Shure SM57 vs Shure SM58
A side-by-side look at Shure SM57 and Shure SM58 for podcasters: pricing, features, and where each one wins.
Shure SM57
Studio workhorse that captures instruments as cleanly as it does voice
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Shure SM58
The world's most gigged dynamic mic, now in your home studio
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Check price on AmazonAt a glance
| Shure SM57 | Shure SM58 | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | See site | See site |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Best for | Podcasters who also record instruments and want one mic that does both jobs | Podcasters who need a dead-simple, road-proven dynamic mic that handles poor room acoustics |
Key features
Shure SM57
- Dynamic cardioid XLR, no phantom power needed
- Frequency response 40 Hz to 15 kHz
- Contoured presence boost for instruments and voice
- Flat grille allows extremely close mic placement
- Output impedance 310 ohms
- Pneumatic shock mount system reduces handling noise
Shure SM58
- Dynamic cardioid XLR, no phantom power needed
- Frequency response 50 Hz to 15 kHz
- Output impedance 300 ohms
- Built-in spherical wind and pop filter
- Weight 298 g, all-metal construction
- Industry-standard clip and stand adapter included
Pros and cons
Shure SM57
Pros
- Versatile - voice and instruments equally well
- Same legendary build quality and warranty as the SM58
- Outstanding off-axis rejection in loud environments
- No phantom power, runs on anything
Cons
- Flat grille means plosives hit harder - pop filter is more important
- Slightly less presence boost for vocals compared to SM58
- Frequency ceiling at 15 kHz limits high-end air on bright voices
Shure SM58
Pros
- Extremely forgiving of close-talking and plosives
- Near-indestructible build, lifetime warranty on cartridge
- Works with any interface, mixer, or preamp - no fuss
- Consistent off-axis rejection for noisy rooms
Cons
- Frequency response rolls off above 15 kHz - lacks airiness of condensers
- Needs a decent preamp for adequate gain at normal speaking distance
- Designed primarily for vocals, not instruments or acoustic sources
The verdict
Choose Shure SM57 if
Podcasters who also record instruments and want one mic that does both jobs.
The SM57 is technically an instrument mic, but its tight polar pattern and rejection characteristics make it a solid podcasting mic for anyone who treats it right. The flat grille means you have to work it closer than the SM58,…
Choose Shure SM58 if
Podcasters who need a dead-simple, road-proven dynamic mic that handles poor room acoustics.
You will not find a more field-tested vocal mic for the money. The SM58 rejects off-axis noise aggressively, which saves inexperienced podcasters from room reflections destroying their recordings. The caveat is its 15 kHz frequency ceiling - modern condensers go…