~This Shure is a great mic!~
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As with everything in the world of music peformance, whilst the instrument or microphone you use in the course of making beautiful music needs to be of a good quality and be suited to the type of music you wish to perform, this won't always a guarantee that you and your new musical instrument or microphone will be suited to each other. As far as microphones go there really are so many different options to choose from that you do need to do your homework in order to get the best you can. I feel that its best to always try out a number of microphone products before purchase if you can, so that you know what suits your voice and budget, as buying something that is suited to your requirements, at a price you can afford is paramount.

Having looked at a range of products I found two mics that worked well, both of which were Shure products. I considered my requirements and opted for one slightly cheaper option (PG58) as well as Shures industry standard product...... the trusty Shure SM58 vocal microphone! The Shure SM58 Microphone is a vocal microphone that you could say speaks for itself in terms of its over alll quality as it offers a good degree of stability when in use and is often used in the music performance industry as a standard issue item meaning that clubs, pubs, schools, musical colleges and a wide variety of music venues will have one or two of these available for use. In my experience I have found that this microphone does live up to its well deserved reputation as being a reliable product that is also durable and effective.


~Main features and ease of use~
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Having compared this microphone to others I have experience with, I feel that this sits amongst the best mid range vocal microphone products you can buy and use. The Shure SM58 is well made, has a nice even weight to it, with a base that is easy to handle and use with a good quality music stand. The microphone comes well boxed so that it has plenty of protection from knocks and bumps in transit and the box can be used to store the microphone in with a cable and stand adaptor etc if wanted. You can of course use the small storage bag/ pouch that comes with the microphone if wanted to store it in. In my experience the storage pouch provides a good neat fit once the microphone is placed in to it, although it isn't overly padded and as such should not be relied on fully to give 100% protection from all bumps and knocks. Having said that this microphone is very sturdy and well made and shouldn't be damaged all that easily any way.

I have found that you if get a good sized microphone cable with this item that is a decent length to work with, making it neither too long so that the cable gets caught up, nor too short so that you are limited in terms of where you place your PA system or amplifier when using the mic it works well. The quality and finish of the cable you opt for should provide a good balance, with it being flexible enough in use without becoming brittle after having been taken out and then wound back and put away a good number of times. The end part of your cable can be slotted in to the actual microphone with ease and should provide a well made and sturdy connection that stays in place well due to the way the pins and clip work to hold everything together. When wanting to release the link between the cable and mic, it is very easy to press the connector clip and then firmly but smoothly remove the mic from its place. You can opt for either and XLR or QTR cable depending on what you want to hook the microphone cable up to at the other end.

If using this microphone with a stand you can opt for either a simple upright stand or a boom type stand if you want to use the mic when playing an instrument at the same time. You do need to pick a good quality stand that can handle the weight of the Shure SM58 once it is sat in place. I would advise that you look for a good sturdy base to the stand and if using a boom type stand make sure that it is well balanced with a decent base, so that it won't topple over once the boom arm is extended and the microphone is in place. With some stands you may get an average quality microphone stand adaptor thrown in which may or may not be a good fit with this mic. Luckily the Shure SM58 comes with its own standard swivel type adaptor that is easy to fit in place and holds the mic in place as it should. I like the fact that you get the proper adaptor for the mic with it, as you can be assured that it is going to help keep your not inexpensive microphone sitting neatly where it should when in use on a stand and in my experience of using both mic and adaptor together, it certainly does just that!


~Product performance~
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Looking at the way the microphone performs when in use I feel that over all it offers a nice warm tone that works well for both lead and backing vocal performance. This mic is more than capable of being used in a full performance situation and works equally well in practice situations. The SM58 is primarily a vocal microphone although it can be used in a variety of other situations if wanted as it is very versatile and well made. The mic is a cardioid dynamic microphone which means that the cardioid pick up pattern is able to help cut out unwanted back ground noise whilst maximizing the pick up from your vocals. I find that the mic works as it should and there is very little back ground interference when using it.

You are directed to place yourself no more than 15cms from the business end of the mic and in use this does very often achieve the best sound delivery, although I have found that even when standing side on to the mic at a greater or lesser distance you can still get great results from this product. If standing slightly further from the mic in my experience the sound will begin to distort if you turn your head away too far. Equally I find that getting a little too up close and personal can and often does result in a certain amount of sound distortion, although this can sometimes be put to good use when using the mic for certain music genres. There is a built in filter that helps to minimize the transfer of breathing noise during pauses between your vocal delivery, so that what you get is a nice clear clean result with minimal distortion. The mesh grill on the mic is made from well formed steel and it provides a good protective cover that will make sure this mic lasts well even with continued regular usage, making this a good buy that should last for a very long time.


~Rating price and other options~
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The price of the microphone can and does vary quite a lot depending on where you buy it and what you get bundled with it. You can and should expect to pay around £85 to £95 for the mic on its own which I feel is a good reflection on the quality of the product you get. For anyone wanting a cheaper vocal mic that still offers you really good range with a good degree of warmth and longevity you could try the Shure PG58 microphone which is a slightly cheaper yet still effective model from the Shure range. I also have a PG58 and can say it is almost as good as the SM58 but at a cheaper price of closer to £50/ £60 it will make a good starter product for anyone wanting to use it as a main vocal microphone. For those wanting a mic suited to speaking rather than singing then the PG48 would be the best bet, as it is cheaper than the other 2 and for around £35 to £40 it provides the user with very good value for that type of option. My rating for the Shure SM58 is 5 stars which I feel reflects the quality of this outstanding product.