Who is the Shure - SM58 for?
Strong choice. At 82.0 Mars Score it sits in the A-tier (78–87) — the cluster just below the absolute leaders.
Pick this when you want flagship-tier specs without paying for the S-tier halo. The day-to-day experience is hard to tell apart from the very top.
Mars Score is computed from 6 measured specs against the transparent formula for the microphones category. No editorial picks, no paid placement.
Shure - SM58: advantages & disadvantages
Measured against every microphones we track, here is where the Shure - SM58 pulls ahead.
- ▲Max SPL: 150 dB — well above the typical microphones.
No spec lands in the bottom quartile of the category normalization window — this product holds up across the weighted axes.
Pros are specs scoring ≥75% of the category normalization range. Cons are ≤35%. Derived from the Mars Score formula — no hand-curated lists.
At a glance
- Type
- Dynamic
- Connection
- XLR
- Polar pattern
- Cardioid
All specifications
Spec
- Type
- Dynamic
- Polar pattern
- Cardioid
- Frequency response?
- 50Hz–15kHz
- Max SPL
- 150 dB
Connectivity
- Connection
- XLR
- Headphone out
- false
Latest from the lab
All lab reports →Popular comparisons featuring the Shure - SM58
The 8 closest matchups in the Microphones category, sorted by Mars Score proximity — the fights most worth your time.
Frequently asked
What is the Mars Score for Shure - SM58?+
Shure - SM58 scores 82.0 on the transparent Mars Score formula for microphones, computed from its published specs against the category's weighted normalization.
What category does Shure - SM58 belong to?+
Shure - SM58 is a Shure microphone catalogued in the Microphones category.
When was Shure - SM58 released?+
Shure - SM58 was released on 1966-01-01.
What is the type of Shure - SM58?+
Shure - SM58 has a type of Dynamic.
What is the connection of Shure - SM58?+
Shure - SM58 has a connection of XLR.
What is the polar pattern of Shure - SM58?+
Shure - SM58 has a polar pattern of Cardioid.
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.