Interestingly the SM57, according to Wikipedia, "has been used for speeches by every U.S. president since its introduction in 1965". The SM57 is mostly considered an instrument microphone, but it has also been used for singing, by Madonna, John Lennon, David Bowie (wikipedia) and Jacqui McShee from the Pentangle (I've noticed). And for some reason that I can not explain, I really like it for vocals. So there's another budget option.
Preferred top of snare drum mic for decades in Rock bands. I would say that they take a beating but I have seen some pretty badly beaten SM57s where drummers had bad technique and nailed them with a stick or two.
Yes you can see the 57 used in many scenarios when the president speaks. Usually there’s two of them on a stand. I used the same config in similar situations where the speaker had to go to the stand and talk and they actually sound amazing (and look very presidential). For snare drums i much prefer the MD421 to the sm57 if i can choose though 😊
The way I’ve often thought about it: They don’t sound the same but you can certainly tell they are in the same family. Personally, the 58 gives me an extra bit of honk or nasally sound than the SM7B, which sounds a bit more clean, likely because it’s handling plosives better and protecting you from excessive proximity effect. Saying that, I once guested on a different podcast and their host wanted to know why my audio sounded so good. And all I was using was the 58 I had setup that day. So, it’s clearly more than capable of offering a listenable sound. Great work as always, Curtis!
Totally agree on your take of the 58. I think the issue is the HF bump is up around 3-7kHz which is right where you need some de-essing. Versus the 7B which is basically flat through there and if you engage the presence boost, it hits around 1.5-4kHz. I think the 7B is amazing on vocals because of that 1-3kHz bump really accentuates the 'kk' / back-of-the-mouth sounds that are so pleasant as opposed to the 'air' 5-15kHz which condensers accentuate which is just too grating after a while.
I really appreciate the range of voices you used to test the mics. It is hard to find many videos with higher ranged voices like my own so that was really helpful!
For set up advantages too, the SM58 is way easier by far. I'm a sound engineer and would always use the SM58 as its a great sounding mic that can be used in all studio settings. The price too!
Ok you are a sound engineer, I get what you saying but it's obvious to me that the SM7b sounds better, what would be the best mic for vocals and I mean singers, Neumann?? Max cost 2000$, please
@@magnuseriksson8081 Obviously the 7b is slightly better but for price wise I'd rather pay £300 for 3 great mics rather than £1200 for that wee bit extra where you can match it post with minimal EQing. Neumann U87 is one of the best mics out there that you can use for vocals and acoustic guitars. £2,500 though. 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ Loads of great condenser mics which are far cheaper like a Rode NT1 that you could get for between £100-200 Depending on where you shop. 🙂🎵👍🏻
You are right, most won't be able to tell the difference, especially if they're listening on phone or laptop speakers. But, the SM7B can be easier to work with and is more "tunable".
Fix with these EQ settings on the SM58/SM57 to match a SM7B. It’s amazing!: -4dB 10,500 Hz 5Q (Narrow Band) -5dB 6,400 Hz 5Q (Narrow Band) -3dB 4,200 Hz 1Q +2dB 100 Hz 1.5Q Put a steep Low cut/ High pass filter at 45Hz to reduce unwanted rumble for vocal use.
Great video Curtis. Really enjoyed this comparison. I bought a set of 3 sm58’s about 20 years ago and they still sound great. Crazy how microphone technology hasn’t changed a ton over the recent years (unlike camera’s and lighting!)
Hotly contested topic, thanks for covering it! I always love how you cover these types of topics so now I’ll have a video to share with friends when they ask me about this
When I was building a podcast kit a few years ago, I picked four SM57 and some foam covers (at least 1.5 cm thick at the front). They are a bit lighter and smaller, compared to SM58 and with MixPre-6, some XLR cables, and even foldable stands could easily fit into a small bag. Not sure if they have the same transformer as SM58, but I like the sound! Oh, and thank you for your MixPre review back then. It’s still my favorite recorder and I used it for a few hundreds of podcast episodes since then.
@Curtis Judd - Based on an earlier review you did, I replaced my SM58 with a Shure MV7 for when I am recording things at my computer desk rather than in studio (in studio I have an Octava MK-012 that I prefer). I think part of the popularity of the SM7b is the idea that "well, uses it, so that is what I have to use. The reality of it all is the cost differences in SM58 vs MV7 vs SM7b are vastly higher than the actual quality differences (and that doesn't even count the cost of the hardware to push something like a SM7b).
