I also agree I'm not even sure if I need to sub since I will probably not buy audio equipment that often but I'm gonna do it anyway because I liked how it was to the point, and how the price was one of the first things mentioned
I actually know a professional musician who uses this as his main vocal microphone. I was visiting his in home studio to help him build a new PC and install better sound dampening material and we eventually got to talking about this microphone and how much he loved it and I can agree with you from first hand experience that this is a great microphone.
Fool DF that’s what so great about his videos, you get the feeling he is being open, honest and professional and isn’t trying to push one particular brand.
I'd like to say that the SM58 fits my voice the best out of all of the more affordable options I've tried. I have a deep voice that can sound muddy on other mics and I find that the way that the SM58 controls the proximity effect helps greatly in the clarity of my recorded speech. I've also dropped mine. 0dmg.
I worked in a theater for a few years, and the SM58 and the SM57 were the mics we used 99% of the time. It is a great mic, that sounds good in almost ever situation. The only time we switched to the SM57 was for instrument mics, for either acoustic guitar, drums, or if an on stage amp needed to added to the main mix(mostly so it could be fed into the stage monitors).
there was once a merchant who had a spear which could pierce through any shield and a shield which could withstand any spear, one day a wise man asked him about what would happen if the all piercing spear struck with the all withstanding shield...
@Boris Sladakovic NO the Nokia 3310 is an old phone that was and still is known for being nearly indestructible. And in case you didn't know the sm58 is almost nearly indestructible.
The information quality & professionalism of your video making is a gold standard of perfection. So much information in so little time. Thank you, the SM-58 will be great for my needs and I'll probably pick up an SM7B later... Right now I want the handheld experience.
I really just wanted the directional/polar pattern test but I ended up watching the whole review because for 4 and a half minutes, you didn't waste a single damn second of my time. Thank you! Also damn, wasn't expecting you to rock that hard on the electric guitar.
I was a voice actor and studio musician in the 60s and 70s in Hollywood. I've seen dozens of URB's recorded via a single SM58 laying on the floor, no stand, 3-4 feet in front of the bass. The engineers said the ball on the 58 gave it just enough angle to put the bass in the pattern. The SM57, without the ball, was more parallel to the floor. Apparently the floor created a mic pattern problem. I've also seen 58s in trash cans, refrigerators, and elevator shafts, paired with little PigNose amps, for whatever that sonic effect was. The audio guys loved them.
Thank you so much for the detailed review! I was torn between the Shure SM58 and the Audio Technica ATR2100. Definitely chose this one after your review. Plus, the humor helped. Thank you for a great video! Keep up the great work!
I ended up buying the SM58 for my streaming rig because of this video. This mic is a damn beast! I'm using a Scarlett 2i2 and he's right, you've got to boost the fuck out of this thing. I'll definitely be picking up the Cloudlifter once I have some more money. So far though, this mic is freaking great. I'm using Streamlabs OBS for my Twitch streams and I have a few filters set on the audio including a light noise suppressor, a mild noise gate, some light compression and about a 12db boost and it sounds very close to broadcast quality. I worked as a TV and radio news anchor/reporter for about a decade and I'm very picky about how my microphones sound and for $100 you absolutely cannot beat this mic, it blows away my ATR2100 USB.
@@ordjk4797 It’s fine, it was over 5 years ago now, lol And yes, I do enjoy using it. It’s permanently fixed to my arm at my desk which typically gets used for voice-calls, videos, as well as VA/singing, and the quality is nothing I can scoff at, it sounds absolutely beautiful, and it’s not too boomy either which is apparently common for dynamics, a very nice fit to my voice. It doesn’t make me sound stuffed in the nose either which was a common issue with my AT2005. It does of course have downsides, been a dynamic mic it’s on the quieter side and I have to nearly max out my preamps to get a decent level out of it, which I often find is still a bit too quiet, so I still keep an AT2020 on hand for when I need a different sound or at least something louder.
had shure sm58 many years ago. it was really beaten up after years of use, but still worked. today I use the $20 copy from behringer xm5800 and loves it. sounds the same to me, and you save 80 bucks.
I purchased the SM58 today and i hv to say i am its fan already, that clarity, the beautiful tone is just amazing! Also let me mention that if u compare this with the XM8500, u might feel they r pretty similar but let me tell you, it can’t beat the 58! Yeah i love it.
I bought it today, did some testing, pretty impressive, nice clarity, especially with processing. Does it really perform that well in studio, do you think its quality is quite enough for a professional music record?
@@sonam-xz9if If it is not too late, It is great for live vocals, but for recording vocals for an album, there are better options out there. Although it does depends on your voice as different mics will suit different timbres better. That being said it is easily in good enough territory especially with a bit of post processing, unless you wanna release an audiophile level record in which case you'll probably wanna look at a higher price bracket. Overall it's a fantastic allrounder microphone, especially for its price.
@@Antares-dw9iv thank you so much!! i did end up getting the shure sm58 and it’s really nice but i do think i will need to get one better suited for recording soon enough, i’m just scared to spend a lot of money haha
@@sonam-xz9if Personally I have had good experiences with the Rode NT1a in the sub 200$ price bracket and I've heard good things about the Lewitt LCT 240 Pro and the Neat King Bee from people I know. If you have a music store near you I would test some out yourself to see which one is best suited to your voice, and if you find one where you like the sound make sure that it has low self noise, as that can be difficult to pick up when testing something in a store. Depending on where you live you might also be able to inexpensively make use of return policies at some online stores to test out different microphones (admittedly quite the hassle). Alternatively look at different reviews and listen to samples of people with a similar voice to yours, to help you make your decision. I hope I am not being presumptuous in telling you this but it can also not be overstated how important good room acoustics are, at this level of microphone they are already starting to be at least as important if not more so than the exact type of microphone. An SM 58 in a well treated room is probably gonna give you better audio than a 2500$ Neumann in an untreated empty room.
I just go home after leaving my local Goodwell, found two microphones there, (wasn't looking for them) but happened to run across them , they looked fairly brand new ( to my surprise ) one was the SHURE SM58 and the other a AUDIO om2. at 6.99 ea. So I just though I'll come home a look up reviews and comments on Google and TH-cam. To my SUPRISE, I found I hit THE JACKPOT, it's like I won the lottery ( I wish)but was STILL extremely excited.
Good mic, legend says it can survive a nuclear blast. Also to some that want a hotter signal but can't afford Cloudlifter you and save up more for its big brother Beta58, sure that will make up for the $
For 4 minute review this was very efficient and told me everything I need to know I just took this because they wanted to throw it away where I work and it works my friend records music all the time and I feel how heavy it was and I thought he might want it but if he doesn't I'll just keep it for myself
this video sealed the deal for me , i watched it twice .. My SM58 mic arrived today , and it is not even a counterfeit . Shure is the real deal . fer Shure .
I wish more videos were like this. Short and to the point but very informative. Loved the way you did the demo of the mic. Didn't take 10 years because of annoying filler.
DUDE. This is legit the most iconic mic like.........EVER. if you look close at any concert, you will see these on EVERY mic stand AT THAT CONCERT. (green day uses these........................)
