As a vocalist trying to get the best sound you can, you have two assets to work with: your voice and the mic you use to capture it. While nailing down your vocal performance is the result of proper technique honed over countless hours of practice, getting the best mic to go with it is the result of one good choice. Lucky for you, Shure and Sweetwater make that second part easy, providing you with a broad range of options and information that will help you make the right decision. Whether you need something wired or wireless, onstage or in the studio, you can count on Shure microphones.

Performing live is all about stage presence, and for many of us, that means cutting the cord and stepping out from behind the mic stand. True wireless freedom doesn't just mean ditching the mic cable — it means finding a system that won't mangle your sound or make you worry about dropout destroying your show.

As real-world performers and live-sound techs, the staff at Sweetwater totally get that, which is why we're happy to recommend Shure wireless microphone systems. The only question is which system is best for you. Fortunately, we've put together a complete comparison chart detailing each Shure wireless platform, making it easy to get a broad overview of your options. Before you dig into specific features, there are some general considerations you'll want to go over.

Handheld mics are the premier choice for vocals. Their large elements and robust electronics make them far more capable of capturing subtleties and overtones than mini mics, and they bring out the life in your voice. Think about it: you wouldn't use a mini mic on vocals in the studio — they just don't sound as good as larger mics.

Handheld mics come in dynamic and condenser configurations. When it comes to volume, dynamic mics are more forgiving than condensers, and they're significantly more durable. Condensers offer greater detail and tend to flatter singers who have higher or broader than average registers.

While handheld mics require a free hand to use, they offer dedicated vocalists a certain degree of control you can't get from your voice alone. Proper handheld mic technique includes being able to move the microphone freely to adjust for changes in volume. This lets singers perform with natural dynamic expression, without running the risk of overloading the mic.

If you play and sing, then a headset mic is probably the best wireless option for you. Shure makes some amazing headset mics, such as their Beta 54, that offer both hands-free use and amazing sound. With headset mics, there's a bit of give and take between bulk and performance. In general, models with larger elements such as the '54 sound better; whereas the mini earset mics such as the MX line are nearly invisible onstage.

One additional consideration to bear in mind is whether to go with a cardioid or omnidirectional microphone. Omni mics provide you with a more natural sound, but with the tradeoff of picking up a lot of off-axis sound. If you keep to center stage, away from loud sound sources and monitor wedges, and stay well behind the mains, you'll probably be all right with an omni mic. If your stage show demands greater mobility (or if you play drums), then don't risk it — go with a cardioid model instead.

Lavaliers are generally considered the go-to mic solution for presentation, lecturing, and video, but they aren't usually considered great for vocals. However, these small, ultra-discreet mics have their place onstage, and many performers have used them to good effect. Lavs are particularly useful for musical theater and other applications where even earset mics are too visible.

Just as with headset and earset mics, lavaliers come in omnidirectional and cardioid models, with the same essential acoustical tradeoffs. The other consideration is where you want to position the mic and how you want to position it. For theatrical applications that don't generally include stage monitors, omnidirectional lavs will be more forgiving about placement, allowing you to hide them in hair or in obscure places in costumes. Cardioid lavs may be a bit more challenging to place, but if feedback is an issue, then they'll always be the better choice.

While analog wireless systems have largely fallen out of favor, they still have some noteworthy merits to them. For starters, despite the lowering cost of digital wireless, analog systems such as Shure's BLX line start at a lower price point. Analog systems also offer greater transmission distances than their digital counterparts.

More importantly is that the same thing that causes analog systems to sometimes be noisy or susceptible to interference also makes them forgiving. If there's a bit of interference in the frequency range, analog signal may degrade a little, but it won't cut out. Often, the effect is so minimal, you won't even hear it in a live environment. Digital signal is all or nothing, and if it cuts out, then it cuts out completely.

Between the DTV changes of the late 2000s and the ever shifting/congesting wireless transmission range, digital wireless has been an absolute lifesaver. Not only does digital wireless pack more, better-defined channels into more limited bandwidth, most digital systems feature the kind of redundancy and agility that make them nearly bulletproof.

On top of reliability and bandwidth benefits, digital wireless microphone systems such as Shure's GLX-D and QLX-D lines sound amazing. Since they don't have to rely on compansion (a combination of compression and expansion) to limit dynamic range for the purpose of decreasing bandwidth, digital wireless includes full 24-bit dynamics and lossless audio quality. The result is clearer, more natural sound than what you can expect from most comparable analog systems.

One last thing about choosing a wireless microphone platform is that you'll want to consider how many simultaneous systems you'll want to run at a time. One of the things you pay for when you invest in a more expensive system is refined frequency management. The better the frequency management, the greater number of systems you get per band.

