Bookmarks for video: 00:37 How the audio was recorded 02:08 SM58 Background and history 03:46 Beta58A Background and history 05:37 Microphone specifications 11:41 Frequency response curve comparison 19:36 Differences in use - gain, polar patterns, mic technique. 22:26 Stage Monitor placement 24:02 Professional opinions and conclusion
sir I am confuse the impedance speaker impedance 8 mic impedance 150 di box impedance how to calculate sir please help my English is not perfect but your video is very easy thanks sir
This is one of the best microphone videos I have ever seen. Absolutely wonderful presentation. Unrelated, your accent is really interesting, and I can't place it. Great voice and delivery for teaching. Just wonderful. Thanks.
Mr Luse, Alan here! Great tips and great explanation indeed! I've always wondered differences handheld microphones made. You video summed it up very elegantly! Thanks again!
@GLB Productions Wow, thank you so much for your fast response! Have found a kind of "XLR to USB"-cable now on Amazon, I guess I will test this one cause its much cheaper than an audio interface, and I think I will use the mic on my pc not often enough so I will give such ab cable a try....as far as I read such a cable will "boost" the gain a bit, and if it doesn´t work well enough, it´s not a big problem to send it back 🙂 To be honest, I´m still struggling which of the two mics will be better for me....don´t have a chance to test both side by side. I have more a kind of "nose voice" (don´t know if I could say it that way in english *lol*) and have read that the SM58 would be a better choice for those kind of a voice....on the other hand, the S58A Beta has newer technology....but as far as I know there is no version with a switch, so I guess I will purchase the SM58 and hope it´s the right choice.... :-) PS: Sorry for my english, I´m from Germany....I´m just an little "hobby musician"....if you have some time and a bit interest, there are some songs on my channel....where I had to record my voice with a 4-channel-mixing-app on my android phone.... 🙂 Every feedback would be great.....and hey, the Shure mic will be a HUGE improvement for me :-D
sir I have a problem.I have one condenser mic & other mics are simple dynamic types.so If I on the phontom power for condenser mic, does it will affect my simple mics? because my mixer have only one knob of phantom power for all channels .
Definitely, a great review and comparison of both microphones. I use both the SM 58 and Beta 58A in live scenarios. Working as sound engineer, Worship and Music Director in my church, I appreciate everything this man has said in this video. Plus, I learned a few things as well. Thank you for your thorough and informed research. Your work is superb and you provide a great service for many of us who search for reliable and professional information. Thanks again.
Excellent review well done. While I appreciate the benefits of the Beta 58A in a live sound / vocal environment, as a retired broadcast engineer, I have to say that I still prefer the richer mid to low end response of the SM 58. It will remain my goto microphone for remote broadcasts / podcasts. Thank you once again for an excellent review.
I refer to the SM 7 and not the SM 57. If you believe the 57 and 58 have identical components then take that up with Shure. Whether you think the sound of a 57 and and a 58 on spoken word is the same, the 7 is in another class for spoken word, the proper tool for the job, not a stick mic.
@@alsacrime4806 Ah, well SM7B is different story then :-) of course SM7b is going to be better than SM57/SM58. However SM57 and SM58 are pretty much identical. There are numerous videos on that topic and people generally recommend to use SM57 for instruments and SM58 for spoken word nowadays, from what I gathered. If you take the grill (which consist of foam and acts like a little in-bult pop filter) from SM58 and put it somehow on SM57, you have pretty much the same microphone. Now that doesn't apply to SM Beta 58A, that is a lot different than SM57 and SM58.
Beta58A = more output. Less handling noise. Hardened grill. Cuts thru better - keeping the vocals upfront in the mix. ( both great ) I had the 58 and Sold it & Upgraded to the 58a.
