Shure - SM57-LC
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Last updated: Dec 23, 2025 Scoring
This is about where I'm at with it too...no, it's not a Good Microphoneâ„¢ or even The Bestâ„¢ and there are many better ones which I've heard all about and even used and been perfectly happy with...but that's not the point of the SM57. It's a workhorse, it's a known quantity among engineers/musicians/vocalists...it's like, you know what you're getting. It's affordable, easy to find if you just need to buy A Mic, and it's built like a brick shithouse. It sort of defies ratings, in. a way...and therefore, cannot be over or underrated. It just, like, IS. It's a fixture, a utility. At this point, its tagline should be: "Yeah, we know it sucks" lol. But sometimes (most of the time) people just want to use what they \*know\*.
r/audioengineering • What are mics that you think are overrated? ->Grab a cheap, used SM57 or 58. Keep it as a backup when you upgrade someday. It doubles as a hammer in emergencies. Can't kill the damn things and they will always sound "good". Rarely great, never bad, but always good enough.
r/ToobAmps • Need helping buy my first XLR microphone ->It's just darker and muddier than average studio mic. It's not a bad option for untreated room. You don't know which mic fits your voice until you try them. 57 and 58 are different but not that much, you can make 58 half way there by removing a grill (with extra care and windscreen) to see if you like it more, but not the opposite way
r/musicians • Is SM58 still wortg it for Home recording? ->Get a dynamic mic like the 57. Condensers are too precise for bedroom recording.
r/recording • Struggling recording Oud at home (bedroom producer) ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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I still hate the 57 on electric guitar. Something in the high end hurts my ears. They sound surprisingly good as drum overheads though.
r/audioengineering • What mics have you used that sound way more expensive than they actually are? ->Firm wolf is right. 58 for vocals and 57 for instruments. Major Studios still use 57s.
r/musicproduction • Good microphone for under €100 ->Without an interface you'll likely need a dynamic mic instead of a condenser that requires Phantom Power. That being the case, the Shure sm57 is the utility mic that does everything and does it well. Every studio in the world, not matter their budget, no matter how many mics they have in their mic locker, will always (always) have several Shure 57s on hand and use them all the time.
r/musicproduction • What are some good options for a budget recording microphone? ->I'd suggest a 57, 58, re-20, sm-7
r/audioengineering • Best non-tube condenser for vocals? ->Everyone needs an sm57
r/musicproduction • Which mic should I get? Which should I avoid? ->Not OP, but I have an SM57 and it works great. But looking for a quality mic that clips onto the bell, of a flugelhorn in my case. Suggestions?
r/trumpet • New Microphone ->I really think its the most intuitiv microphone I have used yet! Point it at something and press record. The result is really expectable everytime
r/audioengineering • View on Reddit →SM57 here, however I have the larger cone and use an external pop filter, SM58 has it all built in. SM57 can have a slight high end boost/output and low end due to proximity etc, but there's really SFA in it vs the SM58. U/guitarromantic is correct, there's a reason they're legendary and a standard in a lot of studios. I mainly use the 57 as I already bought it for cab mic'ing, however since we don't actually mic cabs anymore when recording (we record all in the box using VST's/IR's) so it became my main vocal mic. I have a couple of others here, and one of my cheap ISK condenser mic's is actually GREAT for backing/gang/group vocals, we like the 'flavour' it has.
r/LogicPro • View on Reddit →I would actually recommend getting two mics - an SM58 for vocals and an SDC for acoustic. The SM58 will run you about $100. Another good option would be SM57 with a pop filte. I'll take either of those for vocals over a $300 condenser any day. There's lot of good SDC mic options for around $200, like the NT5 or Lewitt LCT 140.
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →I record vocals into my SM57 in my closet with a cheap pop guard through my Scarlett Solo. I'm here to tell you that for my intents and purposes, i.e. someone who's not going top 40 any time soon, the only bottle neck occurs in the box, where it's up to me to do it justice with competent processing during the mix.
r/musicians • View on Reddit →I agree with the people saying Shure SM- 57 or 58 is enough to get the job done. They will work for pretty much whatever you need but you should also explore a higher end mic for vocals. I like condensers but it really depends on your voice and the style of music you're making. If you get a chance to try out other mics, do it. I used a friend's Shure Beta 87-A and it sounded really great. There are some decent budget friendly mics to look into. I like the CAD A77 so much I bought a spare. And when the black version came out I got one of those just because it was more affordable than the gold one. The Blue Raven and Blue Cardinal are not being made anymore but they are great mics. For live vocals I alternate between the Raven and the A77. I also have a Blue Spark and a Bluebird. Something about the Bluebird doesn't sit well with me. Probably just the timbre of my voice, or maybe I just need to experiment more with it. I got a Heil Fin microphone for a friend and it works well with her voice. It also has LED lights that use phantom power and gives her face a beautiful soft glow, which is great for live shows.
