I purchased this microphone almost a year ago from this website and there's one thing for sure, I don't think I will ever have to replace it. I use it for live and recording aplications almost every week and as well as sounding fantastic, it's reliability is true to the company... Shure.

The sound I get from the SM58 is clear, precise and punchy and definitely cuts through the mix when singing live. It has crystal clear highs that roll off nicely to overcome feedback issues. This comes in handy when the most quite of singers has to have an extreme gain set for them. Also it has a very warm bass tones that gives the signal a more rounded and full bodied feel. The mids are sometimes a little to crisp for my liking but it does stop the mic from sounding too thin.

All in all this microphone is Reliable, Affordable and Robust.

Other alternative: 'Electro Voice N/D 767a' because of advanced sensitivity, greater frequency response and a warmer sound over the SM58.

This is an essential workhorse product. I have 5 of them and use them for all sorts of jobs, mainly on-stage but sometimes in the studio too.
If you are a professional, you probably own at least 1 already. If not, then you need to buy one!!
Recommedned.

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’ll 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 doesn’t 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’re 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.
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
justin@pa2hire.co.uk
http://pa2hire.co.uk