SM57 vs SM58 for vocals....

[seamonkey]

Shure's answer: What's the Difference Between the SM58 and the SM57?.

I say a little tweak on the console to make one or the other work in the same situation. YMMV

 

[b/o 402]

2 points I haven’t seen addressed:
1. Are you (OP) using wedges or other monitor speakers in your setup? If so, I’ve found you will be asking for trouble using different vocal mics live. The different dips and peaks in frequency response exhibited by different mic models can make it much more difficult to optimize monitor speaker setups. Bottom line: if everybody else is using SM58s, you’d be a fool not to follow suit. If everyone is ready to upgrade to EVs or whatever, then go with it.
2. In all my years of FOH experience, I found that the Shure capsule seemed optimized for the male voice. I found only maybe one in five women singer who sounded their best on an SM57 - 58. Many of the alternates suggested in this thread are much better suited to women’s voices.

 

[cableguy]

2 points I haven’t seen addressed:
1. Are you (OP) using wedges or other monitor speakers in your setup? If so, I’ve found you will be asking for trouble using different vocal mics live. The different dips and peaks in frequency response exhibited by different mic models can make it much more difficult to optimize monitor speaker setups. Bottom line: if everybody else is using SM58s, you’d be a fool not to follow suit. If everyone is ready to upgrade to EVs or whatever, then go with it.

This will be tough to answer. I play in one band that uses whatever backline the club has. Usually SM58 & wedge monitors. The Male lead vocalist uses whatever the club supplies. (Yuk) I use my SM58. The 2nd band I play in will use our own pa with wedges & 3 vocal mics. Guitarist uses a SM57, female lead uses something different & I have my old SM58. I also purchased an in-ear system for myself just as the Covid hit, so I haven't used that as of now.

 

[Acoop]

If you need to ask SM58. ... You might a screen if all you have is a 57.

 

[DirkP]

The deal is over, apparently. Likely 12/30 only — it’s now 12/31 in NY. Earlier today, B&H had a savings of $80 when the item was added to your cart. I placed the e935 in my cart to verify, and it came up as $99. When I saw your post, I thought I must have put the e835 in my cart like you suggested, but I just checked and the e935 was still in my cart but without the $80 savings. Screaming deal it was.

They have a special deal every month because of Corona and the shutdown of live music. It hurts them big time. Previous they had the 421 much cheaper and last month the 935. Both were sold out very fast.

 

[cableguy]

Thanks for the replies TB. Lots of great info. Since I already have a working SM58 (Although battered and beaten) I'm leaning toward a Sennheiser E835 or AKG D5, just to check out something different. If I do not like either I will return for a SM58 which I know works for me. (trying to stay around that $100 price point) Thanks again for all the suggestions.

 

[4Mal]

57 with the shure windscreen is more neutral... Audix Om-5 for husky voices and Om-6 for more neutral voices are more expensive and far superior. Audix vx-5 hand held condenser is what my band sings on. The vx-5 is simply next level. I suppose an Neuman km-105 might be better for 3x the scratch... but you'd never be able to tell in a live environment.

I'm endlessly amused by bass players thinking that $100 mic's are going to be wonderful after obsessing over strings, pickups, preamps, stomp boxes, etc al... If you were ever a vinyl guy, you know that the cartridge made a huge difference in sound quality. Duh! Why would you expect a low end mic to be a best choice. Sm-57/58 are low end. Not as low as Behringer clones of them but seriously, there are so many better choices.

Here is my take... assemble the likely suspects. Put them up on stands. set their gains the
same. Using decent headphones, walk between the mics singing. You'll know pretty quickly which one sounds like you and which sounds like a cartoon...

You can get an eh mic for $100 at GC. You can get OMG for $250 or less.

 

[BucketOfFish]

There’s nothing wrong with an SM58, but the Senn 935 is a whole different ballgame. Relegated my SM58 to bring-it-along-as-a-spare status.

Me too. Sometimes though, the SM58 is kinder to my ear...