r/musicians • View on Reddit →get an SM57. There is absolutely no need for anything else ;-) I have expensive mikes but one of my best vocal recordings was still on the 57.. And it's about the music, not what no-one will hear anyway through ear buds or cheap Bose type "stereos"
r/WeAreTheMusicMakers • View on Reddit →those two mics do different things and the video game mics will sound like garbage if you want to record or sing vocals, they'll blow up. You cant use it for the other. That being said, there's a good mic people use for live and even recording vocals under $125, and thats the Shure SM58. Some people prefer the SM57, same price, different sound. If you are smart enough you can connect those to a usb interface and in your system settings you can set it as mic for videogames too, you would just need to find a tutorial about it depending on what youre trying to connect it to.
r/singing • View on Reddit →Shure SM57 and a Samson Q2U. Depends on which boom I have plugged in ATM.
r/dataannotation • View on Reddit →57 is still great for vocals! They're the same mic capsule, just with different bodies
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →This 10000 percent The 57 is an industry standard mic that's amazing for vocals and guitar Going XLR means that you'll have proper low latency drivers for recording and not stuck using 3rd party drivers or the shitty windows drivers
r/recording • View on Reddit →I guess the real debate is around the beta. My audio engineering professor said if he was stranded on an island with just one mic he would take a 57 then professed the 58 was saying the same answer.....
r/LogicPro • View on Reddit →First microphones, treated room or not, you will not go wrong with an SM57. It's not sexy, but it is effective. If you are mostly thinking vocals, try an SM58. If you take the ball off the 58, it is a 57. I like the SM57 over the 58 for instruments because it's smaller. Easier to get on a snare. You just have to be a little more careful about plosives when tracking vocals with the 57. If you want an inexpensive condenser mic, the two I like are the AT2020 and the AKG perception. A quick and dirty test for condenser mics is to A, tap the case and listen for ringing. If the case rings it's will start to work it's way in on loud sources. B, is to jingle your keys in front of the mic. This actually produces a lot of ultra sonic hash. You will be able to tell a lot about how harsh the mic is if you use it on things like cymbals. I hope this helps.
r/recordingmusic • View on Reddit →If you have any interest in doing anything other than streaming that requires decent sound (adding commentary to highlight videos, podcasting, etc) then get yourself a cheap 1 input/1 output interface and a Shure SM57. The SM57 has a nearly identical capsule to the more well known SM7B (so it sounds excellent), does not require additional hardware to get enough volume gain, has great side and rear rejection, and can be purchased new for $100 or cheaper for used. It will sound better than any USB mic, and having an interface gives you options to upgrade over time should the need arise. That said, I am a professional audio engineer and I would feel confident in guessing that you would want to upgrade your physical space with acoustic panels (not the cheap foam stick-on stuff) before you would ever need to actually upgrade your mic. Feel free to reach out if you have any audio questions!
r/streaming • View on Reddit →a Shure 58 or 57 is a good starter mic for home recording. There are cheap Chinese condenser mics in this price range, but they pick up too much room and have a shrill tone usually. A 57/58 has good off axis rejection and a vocal presence which works on most voices. Most of Madonnas early hits were recorded with a 57.
r/LogicPro • View on Reddit →I have an sm57, added a pop filter and its perfect, great for acoustic instruments as well, super versatile
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →Are you confusing the sm57 for the sm7b ?I've never heard of anyone using a cloud lifter with a 57
r/recording • View on Reddit →SM57 or SM58. Excellent as a vocal mic especially for a beginner. Also the industry standard stage mic or guitar mic. Yes I know there are plenty of alternatives.
r/recordingmusic • View on Reddit →You're absolutely right! While the 57 is rarely the best choice, it is rarely the worst choice. And because of this, if all I had was one mic, I'd love to have the sm57.
r/recording • View on Reddit →A dynamic cartioid pattern mic. I use a Shure 57/58 or a Shure PGA57/58 if I want to only collect the sound that happens in front of it. It's a standard 'stage' mic meant to only pick up the vocalist while ignoring the PA, monitors, and AMPs, drums, and other vocalists. You'll need an XLR interface for these. You can usually buy a PGA58 for around 60$ and a UMC22 for around 40$. There are other options, but these are what I'd suggest for someone who was in a noisy environment on a budget. https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-audio-interface/dp/B00FFIGZF6 https://www.amazon.com/Shure-PGA58-LC-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B00TTQM9QO For information on different microphone pickup patterns. https://ledgernote.com/columns/studio-recording/microphone-pickup-patterns-directionality/
r/Twitch • View on Reddit →For $100 my choice will always be an SM57, especially over almost any cheap condenser microphone
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →57's,47, 87, sm7b, good pair of SDC's, coles or some other nice ribbon pair. 421's
r/audioengineering • View on Reddit →I'd get a Shure SM57. I think it could do the things you want
r/harmonica • View on Reddit →A cheap interface (say a Scarlett 2i2) and a cheap mic (sm58 or sm57) will take you a long way. You can find both of those things used for very low prices.