Never had any handling noise with the SM58... don't know anybody who has, personally. It's not built like a tank just to be oversentive to moving around. Heck, how many lead singers/rock stars swing the thing 'round like a lasso... how many times to they fall or get smashed onto the floor (the mic - not the singer) ?? From my experience, the Beta58 absolutely cuts through in the mix, I agree - especially, in regards for heavy metal and rock or large bands, the clarity is built in - sure. But, its sound fits better into today's electronic (DJ) music world, than the SM58 - no question. However, as any other kind of vocalist (acoustic, jazz, folk, pop, spoken word...) to my ears, the SM58 is the only one of the two which 'connects' audio-wise with the texture of 1960's pop music, for example. And, it's great for standard jazz vocals. In situations like that, I find the Beta58A is way too 'crystaline' and edgier sound for those mediums - as opposed to the warmth and bass response of the SM58.
I use all sorts of different vocal mics. For recording i pretty much use the Neumann u87ai’s. For live, I usually use the sm58’s, most of the time. They cut through mix (always use a hpf) and they sound more natural than the beta 58a in my own opinion. It also has a good frequency response. Both are good sounding mics though. I run music for all different types of genres/bands.
This is by far the best microphone review I have seen. The guy here knows his stuff and knows what details are essential to the sound and functionality. Thank you.
So in depth. I've bought my Beta 58a a long time ago, and actually carry it with me whenever I go karaoke lol. It has superb handling, and I often times find it the best hand held mic I've used. Almost no noise from handling at all. As a singer who has a lot of lower register, the 58a is also better to cut through as you've said. I'm happy wit the choice, and the price is well worth what I've paid. Since I've started to do more recording stuff, I've prefer to use condensers now, and the 58a just sits in the box. Still one of my favorite pieces of hardware. It just feels solid in the hand.
A newbie question, Sony RX0 Mark Ii supports audio input via TRS 3.5 mm, can the Sure SM58 A Beta can be directly connected to get a decent quality audio if not what is your recommendations
@@GLBProductions THANKYOU I am Looking for a good Shure / any professional microphone with good studio quality which can be directly connected using TRS 3.5mm To to the camera (without any additional converter or amplifications)
I know I'm late to the game, but I have watched every single vid I can find about the SM-58 and the Beta 58A and comparisons between the two. This is by far the best of the lot and maybe even the best of mic comparisons in general. I encourage you to make more comparison vids, if you enjoy doing them.
I was in a jam band 20 years ago. I tried singing into an SM57 but no mater how much pleading I did (TURN IT DOWN!) I could never get my voice's volume up over the rest of the garage band. I did some research and found the Beta 57. The neodymium magnet makes a very big difference. With the purchase of the neodymium (ND) mic the next jam went easier for me. I was getting a much better volume. Ever since I have bought ND or condenser mics.
Dear host. Could you please make a great favor to me? please measure the lenght of your beta58a microphone. mi box tells the model is from 2023. looks like yours, but the lenght it is not exactly 160mm. (the manual tell tis 160mm though). If you could measure the length would be a great help. Also if you can find a scale nearby to tell the weight that would be greater help too. Thanks in advance. (I payed the right price for the mic , but became concerned for the counterfeits being introduced in market).
Yes, the SM58 often has a more appealing sound when it comes to recording, but these qualities will often result in feedback and a muddy sound when it is placed in a live environment.
Thanks for this great video! Two little questions: Is it possible to connect the SM58 with a pc with a xlr to 3.5 cable and record some things with for example audacity? And does anyone know if the "head" of the beta (what is it called? Capsule? Mean the round metal thing) would fit also on the sm58? I like the blue stripe, but would prefer the sound of the sm58 I guess... ;-)
You're welcome. To answer your questions: 1. I recommend connecting via an audio interface of some kind eg the Steinberg UR22. If you use an xlr to minijack cable you will likely have difficulty getting a good level in your recording due to the amount of gain required by the microphone. 2. The round metal ball that unscrews is called the grille - the capsule is inside the grille and cannot be easily removed. If you like the blue stripe you can actually use a permanent marker to draw around the grille on the SM58 - I have done this on some of my mics to colour code them 😄.
