Prices of the sm58 mic

[innerchord]

Does the OP want an SM58, or will any cheap mic do?

If it's the former, just go to your nearest store and buy one. 'Shurely' that's obvious. Why try to save just a few pounds? You'll get a keen price, help a local retailer and have a nice box and printed receipt to help prove that it's genuine if you have to sell it.

If you want a '58 clone, there are usable mics from many well-known companies at half the price of the Shure.

[Mike Stranks]

The OP is quite clear that he wants an SM58. I have discussed other options with him, but he prefers to stick with an SM58.

Probably best not to open that discussion again.

[Sam Spoons]

[Guest]

Just to add further I want a used sm58 at half the price of a new one
So I guess 30-40 quid would do

[BigRedX]

Are you sure you want to buy a second hand microphone? I can understand it for some esoteric model that has never seen use outside of a studio and has a 4 figure price tag new.

But an SM58? Have you seen what happens to a typical SM58 in use? It's not nice:



Most are abused until they can no longer be economically repair and then are replaced with a new microphone. The only way I would buy a second hand SM58 is if I knew exactly what sort of use it had gone through before being sold.

[AlecSp]

Just to add further I want a used sm58 at [rather less than] half the price of a new one
So I guess 30-40 quid would do

That'd be a great bargain for you. Unfortunately, we have to remind you again, that your £30-40 "SM58" is very unlikely to be the genuine article.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Just to add further I want a used sm58 at half the price of a new one. So I guess 30-40 quid would do

I think, being realistic, it's unlikely you'll find what you seek. Genuine SM58s tend not to come up as second-hand items because they last forever and are always useful. So even if someone upgrades to a better mic, the old SM58 tends to be kept as an emergency spare or in case an extra mic is needed at some point, not least because they are such a well-known and reliable product. The sale value is generally outweighed by the ongoing usefulness value.

But if you are determined to find a low-cost sm58, please do search the web for articles on how to spot fakes first -- such as the one I linked earlier -- so that you are equipped to identify whether your potential purchase is all it claims to be!

[Mike Stranks]

I can only agree...

I'm still in PM contact with music master so am aware of some of his broader thinking.

As a result and because of his comments here about what he'd like to pay for a secondhand SM58 I had a quick look at what's on offer on EBay... A very C+ collection... bruised, battered and dented or simply too good to be true.

He definitely doesn't want anything but an SM58, but I fear if he isn't very careful he'll end up with either a pup or a fake.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Given that a new one is only £90, it will last a lifetime, and it won't come with someone elses's chinese takeaway splattered throughout the grille, I'd recommend saving up a few more pennies...

H

[Guest]

A few years ago Synthtopia had a link to an arty performance that consisted entirely of a female performer producing a sort of feedback sound by putting the microphone in and out of her mouth (I am trying to describe the performance tactfully). My wife suggested that after the performance she could have probably have sold the mic for much more than it was new.

[Guest]

I guess if it's used on a wireless circuit and being used on big jobs where the singer is engaging the audience or drunken karaoke night then it will get bashed about

But if it's being used on open Mic or quiet pub scrooning jobs where it never leaves the Mic stand only to be popped back in its box then it should be ok

[Sam Spoons]

If it's your own mic then how well it's looked after is up to you. It is almost inevitable that a stage mic will sustain some wear or even damage if it is used regularly but SM58s are robust and can continue working even after considerable abuse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95U7wxPQZdE

Buy a new SM58 and, as long as you continue singing live, it will have a place in you gig bag (and, if you do need o sell it, a good used example with a receipt to prove you bought from a reputable dealer should be worth maybe £20 less than you paid for it new).

[Wonks]

But if it's being used on open Mic or quiet pub scrooning jobs where it never leaves the Mic stand only to be popped back in its box then it should be ok

That's the theory, the practice is generaly quite different. But you'll probably find that out for yourself.

[Dan LB]

Sorry but you’re looking at buying some NEXO subs which aren’t really going to help with your current rig but won’t fork out 90 quid for a mic?

[Sam Spoons]

No Dan, that's another new poster @gsc1ugs who seems to have resolved most of his issues.

[Dan LB]

Ah apologies! Those threads have been melding into 1 in my head

Carry on

[Sam Spoons]

Mine too.....

[zenguitar]

Those Vulcans get everywhere with their mind-melds

Andy

[Guest]

Mike was right when he said you will get 2 different answers on this forum
I will be collecting my mixer tomorrow so will be an interesting topic there I can imagine.
I no longer use other forums for technical related advice, just seem to be full of people who know very little and spend there time criticising and condemning the hard work of others as opposed to studying training practicing learning ect, i.e. Blue room and home recording the term trolling springs to mind!

