Shure SM57 or SM58??

APB_4

New member
I ordered I Shure SM57 from piedog.com and I just recieved the package, the only thing is it's an SM58! The thing is they sell the 58 for £10 more but they only charged me for the 57. Should I keep the SM58 or return it and get them to send me the proper one?
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

If you want the 57, send it back. Otherwise, keep it. It's great mic and can be used for anything. I've used it to capture a garage jam session on tape with pretty decent results.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

ErikH said:
If you want the 57, send it back. Otherwise, keep it. It's great mic and can be used for anything. I've used it to capture a garage jam session on tape with pretty decent results.
To tell you the truth I don't care which mic it is as long as it's good. I know the SM57 and 58 are good mics it's just the 58 is supposed to just be a vocal mic I wondered if the 57 was noticeably better for recording instruments.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

The 58 records instruments well too, it just handles vocals better than the 57 but I've seen and used the 57 for vocals before.

Listen to my sound clips to get an idea of how the SM58 does recording a 4x12. Link in my sig.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

i thought they were basically the same mic except the 58 has the ball end and the 57 has the straight end. i was going to buy a 57 last year for vocals and recording acoustic guitar. i asked 2 friends, 1 who is a producer/engineer who owns his own studio and the other is a long time guitar player vocalist for their opninion on the 57. both, independently of one another, said i should buy a 58 instead. for what that's worth.......
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Keep the 58. I keep meaning to get a 57 because they are supposed to be a classic mike for recording amplified guiter, but so far the 58 works great or that and vocals too. I have 3, I snap one up whenever I see a used one.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

these_go211 said:
i thought they were basically the same mic except the 58 has the ball end and the 57 has the straight end. i was going to buy a 57 last year for vocals and recording acoustic guitar. i asked 2 friends, 1 who is a producer/engineer who owns his own studio and the other is a long time guitar player vocalist for their opninion on the 57. both, independently of one another, said i should buy a 58 instead. for what that's worth.......
Well that's certainly reassuring, thanks. Also thanks Erik. If anybody else has anything to add fire away.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Keep the 58 unless you specifically want teh exact tone and response of teh 57 ;)
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Zerberus said:
Keep the 58 unless you specifically want teh exact tone and response of teh 57 ;)
Well I've never used a 57 this is my first mic so it seems I got a bargain saving an extra £10 on it.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Wymore Guitars said:
From Sure's website this appears to be the main difference for the SM 58:
A highly effective, built-in, spherical filter minimizes wind and breath "pop" noise.
Well that sounds pretty useful as I will be recording some mouth organ as well. I found another difference the range of frequencies are 40-15000Hz for the 57, 50-15000 for the 58
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Always thought they were the same mike. The SM-58 has the ball that helps prevent "pops" when used as vocal mike and the singer breathes into it heavily. The SM-57 doesn't resist those "pops" from breathing into it as well as the SM-58.

So the SM-58 is usually used for vocals and the SM-57 is usually used for instruments.
 
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Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

depends on what you're using it for. THe sm58 is the same thing as a 57, but has a wider dynamic range, so you get more of the airy highs and more of of the rumbly lows. It's great for recording because it's more transparent than a 57. I personally like a 57 better for micing guitars just because it emphasizes more of the frequencies that i'm into.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

I'm too lazy to check the website, but isn't the 57, (by virtue of its mouthpiece shape), more directional than the 58? Not positive about that, but I was thinking that was part of why its prefered for instruments.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

They both have the same pattern (cardioid). The main differences are the frequency response and the wind/pop filter. Vocals need that filter, instruments generally do not.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

The 57 and 58 are the exact same mic. The only difference is the pop filter on the 58. The pop filter actually makes the 58 pick up less frequencies as it's meant for live use- but in a recording situation I'd take the 57. You can always add a different pop filter if you have nothing better for vocals and it generally just gives you more to work with when miking up an instrument.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

if you're being very careful, just unscrew the filter on the SM58.. it's a 57 for all intents and purposes then.. just be careful with the exposed end!!

tom
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

Imp said:
if you're being very careful, just unscrew the filter on the SM58.. it's a 57 for all intents and purposes then.. just be careful with the exposed end!!

tom
Hey I just opened it and it looks like you could even screw on the 57 end if you could get one.
Thanks everybody.

Adam.
 
Re: Shure SM57 or SM58??

I prefer the 57's for everything, except live 'vocals'. I use 57's over 58's for studio vocals cuz i don't like the mid spike that the 58's have. 57's for instruments & speakers too.
 
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