An SM58 and cloudlifter was my setup for about a year before I switched to what I use now (SM57 and DBX286S). The 58 definitely benefits from a cloudlifter or 286s. Oh, the 58 (and 57) definitely come with stickers. ;-p
I don't use the cloudlifter any more; the dbx gives 60db of super clean gain so there's really no need for the cloudlifter in the chain. The dbx is only $50 more than the cloudlifter but provides more than twice the gain of a cloudlifter and has a lot of very useful processing features too. Well worth the small bump in price. The only downside is it's not as easily transportable as the cloudlifter and it doesn't come with rubber feet for desktop placement. I ordered some from amazon for mine though, so that's not a big deal. It's an amazing device. Bandrew did a nice review of it.
FWIW, they all do the same thing, though the fethead is a different form factor. When I bought my cloudlifter, the ss1 wasn't available. Also, on gearslutz, one of the old timers did an a/b between the fethead and the cloudlifter and the cloudlifter was ever ever so slightly quieter. Not enough to matter or even notice really. For me, the cloudlifter was worth every penny. An a/b comparison between the cloudlifter and ss1 would be interesting though.
This was really helpful because I'm new to this and have this mic and the scarlett solo but was feeling frustrated. Thanks! I have a lot more information to work with now.
Hi there Podcastage man! So you recorded this with the gain on the Scarlet set at 75% ish? And boosted by 12db? Me doing the same leaves my audio peaking at around -21db. This would be hard to hear on TH-cam in my experience. Are your numbers the same?
well i have the same problem, actually at 75% gain preamp should have noticable noise, so i guess he use noised reduction also. i'm using xm8500 and umc202hd, and well dynamic mics are so low volume, especially xm8500. so i guess for recording it's ok, but for streaming it's much better to use cf-1, or it's mucheasier to use condenser mics...
It's a legend. They rarely fail. They survive club usage, spills, dirt, drinks, liquid, humidity, heat... I used one back in 1983. It's everywhere. Start looking in concert videos for it. Since the late 60s...
That's fantastic Shaniell. It's a classic for a reason. It will give you decades of use, and I hope you have a ton of fun making recordings or performing live with it.
Well done, Bandrew. I totally agree that no one should attach via USB. They are fantastic microphones. Blue makes a wonderful competitor that brings some additional esthetics to the party. It's the Blue en-CORE 100. Same price, direct competitor. I put the two side by side when I bought from Sweetwater (they're down the road here in Fort Wayne) and the Blue just did a better job at... Everything. The SM58 is an amazing mic, and while the blue hasn't been time tested, it's a class OWNER. I would recommend you try. (depending on the projects, I have coming up, I may actually be able to send you one of mine, on loan.)
Thanks for your great review! Would you still recommend using the cloudfilter with the SM58 plugged into a Zoom H5? Or would I be ok not using the cloudfilter? Just wondrering if the difference is major. FYI I would be using it for podcasting and voiceovers. Mostly vocal stuff, but also possibly recording sound fx as well. If you can give me some advice that would be great and much appreciated! Thnx in advance!
Too thin? that's why I said "with A81WS" it helps with that aspect. For me the 58 is too muddy and I don't like its sound at all but you know.. everyone's taste's different.
TH-cam Channel for me it works perfectly and definitely sound better than the 58 on things and voices I often record. There's as many tastes as many people in the world and everyone of us should just be recording, no matter what you're using for that. Just keep on being creative.
this is the perfect mic to use in my home where I got 9 aquariums (with pouring-water filter, air pumps) moreover, 3 dogs, 4 love birds... A mic for such a pure zoo!
I’m on air personality DJ and I really enjoyed your review but if it was me, the mic is wonderful. I have it, but I would definitely put a windscreen on it. Have a blessed day.
This mic seems versatile and gives good results; why do people then go and spend $500 on something like the Shure KSM32? Btw, you sounded like TMBG at the end there.
I retired the NTG4 for my channel and picked up one of these on Friday. I did some recordings today and with the DBX 286S I’m super happy! My voice sounds like I want it to and finally cut out all of that dang background noise! Now all I need is a good personality to go with this great sound on my gaming videos 😅
Wow that is some praise! From what I've heard, the NTG4 is a great mic, and switching to this guy. Wow. =) Thanks for sharing this decision. It's awesome to hear! =)
Yeah the NTG4 is great, but not really fit for purpose compared to the SM58 for doing VO. For video out and about however, it's great. Thanks for the great reviews.
While the SM58 has fairly low sensitivity, you can add a phantom powered inline pre-amp between the mic and cable to bring it's output up. several companies make them, even Shure with their RPM 626. There are several others but I have zero experience with them, so you'll have to do your own research on that.
Hi, will you recommend this mic for reporters on the field such as street interviews and other loud environments? My rig is IPhone 6S on a gimbal + iRig Pre. If you don´t recommend this mic, can you give me your top 3 pick. Thanks in advance.
I stream on twitch and unfortunately am unable to boost in post. How much did you have to boost the signal? If I were to get a cloud lifter with this mic, would I be able to avoid that? I currently use a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202HD and an AudioTechnica AT-2020 but would like to change to a dynamic mic to suit my dynamic personality (kappa). Thanks for any advice!
you make great quality videos brother, helped me a lot when choosing a new mic for gaming. I guess some might say this one is a bit overkill lol I ended up spending like over 300 bucks cus I bought a scarlett solo + SM58 and swing arm, but I game in the same room as my GF and it's just really annoying when our mics picks up both of us. Great videos keep it up
AMAZING You got a New subscriber, Great video. I Just buy this Mic with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Gen) for recording Guitars directly from the amp (metal / rock) and vocals. Do you think it was a good purchase??
Why don't you recommend using an XLR to USB directly to the PC? I'm doing it and it has a faint buzzing noise while recording, while yours doesn't (mine is a PG58 though)
You're also literally using the mixamp i planned to get with it! So would you say this mic and scarlett solo will be enough to also power 250ohm beyerdynamic DT990 pro's too? As i need a mixamp i can fully power a mic (SM58?) and my headphones from the same mixamp. And how is this mic when using from the side? Where it points at me, but from the left of my mouth as i use my AT2020 USB downwards diagonally to my right with the blue light pointing at me, And probably would need a mic with the sound captured from the side(?)
I got my u87 for 2000 used. In a well-treated space, none of the dynamic mics he's reviewed come close to the quality and detail it puts out. It also takes eq very well. You can put tons of eq and compression and it will still sound decent. It also works great out of the box for things like podcasts. If you are recording in a bedroom then the sm7b or sm58 will sound much better. Dynamic mics are usually used for live situations where they can be dropped and they don't pick up background noise from the crowd. My sm7b sounds like a toy compared to my u87 in a crowded mix I also don't have to sit for an hour eqing it. There is no point in getting a 5000 dollar mic for youtube or podcasts tho. You'd be just fine with a cheaper dynamic.
