Alternatives to SM58

[Arpangel]

Been asked to supply mics to our function band, I’m not going to get SM58’s, I just don’t like them, anyone suggest any viable alternatives, these are probably going to be used for live PA vocals, and percussion.

[The Elf]

I like the AKG D5 for a cheap alternative that does much the same tricks.

[Arpangel]

I like the AKG D5 for a cheap alternative that does much the same tricks.

Does the D5 have that presence curve the 58 has? I'd like something a bit smoother.

[ef37a]

The Prodipe TT1 is a third the price of the Shure and maybe a little 'darker'?

For really cheap where stuff might get trashed or stolen the Behringer 8500 is very good for the money. There is also the qtx DM1 1B which, AFAICT uses the same capsule and they even give you a 3m mic cable! Downside is the switch but "Gaffer fixes all things".

Dave.

[alexis]

Are you limiting yourself to dynamic mic?

I use this cap mic on stage, I like it.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/earthworks-sr117

" ... the mic’s response is virtually dead flat from 20Hz upwards other than a slight bump at 10kHz, before falling to ‑10dB at 20kHz."

[Sam Spoons]

I like my (sadly discontinued) SE H1 capacitor stage vocal mics. If you want dynamics Shure Beta57/58 are a bit more refined than the SM58 but are super-cardioid which may not work for you. Avoid EV N/D 767, I found them to be a bit 'aggressive'.

[Hugh Robjohns]

... anyone suggest any viable alternatives...

Not without a budget.

There are dozens of usable stage vocal mics, ranging from very cheap and cheerful, to painfully expensive — and it's a waste of everyone's time recommending the latter if your budget only extends to the former.

Also, what vocal style are you talking about, how experienced are the vocal performers, and what foldback arrangements are involved.

Also, what kind of PA quality will they be working with? There's no point spending on high quality mics if the PA speakers can't resolve that detail.

The SM58 may not be the last word in fidelity, but it works very well with a lot of budget PAs...

[Drew Stephenson]

I like the AKG D5 for a cheap alternative that does much the same tricks.

Does the D5 have that presence curve the 58 has? I'd like something a bit smoother.

Mic 5 is an SM58, mic 6 is a D5: https://soundcloud.com/user-359526178/s ... al_sharing

[Wonks]

'Smooth' is not always great for PA work unless you've got a crystal clear PA system. If someone is mixing for you, they'll probably increase the presence region for at least the vocals, to get them to cut through.

[James Perrett]

Been asked to supply mics to our function band, I’m not going to get SM58’s, I just don’t like them, anyone suggest any viable alternatives, these are probably going to be used for live PA vocals, and percussion.

There is no alternative to the SM58 that works in such a wide variety of situations as it does. You may not like them, but they always manage to work acceptably well in just about every situation. I don't know of any other stage mic that pulls off that trick quite so well.

Yes, you will almost certainly find a better mic for a particular combination of vocalist, venue and speaker system but you won't necessarily know which mic will be best without some trial and error.

[hz37]

My “one up” from the SM58’s is the Sennheiser e945. Better presence, just as robust (I think…) and a bit more cardioid.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I like the e series mics, generally. The 9xx mics are a little more refined and classy than the 8xx, but more expensive as a result.

The e945 is a supercardioid (and is therefore more comparable to the Beta58, than the original SM58), whereas the e935 is a cardioid.

Both the 945 and 935 sound good if used appropriately, but its much easier to 'fall off' the e945' much narrower pickup area if the vocalist's technique is poor. The wider pickup zone of the e935 is more forgiving in that respect... but you'll also get more spill and a slightly higher risk of feedback.

The same applies to the e835 vs the e845, of course.

[The Elf]

I like the AKG D5 for a cheap alternative that does much the same tricks.

Does the D5 have that presence curve the 58 has? I'd like something a bit smoother.

We're in budget territory here, not worrying about presence curves!

[N i g e l]

£35 t.bone MB85 Beta , strangely reminiscent of somthing.

https://www.thomann.co.uk/the_tbone_mb8 ... 1581403909

the page has vocal samples

[djangodeadman]

The SE V7s are quite popular with some people. They are supercardioid and, in my experience, don’t work on all voices. They’re very good at cutting through a loud mix, though, if you need that. They’re cheaper than SM58s, as are the e835 and e845 mentioned by Hugh.

[Sam Inglis]

Be aware that there are loads of fakes of popular stage mics around, especially the Sennheiser e-series.

I too am a fan of the Earthworks SR117. It's an amazing mic for the money.

[alexis]

...Avoid EV N/D 767, I found them to be a bit 'aggressive'.

Ooh ...

Can you clarify what you mean there please, Sam?

Thank you!

[Sam Spoons]

The Beta 58s we replaced them with were much smoother, if you're desperate to cut through the EV N/D is good but it had an edge that I didn't like. The band were a rock/soul covers band with two or three male vox and two girls and the rig was pretty decent, a Mackie DL1608 into RCF Tour series 15" tops and 18" subs (sorry, can't remember the exact models). Arpy said he didn't like SM58's presence peak and the EV mics had more of a peak than the SM58 to my ears so I recommended he steer clear.

[ManFromGlass]

I too am a fan of the Earthworks SR117. It's an amazing mic for the money.

I am putting one through some A/B tests and am liking mine so far. I haven’t done enough tests yet on the instruments I play so I’m still “learning” the mics strengths.

[alexis]

The Beta 58s we replaced them with were much smoother, if you're desperate to cut through the EV N/D is good but it had an edge that I didn't like. The band were a rock/soul covers band with two or three male vox and two girls and the rig was pretty decent, a Mackie DL1608 into RCF Tour series 15" tops and 18" subs (sorry, can't remember the exact models). Arpy said he didn't like SM58's presence peak and the EV mics had more of a peak than the SM58 to my ears so I recommended he steer clear.

So elegantly put, thank you, Sam!

[Wonks]

Whereas I loved my N/D 767 and the couple of 767As I had.

But I did find that the EV capsules weren't very consistent. They came with an individually measured frequency response chart for each mic, and they were often quite a way from the published frequency response chart. So different batches could have had quite different sounds to them, whereas I've always found Shures to be far more similar from mic to mic.

[Arpangel]

... anyone suggest any viable alternatives...

Not without a budget.

There are dozens of usable stage vocal mics, ranging from very cheap and cheerful, to painfully expensive — and it's a waste of everyone's time recommending the latter if your budget only extends to the former.

Also, what vocal style are you talking about, how experienced are the vocal performers, and what foldback arrangements are involved.

Also, what kind of PA quality will they be working with? There's no point spending on high quality mics if the PA speakers can't resolve that detail.

The SM58 may not be the last word in fidelity, but it works very well with a lot of budget PAs...

You’ve put this into perspective very well, given the circumstances I think an SM58 will be fine.

[Hugh Robjohns]

[Arpangel]

Well, seeing as I’m not using it, and the PA is an unknown quantity.

[Sam Spoons]

As long as you buy from a reputable source I'd say the SM58 is a 'safe pair of hands'. They are not my favourite vocal mic by a fair margin but there is probably a reason why they are considered an industry standard...