A year ago i was tempted to buy the SM7B, and i found a comparison video of the SM7B against the Presonus PD-70, found out it was extremely similar to the SM7B with the low-cut and presence boost engaged, bought the PD-70 and have no regrets. I have a deep voice, the darkness of the SM7B would not fit my voice at all, and the Presonus is "easier" to drive. Great video, subbed.
Excellent video, great that you normalized the audio to -23LUFS (loudness). Unfortunately, the audio quality of the majority of RU-vidrs is terrible and they have far more to gain from good technique than expensive mics as you have said in the comments. I was surprised the foam shield is so expensive but still a massive saving.
I have both. The sm7b i've had for like a decade and its a tank, mounted to my desk used for demo vocal recording. SM58 I use in the field for video production in noisy places, also amazing. Can't go wrong with either! You can get in-line signal boosters for cheap these days, like a fethead! Since they'll probably last you the better part of a life-time, buying both is a super cheap investment in my opinion. Always great reveiws, cheers!
I use a Shure A81WS windscreen on my SM58, which is the same windscreen that's used on the presidential podium with two SM57s. It rejects even the most aggressive plosives, and I think it makes the SM58 just a bit warmer and silky smooth. I personally feel it's a great cheap alternative to the SM7B.
"Plosive" rejection... I was trained in broadcasting class to talk across the front of the mike rather than directly into it. Maybe that was just my instructor? But it worked.
@@jimk5145 That's what we recommended near the end as well - not across it at 90º but off to one side of the mouth so that the the plosives don't go directly into the capsule.
We use both for our podcast. The SM7B when doing a remote episode, and the SM58 for IRL episodes where a slight audio downgrade is worth the convivence of a handheld Mic. Both sound great after post. IMO if you learn audio post production, you can't go wrong either way. Great vid Curt.
I personally settled on the SM57 with the A81WS. For me, it just cooperates better when I used OBS and another platform (Discord/Streamyard, etc) at the same time.
Hi, thanks a lot for the great video. I really like how good is the audio quality in your videos. I hope in the future I can improve my audio thanks to watching your content. For now, I appreciate the tip of talking at at around 45 degrees of the microphone to reduce the plosives, I did not know about that. Thanks a lot!
Great job as usual, Curtis. I would add that if someone wants a shure sm7b like sound for alot cheaper, buy the sm57 + the a81ws windscreen. With a few minor eq tweak you get an incredibly close sound to the sm7b, minus the low end response due to the sm7b's capsule. I doubt even pros would be able to tell the difference most of the time between the 2. You can find videos on youtube with eq curves to bring the sm 57 close to the sm7b. I actually love the sm 57 on vocals. Only think that sucks his the plosive rejection.
Fix with these EQ settings on the SM58/ SM57 to match a SM7B. It’s amazing!: -4dB 10,500 Hz 5Q -5dB 6,400 Hz 5Q -3dB 4,200 Hz 1Q +2dB 100 Hz 1.5Q Put a steep Low cut/ High pass filter at 50Hz to reduce unwanted rumble for vocal use.
@@curtisjudd It might not look good but with some eq changes (check a video from Julian Krause on that) it will get you pretty close. You won't notice the 300$-400$+ difference between the two. All the best and keep up the excellent work you've been doing over the years!
Huge praise for the SM58. Has been around forever. Why? Because you abuse it. Throw it off the stage, gets dented, gets beat up all the time, and it still comes back for more. Ask any performer. SM58s stand the gap! Only Hand hold dynamic I trust. They will never let you down unless you do something silly. The SM7B is my go too microphone though I have a cheapy Chinese who knows mic works well with my Focusrite Solo. I use it to prove a point that bad audio in a meeting or any event is a choice not a condition. Want to sound great, takes little effort, want to sound bad, takes even less effort. Choice is yours. Good seeing you Curtis. Been busy so can't join you all on the Sunday Podcast.
To my ears, Curtis, just listening to you and your family on my iPhone through its own speaker, I thought the SM 58 sounded better than the more expensive microphone.