I have two Cloudlifter CL-1s and I cannot recommend them anymore after upgrading my interface to an Apogee Element 24. The Cloudlifters are supposed to provide "clean gain", but it turns out "clean" only refers to the noise. The Apogee Element has a terrific headphone amp that reveals that the Cloudlifters actually muddy the sound terribly. Now the purpose of the Cloudlifters is, of course, to be used with budget interfaces that don't provide enough gain for gain-hungry dynamic mics. With these interfaces, the sound degradation of the Cloudlifters may not be noticeable. But instead of buying one or two Cloudlifters, I would rather recommend to buy an better audio interface that costs 150 or 300 bucks more, the price of one or two Cloudlifters, respectively. Even if I already had a budget interface, I would rather keep saving for a better interface instead of buying a cloud lifter that sets me back 150 dollars on the road to a better interface. Another thought: With a 24-bit interface, there is no need to push the gain all the way up until the levels hit -12 dB or so (thus possibly eliminating the need for a Cloudlifter), especially if the end result is only 16-bit. In my experience, it's better to look for the 'sweet spot' of the preamps, where the final audio quality (after boosting it in post or digitally) is best. This may well be at a position where the gain is only turned up 50%, as cheap interfaces tend to add noticeably more noise when pushed all the way up. I have nothing against the Cloudlifters, they have served me well. But I became convinced that money is better spent on a higher-quality interface than on a Cloudlifter. BTW: Do you think the SM7B is worth the premium, versus the SM58? Soundwise, I actually prefer the SM57 to the SM7B.
Hi guys, thanks for your comments. I had not seen Bandrew's comparison of the SM58/SM7B yet. I imagine the difference between the SM58 and the SM7B is more pronounced than with the SM57, because of the grille with the foam on the 58. It is exactly the budget-orientation of this channel why I commented. In my opinion, if one has a budget in the range of USD 600 to 700 (400 for an SM7B, 150 for a cloudlifter, and 100 for the interface, I strongly suspect that the money is better spent on a USD 100 microphone like the SM57 or SM58, no cloudlifter, and the rest on a decent audio interface. That said, I think that it does not take very expensive gear to get very decent results. A $100 interface with a $100 mic can definitely get very decent results, if well picked and matched. I bought my SM7B with high expectations and am quite disappointed, sound-wise. The SM7B is a fantastic microphone: it looks great, has fantastic yoke and built-in suspension, low-cut and presence boost, electromagnetic shielding, two foam windscreens, and it sounds quite good right out of the box, no need to eq after setting the tone controls on the mike. Also the rejection of background noise is quite good. Very good features for broadcasting. But I feel that these features (especially the rejection of background noise) come at the expense of audio quality. Compared to all my other mics (SM57, RE20, and others), the SM7B is immediately recognizeable by the fact that is sounds as if someone speaks through a plastic cup. (Like I said: In comparison. It is less obvious when one listens to the SM7B exclusively.) The SM7B also exhibits a more pronounced "roughness" I know from other Shure mics, namely the SM57 and Super 55. To my ears (and with my gear), my SM57 sounds more pleasant and more natural than my SM7B. As long as there are no electromagnetic interferences. That does not necessarily make the SM7B a bad microphone (especially when used to utilize its special sound instead of "fighting it"). I just noticed I always prefer other mics for my recordings (podcasts) and only use the SM7B for Skype - because the low-cut and presence boost counter Skype's tendency so sound extremely boomy (with pro mics). So I would NOT recommend the SM7B, especially if the money can be spent on other parts of the signal chain. The Apogee Element is really amazing, especially the quality of the headphone output. I recently upgraded my mic cable from Canare to Mogami and heard a noticeable difference - the Canare adding low frequencies. These differences could be easily detected through the Apogee (with Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Headphones). It's not that the Canare cable did not sound good, but I know that the low frequencies simply weren't there. It's a subtle difference like the effects you get from analogue gear. That is also how I noticed the muddiness of the Cloudlifter: I thought maybe the Cloudlifter will tame the harshness of my SM7B. In a way, it did - but at the expense of sounding muddy. Sorry, I don't have the time to upload a comparison right now. I also notice a clearly detectable difference when I clock my old interface, an Universal Audio Apollo Twin (silver) externally with the Apogee via SPDIF. The Apogee clock improves the Apollo recordings and makes it sound more "Apogee-like". I only mention this (the cable and clocking difference) to give you an idea how good the Apogee Element is, and because I think the challenge with low-budget gear is that it often does not reveal the quality differences of the connected gear, which makes it extremely difficult and tricky to compare and make decisions that move one forward in the right direction, quality-wise. That's why I think a good audio interface is essential. Of course the problem with higher-quality gear is that you HEAR the differences and always what to improve further … which can lead to a never-ending drain of cash … for quality differences that few people will notice and even fewer will appreciate.
You know what? It really may be my voice. I already knew I sound muddy and sibilant. I thought the harshness sounded more "technical", but it may well be my voice, too. That would explain why ALL my mics seem to this harshness … The Apogee sounds quite dry by itself, which I like, but it may not be a good match for my voice. The Apollo, on the other hand, is worse in the "mud" department … Of course, the SM7B still does not sound right, compared with my other mics. (If one does not go for the "broadcasting" sound.) First, I thought my SM7B may be faulty, because there are many impressive videos on TH-cam where the SM7B sounds just as it should. But there are also others, where it sounds bad, and there the issues are similar to the ones I have. It is true that I spent a lot on gear, and I still don't get the results I hoped for. Maybe it has to do with my voice, because if I record other people, it turns out fine. But that's why I wanted to give my 2 cents worth on the Cloudlifter and $100 v. $400 mic. I am a podcaster, and I think recording spoken voice is much different from recording music, where one does not hear one single instrument or one single voice in isolation, and where harmonic distortions may be less noticeable or even beneficial. But guess what? 2 other guys on my podcast use "Skype"-Headsets, and one guy uses a $50 Philips SBC ME570 electret condenser mic with a 1/8 inch TS plug, going straight into his iMac. This guy consistently gets good results, definitely good enough for a podcast. Unfortunately his mic is no longer available, and it's battery operated (one more potential issue), and the results will highly depend on the built-in sound card. But it shows that it does not take big budget to get good results.
+Andrew M. Sheppard Thanks for your kind suggestions. I know Booth Junkie's channel and am a subscriber, as I am to this channel. My co-host actually sends me his recordings. Sometimes, if something goes wrong, I need to recover audio from the Skype track, and I think Skype cuts off all frequencies above 8k. I personally do not need the Philips, and our other 2 co-hosts most likely could not gets the same quality due to their sound cards or technical non-savviness … The reviews of the Philips mic online are also a mixed bag, although I'm willing to write off most of the negative reviews as caused by either the user or their sound cards. I think the mic is actually intended to be connected to cameras. Of course, cameras tend to have shitty audio, and if they have crappy camera audio or a terrible sound card, they may blame it on the mic. So I personally am not going for the Philips, and think it would introduce too many potential issues with our other co-hosts. But to me, it shows that it takes very little money to get decent results. I'm actually recording my Skype with Audio Hijack, also from Rogue Amoeba, and I can only highly recommend it. It allows me not just to record both Skype channels (in and out), but also my mic directly on a separate track. So no Skype messing with my audio. Audio Hijack's setup can be tricky, though. I'm using Logic Pro X and have no reason to change my DAW. Basically, I started with Garage Band when I changed from Windows to Mac, and eventually upgraded for some features only Logic Pro had. The guy who edits our podcast uses Audacity.
