Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic 

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

These mics have been around forever. The SM 57-58. The 57 is one of the best and classic microphones for live and recording. Great sound and built road tough. You just can't go wrong.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

Very pleased,,just what I needed !!!

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

The SM-57's are the staple for mic'ing instruments on stage,I have 2- one for the Marshall Class-5 and for the Fender DRRI..The mics are easy on the stage mix and dependable.I have a SM-58 for my vocals, Shure makes good equipment,tough and dependable,and relieble

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

I have used Shure SM57 microphones since the early sixties. They are durable and reliable. The SM57 is perfect for miking instruments and does a good job on voices, too. The SM57 is certainly reasonably priced for the quality. It is a must have in the toolbox of any recording studio, professional or amatuer. The SM57 comes with a carry bag and a durable plastic holder for the mic stand. It does not come with a cable, but Musician's Friend can hook you up with whatever length you would need. Bottom line - you can't get a better mic for the price.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

Its a nice mic for specific uses but I wish that it had an on/off switch.
As a drummer who also does a few lead vocals I find this mic to work pretty well. Since it is unidirectional it doesn't pick up as much of my kit as the 58 I was using B4 I got it.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

This mic is a good mic for the price range it comes in. It is a step above most mics that are built for the same reason. As far as recording guitar cabs and drums it is a good mic. It does not have the greatest range. If you are trying to capture highs, you need to use this mic in conjunction with another mic. If you like a thicker sound from your amp recordings, this might do well by its self. I bought mine because everyone has one. I am happy with it but it is not an end all to your mic quest. Just another in a line up. Not that god for vocals.
The structure of this mic is great. It is heavey duty and can withstand just about anything.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

Here's the deal. The head of the mics are loose. Loose components make noise. I was very disapointed to find that out personally. I don't understand the popularity..? It doesn't make common sense at all. DON'T BUY!

I purchased them for micing amps and drums. They will be replaced ASAP!

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

This mic is standard in every major recording studio. Mainly used for guitars, snare, and sometimes vocals. In fact, I heard rumors Deftones recorded an entire album with just SM57's. It's one of those mics you'll never get rid of. Another alternative and very common in recording studios for the same price is the Sennheiser e609.
It's only feature is to sound awesome and potentially be used as a weapon.
They're youtube videos of this mic taking multiple shot gun blasts and still working after they plug it in.
Worth every penny.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

This microphone definitely lives up to it's legendary name. I purchased my mic and it came with the sm57, a carrying bag, and an xlr cable as expected. I use this microphone mainly to record my electric guitar for my youtube videos. My set up is a Line 6 SpiderIII 75 Watt, with a Mexican Standard Telecaster. I mic the amp up with only one of these mics and it sounds great. I get great real solid tone from recording with this thing. I use Mixcraft for the youtube videos I make because it is cheap and runs well on my laptop. This mic is also incredibly durable. Definitely a sure buy, for the price you can't go wrong.

Comments about Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Mic:

I've been seriously recording music for the last 7 years...and tinkering around with recording on old 4 tracks for many years before before that. I purchased a pair of SM57's to use on snare since I've read so many times that the SM57 was used to record snare on so many classic albums. Somehow, against all odds, I've managed to never use a SM57 in my lifetime. I used SM58's for live vocals many times (I never cared for the muddyness) and the beta58 which was not a match for my vocals at all. Because of these experiences, I never really wanted to buy Shure microphones. The only other Shure mic that I own is an SM7 which is an absolutely fantastic mic in every regard. Anyway back to the SM57...it arrived in the mail...I hooked it up to a very clear, neutral, and natural pre (focusrite isa) so I could just hear the response of the mic....I tried some vocals first...WOW!!!! I recognized the classic sound immediately from old albums. The SM57 rolls off the unusable lows but retains warmth, it has an unbelievably SMOOTH and musical midrange, and the highs are smooth and present without making your ears feel like they are being stabbed by large daggers (like every cheap chinese condenser I've ever heard). Honestly, the SM57 fits my vocals better than the majority of the far more expensive mics that I own. I'm not knocking Neumann because they obviously make fantastic microphones, but I'd rather use the SM57 for vocals than my TLM103. Does it matter that the specs on the SM57 are less impressive the TLM103...nope....it only matters how the mic handles the task that you throw at it. The SM57 chops off more lows and highs, but it sure does sound good doing it. Next I grabbed an old Gibson Southern Jumbo acoustic and started strumming away....the mic was 12 to 18 inches away and pointed in the vacinity of the 12th fret.....again, I immediately recognized this sound from classic albums....it's a very nice, smooth and forgiving midrangy sound that sits really well in a dense mix. If i was going to fingerpick, I'd prefer the Neumann, but the SM57 does a suprisingly respectable job on that as well. I can't wait to try these on snare and guitar amps where they have the most proven track record. In closing, I am absolutly shocked at how great this mic is! I'm even more shocked that it only costs 99 bucks. I finally get why some people are so into Shure microphones. If I could go back in time, I should have purchased this as my first microphone (actually I should have gotten a pair of them). A person could record a whole album with just SM57's and it would sound darn good. Anyway, if you're just starting out, BUY THIS MIC!!!!!! It is far better than a condenser if you are working in an untreated space because it has a tight cardiod pattern that rejects most room noise and other problems. If you have a cheap preamp and are having trouble getting enough gain to this mic (or even if you're not), buy a Cloudlifter by Cloud Microphones, it useds phantom power to generate up to 25 db of super clean FET pre-preamplification...that gives any old dynamic or ribbon mics low noise and high gain and interfaces them perfectly with modern recording systems. If you're thinking (just as I was a week ago) that this mic is far too comman and old to sound as good as some people say...You are wrong...just buy one...They are built like tanks to boot. Good Luck and Happy Recording. I wish I would have read this review 15 years ago:)