For instance, Shure's ultra-affordable BLX platform can handle up to 12 compatible systems under ideal conditions. That's perfect for a small band playing in a small venue. However, if you need to mic the halftime show in a football arena, then you're better off with a UHF-R setup that can handle dozens of systems per band. No matter what you need now, it's a good idea to look to the future. If you invest in a system that can more than handle your current needs, then you'll be all set when your system has to grow.

Ever since around 1970, when engineers in Las Vegas fell in love with this virtually indestructible mic, the Shure SM58 has made more appearances onstage than any other microphone in the history of live music. While this king of the stage is known far and wide for virtual indestructibility, surviving everything from full submersion and multistory falls to flagrant abuse such as serving as a stand-in for a hammer, that's not what makes the '58 so special.

What popularized the SM58 in the first place is its frequency response, which features a relatively flat curve that tapers off low-end boom and has a pronounced spike in the upper mids, which is where vocal articulation lives. The result is a fairly neutral sound that allows most voices to carve through dense acoustics. And although it's universally known for its place onstage, it's important to note that the "SM" in SM58 stands for "Studio Microphone." Simply put: no mic locker should be without at least one SM58.

Built as a kind of successor to the classic SM58, the Beta 58A is a tough handheld dynamic mic that's as ready for the stage as it is the studio. It differs from the original '58 in a few important ways that are worth noting. First, the Beta 58A features a tighter supercardioid polar pattern. This trades a minute amount of rear and side rejection for a significantly tighter front pickup area, making it well suited for high stage volumes, provided you don't crank up the stage wedges too much.

The other major difference between the Beta 58A and the SM58 is the Beta 58A's use of a rare-earth neodymium magnet. Although it performs similarly in upper mids and highs, where the SM58 shines, this lighter magnet gives the Beta 58A more flexible bass response. That's particularly noticeable when it comes to the way it handles proximity effect, allowing you to greatly vary the low-end character of your voice just by controlling the distance between the mic and your mouth.

This chart is a graphic representation of the different frequency responses between the SM58 and the Beta 58A. As we mentioned before, these mics are very similar in the upper registers, but if you look around 6kHz to 8kHz, you'll see that the Beta 58A has less of a frequency dip and a more consistent upper end. Sonically, the difference is subtle, with the Beta 58A offering more air/brilliance and the SM58 rounding off some potentially sibilant highs.

The greater differences between the two mics in in the lower range. While the SM58 does display some proximity effect (not shown), boosting bass the closer you get it from your mouth, the lightweight neodymium magnet in the Beta 58A vastly increases this characteristic, particularly around 200Hz to 400Hz. Some vocalists love this about the Beta 58A, since it allows them to thicken up their voices and change their timbre on the fly. Other vocalists prefer the greater stability of the SM58.

The quintessential dialog mic, the Shure SM7B is a fixture of broadcast studios and voice-over suites everywhere. However, it's also one of the greatest dynamic studio vocal mics ever made. As a vocal mic, the SM7B is particularly well known for the way it handles male singers with low registers. If you want to invoke that soothing, sonorous Berry White effect, then this is the mic for you.

On the flip side, some of us have discovered that the SM7B is an absolutely amazing mic for female singers, especially those with thinner soprano registers. Condenser mics are often less than flattering to these singers, rendering their voices harsh and brittle. That's where the SM7B's natural bass resonance can fill out vocals, leaving you with results that come much closer to the way the singer sounds when you're in the same room with her.

Talk about an iconic mic! When you think about the great crooners, jazz singers, and rock 'n' roll heroes of the '50s and '60s, this is the mic that comes to mind. Its chrome grille is instantly recognizable and really sets the vibe onstage. As much as it's a fantastic prop, the Super 55 Deluxe (an aesthetic re-creation of the 1939 Model 55) is also a fabulous mic in its own right.

As far as sound is concerned, the Super 55 Deluxe is impressively flat. It has a delightfully smooth, forgiving, and natural sound, and the integrated shockmount means you can dance with the mic stand, without worrying about handling noise. What's more, the Super 55 Deluxe's tight supercardioid polar pattern makes it a real winner onstage.

Shure's KSM8 Dualdyne is the new kid on the block, not just because it's a relatively recent release, but also because it pushes the very envelope of dynamic mic design. In the first place, it's one of the few dual-diaphragm dynamic mics on the planet. However, it's the in-line configuration of the diaphragms that gives it its unique characteristics.