PS: I do have the A55M shock mount (ingenious design!) and the A2WS foam for the SM57. But I never use the A2WS because it does not really prevent popping. For stationary indoor recordings, I recommend one of these cheap shockmounts w/ pop shield: www.amazon.com/CISNO-Studio-Condenser-Microphone-Recording/dp/B00AKPH4OK/ I have no experience with this particular model or this seller on amazon, but I have a couple of this type and also recommended them to a contributor of our podcast, together with am SM57, with very satisfying results. PPS: When I upgraded my mic, I encountered standing waves with my recordings, and it took me a while until I realised that this was not my mic sounding bassy, but due to my setup, with a wide desk in front of a wall - a perfect angle for lows to built up. So today, if I find something is not sounding right, I would first check for standing waves and comb filter effects, before blaming it on the mic.
Hey Matthias I am considering to buy a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Third Gen and I am interested in the Shure SM 58.. I'd like to buy two of these. Do you think it is a good setup for podcast/audio purposes? Or should I get a more expensive audio interface?
Great timing! Been looking for a great dynamic mic around $100 or less. I want an improvement over my Snowball iCE USB mic and to get higher quality audio with less background noise issues. Right now I have to use noise reduction then compress and EQ all in software. What do you think of using a Yamaha MG10XU with this? I want to be able to EQ and compress my voice through hardware so I don't need to do it in Audacity/Vegas. If there's something good out there cheaper than that Yamaha that you could recommend please let me know. As always thanks for all the great videos and this one too.
Thanks. I don't like how the signal indicator only has 1 pair of green lights and 1 pair of red or how compression/EQ/effects must be done through software but I understand it also means more control than a simple knob and it's still better than having to apply things after recording. I'm a little concerned the software will be buggy too like crashing when certain things are adjusted or annoyances with audio device selections in various software. Overall for $50 less the AG03 does seem like it's worth a shot and maybe even less if I can find one on eBay.
Hi there - thanks for your informative videos! I am a live female vocal performer. Which dynamic mic should I go with - shure sm58 or the sennheiser e935 😊🙏🏼
I know this an old vid, and I hope you get to read comments since I trust your reviews and for the mic I'm looking for there art many reviews. The shure wh20, it seems it would be great for podcasting since the distance stays the same, not sure if you can put a pop filter on it or if its needed. and in my case to record a lecture or a lesson with keeping your hands free is key since my job is to edit the audio into an animated explanation vid. can you make a review of it or at least tell me if its as good as the beta58 or sm58 only "hands free"?
I just got this mic in the mail a few days ago. Great for my recording setup since I'm in a bit of a noise sensitive area. Clean audio. On another note would you mind making a video on how an audio interface works/what it is? (Sorry if you've already covered it) I know a little about it. Thanks
Feels like you're screaming at the mic to get your voice across. Is this to increase signal to noise ratio? Or is this thing (even with an additional power boost from the CL-1) really hard to pick up signal? I don't want to have to yell so loud into my mic that my roommates are banging on my door to shut up just to produce some voice-over for videos..
![TEEDEE TADA - DIAMOND NARAKORN X LEGO LYKN [Special Dance Performance]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QgtZedFeumA/mqdefault.jpg)
Mine is 20+ years old and still working.
Tom Highway wow thats older than me haha, im 16 btw
I still have my dad's old one that he's had for 20 years or so as well and it still works great.
Older than me 14
Kinda expect at least 20 years.....My Cheap ass Leem SR-305 is 23 years old and looks battered, been dropped and all sorts but it still works fine.
And there is new phone microphone from Shure: th-cam.com/video/5C4WqMqxnt4/w-d-xo.html
I've been knocked out with one of these and the mic took zero damage! Incredible build quality!
That sounds like it had a wild story behind it haha
these videos are clean, to the point, and contain everything i need to know without wasting time. really a great channel. subscribed.
Thanks so much Jay. I really appreciate that! That was the goal, and I'm glad to hear that I'm accomplishing that goal for someone. =)
I also agree
I'm not even sure if I need to sub since I will probably not buy audio equipment that often but I'm gonna do it anyway because I liked how it was to the point, and how the price was one of the first things mentioned
@@Podcastage hey i think u write the name of the person wrong
his name was saj not jay
I actually know a professional musician who uses this as his main vocal microphone. I was visiting his in home studio to help him build a new PC and install better sound dampening material and we eventually got to talking about this microphone and how much he loved it and I can agree with you from first hand experience that this is a great microphone.
"Thought this video sucked thumbs down"
Wow, that's the first time I have heard someone say that in a video.
Thumbs Up
Fool DF that’s what so great about his videos, you get the feeling he is being open, honest and professional and isn’t trying to push one particular brand.
@@steves1015 I totally agree with you. A good note to remember when I start my channel.
I'd like to say that the SM58 fits my voice the best out of all of the more affordable options I've tried. I have a deep voice that can sound muddy on other mics and I find that the way that the SM58 controls the proximity effect helps greatly in the clarity of my recorded speech.
I've also dropped mine. 0dmg.
I worked in a theater for a few years, and the SM58 and the SM57 were the mics we used 99% of the time. It is a great mic, that sounds good in almost ever situation. The only time we switched to the SM57 was for instrument mics, for either acoustic guitar, drums, or if an on stage amp needed to added to the main mix(mostly so it could be fed into the stage monitors).
We are using these in our school for ~20-25 years and haven't had any complaints jet whatsoever, so I can only agree.
sry bad english
I absolutely LOVE this channel! 😃👍🏻
My SM58 is 20 years old and currently in use. These are great mics and ubiquitous as hell!
As it should be.
Shure SM58 vs Nokia 3310. Just imagine what would happen
+Becky Lynch I'm fairly certain that this would lead to the end times.
Shure SM58, Nokia 3310 and the Technics SL-1200. The trifecta of pure durability.
there was once a merchant who had a spear which could pierce through any shield and a shield which could withstand any spear, one day a wise man asked him about what would happen if the all piercing spear struck with the all withstanding shield...
@Boris Sladakovic NO the Nokia 3310 is an old phone that was and still is known for being nearly indestructible. And in case you didn't know the sm58 is almost nearly indestructible.
god among man
The information quality & professionalism of your video making is a gold standard of perfection. So much information in so little time. Thank you, the SM-58 will be great for my needs and I'll probably pick up an SM7B later... Right now I want the handheld experience.
I was waiting for this for sooooo long thanks Bandrew you're the best!
Bought mine 25 years ago second hand, so over 30 years old now, and it's still perfect. Wonderful mic.
While attending Full Sail back in 08’ they were like “uh yeah you can stir paint with this mic and hook it up and it will still work”
Seriously!? Did Nokia build this shit?!
My man, I want you to review EVERTHING.
Dude. I started watching for one review... three reviews in and you have a subscriber. Thank you for the thorough, practical reviews.
One of the best dynamic mics you will find for the money, great for broadcasting/podcasting.. Such a solid mic..
Cry of the Prophet yea i think this mic sounds amazing
Would you reccomend it to someone who twitch streams?