Hello Sir, Recently I bought the Shure SM86. I was using beta 58 a. I feel like SM 86 is more fit with female voice. Beta 58 a stand out thru mix. I may be wrong I feel better on the beta 58 a. Love to hear your thoughts on this. Appreciated.
These are two quite different mics - the SM86 is a cardioid condenser and the Beta58a is a supercardioid dynamic. So it's not surprising that you are hearing a difference. My advice would be to go with whichever mic you feel more comfortable with and sounds better to you and your band or sound engineer.
Useful video... very good. Make absolutely certain that you buy a genuine one, though, not a cheap Chinese copy, like almost any found on ebay. They look the same, but are cheaper. Big difference
Very informative and well made video. I really enjoyed learning this. I’ve had an 58 for about 20 years and used to sing through it in a band years ago. Never knew all of this information about it, though. Thanks again! 👍🏻
The e945 has a similar spec to the Beta58a (Dynamic, supercardioid) so which one is better will likely come down to personal preference and also price.
I really noticed the difference at the end when he changed across from the 58 to the 58A. The 58 has a much warmer sound to me. I think I'll stick with the 58. Excellent review though. Gave a much better insight to each microphone.
The Sm58 it’s good, but I have the Pgxd24 with the Beta58a and I Can tell you guys, it is a piece of gold. A work horse in another words not cuts or drops. Very highly recommend....👍🏽
For sure - try any modern super or hypercardioid dynamic microphone: Sennheiser e945, Audix OM5, SE Electronics V7 to name a few. Note that these are alternatives and not equivalents 😉
I personally prefer the warmer sound of the SM58, but I'm glad the B58A is out there for those who prefer the brighter sound with a similar form factor and durability
We have been using the 58 ( 12 mics total ) since their production started. 5 wireless, 7 cabled to board. Band started in 1962 with a variety of mics until the 58 went into production and all 12 still preform perfectly. Used for vocals and instruments. Complaints= Absolutely none. Understand that a great board man, in studio or live performances has to know all the principles you mentioned especially when running cables through a 100ft box, running up to 24 mics. There is more to mic placement than meets the eye. A graffic analyzer equalizer is always used to detect acoustic effects in each performance venue for no feedback problems. ( That's why one always does a sound check as the term speaks for itself)
Your good for informing me personally between the two models SM58 vs SM58A I am convinced with the two models which both products has unquestioned quality. More information next time around please. Thanks...
Sir, I am beginner. I want to record my written poetry professionally. In which my line will go in high tone and will also come in low tone. Tell me such dynamic mic and audio interface. So that I can record and mix later. My room is not sound proof. My total budget is $300. But a shopkeeper told me that you cannot do recording with dynamic mic. Please tell me what should I do. Tell me such a mic and audio interface that I will not regret after buying.
You can definitely record with a dynamic mic! In fact they are often preferable in noisier environments and in untreated rooms because they pick up less environmental noise. But if your budget is only $300 then perhaps consider getting a USB microphone instead - this will mean you do not have to buy a separate interface.
@@GLBProductions Sir. If I take Shure SM58 Mic and Arturia Mini Fuse Audio Interface. So would this setup be good? Can I record and mix poetry in professional quality on this setup? Will there be any problem?
I suggest buying a name-brand USB interface from a company such as Presonus, Steinberg, Zoom, Focusrite, SSL etc. The microphone preamp is as important as the microphone itself when it comes to recording.
Used a beta58a for years singing in metal bands and it was great when travelling around to random venues where the sound environment was not always ideal
so good to hear a beautifully spoken comparison, at a speed i can grasp! (i'm still doing it in small'ish chunks as my concentration span is about as good as a flea's!) and no background music! YAY!! huge thanks in advance of my getting to the end!
