The Shure Beta 52 is a dynamic microphone built for kick drum and bass. It has a supercardioid pattern, 20Hz–10kHz response with 4kHz presence boost, strong proximity effect, and handles 174dB SPL. It was replaced by the Beta 52A.
The Shure 55SH is a 1939 cardioid dynamic microphone built for public address. It delivers vocal clarity under load, resists feedback, and shrugs off physical stress. It does not offer studio-grade fidelity or flexibility. It belongs on podiums—not in overdub booths.
A live vocal mic defined by rejection, presence, and deliberate low-end roll-off.
The Shure SM57 is a low-impedance cardioid dynamic microphone introduced in 1965. It uses the Unidyne III capsule, shares design DNA with the SM58, and features impedance balancing via XLR. Its frequency response runs from 40 Hz to 15 kHz. Its cardioid pattern reduces background noise and feedback. It was built for TV studios — non-reflective, no on-off switch — and tested under torture. It has been used for every U.S. presidential speech since 1965 and remains one of the world’s two bestselling microphones since the late 1960s.
The Shure SM58 is a professional cardioid dynamic microphone introduced in 1966. It is commonly used in live vocal applications. It has been produced since 1966 and is still the industry standard for live vocal performance microphones. It is the most popular live vocal microphone in the world. Like all directional microphones, it is subject to proximity effect, a low-frequency boost when used close to the source. Its cardioid response reduces pickup from the side and rear, helping to avoid feedback onstage. The SM58 uses an internal shock mount to reduce handling noise. A distinctive feature of the SM58 is its pneumatic suspension system for the microphone capsule. The SM58 was introduced in 1966 as part of the SM series. The SM58 was originally developed for the TV studio market with a non-reflective finish and no on-off switch. The SM58 has been one of the two bestselling microphones in the world since the late 1960s. The SM58 shares nearly identical features with the SM57, differing mainly in grille design.