@@stayedleopard4 Yes
I really just wanted the directional/polar pattern test but I ended up watching the whole review because for 4 and a half minutes, you didn't waste a single damn second of my time. Thank you! Also damn, wasn't expecting you to rock that hard on the electric guitar.
I have been waiting so long for this video!
I was a voice actor and studio musician in the 60s and 70s in Hollywood. I've seen dozens of URB's recorded via a single SM58 laying on the floor, no stand, 3-4 feet in front of the bass. The engineers said the ball on the 58 gave it just enough angle to put the bass in the pattern. The SM57, without the ball, was more parallel to the floor. Apparently the floor created a mic pattern problem. I've also seen 58s in trash cans, refrigerators, and elevator shafts, paired with little PigNose amps, for whatever that sonic effect was. The audio guys loved them.
Watched about 6 videos right now because I'm trying to pick the best option for myself. Subscribed. Keep up.
You've helped my team and I so much over the years, love you dude
Thank you so much for the detailed review! I was torn between the Shure SM58 and the Audio Technica ATR2100. Definitely chose this one after your review. Plus, the humor helped. Thank you for a great video! Keep up the great work!
Would you choose the p120 or the sm58? For recording vocals, from screaming rock vocals, and clean singing and sometimes rapping?
Im actually on my way to the stor right now. I hope i make the right choice
@@sycofya1677 please guide as per your experience which one shall I buy
@@jhavinayak07 i ended up buying the shure sm58. Best mic for your buck
@@jhavinayak07 decent quality, good range of vocals, you can scream without distortion or clipping
I ended up buying the SM58 for my streaming rig because of this video. This mic is a damn beast! I'm using a Scarlett 2i2 and he's right, you've got to boost the fuck out of this thing. I'll definitely be picking up the Cloudlifter once I have some more money. So far though, this mic is freaking great.
I'm using Streamlabs OBS for my Twitch streams and I have a few filters set on the audio including a light noise suppressor, a mild noise gate, some light compression and about a 12db boost and it sounds very close to broadcast quality.
I worked as a TV and radio news anchor/reporter for about a decade and I'm very picky about how my microphones sound and for $100 you absolutely cannot beat this mic, it blows away my ATR2100 USB.
SM58 was my fathers favourite mic. Sadly I never found out where he left his before he passed, so I finally bought my own. I’m excited
Sorry about your dad passing away... but I just wanted to ask do you enjoy your use ?
@@ordjk4797
It’s fine, it was over 5 years ago now, lol
And yes, I do enjoy using it. It’s permanently fixed to my arm at my desk which typically gets used for voice-calls, videos, as well as VA/singing, and the quality is nothing I can scoff at, it sounds absolutely beautiful, and it’s not too boomy either which is apparently common for dynamics, a very nice fit to my voice. It doesn’t make me sound stuffed in the nose either which was a common issue with my AT2005.
It does of course have downsides, been a dynamic mic it’s on the quieter side and I have to nearly max out my preamps to get a decent level out of it, which I often find is still a bit too quiet, so I still keep an AT2020 on hand for when I need a different sound or at least something louder.
He took it with him to heaven.
someone recommended the Shure SM7B and I saw the price and decided to start looking into this mic LOL, so far I'm liking this one better.
had shure sm58 many years ago. it was really beaten up after years of use, but still worked. today I use the $20 copy from behringer xm5800 and loves it. sounds the same to me, and you save 80 bucks.
Sounds the same as long as you don't touch the mic or play in a loud environment like an actual stage with loud monitors.
I purchased the SM58 today and i hv to say i am its fan already, that clarity, the beautiful tone is just amazing! Also let me mention that if u compare this with the XM8500, u might feel they r pretty similar but let me tell you, it can’t beat the 58! Yeah i love it.
I bought it today, did some testing, pretty impressive, nice clarity, especially with processing. Does it really perform that well in studio, do you think its quality is quite enough for a professional music record?
it’s been a year so how is it? wondering if it’s worth buying to record vocals for songs i’d like to release?
@@sonam-xz9if If it is not too late, It is great for live vocals, but for recording vocals for an album, there are better options out there. Although it does depends on your voice as different mics will suit different timbres better. That being said it is easily in good enough territory especially with a bit of post processing, unless you wanna release an audiophile level record in which case you'll probably wanna look at a higher price bracket. Overall it's a fantastic allrounder microphone, especially for its price.
@@Antares-dw9iv thank you so much!! i did end up getting the shure sm58 and it’s really nice but i do think i will need to get one better suited for recording soon enough, i’m just scared to spend a lot of money haha
@@sonam-xz9if Personally I have had good experiences with the Rode NT1a in the sub 200$ price bracket and I've heard good things about the Lewitt LCT 240 Pro and the Neat King Bee from people I know. If you have a music store near you I would test some out yourself to see which one is best suited to your voice, and if you find one where you like the sound make sure that it has low self noise, as that can be difficult to pick up when testing something in a store.
Depending on where you live you might also be able to inexpensively make use of return policies at some online stores to test out different microphones (admittedly quite the hassle).
Alternatively look at different reviews and listen to samples of people with a similar voice to yours, to help you make your decision.
I hope I am not being presumptuous in telling you this but it can also not be overstated how important good room acoustics are, at this level of microphone they are already starting to be at least as important if not more so than the exact type of microphone.
An SM 58 in a well treated room is probably gonna give you better audio than a 2500$ Neumann in an untreated empty room.
You forgot to mention that you can look super cool by swinging it around like Roger Daltrey does.
I have used shure sm58 mics for years. Very good sound. Great dynamic microphone and damn near bulletproof
Is it good for studio vocals cleans and screams?
I bought my SM58 in 1993 for DJ work and I still have it, working just as it did all those years ago.
Why don't you do a video with the worst microphones you've tested
lot of videos
You're a legend mate. Best review I've ever seen on youtube in any category of product.
Wow that means a lot. Thank you so much.
im getting this mic for my birthday and honestly my parents are ballers for picking this
Supreme is releasing this model tomorrow
@@camposort6211 No. No. NO.
I just go home after leaving my local Goodwell, found two microphones there, (wasn't looking for them) but happened to run across them , they looked fairly brand new ( to my surprise ) one was the SHURE SM58 and the other a AUDIO om2. at 6.99 ea. So I just though I'll come home a look up reviews and comments on Google and TH-cam. To my SUPRISE, I found I hit THE JACKPOT, it's like I won the lottery ( I wish)but was STILL extremely excited.
Good mic, legend says it can survive a nuclear blast. Also to some that want a hotter signal but can't afford Cloudlifter you and save up more for its big brother Beta58, sure that will make up for the $
I thought the beta was even more gain hungry? I may be getting mixed up
How did I not find your channel before? It's literally everything I wanted!!
Thanks for including the XLR to USB part. I was looking exactly for that.
For 4 minute review this was very efficient and told me everything I need to know I just took this because they wanted to throw it away where I work and it works my friend records music all the time and I feel how heavy it was and I thought he might want it but if he doesn't I'll just keep it for myself
this video sealed the deal for me , i watched it twice .. My SM58 mic arrived today , and it is not even a counterfeit . Shure is the real deal . fer Shure .