Please make a video explaining the several types of outputs which exist in modern mixers. And how to make the best use of the outputs, I find several outputs like “Master A”, “Master B”, “AUX”, “MONITOR”, “FX send”, “RCA CD”, “XLR LAMP”, “USB 2.0”, “RCA REC SEND”, “RCA 2-TRACK SEND”, “TRS FX ON/OFF” and “PHONES”. When to use which? Thanks for help.
If you search Craig Anderton Mixer and download a mixer manual on pdf from Mackie or whichever manufacturer applies for you then you will understand more about routing and eventually gain staging, which is what all mixers are about. Master/Program/Main is what the audience hears. Aux is for auxiliary inputs or outputs so that you can record to an external device or input and external source like a CD player. Phones is for your headphones. Monitors carry the sounds that the performers want to hear, which tend to constitute different mix to what the audience hears (main/program/front of house). Inserts/sends are used to bring in external processors for selected input channels. TRS refers to a single 1/4” cable or jack that features a Tip-Ring-Sleeve configuration analogous to XLR or a telephone headset with left/right/mic lines all in a single cable. It’s essentially a way to get three lines into one cable. If I overlooked something let me know.
I ned a mic for flute , hamonica and singing. NOTHING fancy . I'm in between Shure beta a 58 and Sennheiser e945. Had a Shure sm 58 before ( got stolen) , it worked fine but would like to try something a little better .Thanks in advance for any answer.
Both of these models will work fine for the purposes you mentioned, so I suggest trying both and picking the one you prefer. The Sennheiser is significantly more expensive than the Shure.
Yes the Beta series are somewhat specialised designs meant for high-volume live sound applications. It's great that Shure have kept the SM series in production for those needing more general purpose mics :)
@@GLBProductionsdepends on the sound engineer. I don’t necessarily agree with the beta 58a’s spl going all that much higher than the sm58. I haven’t any issues with sm58 being able to keep up or ever being drowned out in any live situation. Plenty of headroom with the sm58.
thanks! You used to mention SM57/58 both can be used as instrument MIC, how about beta58? my home piano has sound level 80dB or more, I tried SM57 a bit too bright.
Just like the SM58, the beta58A is designed as a vocal mic but works well for certain instruments. However, for recording acoustic piano I would use a condenser mic instead.
Very nice video Bruno I am hunting to buying the handheld mic but I am very confused between sennheiser with shure. After I have watch your comparison video now I decided to buy Shure Beta 58A Thank you very much bro.
I would regard them as two different tools for different applications: the Beta58a is not an upgrade to the SM58 - that's why Shure has kept them both in production.
They are both fine microphones, any experienced audio engineer is certainly quite familiar. I like them both. The Beta I would use for someone that could use those extra high frequencies or a female with not so strong of a voice. There are also times when I think the female may be better off with sm58. Totally depends on a few things but mostly the persons voice and projection.
That's what you should be hearing - the Beta 58 has a controlled proximity effect for singers who like to sing very close to the mic. Warmer is not always better, especially for live use on very loud stages. As for the price difference, you'll need to ask Shure about that 😉
Excellent Excellent and Excellent review. Very clear and very detailed. I am a male singer and you gave me my final choice for these 2 great mics at reasonable proice. thanks you !!!!!!
Thank you sir, great review. I own and use a Samson R11 that i have had for 10 years. It is similar in sound to the SM58 in my opinion, after comparing the two with my voice and other peoples' too. I have used a Sennheiser e835 with good results, as well as the Beta 57A and 58A. They are all different sounding/behaving and that is cool and frustrating sometimes.
Yes - at the end of the day it's about having options. In the early years the entire live sound industry used basically two mics: SM58s for vocals and SM57s for instruments. Today we are spoiled for choice, which is a great thing. Remember that 99% of the audience doesn't know or care what mic you are using - as long as the sound is loud and clear, that's all that matters to them! All the best with your music :)
Hello sir. Im theody from the philippines, can you make a video tutorial on how to ringing out the annoying mic feedback or unwanted frequencies using the 31 band professional equalizer. Thanks a lot. mabuhay!
