Shure
SM58
Dynamic · Cardioid · 50–15,000 Hz · a rider regular
- The capsule has not meaningfully changed since 1966 — most vocal dynamics released since are still described by how they differ from an SM58.
- The presence lift peaks around 5 kHz; that, plus the bass roll-off, is why a voice cuts through a wedge without the engineer touching an EQ.
- It is the mic most likely to survive being dropped off the front of a stage and still be on the rider next tour.
Frequency response
Redrawn from Shure’s published response graph (approximate, ±2 dB) on the fixed MicSense scale — 20 Hz–20 kHz, −20 to +15 dB — so two microphones can be compared at a glance. No image is copied; it is a guide to the shape, not a measurement. The maker’s graph (Frequency-response graph on the shure.com product page (image served from products.shureweb.eu)).
Polar pattern
Generated from the first-order directivity formula for cardioid. It illustrates the pattern type — it is not a measurement of this individual model.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Shure |
|---|---|
| Model | SM58 |
| Type | Dynamic |
| Form factor | Handheld |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency range | 50–15,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 1.85 mV/Pa · -54.5 dBV/Pa (Shure's SM brochure; the current SM58 user guide prints −56.0 dBV/Pa (1.6 mV), the SM57's figures) |
| Max SPL | — not published by the maker |
| Self-noise | — none (passive capsule) |
| Impedance | 300 Ω |
| Connector | XLR3M |
| Powering | None (dynamic) |
| Weight | 298 g |
Specifications: Shure datasheet · last checked 2 Oct 2026. These are the maker’s published figures for this model. A dash never means zero: “not published by the maker” means the maker’s documents give no figure; “not yet checked” means MicSense has not confirmed one yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.
MicSense notes
| Price tier | Budget |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1966 |
Price tier and “a rider regular” are MicSense’s own judgement, not the maker’s.
What it gets used for
- FOH vocal
- Monitor vocal
- Lectern / podium
- Broadcast
- Wireless handheld capsule
MicSense tags microphones by the job on a live stage, not by studio category — so you can filter for “kick in” or “monitor vocal” instead of working backwards from “large-diaphragm condenser”.
SM58 alternatives: closest in published specs
Based on published specifications only — always listen at soundcheck. These are the microphones in the MicSense library whose datasheet figures sit closest to the Shure SM58’s for the same live job, with the reasons. It says nothing about how they sound.
Not compared for the Shure SM58: max SPL not published by the maker.
-
Sennheiser
e 835
- Same job: FOH vocal, monitor vocal, lectern / podium
- Same type: dynamic
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: handheld
- Similar published response shape (≈ 1.4 dB apart on average, 100 Hz–10 kHz)
- ≈ 3 dB more output — about 3 dB less gain
-
Sennheiser
e 935
- Same job: FOH vocal, monitor vocal, wireless handheld capsule
- Same type: dynamic
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: handheld
- Similar published response shape (≈ 1.7 dB apart on average, 100 Hz–10 kHz)
- ≈ 3 dB more output — about 3 dB less gain
-
sE Electronics
V3
- Same job: FOH vocal, monitor vocal
- Same type: dynamic
- Same cardioid pattern
- Same form: handheld
- Similar published response shape (≈ 0.9 dB apart on average, 100 Hz–10 kHz)
- About the same output — within the datasheets’ tolerance
Compare it against the alternatives.
MicSense lets you put up to four microphones side by side — spec table, overlaid response curves and polar diagrams on one screen. Free with a free Squaresmile account.