I got a Shure 16a and I am wondered that the frequency response hasn't changed in 20 Years. Awesome video m8, love your channel
My dad has had his for 30 years and I will be testing it this week to see if it still works!
I wish more videos were like this. Short and to the point but very informative. Loved the way you did the demo of the mic. Didn't take 10 years because of annoying filler.
Thanks, been looking for a mic when going out to sing at open mic nights. Great review.
You are hysterical! Love it! Also thank you I'm trying to build a home studio and found this really helpful!
DUDE. This is legit the most iconic mic like.........EVER. if you look close at any concert, you will see these on EVERY mic stand AT THAT CONCERT. (green day uses these........................)
An SM58 and cloudlifter was my setup for about a year before I switched to what I use now (SM57 and DBX286S). The 58 definitely benefits from a cloudlifter or 286s.
Oh, the 58 (and 57) definitely come with stickers. ;-p
NW do you use the dbx with cloudlifter or just the dbx and the mic? how is the dbx gain work... i mean the dbx on its own. Thanks
I don't use the cloudlifter any more; the dbx gives 60db of super clean gain so there's really no need for the cloudlifter in the chain. The dbx is only $50 more than the cloudlifter but provides more than twice the gain of a cloudlifter and has a lot of very useful processing features too. Well worth the small bump in price. The only downside is it's not as easily transportable as the cloudlifter and it doesn't come with rubber feet for desktop placement. I ordered some from amazon for mine though, so that's not a big deal. It's an amazing device. Bandrew did a nice review of it.
NW That sounds great to me. Thanks
FWIW, they all do the same thing, though the fethead is a different form factor. When I bought my cloudlifter, the ss1 wasn't available. Also, on gearslutz, one of the old timers did an a/b between the fethead and the cloudlifter and the cloudlifter was ever ever so slightly quieter. Not enough to matter or even notice really.
For me, the cloudlifter was worth every penny. An a/b comparison between the cloudlifter and ss1 would be interesting though.
Thanks
This was really helpful because I'm new to this and have this mic and the scarlett solo but was feeling frustrated. Thanks! I have a lot more information to work with now.
Recording Studio owner here. Get the Sm58. At least 4 of them. You WILL need them.
Hi there Podcastage man! So you recorded this with the gain on the Scarlet set at 75% ish? And boosted by 12db? Me doing the same leaves my audio peaking at around -21db. This would be hard to hear on TH-cam in my experience. Are your numbers the same?
well i have the same problem, actually at 75% gain preamp should have noticable noise, so i guess he use noised reduction also. i'm using xm8500 and umc202hd, and well dynamic mics are so low volume, especially xm8500. so i guess for recording it's ok, but for streaming it's much better to use cf-1, or it's mucheasier to use condenser mics...
It's a legend.
They rarely fail.
They survive club usage, spills, dirt, drinks, liquid, humidity, heat...
I used one back in 1983.
It's everywhere.
Start looking in concert videos for it.
Since the late 60s...
Thx for the video. I'm debating between this and the q2u..any thoughts? Also, why you recommend not to connect the mic to a laptop via USB?
I love my shure sm58 . It sounds neutral and warm.
That's fantastic Shaniell. It's a classic for a reason. It will give you decades of use, and I hope you have a ton of fun making recordings or performing live with it.
@@Podcastagethanks bro
Well done, Bandrew. I totally agree that no one should attach via USB.
They are fantastic microphones. Blue makes a wonderful competitor that brings some additional esthetics to the party. It's the Blue en-CORE 100. Same price, direct competitor. I put the two side by side when I bought from Sweetwater (they're down the road here in Fort Wayne) and the Blue just did a better job at... Everything. The SM58 is an amazing mic, and while the blue hasn't been time tested, it's a class OWNER. I would recommend you try. (depending on the projects, I have coming up, I may actually be able to send you one of mine, on loan.)
Great review as always man...thank you!
Thanks for your great review! Would you still recommend using the cloudfilter with the SM58 plugged into a Zoom H5? Or would I be ok not using the cloudfilter? Just wondrering if the difference is major. FYI I would be using it for podcasting and voiceovers. Mostly vocal stuff, but also possibly recording sound fx as well. If you can give me some advice that would be great and much appreciated! Thnx in advance!
Best damn reviewer hands down. The only problem is I dont know if the mic will blend or not.
I love the SM57 even more especially with the A81WS on!
asotoyes it's a beautiful thing.
it was A2WS sometimes too, but I wouldn't recommend this one tbh
Too thin? that's why I said "with A81WS" it helps with that aspect. For me the 58 is too muddy and I don't like its sound at all but you know.. everyone's taste's different.
I will keep on loving the sm57 👍
TH-cam Channel for me it works perfectly and definitely sound better than the 58 on things and voices I often record. There's as many tastes as many people in the world and everyone of us should just be recording, no matter what you're using for that. Just keep on being creative.
this is the perfect mic to use in my home where I got 9 aquariums (with pouring-water filter, air pumps) moreover, 3 dogs, 4 love birds...
A mic for such a pure zoo!
Love this! 😍
yea, I have a mini zoo.
I’m on air personality DJ and I really enjoyed your review but if it was me, the mic is wonderful. I have it, but I would definitely put a windscreen on it. Have a blessed day.
This mic seems versatile and gives good results; why do people then go and spend $500 on something like the Shure KSM32? Btw, you sounded like TMBG at the end there.
I love your channel thanks for posting!
Exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.
Dwight from Dead by Daylight really knows his stuff!
what speaker/ pa system do you think would work best with the shure sm58? i plan on singing live on the streets/ cafes and other places similar?
Yay! He finally did it!!! This is literally the most popular microphone in the world! I used this at school, and it's a great mic!
Nice I like reviews that are simple like this
This dude is such a great reviewer. Seriously. Probably the best in the game.
I retired the NTG4 for my channel and picked up one of these on Friday. I did some recordings today and with the DBX 286S I’m super happy! My voice sounds like I want it to and finally cut out all of that dang background noise! Now all I need is a good personality to go with this great sound on my gaming videos 😅
Wow that is some praise! From what I've heard, the NTG4 is a great mic, and switching to this guy. Wow. =) Thanks for sharing this decision. It's awesome to hear! =)
Yeah the NTG4 is great, but not really fit for purpose compared to the SM58 for doing VO. For video out and about however, it's great. Thanks for the great reviews.
While the SM58 has fairly low sensitivity, you can add a phantom powered inline pre-amp between the mic and cable to bring it's output up. several companies make them, even Shure with their RPM 626. There are several others but I have zero experience with them, so you'll have to do your own research on that.
I love this mic....i have it for 12 yrs and still worling
Hi, will you recommend this mic for reporters on the field such as street interviews and other loud environments? My rig is IPhone 6S on a gimbal + iRig Pre. If you don´t recommend this mic, can you give me your top 3 pick. Thanks in advance.
When you say boosted, do you mean using the gain plugin in logic or something else? 🙂
Dom Brown probably simply means that he normalized it to -1dbfs in whatever editor he uses.
