In short, you should choose the SM58 for live vocals and the SM57 for live mic’ing or recording of instruments. The SM58 is Industry standard fo dynamic handheld mics for a reason. Maybe the Beta58 suits you better, though. A short omparison: You won’t ever regret buying the SM58 or the SM57 as they’ll last forever and won’t ever let you down. Just choose the right option and you’ll instantly improve your sound in a live scenario or in the studio.

The SM57 is perfect for recording instruments as the tight polar pattern provides almost complete off-axis rejection and studio-quality sound at all times. The SM57 has an SPL of 190dB – which is actually louder than a NASA space shuttle taking off. Your cranked amp, hardest scream or heaviest snare aren’t going to be a problem. I will always suggest trying out as many microphones as possible so you can get the best sound depending on what you need. But if you’re on a budget and building your own studio, or fronting a band you’ll never go wrong with the SM58 and SM57 combo. For live studio engineers, bands and studio enthusiasts, the SM57 is essential for recording or mixing guitar cabs and snares. Both wired and wireless versions of the SM58 are available, the wired model being cheaper and more common. It connects via 3-pin XLR. The Shure SM58 is our best selling microphone due to its robust design, great vocal sound and price point. Singers have been using this mic confidently for decades and for good reason, it works when you need it to. Shure SM57 = Live and recorded instruments + recorded vocals in a controlled setting with a windshieldSo in this article, we’ll answer the question - what’s the difference between the Shure SM58 and the Shure SM57? And show you which mic you should use depending on what you need it for.

It can handle extremely loud sound signals without distortion – whether it’s a loud vocal or a wailing guitar cab or saxophone. It’s perfect for live close mic’ing of instruments and equally as important for recording high-quality instrument audio in the studio. However, it’s better suited to a mic stand as the lower frequency boom can become audible if you move it around too much. We compare the Shure SM7B vs SM58 and find out which microphone is better for you in the live and studio environment, or both! Billed as "The Legendary Vocal Microphone", the SM58 lugs a big reputation around. Shure has been producing this iconic product for close to 50 years now, and it is recommended by live musicians and vocal instructors alike. Reliable, durable and relatively inexpensive, the Shure SM58 represents the world's choice in a general mic. The Shure SM57 has a frequency response of 40Hz – 15,000 kHz, while the Shure SM58 has a frequency response of 50Hz – 15,000 kHz. This means the SM58 offers a better bass roll-off so you can get closer to it with your mouth (part of the reason singers rest their mouth on the mic when singing). The SM57 offers a slight increase in detail at lower levels which is ideal for musical instruments where you need to preserve the bottom-end weight, but not ideal for vocals at close range. The SM57 is constantly regarded as the best guitar and snare cab mic of all time. It’s very rare to see anyone using an SM58 on a drum kit or guitar cab or drum kit. But stranger things have happened…The Shure SM58 has a built-in spherical filter to minimise wind and breath pop noise, which is another really handy feature for both the stage and studio. How does it differ from the SM57? But you may be confused as to which option you need, and thinking “wait, do I need a Shure SM57 or a Shure SM58?”

Choose the Shure SM57 if you want to record guitar cabs and snares or record drum overheads. You can also use the SM57 for vocals – just get a windshield. It’s a great all-rounder if you need it to be. There are some pretty major differences between the SM58 and the SM57 when it comes to using them for live or studio recording – especially for vocal applications. Shure recommends the SM58 for harmonica, karaoke and live vocals. But whether speech or song, this microphone is a reliable, music industry standard. It excels on stage and in outdoor settings. It can also be used for recording, though it's not our top choice for this application - the M58 is designed for live performance. Warranty: You should also look into the warranty coverage of the Shure SM58 before buying it. This will ensure that your investment is protected in case something goes wrong with the product during its lifetime.Why is the Shure SM57 so popular? Why is the SM57 considered the best microphone for guitar cabs? Is the SM57 a good mic for vocals? Find out here The Shure SM57 is designed to be used with a mic stand – not to be held. It records exactly what you want, exactly how it sounds without any colouration. Finally and of equal importance is to mention the shape and design. Again I had some pre-conceived idea when I first took it out of the box; too short and sloping grip not right ? How wrong could I be ! As soon as it was coupled to a XLR cable the feel of the SM58S was just right both in weight and design. Its apparent shortness (compared with some more recent designs) was just an absolute boon to an amateur quizmaster, such as myself, who has to hold a microphone for couple of hours in a crowded room where questions are read and an appropriate pause is the norm. I say, this bearing in mind that it is not appropriate at such events to stay in one place using a stand. In a live session though, this is ideal as you filter out the unwanted frequencies from the other instruments and capture the raw performance of your vocals. As we all know, that singing live and singing in a recording environment are very different.