If not played side by side, most people would struggle to make a difference. Just like video (where things like good lighting will affect the final result way more than a given camera model), things like how close is the microphone and how quiet are the surroundings will be much more important than which brand or model is the mic.
The SM58 is Warm 🌋🏖 to put it lightly... I think its best fitted for punk rock vocal recording, it'll give your voice that raw, dark, gritty texture it requires
We use a lot the SM58 in theater, but for one of my productions we have two narrators, one on each side of the stage and we're using SM7B for them. Well, I can say we have better results for that "radio" voice, the two actors are very comfortable with them. This said, I should have tried a foam shield on SM58 first, maybe it would have been a success too.
100usd goes a long ways, whether its headphones or mics. You reach the sweet spot of having quality without needing premium equipment. Yes I can tell when you were doing audio tests for the SM7B but I am not displeased if I only had heard the SM58 (assuming I could fully ignore how the SM7B sounded)
Great video as usual. Looks like a nice alternative with a bit of extra effort! I use an MV7 for this type of recording with your suggestion of the SM7B foam to replace its stock cover. 😄
Hi, I want to record my written poetry professionally. Suggest me a good audio interface and microphone. But my room is not sound proof. The sound from outside comes inside our room. If I use Audio Technica 2035 mic and Shuru SM 58, then what will be the difference between the two? And which audio interface would be better for ShureSM 58. In which there is no noise and the quality is also good at the time of recording.
@@curtisjudd Sir, if I use the original Shure SM 58 mic With Universal Volt 1 Audio Interface. Can I get a good recording? Noise will not come in the recording ? Will I get crisp sound quality?
@@TrueShayari if there is a lot of noise, ANY microphone will pick it up. You can reduce the amount of noise picked up by talking very close to the microphone (within 5cm) and positioning the back of the mic toward the noise source. Then in post production/editing, you may need to apply a bit of noise reduction. Yes, the Volt and SM58 will produce crisp audio.
A very interesting comparison. It's hard to ignore form vs. function. Keep in mind that podcast microphones are much more a fashion show than a sound quality issue. The SM7B (albeit quite ugly) has become the act to beat on camera. Nothing says "I'm a professional (or wanna look like one)" quite like an on-camera SM7B. And all that foam tends to take mike-to-mouth distance out of the equation. One beauty of the SM58 is consistent durability and sound quality control. To a vocal talent, each SM58 sounds just like every other SM58, even if it has been dropped or slobbered into (and it only costs $100). I've seen them severely bashed in, yet still soldiering on. As you say, just sing or speak 'across it' if you're close. For both models, Shure wins on quality control. They all sound the same as their twin brothers of the same model. That is vital to both talent and the 'sound guys' who must level it all out. [Now the Electrovoice RE20 -- there's a horse of a different color (!).] 😉
Brilliant video as always but one thing to say is that with the 45 degree angle, some people, myself included seem to speak out of one side of the mouth more than the other so try both sides as you might find the plosives worse on one side even with a foam or pop filter.
I was watching this video on an ipad while listening on my AirPods Pro, and happened to walk to the kitchen just before the A/B tests came on. I could not tell which mic was which. Blame RU-vid compression, Bluetooth, Apple Airpods sound quality, my middle-aged ears, some or all combined. But in real world deliverables, no real difference. Of course, Curtis is going to get the best out of either mic.
Excellent review as always Curtis 👍. I would really like to see a comparison between various USB mics for podcast/meetings up to 200 $, including the added possibilities of the software, if there is some available from the vendor. There are so many various options out there, it’s really hard to get the head around it.
I have noticed, that you use the SM58 with the same distance to the basket, as you are to the SM7B‘s foam / basket. But the basket and foam of the SM7B protrudes about 5cm / 2 inches from the capsule. That’s why the SM58 sounded somewhat more boomy than the SM7B. So you actually need to use the SM58 a bit more distanced to make them sound more alike. It would also even up the odds for the same signal to noise ratio a bit, but this time in favor of the SM7B.
It definitely depends on the singer's voice, overall, the 7B definitely sounds more compressed and rolled off at the high end. Never used one, but the high end boost filter is a nice feature. 58 sounds more mid forward, a bit more open on the examples. As a young home studio musician back in the day, I used a 58 for years and definitely had to subtract some harsh at the 2k range.