I stream on twitch and unfortunately am unable to boost in post. How much did you have to boost the signal? If I were to get a cloud lifter with this mic, would I be able to avoid that? I currently use a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202HD and an AudioTechnica AT-2020 but would like to change to a dynamic mic to suit my dynamic personality (kappa). Thanks for any advice!
you make great quality videos brother, helped me a lot when choosing a new mic for gaming. I guess some might say this one is a bit overkill lol I ended up spending like over 300 bucks cus I bought a scarlett solo + SM58 and swing arm, but I game in the same room as my GF and it's just really annoying when our mics picks up both of us. Great videos keep it up
AMAZING You got a New subscriber, Great video. I Just buy this Mic with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Gen) for recording Guitars directly from the amp (metal / rock) and vocals. Do you think it was a good purchase??
Can you explain why you think XLR to USB sucks?
Much appreciations for your insights 👍
This is THE mic every voice sounds good on...
The human ear is just used to it!
Ehm...not really. 😀 I do not prefer this mic at all. I will pick akg, senny or audix everytime over this old stick. 🎤😄
@@matoni69 While the rest of the professional singers on the planet will still be using the SM 58.
Nope. Bass voices like mine sound muddy on these darker-toned microphones.
@@xHadesStamps So it's not good for people with a bassy voice?
@@baapbetajam3554 Not necessarily bad, but there are better for darker-toned voices.
I love your acoustic section xD
Wow this sound is so clean
Why don't you recommend using an XLR to USB directly to the PC? I'm doing it and it has a faint buzzing noise while recording, while yours doesn't (mine is a PG58 though)
Another good mic review bro. Would you do a review on the Electrovoice 635? I have a black L model and I think it's great for podcasting.
As always, a great video..... Thanks
Do we have to set up a sound card in this microphone?and do we need to have a speaker and a mixer too ??? Please do reply 🙏❤️🙏
You're also literally using the mixamp i planned to get with it! So would you say this mic and scarlett solo will be enough to also power 250ohm beyerdynamic DT990 pro's too? As i need a mixamp i can fully power a mic (SM58?) and my headphones from the same mixamp.
And how is this mic when using from the side? Where it points at me, but from the left of my mouth as i use my AT2020 USB downwards diagonally to my right with the blue light pointing at me, And probably would need a mic with the sound captured from the side(?)
If this $100 microphone sounds so good, what justifies the ridiculous $5000 price tag of the Neumann mic?
With Neumann, I feel like it's one of those "if you have to ask about the price, this product isn't for you." kinda deals.
I got my u87 for 2000 used. In a well-treated space, none of the dynamic mics he's reviewed come close to the quality and detail it puts out. It also takes eq very well. You can put tons of eq and compression and it will still sound decent. It also works great out of the box for things like podcasts. If you are recording in a bedroom then the sm7b or sm58 will sound much better. Dynamic mics are usually used for live situations where they can be dropped and they don't pick up background noise from the crowd. My sm7b sounds like a toy compared to my u87 in a crowded mix I also don't have to sit for an hour eqing it. There is no point in getting a 5000 dollar mic for youtube or podcasts tho. You'd be just fine with a cheaper dynamic.
hey. if you were to rank these three microphones: podmic, procaster, sm58 - which one needs the most gain boost? which one the least?
why do not to advice us to use it with xlr to usb cable? is this method make the mic injured ?
I have two Cloudlifter CL-1s and I cannot recommend them anymore after upgrading my interface to an Apogee Element 24. The Cloudlifters are supposed to provide "clean gain", but it turns out "clean" only refers to the noise. The Apogee Element has a terrific headphone amp that reveals that the Cloudlifters actually muddy the sound terribly.
Now the purpose of the Cloudlifters is, of course, to be used with budget interfaces that don't provide enough gain for gain-hungry dynamic mics. With these interfaces, the sound degradation of the Cloudlifters may not be noticeable.
But instead of buying one or two Cloudlifters, I would rather recommend to buy an better audio interface that costs 150 or 300 bucks more, the price of one or two Cloudlifters, respectively. Even if I already had a budget interface, I would rather keep saving for a better interface instead of buying a cloud lifter that sets me back 150 dollars on the road to a better interface.
Another thought: With a 24-bit interface, there is no need to push the gain all the way up until the levels hit -12 dB or so (thus possibly eliminating the need for a Cloudlifter), especially if the end result is only 16-bit. In my experience, it's better to look for the 'sweet spot' of the preamps, where the final audio quality (after boosting it in post or digitally) is best. This may well be at a position where the gain is only turned up 50%, as cheap interfaces tend to add noticeably more noise when pushed all the way up.
I have nothing against the Cloudlifters, they have served me well. But I became convinced that money is better spent on a higher-quality interface than on a Cloudlifter.
BTW: Do you think the SM7B is worth the premium, versus the SM58? Soundwise, I actually prefer the SM57 to the SM7B.
Hi guys, thanks for your comments. I had not seen Bandrew's comparison of the SM58/SM7B yet. I imagine the difference between the SM58 and the SM7B is more pronounced than with the SM57, because of the grille with the foam on the 58.
It is exactly the budget-orientation of this channel why I commented. In my opinion, if one has a budget in the range of USD 600 to 700 (400 for an SM7B, 150 for a cloudlifter, and 100 for the interface, I strongly suspect that the money is better spent on a USD 100 microphone like the SM57 or SM58, no cloudlifter, and the rest on a decent audio interface. That said, I think that it does not take very expensive gear to get very decent results. A $100 interface with a $100 mic can definitely get very decent results, if well picked and matched.
I bought my SM7B with high expectations and am quite disappointed, sound-wise. The SM7B is a fantastic microphone: it looks great, has fantastic yoke and built-in suspension, low-cut and presence boost, electromagnetic shielding, two foam windscreens, and it sounds quite good right out of the box, no need to eq after setting the tone controls on the mike. Also the rejection of background noise is quite good. Very good features for broadcasting. But I feel that these features (especially the rejection of background noise) come at the expense of audio quality. Compared to all my other mics (SM57, RE20, and others), the SM7B is immediately recognizeable by the fact that is sounds as if someone speaks through a plastic cup. (Like I said: In comparison. It is less obvious when one listens to the SM7B exclusively.) The SM7B also exhibits a more pronounced "roughness" I know from other Shure mics, namely the SM57 and Super 55. To my ears (and with my gear), my SM57 sounds more pleasant and more natural than my SM7B. As long as there are no electromagnetic interferences. That does not necessarily make the SM7B a bad microphone (especially when used to utilize its special sound instead of "fighting it"). I just noticed I always prefer other mics for my recordings (podcasts) and only use the SM7B for Skype - because the low-cut and presence boost counter Skype's tendency so sound extremely boomy (with pro mics). So I would NOT recommend the SM7B, especially if the money can be spent on other parts of the signal chain.
The Apogee Element is really amazing, especially the quality of the headphone output. I recently upgraded my mic cable from Canare to Mogami and heard a noticeable difference - the Canare adding low frequencies. These differences could be easily detected through the Apogee (with Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Headphones). It's not that the Canare cable did not sound good, but I know that the low frequencies simply weren't there. It's a subtle difference like the effects you get from analogue gear. That is also how I noticed the muddiness of the Cloudlifter: I thought maybe the Cloudlifter will tame the harshness of my SM7B. In a way, it did - but at the expense of sounding muddy. Sorry, I don't have the time to upload a comparison right now.
