columbia city, Indiana
July 22, 2011Music Background:
Hobbyist

Shure is nice!

You know what we all want, good price, reliability, and great quality. Then you buy it from Sweetwater for no hassle service.

from Bergen County, NJ, USA
December 29, 2010

Best Mic In The World

I have literally used my SM58 as a hammer. This thing is a tank. But durability is meaningless if the mic doesn't sound good. No need to worry about that, because this thing sounds like a dream. Most of my band members prefer the Beta 58, which I understand because the Beta has a hotter output. However, this mic is so versatile that I wouldn't trade this for any other dynamic mic at this price range.

Except maybe the SM57.

from Covington, GA
December 7, 2010Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer.

Can't beat it...LITERALLY

Durable. Dependable. Dynamic.
One thing though, $99.00 is not a sales price. Everywhere you look, almost everyone sells this mic for $99.00. I purchased 8 of them over the last five years, and they have always been $99.00 new. The benefit with ordering from Sweetwater is that there is no shipping fee and depending on what your order is and where you are located, no sales tax.

from NY, NY USA
November 4, 2010Music Background:
Live Sound.

Amazing Mic for an amazing price.

You get much more than what you pay for with this mic. The sound quality is amazing!

from NJ
May 21, 2010Music Background:
Piano player, singer/songwriter

Best Live Mic

I've been using this mic for 4 years and it has never disappointed me. It is about the most used live vocal mic and is amazing. It has amazing clarity and works great. If you take care of it it never breaks and it always a great addition to any live system.

from Colorado
May 4, 2010Music Background:
Semi-Pro Guitarist and recording Musician

30 Years and still Rocking

I have used a lot of different mic's over the past 30 years and only my Shure Sm57's and 58's are still delivering while the others have had to be repaired several times. By far both the 57 and 58's have stood the test of time through live gigs and studio work for me, they have been dropped, soaked and beaten and have not quit on me yet. In fact I'll be adding a few more to my new home studio. If you want great quality and durability then you have to own a couple if these, I swear they won't let you down

from Kansas
October 21, 2008Music Background:
semi pro musician

Great Microphone

I have used this mic for over 25 yrs. and, never had a problem. All the vocalists in my band use these mics and, also never a problem. what more can be said, It's like an old friend always there for ya.
There may be other mics that will perform as well as the 58 and, it may be only a personal preference but, the 58 has always come through.

from Ireland
October 13, 2008Music Background:
Home Recording

Sure SM58

Thye Sure SM56 was great in the 1970's that was 30 + years a go. Time has moved on. Try the sure beta 87 and listen !!!

from Garland,Texas USA
September 20, 2008Music Background:
Songwriter / Bassist / Vocalist / Hobbyist / Student / Home Recordist

SM58 A solid 10!

I have bought this mic cause of all the greats that use this it. I listen to bands like Staind, Slipknot, Stone Sour, The Misfits (W/ and w/o Danzig), and tons of other metal and hard rock and grunge bands. I love it's durability, sound, and more importantly the price. How can you NOT own a Shure SM58 or SM57 and call yourself a studio???
This mic is tailor made for metal growling vocalists and the pop-py princesses that we all love to hate.
And none of it would be possible without a SM58 a staple in my mic closet, in my arsenal, and in my sound. Pick one up and see why it is the undisputed king of live vocals. I DARE YOU to disagree that this mic DOESN'T pay for itself.

from Campbellsville, KY
April 10, 2007Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer

Solid workhorse

The SM58 is a legend in the live sound industry. It's reptuation is not without merit. It's solid, reliable and can double as a hammer when necessary. It's cheap, every live sound pro should have several standing by at all times.

from Washington D.C.
October 4, 2006Music Background:
Live sound engineer

Best budget dynamic microphone on the planet!

This Microphone is built!
Shure Brothers out did themselves when they came up with this little gem, If you are a stage performer, or just a hobbyist and have a budget to stick to, you wont go wrong owning this piece of equipment.
I have seen this microphone thrown, dropped, stepped on, driven over and even dropped in a toilet. The darn thing just keeps on working.
And if it stops working for what ever reason, The people at Shure will do everything in their power to get you on the road again!

