Shure
SM58
Dynamic · Cardioid · 50–15,000 Hz · a rider regular
- The capsule has not meaningfully changed since 1966 — every vocal dynamic released since is still described by how it differs from an SM58.
- The presence lift peaks around 5–6 kHz; that, plus the bass rolloff, is why a voice cuts through a wedge without the engineer touching an EQ.
- It is the mic most likely to survive being dropped off the front of a stage and still be on the rider next tour.
Frequency response
Read off Shure’s published response graph and re-drawn on the fixed MicSense scale (20 Hz–20 kHz, −20 to +15 dB), so two microphones can be compared at a glance. Points between the entered coordinates are interpolated — no data has been invented to smooth the curve.
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for cardioid. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Shure |
|---|---|
| Model | SM58 |
| Type | Dynamic |
| Form factor | Handheld |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency range | 50–15,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 1.85 mV/Pa · -54.5 dBV/Pa |
| Max SPL | — |
| Self-noise | — |
| Impedance | 300 Ω (rated 150 Ω) |
| Connector | XLR3M |
| Powering | None (dynamic) |
| Weight | 298 g |
| Price tier | Budget |
| Introduced | 1966 |
Every figure above is from Shure’s own published datasheet for this model — see the datasheet. A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure; it does not mean zero.
What it gets used for
- FOH vocal
- Monitor vocal
- Lectern / podium
- Broadcast
- Wireless handheld capsule
MicSense tags microphones by the job on a live stage, not by studio category — so you can filter for “kick in” or “monitor vocal” instead of working backwards from “large-diaphragm condenser”.
Compare it against the alternatives.
MicSense lets you put up to four microphones side by side — spec table, overlaid response curves and polar diagrams on one screen. Free with a free Squaresmile account.