Now back to the sm58.
Reasons I have been so keen on it because one, I was told it has the best quality sound and two, it would suit my voice type for heavy rock.
I was not bothered about its reliability and durability though. But now I read that the road M1 is the equivalent to the sm58 but cheaper.

Well I don't know what to read half the time with all these little different stories from different people saying that one Mic suites one person's voice but not someone ellses visor versor. There dose not seam to be any real hard evidence on voice classification regarding micropones

[Wonks]

You're right, there isn't. When it comes down to quality of sound, it is all subjective.

There are some technical measurements that are useful, such as frequency range and the polar pattern of the microphone. If there's a frequency response chart, that can tell you a certain amount as well, once you learn to read them - but you also need to know that they are idealised and smoothed out, and there are manufacturing variations that means even two identical mics can sound a bit different.

Then you come to personal preference and also the playback system. If you are singing live, then the quality of the PA will play a part. A PA speaker lacking in treble will sound better with a mic that has a lot of top/end frequency boost. But on a better PA that has a good treble response, that extra brightness may come over as too harsh sounding. Yes, you can do some tailoring with EQ on the mixing desk, but generally people tend to run live desks with the EQ fairly flat and only use any significant EQ to solve problems.

[Sam Spoons]

Mike was right when he said you will get 2 different answers on this forum

This is true, but appreciation of music is subjective and we all like different things So we all have different opinions. However the opinions of the regular posters on here are well known to the community and all will have value.

Now back to the sm58.
Reasons I have been so keen on it because one, I was told it has the best quality sound and two, it would suit my voice type for heavy rock.
I was not bothered about its reliability and durability though. But now I read that the road M1 is the equivalent to the sm58 but cheaper.

Well I don't know what to read half the time with all these little different stories from different people saying that one Mic suites one person's voice but not someone ellses visor versor. There dose not seam to be any real hard evidence on voice classification regarding micropones

Again it is subjective (and a bit of a 'black art') traditional voice classifications relate only to vocal range and not to the quality (in a bright/warm/etc context). All studio and stage mics cover the frequency range needed to reproduce the human voice from Basso Profound up to Soprano but a 'mellow' soprano might sound better with a brighter sounding mic. For your needs an SM58 will do the job, as you said in an earlier post, it is an 'industry standard' you won't go wrong with it. But if money is really tight there other mics you can consider, e.g. an AKG D5 costs around £50, most would say it is not inferior to the SM58 despite being a fair bit cheaper.

Mike Stranks' experience and knowledge means that his advice is amongst the best so if you are conflicted ask him a straight question and go with his suggestion.

TBH it is easy to overthink this when really almost any of the kit discussed would do a decent job and you could get back to making music.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Reasons I have been so keen on it because one, I was told it has the best quality sound and two, it would suit my voice type for heavy rock.

Point two is obviously subjective and you'd have to try it in person to judge that... but it is plausible. Point one is possibly more contentious; many would argue that there are a lot of better-sounding mics than the SM58 -- most also being a lot more expensive, of course! Indeed, if you look at the stage vocal mics used by a wide range of high-end artists, the SM58 won't feature very prominently! However, it would also be valid to say that the SM58 is a very competent mic that has been well-proven over a considerable time, it is a well-known quantity by all live-sound mixing engineers, and it's a mic that is guaranteed to deliver something reliably usable under all conditions. And that counts for a lot!

But now I read that the road M1 is the equivalent to the sm58 but cheaper.

The company is Rode:http://www.rode.com/microphones/m1

I've not used the M1 myself, but I've heard some good reports about it. I gather it has a brighter sound with a more open high-end than the SM58, but is otherwise similar in terms of sensitivity and feedback resistance.

There was a discussion about the M1 and D5 in this forum thread: https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=34610&hilit=Rode%20M1#p315809

...different people saying that one Mic suites one person's voice but not someone ellses visor versor. There dose not seam to be any real hard evidence on voice classification regarding micropones

The human voice is a very complicated sound source, and microphones tend to have very non-uniform frequency responses. So, while any microphone will capture the voice adequately, it is often the case -- especially in a studio recording situation -- that one specific model of microphone just happens to dovetail wonderfully with that person's voice, to capture a sound that just has an extra something special about it not found with other mics. All entirely subjective of course, but it is something that most have experienced.

In a live-sound situation, though, aspects other than tonal attractiveness tend to become more important -- things like feedback resistance, handling noise, resistance to plosive popping, ability to cut through the mix, and so on. And again, the SM58 generally scores highly in these areas which is why it has built its reputation as a reliable workhorse over the years.