r/Reaper • View on Reddit →I might start a terrible argument but I've been told over and over that a 58 exactly the same as a 57 it just has the removable pop filter. I would love to hear a detailed explanation that changes what I've been told.
r/LogicPro • View on Reddit →Saying "The microphone has minimal effect on the resulting sound" is just flat-out wrong. In terms of the signal chain, the microphone has a larger effect on the sound of the end result than anything else in the chain. Yes, you can throw a bunch of processing on the signal to "fix" any issues in the recorded sound, but it'll never sound as good as getting it as close to 'finished' during tracking as possible and using less processing post-recording. I've always spent time with vocalists to audition several potential mic choices and pick the best one for their voice, because it makes for a better end result (and singers respond better when their voice sounds great during tracking). That being said, a microphone doesn't have to be expensive to be the best choice for a particular source, so "high end" doesn't necessarily equal "better." An SM57 or a Telefunken 251 could both be viable choices depending on the singer and the song.
r/audioengineering • View on Reddit →sm57 and a focusrite interface. And bear in mind that "industry standard" recordings take *years and years* to attain. Worry about making *not terrible* recordings before you worry about making even good ones.
r/recording • View on Reddit →Yeah used SM57 or 58 would be my thought here too.
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →If the question involves 1 microphone for more than 1 use .... It's always the 57.
r/recording • View on Reddit →Recording is a game were you're gonna wanna try a lot of things, and if you're good at it your process and gear will be constantly changing over the years. There is no single best mic. I'd recommend you get them both and try them out. You don't have to buy the 3 of them right now, just be mindful that you will always be changing mics and trying new ones out, so you might end up getting multiple mics in your whole career. My advise is to start with a 57, then get a nice low cost condenser like the AT4040 (not the AT2040, because in my opinion both the 2020 and 2040 sound pretty bad) and then go off from there.
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →To add a little myth lore to the story apparently the album illanoise by Sufjan Stevens is on 57's. On the other hand neutral milk hotel's aeroplane over the sea is two only two Neumann u87s. The resounding sentiment is that if you know how to use em and the music is good it's gonna be fine don't worry to much about mics just learn how they sound. Easier said than done imo.
r/LogicPro • View on Reddit →Warm Audio WA-8000, Dachman DA-87i, an SM57 on the right source.
r/audioengineering • View on Reddit →In the same week I've seen the same SM-57 used to record a gigantic Fender cab for a metal band, a punk vocalist who threw it at his drummer, a blues harmonica, and a classical cello. Other mics were used on the instruments and for different takes, but the SM-57 was in the final mix every time
r/audioengineering • View on Reddit →Miked up acoustics and build in piezo sounds nothing alike... 57 is amazing on vocals imho
r/WeAreTheMusicMakers • View on Reddit →Most of the distortion you hear comes from how you cup the mic. More air tight = more overdrive = more distortion. Couple that with a tube amplifier turned up as loud as you can get it and then you'll be close. An old bullet might be slightly more distorted but in my experience the difference is negligible. James Cotton played through a vocal mic through an amp for a long time and had more distorted tone than anyone. In regard to vocals, can't help as much. If you're going through the computer you should be able to use a modeler for the sound you want. I'd just use a vocal mic like a shure 57 or 58 to record and adjust on the computer. TL; DR the harp tone you want is going to come from your hands and an amp.
r/harmonica • View on Reddit →I disagree. A good dynamic mic, for 500 Bucks is incredible. Over that and I think you re getting less value per amount paid. For condensers, a decent condenser going Over the 400-500 barrier is when you start seeing good stuff, and really good stuff is about 1/2k. After that its the boutique and super expensive stuff. If you get 3 or 4 really good 300-500€ range dynamics and 3 or 4 really good 1.5k condensers, you can do top tier music. If you re a beginner, or more or less not super hardcore into this, then yes, a 100-200€ dynamic and maybe a 250€ condenser is already really good because im not saying that anything below those 400-500€ threshold are crap. Im saying that there's when you really start noticing the different nuances, but any half decent engineer can do wonders with an sm57
r/recordingmusic • View on Reddit →If I were to have just one, I'd pick the Shure SM58. It is ubiquitous in the industry and can be found at a relatively inexpensive price, new or used. If I'm mic-ing a cab, I'd pick up a SM57. Those two mics will do most anything you need them for starting out. Many artists don't feel they need anything more, ever. Once you get to the point where you feel like those aren't cutting it in terms of the sound you're looking for or the way they respond to the instrument/voice you're using it for then there's a plethora of options out there. Research becomes necessary and money will be spent. So, do you "need" more than one? Probably not. However, with no idea what your goals are or what you are recording, there's no way to answer this accurately. kgb
r/musicians • View on Reddit →In this case I would say the 58, it's a 57 that's a bit better for vocals. Edit: whoever downvoted this is a dumbass.
r/ToobAmps • View on Reddit →Imma say sm57. Although, if you take the dust cap off a 58 it has a similar response to the 57
r/musicproduction • View on Reddit →