This suspended capsule is so neutral-sounding and consistent, it's almost unsettling. There's no discernible proximity effect whatsoever, which makes the KSM8 Dualdyne a great choice for studio work when you may have to track vocals over multiple days. And unless you drop it or bang on the thing, you never need to worry about handling noise.

Possibly the best known and most loved handheld condenser microphone on the planet, the Shure Beta 87 brings the kind of clarity usually associated with studio production to the stage. The Beta 87 comes in two flavors, the supercardioid Beta 87A and the cardioid Beta 87C. Aside from the polar patterns, which let you choose what's best for your stage setup, both models are extremely similar.

In our experience, Sweetwater engineers have found that Beta 87s stand out the most on vocalists with an extended dynamic range, since they pick up quiet subtleties while withstanding punishing volumes with ease. What's more, the Beta 87 line shares all the durability you'd expect from a Shure stage mic. If you're at all hesitant to take a condenser onstage, then this mic is sure to change your mind.

Shure's KSM32 demonstrates the virtues of a large-diaphragm, permanently biased electret condenser mic. As opposed to traditional dual-diaphragm capacitive mics, the KSM's relatively simple design keeps the elements light and the electronics minimal. Its signal is clear and clean, and its frequency response includes noticeable presence peaks at 7kHz and 10kHz, where the quality of airiness lives. This lets the KSM32 add vitality to dark or poorly defined vocals.

As for versatility, the onboard sound-shaping options are why the KSM32 is one of the few fixed-pattern mics regularly called a workhorse mic. The unusually robust -15dB pad and 3-position roll-off complement the KSM32's extremely low noise. What's more, an integrated 3-layer pop filter makes it a first-call studio mic for vocals.

If you want truly exquisite, studio-quality vocal sound onstage, then the Shure KSM9 is the handheld condenser mic for you. There are plenty of unique aspects to the KSM9, not the least of which is the switchable cardioid/supercardioid polar pattern. In either setting, this mic offers exceptional gain before feedback, and the minimal proximity effect keeps your voice smooth and steady, without relying heavily on your mic technique.

When it comes to sound, the KSM9 has a lot going for it. There's a natural low-frequency roll-off starting around 100Hz and a noticeable airiness that gets progressively more noticeable beginning around 7kHz. Other than that, the KSM9 is more or less perfectly flat, giving your voice room to breathe. In the hands of a seasoned performer, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better live vocal mic than this.

Here's a darling of the pro recording industry: the Shure KSM44A. This multi-pattern condenser mic leaves nothing to be desired. You'll deal with minimal self-noise and harmonic distortion, enjoying extended dynamic range and the transparency of high-performance Class A preamplifier technology.

That's right, there's an impressive little Prethos Advanced Preamplifier onboard the KSM44A, delivering extra juice to the output and forcing your channel preamps to do a whole lot less work. Other highlights include an integrated 3-stage pop filter (always a nice feature in a vocal mic) and a 3-position bass roll-off to manage proximity effect at the source. What's more, the KSM44A features an integrated subsonic filter, so when that semi rolls down the street just as you nail the perfect take, you won't have to scrap the track or waste your time fixing it in the mix.

It's an absolute mystery why this particular mic is so frequently overlooked, but the Shure KSM42 is one of the true unsung heroes of the recording industry. Actually, "unsung" isn't right — singing is exactly what this large-diaphragm condenser was made for. For the KSM42, the name of the game is consistency. Whether you're 6" or 2' from the mic, you'll get ruler-flat frequency response between 200Hz and 2kHz. Beyond that, there's a gentle down slope in the lows and an equally gentle up slope in the highs — nothing too pronounced.

The KSM42 achieves this effect by combining an externally biased diaphragm and a passive diaphragm. By definition, this consistency means there's no proximity effect to begin with. At the same time, the KSM42's fixed cardioid polar pattern is remarkably broad. You have to get the better part of 60º off-axis before there's any noticeable loss of volume. Ultimately, if you or the singers you work with tend to move around a lot, then you're going to get a lot of mileage out of your KSM42.

You don't need to mortgage your home to record, or go into debt just to play out. With Shure's PGA series, it's more affordable than ever to get real Shure quality for a price everyone can justify. This series covers a wide range of Shure favorites, from handheld dynamics to studio-style condensers.

For instance, if you need to outfit the band with a set of live vocal mics, but you have to keep the budget low, then you'll want to check out the PGA58. This mic has all the hallmarks of the legendary SM58, including the capacity to take the abuse of regular gigging. Likewise, the PGA27 delivers the distinct qualities of the SM27 side-address condenser. If it's time to upgrade your vocal mic, then you definitely need to consider this one.