I don’t really like the Beta. It has a compressed sound to me. It’s one of those things where they keep saying “higher output” but I doesn’t have that sound.
I have always thought that the beta58 was a cheaper, lower spec modern day offering by Shure but I see now that I was completely wrong with that perception
Omg now i now why the guy I work with is always using the betas its cause of dumbass singers dont know how to use mics and he doesnt have to deal with as much proximity effect this was very informative thanks!
I'm afraid it's impossible for me to answer this question - you need to try both mics and see which one sounds better with your specific voice and the types of songs that you sing.
Great reveiw, i could not think about a better and more complete one for this topic. (Perhaps only one: some other solutions from other manifacturers, but i bet his is topic for another video).
Yes that could definitely be an entire video in itself. The SM58 is the definitive, original live sound vocal mic - with very few exceptions all of the others take inspiration from this design.
Hello, I'm late by 3 years, to the party😊.... Excellent review. What a quality of info and demo. Essentially academically superb. Could you do a comparative between the beta 58A and another dynamic microphone with an affordable price range?? Very grateful for your review.
@@GLBProductions I know!! I just wondered how both compare in terms of studio vocal recording... I believe that there's considerable gap in understanding their respective roles. I am doing vocals in studio set up using, now, the Beta, even though it's a stage/live mic. I have been unable to minimise breath sounds (very old, I am, 😊) with condenser microphones. However, the Beta is very rewarding and forgiving. Hence I wondered...but I get your point
Ah yes - I pointed that out because in your original post you wrote that you would like to see the Beta 58A compared to another dynamic microphone. When it comes to recording, I feel that the results are far more important than what microphone is used - condensers are the standard for studio work because of the level of detail they provide, but they are just one of many tools available. If it sounds good use it I say 😄
Every time you got on the SM58 I got the chills, while I slightly cringed sometimes when I heard the sound from the Beta58A. I might be a little biased since I love punchy, fuller sounds. However, I can definitely see why the Beta58A would be better in noisier situations.
First of all, I want to thank you for your awesome video. I have a question, if I connect the SM58 on a channel with phantom power, is it going to break it? It may be a stupid question but I'm simply a student who takes care of the sound for my school's theater. Also yes I need the phantom power for the condenser microphones. Thanks a lot!
No, the SM58 will just ignore the phantom power. Just remember not to connect and disconnect stuff with the phantom on as you'll get loud bangs through your system.
I use a Beta58a for my vocal mic, and have a fairly unique hard rock style and baritone voice with a large performed range from low growl to high scream, and find the Beta is perfect for my style, and this video explains why nicely.
GLB Productions would you mind telling me what type of mic cable that would connect the Shure Beta 57A to the M-Audio Air 192-8 interface? My understanding is XLR but the interface input ¼”/TRS combination. Is that correct?
The SM 58 sounds better to my ears. The 58A seems to be a little more focused, but it does not capture as much dynamic range and sounds muffled. The 58A clearly needs more gain than its stated value. The SM 58 seems to have a much better low-end and midrange. The SM 58 is noticeably better hands down. I sing also and write original songs. I sing in high ranges (I am a tenor) and it is interesting that you prefer the 58A. The SM 58 seems to have a wider dynamic range and that is what is most important to me. I don't want "my lips on the mic" and so the SM 58 is a no brainer. Also, for my guitar and vocals, the low-end and mids of the SM 58 are just better than the 58A. The SM 58 appears to have a much wider dynamic range than the 58A. Perhaps if I were singing in crowds, the 58A might be more useful to filter out noise, but I am recording in my home studio.
Bravo Bravo ! Bruno does it again, what a brilliant video. I always learn so much whenever I watch your channel. This was very well illustrated, Thank you sir .
What pre amp are you using ? You talk to both mic from such a far distance while still get clear and loud vocal signals . In my case , if I talk such a far from the mic , I end up with a very low signal even though I cranked my preamp to 50 dBs.