If you are looking for a great priced, Awesome sounding, road worthy microphone, look no further, this microphone will become a family heirloom you give to your children's children.

from New Jersey, USA
September 20, 2006Music Background:
Semi-pro musician

You may not have thought of this reason to buy an SM-58

The SM-58 is too well known as an industry workhorse to need further elaboration here. However, I saw an article in Acoustic Guitar magazine some time back that pointed out an important reason for owning one that hadn't occurred to me.

Their point: Because the SM-58 is so popular, most venues use them. Which means that unless you bring your own microphone to every gig, sooner or later you are going to have to use an SM-58. So you might as well get started right away in learning how to sound good through one.

from san Leandro Ca
September 11, 2006Music Background:
recording enginer w/ BA

YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ONE YET?

AGAIN LIKE THE 57 YOU GOTTA HAVE THESE. GOOD MIC CLEAR AND TAKES A BEATING. TO SUM THIS MIC UP I WILL PUT IT OUT THERE... SO YOU ALL KNOW OF U2 THE BAND. EVERY SINGLE SONG RECORDED WITH THAT BAND THEY USE A 58 ON THE VOCAL. NONE OF THESE 50000DOLLAR TUBE MICS, SIMPLE 58. WHY? BECAUSE IT WORKS AND ALWAYS GIVES THAT SAME LOVABLE SOUND SO MANY ARE USED TO HEARING .

from Bellingham, WA
July 15, 2006Music Background:
Semi-pro musician/recording engineer

I keep coming back to it

I've given other microphones in the same price range, (and even some that are pricier) an honest test drive, but I just keep coming back to my SM58. Some of the competitors have a lot more definition and are more sensitive, etc. - but to a fault. I can get right up on this mic and sing as loud as I can and it doesn't get harsh like my other mics do. So, until I find something I like better (and I doubt I will), I will keep on using my SM58.

from Bedford, England
April 12, 2006

SM58 - great all round mic

The Shure SM58 is one of the most recognisable microphones in the world – and for good reason. It is the main stay of many a hire companies microphone hire stock, including mine. Practically unbreakable, and if you do manage to drop it from a high stage / skyscraper, you can also buy a replacement pop shield. Very suited to rock, or other musical styles that need powerful vocals. Make sure your singers lips are touching the pop shield to get the best results, though, unless they have very good mic technique. The proximity effect (increase in bass when you sing or talk close to the mic) makes this important. If the singer is a foot away from an SM58, the chances are they will sound thin, and you will also have gain before feedback issues...


Sonically the response has a nice presence peak in the upper mid range, but the top end rolls off quickly after that. Opinion is split about whether that is a good or a bad thing – it helps keep a lid on feedback, but it doesnt sound as hi-fi as some other mics. I have had some singers complain that their vocal top end is not quite right - sometimes asking for more top end. I guess they are used to the sound of expensive condenser mics on their recordings. My solution is normally to give them another mic, like a Beta 58, or Beta 87a maybe, rather than use EQ. If you A/B test an SM58 verses these mics it will always lose. But it can still be a better mic in some cases, such as when you are looking for a cardioid rather than hyper-cardioid response (the SM58 has a cardioid response, which means it has a wider pickup pattern at the front). But most vocalists will be more than happy with the sound the SM58 gives.


The SM58 also does a pretty good job on drums (not really bass drum), and other loud things like guitar cabs. It uses the same capsule as the SM57, one of the best mics for guitar cabs.


In conclusion, yes there are a lot of mics that sound better, and some of these are quite a bit cheaper – but ask yourself the question are they as durable as an SM58, and if you are a professional, will your clients want to use a mic they have never heard of?


Take care,
Justin Miller

Shure SM58

Dynamic Vocal Microphone with Cardioid Pickup Pattern and 50Hz-15kHz Frequency Response

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Fort Wayne, IN 46818
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