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Shure SM58 Review: Microphone Features, Pros, and Cons

Shure SM58 MIcrophone Review

Shure is a brand that has been producing quality microphones for many years. These microphones are of good quality and very well built for recording voice, instrumentals, vocals, and music tunes. The brand has made its name by serving quality and trust among its customers by selling products like Shure SM58.

The Shure SM58 is an amazing mic that is developed by Shure out of a rugged body. This is one of the most popularly known microphones, which is mostly used in studios for recording vocals. It is a microphone that is mostly used by singers, celebrities, Presidents during a speech, or Pop Idols.

In this post, I have done an in-depth microphone Shure SM58 Review with features, performance, pros, cons, and much more.

Shure SM58 Microphone Review

The Shure SM58-CN Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with 25' XLR Cable, Pneumatic Shock Mount, Spherical Mesh Grille with Built-in Pop Filter, A25D Mic Clip, Storage Bag, 3-pin XLR Connector has a world standard tailored vocal response for the sounds. The microphone comes with a shock mount system over a rugged body construction. At the top of the mic, there is a mesh grill made of steel and chrome shine to give an amazing look and feel.

Shure SM58-CN Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with 25' XLR Cable, Pneumatic Shock Mount, Spherical Mesh Grille with Built-in Pop Filter, A25D Mic Clip, Storage Bag, 3-pin XLR Connector
  • EXEPTIONAL VOCAL PERFORMANCE - The SM58-CN delivers high-quality vocal...
  • INDUSTRY STANDARD - The first choice for performers around the globe, the SM58...
  • CLARITY & CARE - The uniform cardioid polar pattern reproduces every note as it...
  • LEAVE BACKGROUND NOISE BEHIND - The SM58 has a spherical mesh grille and...
  • DROP THE MIC - The durable construction and break-resistant stand adapter makes...

This mic is used anywhere due to its versatility to record indoors and outdoors for any speech or singing purpose to record quality vocals.

The popularity of this mic is due to its clarity of sound and good adjustment in order to provide quality streaming content as well as great to use for podcasting. This diversifies the mic to be usable in several conditions.

Shure SM58 is the dynamic vocal microphone made for those who are just starting out in the studio recordings or vocals. It is one of the most recommended Shure microphones.

Shure SM58 does have the frequency response of 50Hz to 20kHz which is ideal as this is the dynamic microphone with the cardioid polar pattern. The noise cancellation of the microphone is impressive when you record vocals in the studio.

Features of SM58 Microphone

To know more about this microphone, I have shared few features that make this mic pretty amazing to use. These features are shared below with some details.

Shockmount

When you talk about the shock mount provided with this mic, it helps to absorb any unwanted noise that is caused while handling the mic or when you shake it while singing or recording vocals. The Pneumatic shock-mount removes all kinds of vibration from the mic and provides a clear mic audio recording.

Pop Filter

There is a pop filter on the top of the mic in the spherical mesh grill that keeps out any unwanted sound of the wind or environmental sounds to record and input clear audio into the microphone.

Due to this pop filter, the mic is only able to record a nearby sound, such as the person speaking or singing in front of it.

Audio Capturing

The mic has been made with so much attention that it is for sure to handle the voice with clarity and clear sound.

It has a uniform cardioid polar pattern that allows the mic to reproduce every tune or sound as it was intended leaving the background noise far behind. Due to this, the mic has a very great sound quality recording which is why it is used in many fields.

Build Quality

The construction of this mic is of metal body with a mesh chrome grill, which makes a little heavy but durable microphone to be used for the long journey.

Even if you pack the mic with you to take it out somewhere, it has a break-resistant stand adapter with durable body finishing that keeps the mic strong through the toughest performances.

Sound Quality

The mic is very reliable to record audio and any sound, such as vocals because it clearly records the nearby sound and ignores background noise with a pop filter.

The robust sound with good bass can be recorded with this microphone at maximum isolation from other sources. The mic was designed as a Dynamic vocal microphone to record quality audio and for a studio recording with clarity.

Personal Experience

As far as my personal experience with mics is concerned, I look for three basic things in a microphone that satisfies my level of satisfaction from a mic. These three things are the quality of the mic, the consistency of the mic, and its durability.

Talking about Shure SM58, we get all these features in this microphone which is why I would say this is one of the best microphones that can be used globally for recording vocals and audio.

This Dynamic Vocal Microphone has a smooth, mid-frequency rise for the adjustment of sound that is backed up with a Uniform cardioid pickup pattern isolating the background music and the main audio source to produce a very good quality sound with minimized background noise.

• Frequency response tailored for vocals, with brightened midrange and bass, roll-off
• Uniform cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main sound source and minimizes background noise
• Pneumatic shock-mount system cuts down handling noise
• Effective, built-in spherical wind and pop filter
• Supplied with break-resistant stand adapter which rotates 180 degrees
• Legendary Shure quality, ruggedness, and reliability
• Cardioid (unidirectional) dynamic
• Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz

Technical Specifications of Shure SM58 Microphone

MicrophoneShure SM58
Microphone TypeDynamic Vocal Microphone
Polar PatternCardioid
Frequency Response50Hz – 15Hz
Electromagnetic Hum Sensitivity60 Hz: 11 dB; 500 Hz: 24 dB; 1 kHz: 33 dB
Impedance150 ohms
Max SPL130dB
Output Level– 54.4 dBV/Pa
SwitchesBass roll-off and mid-range emphasis
Microphone ConnectorThree-pin professional audio (male XLR type)
Swivel AssemblyIntegrated, captive nut for ease of attachment to stand, fits 5/8 in. -27 thread
PolarityPositive pressure on diaphragm produces positive voltage on pin 2 relative to pin 3
CaseDark gray, enamel-painted, die-cast metal; matte-finished, silver-colored, spherical steel mesh grille
Weight298 grams
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Frequency Response Chart and Polar Pattern of Shure SM58 Microphone

Frequency Response Chart of Shure SM58 Dynamic Vocal Microphone
Polar Pattern Chart of Shure SM58 Dynamic Vocal Microphone

Pros and Cons of Shure SM58 Microphone

Pros
  • Frequency response tailored for vocals
  • Brightened midrange bass roll-off for controlling proximity effect
  • Effective Pop Filter for spherical wind
  • Frequency response between 50Hz – 15kHz
  • Pneumatic shock-mount for removing handling noise
  • Uniform cardioid pickup pattern
  • Vocal voice isolation from background noise
Cons
  • It requires an external Pop filter for any studio recordings
  • Generally meant for use as a handheld microphone which is not liked by some vocalists

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What you are getting in the box with Shure SM58 Microphone?

As I always say, it is super important to know what things you are getting in the box with the microphone. It makes easier for you to know what other things you might need in order to record the sound comfortably.

Here are the things that you will get in the box with Shure SM58 Microphone:

  • Shure SM58 Microphone
  • 25 foot XLR Connector Cable
  • Microphone Clip
  • Carrying/Storage bag
  • Foam Windscreen
  • Desk Stand
  • Shock Stopper® Isolation Mount

You can use your own pop filter in case of recording vocals or voiceovers.

Conclusion

The Shure SM58 is perfect for anyone looking for a quality microphone that is durable and consistent. It records sound beautifully, with great bass and mid-range tones, and has a cardioid pickup to minimalize background noise.

It is also very versatile, as it can be used in a studio setting or live performances. With all this being said, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a microphone for recording their vocals or instruments.

I hope my Shure SM58 Review has helped you decide whether this microphone is good enough for you. If you have any additional questions, please leave them in the comments section below.

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