I also notice a clearly detectable difference when I clock my old interface, an Universal Audio Apollo Twin (silver) externally with the Apogee via SPDIF. The Apogee clock improves the Apollo recordings and makes it sound more "Apogee-like".
I only mention this (the cable and clocking difference) to give you an idea how good the Apogee Element is, and because I think the challenge with low-budget gear is that it often does not reveal the quality differences of the connected gear, which makes it extremely difficult and tricky to compare and make decisions that move one forward in the right direction, quality-wise. That's why I think a good audio interface is essential. Of course the problem with higher-quality gear is that you HEAR the differences and always what to improve further … which can lead to a never-ending drain of cash … for quality differences that few people will notice and even fewer will appreciate.
You know what? It really may be my voice. I already knew I sound muddy and sibilant. I thought the harshness sounded more "technical", but it may well be my voice, too. That would explain why ALL my mics seem to this harshness … The Apogee sounds quite dry by itself, which I like, but it may not be a good match for my voice. The Apollo, on the other hand, is worse in the "mud" department … Of course, the SM7B still does not sound right, compared with my other mics. (If one does not go for the "broadcasting" sound.) First, I thought my SM7B may be faulty, because there are many impressive videos on TH-cam where the SM7B sounds just as it should. But there are also others, where it sounds bad, and there the issues are similar to the ones I have.
It is true that I spent a lot on gear, and I still don't get the results I hoped for. Maybe it has to do with my voice, because if I record other people, it turns out fine. But that's why I wanted to give my 2 cents worth on the Cloudlifter and $100 v. $400 mic.
I am a podcaster, and I think recording spoken voice is much different from recording music, where one does not hear one single instrument or one single voice in isolation, and where harmonic distortions may be less noticeable or even beneficial. But guess what? 2 other guys on my podcast use "Skype"-Headsets, and one guy uses a $50 Philips SBC ME570 electret condenser mic with a 1/8 inch TS plug, going straight into his iMac. This guy consistently gets good results, definitely good enough for a podcast. Unfortunately his mic is no longer available, and it's battery operated (one more potential issue), and the results will highly depend on the built-in sound card. But it shows that it does not take big budget to get good results.
+Andrew M. Sheppard Thanks for your kind suggestions. I know Booth Junkie's channel and am a subscriber, as I am to this channel. My co-host actually sends me his recordings. Sometimes, if something goes wrong, I need to recover audio from the Skype track, and I think Skype cuts off all frequencies above 8k. I personally do not need the Philips, and our other 2 co-hosts most likely could not gets the same quality due to their sound cards or technical non-savviness … The reviews of the Philips mic online are also a mixed bag, although I'm willing to write off most of the negative reviews as caused by either the user or their sound cards. I think the mic is actually intended to be connected to cameras. Of course, cameras tend to have shitty audio, and if they have crappy camera audio or a terrible sound card, they may blame it on the mic. So I personally am not going for the Philips, and think it would introduce too many potential issues with our other co-hosts. But to me, it shows that it takes very little money to get decent results. I'm actually recording my Skype with Audio Hijack, also from Rogue Amoeba, and I can only highly recommend it. It allows me not just to record both Skype channels (in and out), but also my mic directly on a separate track. So no Skype messing with my audio. Audio Hijack's setup can be tricky, though. I'm using Logic Pro X and have no reason to change my DAW. Basically, I started with Garage Band when I changed from Windows to Mac, and eventually upgraded for some features only Logic Pro had. The guy who edits our podcast uses Audacity.
PS: I do have the A55M shock mount (ingenious design!) and the A2WS foam for the SM57. But I never use the A2WS because it does not really prevent popping. For stationary indoor recordings, I recommend one of these cheap shockmounts w/ pop shield: www.amazon.com/CISNO-Studio-Condenser-Microphone-Recording/dp/B00AKPH4OK/ I have no experience with this particular model or this seller on amazon, but I have a couple of this type and also recommended them to a contributor of our podcast, together with am SM57, with very satisfying results.
PPS: When I upgraded my mic, I encountered standing waves with my recordings, and it took me a while until I realised that this was not my mic sounding bassy, but due to my setup, with a wide desk in front of a wall - a perfect angle for lows to built up. So today, if I find something is not sounding right, I would first check for standing waves and comb filter effects, before blaming it on the mic.
Hey Matthias I am considering to buy a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Third Gen and I am interested in the Shure SM 58.. I'd like to buy two of these. Do you think it is a good setup for podcast/audio purposes? Or should I get a more expensive audio interface?
This is great but I don't think the description includes everything a person needs. What cables are needed?
I don't know much about microphones but I did bought the sennheiser e945 microphone. What do you think about that microphone?
Great timing! Been looking for a great dynamic mic around $100 or less. I want an improvement over my Snowball iCE USB mic and to get higher quality audio with less background noise issues. Right now I have to use noise reduction then compress and EQ all in software. What do you think of using a Yamaha MG10XU with this? I want to be able to EQ and compress my voice through hardware so I don't need to do it in Audacity/Vegas. If there's something good out there cheaper than that Yamaha that you could recommend please let me know.
As always thanks for all the great videos and this one too.
I haven't used any yamaha mixers, but they get recommended to me a lot. So I'm guessing they're pretty good.
Thanks. I don't like how the signal indicator only has 1 pair of green lights and 1 pair of red or how compression/EQ/effects must be done through software but I understand it also means more control than a simple knob and it's still better than having to apply things after recording. I'm a little concerned the software will be buggy too like crashing when certain things are adjusted or annoyances with audio device selections in various software. Overall for $50 less the AG03 does seem like it's worth a shot and maybe even less if I can find one on eBay.
I'm sorry to add a question about the XLR to USB thing, but why do you not recommend that method?
Hi there - thanks for your informative videos! I am a live female vocal performer. Which dynamic mic should I go with - shure sm58 or the sennheiser e935 😊🙏🏼
I have that "I want to believe" poster got it in Seattle how dope!
I know this an old vid, and I hope you get to read comments since I trust your reviews and for the mic I'm looking for there art many reviews.
The shure wh20, it seems it would be great for podcasting since the distance stays the same, not sure if you can put a pop filter on it or if its needed.
and in my case to record a lecture or a lesson with keeping your hands free is key since my job is to edit the audio into an animated explanation vid.
can you make a review of it or at least tell me if its as good as the beta58 or sm58 only "hands free"?
I just got this mic in the mail a few days ago. Great for my recording setup since I'm in a bit of a noise sensitive area. Clean audio. On another note would you mind making a video on how an audio interface works/what it is? (Sorry if you've already covered it) I know a little about it. Thanks
Feels like you're screaming at the mic to get your voice across. Is this to increase signal to noise ratio? Or is this thing (even with an additional power boost from the CL-1) really hard to pick up signal? I don't want to have to yell so loud into my mic that my roommates are banging on my door to shut up just to produce some voice-over for videos..
I produce stand-up comedy shows in central Florida and I own two of these. They're super reliable, as durable as a tank and the sound is awesome.