My experience is SM7B sounds vastly different depending on the preamp used, as the pream connects directly to the voice coil, without transformer in between. The SM7B 'presence boost' switch is actually activating an passive LC bandstop circuit when NOT engaged, while when engaged the band stop is deactivated. So SM7B sounds simmilar to SM58 when 'presence boost' is engaged (meaning LC bandstop is removed), and low cut is disengaged.
@@arthurleblanc7272 I can afford SM7B but I like the sound of SM58 and PGA58. I found a problem with microphone without on/off switch using RodeCaster Pro picking up unnecessary sound even from a shielded line.
@@YEYSHONAN I'm only joking about a bigger paper routes since that was how I started getting better gear. I have 3 of the Behringer 8500 with the on/off in a case($35). If someone is gonna' drop their mic or "EQ" the mic with their hand or ,you know, extra mics at an open mic with on/of, I use them. I guess the point I'm trying to make is for an instrument that will serve you for 20+ years, there are a lot of mics in the $250 to $500 range that are well worth looking into. (my goto mic is the AKG C4000b).
Good comparisons were provided. The increase in prominence of the clicky mouth noise was quite immense jumping to the more treble-heavy 58. That is something of which the importance I discovered trying to record a sample demo on a couple of condensers: starting on the very bright Aston Spirit, I was doing retake after retake; having jumped over to Rode NT-1 I was suddenly pleased with how much less any of the delivery imperfections stood out. That said, you should be able to somewhat easily correct the brightness of the Shure 58 with a basic equalization, no?
Questions! Have you compared the SM 58 vs SM 58Beta A --- I have both. I like the Beta A for spoken word and the 58 for podcasting. I purposely got the RE20 because it wasn't popular with influencers. But the 58 sounds just as good in my headphones. I enjoyed this video so much ----- I also have the Heil PR 40. And there's more... I might have a mic problem🤪
LOL! We both have a microphone problem. I haven't compared to the Beta58 as it generally sounds a bit brighter. That can be good for some voices, but my voice tends to have a lot of sibilance so I have to be careful. But I'd like to give it a try!
@@curtisjudd I love your voice. It lowers my blood pressure. Yes the Beta 58 is def brighter. I have more than a little sybillance I have a full on gap tooth lisp but that’s my niche. lol.
Interesting - I actually thought that the ladies voices sounded better with the SM7B but thought that it gave a nice high end boost in your voice and on my end that sounded better. I wonder if shure will have to protect patents if someone sells a knock off housing where you just slide the SM58 into. Seems like if there isn't something like that available that it will be soon. I don't think the price difference warrants getting the actual SM7B in my opinion. Shure should rethink their price point and drop the price to around $200.00. There certainly would be justification for that price.
Fix with these EQ settings on the SM58/ SM57 to match a SM7B. It’s amazing!: -4dB 10,500 Hz 5Q -5dB 6,400 Hz 5Q -3dB 4,200 Hz 1Q +2dB 100 Hz 1.5Q Put a steep Low cut/ High pass filter at 50Hz to reduce unwanted rumble for vocal use.
My understanding is that fetheads and cloudlifers don’t provide clean gain and are generally not recommended. That they simply boost signal and are generally not a good idea. Is that wrong?
It depends. With newer preamp designs, they’re not needed nearly as often. If you plan to use a SHURE SM7 and ZOOM H series recorder, the cloudlifter style in-line preamps are still useful tools.
My first workhorse Shure mic was the PE566 (gold, hi/lo impedence, screwed on to mic stand like the SM7 & rubber shock absorber) in 1970. The response is basically the same as the Beta 58. The SM58 is O.K. for $100, but for around $150, the Beta 58 is better. If you can spend $400 on a mic and you have something against condenser mics for speech, I would point out that the Shure KSM8 is the mic that The Pope uses most of the time when he speaks. I'm not trying to make a joke about "The Voice of God" here because that would require a mic that could handle more than 150db SPL. The KSM8 is a dual diaphragm dynamic, doesn't need the amount of gain boost the SM7B requires, has reduced proximity effect, cardioid pattern & handles plosives well.
You should compare the SM57 with the A2WS windscreen to the SM58! I hear people claim that they essentially become identical once you put that windscreen on it. It would also be interesting to hear your take on a SM57 EQ'd so sound like the SM7b, by using Julian Krause's EQ settings that he made, or by your own means.
Thanks, will give it a try. I'd probably use a custom EQ curve for every voice as every voice is different. The process of boosting a parametric EQ and sweeping to find the resonances seems to work better than preset EQ curves, in my experience. Then you essentially tune the mic to the voice.
@@curtisjudd Yup. You're absolutely right. I initially started my microphone journey with an SM57 along with the A2WS windscreen and attempted to replicate that SM7b sound, but since my voice is already deep, making the microphone even darker only ended up making me sound boomy/muffled. This made me go further down the rabbit hole of learning how to EQ my voice, luckily I already have a background in music production so this was pretty painless, but low and behold my microphone now sounds a lot better than if I had just left it alone, or tried to turn it into an SM7b. It truly is all about getting a microphone that fits your particular voice, and post production to further enhance that.
I have a SM58 and to me it sounds a little crunchy with my voice, but it's still a good performer. I read a tip about using an SM57 with the Shure add on pop filter, and to me it sounds less crunchy and distorted although a bit brighter. it works a little bit better with my voice though, so I tend to use it more. Additionally, I can use the SM-57 as a better instrumentation mic. I would say the SM-57, 58, and 7B are all in the same ballpark. It's funny, my friends always tell me that I sound like an NPR host. I always think that their $20 Logitech headsets sound really good and that I'm wasting my time with all this audio gear, lol. 😂
Thank you so much Curtis for creating this wonderful video! My question is if I have an interface (rodecaster) do I still need to buy a cloudlifter for sm7b?
WOW !!! Great informative vid Curtis. Question: What's your take on using the FetHead with the SM58. Would there be any advantage over not using it? Also I have the Shure SM58S (the one with on off switch) Is there any difference in the sound of that mic in relation to the SM58 without the on off switch?Thanks.
SM7B if you are not the best with technic and it seems to cover a better range so it's easier to post-process the sound as well, I am far from an expert but it sounds great but it does not have the sprinkly nice full crisp sound that I would expect from a Neumann but that will cost you though, and you need a very well treated room for a mic like that too to get the most out of it
I might have missed it but it would be nivlce to be introduced to the other parts of the equipment used for the sample recordings. I. E. I am using the F8N with this transmitter, or xlr
blue yeti is better than sm58 for recording. I pick sm7b for final recording because it’s have no interference sound like the white noise when plug in the sm58. I said recording maybe live it’s better but for recording even my blue yeti is better I did a test so just base on my own experience.
Hi. My friend and I are planning to start recording podcasts together, but we can't agree on whether the quality difference between expensive and affordable microphones is really necessary. I suggest buying at least an RE20 or an SM7B, while my friend prefers microphones in the Podmic price range. Do you think the difference between these two microphones would be noticeable for listeners? Do you think we should go all out and choose established, high-end products, or would more budget-friendly microphones suffice? Thank you for your recommendations. Please help me, I've been sleepless for four days, researching only this topic. I admit that I am overly obsessed, but I want to do my job properly and cleanly. I am very talkative and warm-hearted, never hesitant to laugh, and I usually laugh a lot. I used to do Twitch streaming before, so I have knowledge about how to gain viewers. Now, I want to sleep, please tell me which microphone and sound card I should get....
Thank you for the video. I was just looking at using my brother's Shure SM58 to record various people's stories at various places. What would be an easy portable solution to record voice? I was thinking of a Focusrite interface into an iPad (already have an iPad), or straight into an external recorder like a zoom F3. Would these work? Or would you recommend something else? I don't want the kit to get too heavy or look too intimidating to my subjects. The audio will be for videos, but I won't actually film them talking, just record the sound of their voice.
Sir I am full beginner. I want to record my written poetry professionally. Suggest me audio interface and dynamic mic. Which gives me professional level quality. Because my room is not sound proof. My total budget is 300 dollars. Tell me such a setup that I will not regret buying.
@@curtisjudd 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?
Oh I disagree. They modded the capsle only a bit? Oh they did more than that. What was that bit? Cause the SM7B at least hears full range like a condensor. The SM58 cuts off at the usual 15 KHZ. I was blown away by that when I read Sweet Water's page on the SM7B. Oh wow! A dynamic that fully hears. Well okay okay. Like the 58 only going up to 15 K. Does that actually mean it's death to anything 16 and above like a person that can't hear full range?
