Karaoke Forums

Is there enough difference in the Shure SM58 and the PG58 to warrant the price difference for home use?

Musicians Friend has the PG58-QTR w/mic cable, clip and storage bag for $59
They sell the SM58 without on/off switch, no cable and no clip for $99

I'm sure either will be much better than the mic's I currently have.

In a word -- yes. I consider the PG58 to be a poor value -- they are just selling the name. You can find much better mics for the same price. I would even recommend the $20.00 Behringer XM8500 over it.


For home use, consider the Sennheiser 835, which is also $99.00. Or the EV Cobalt Co9, which is $69.00 and sounds better than the SM58 (IMHO). I still recommend the SM58 and no other for gigging, for durability, low handling noise, and cheap screen replacement. But the foregoing mics will be great for home use.

NOTE: I own or have owned all of these mics, and used them all frequently.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Well there was some positive reviews posted on their site and some even comparing it to the SM58's.

Just looking for a couple of decent mikes with minimal handling noise, low sensitivity and a decent sound for a wide range of vocals. On/off switch would be nice, but if they're low noise and low on handling noise that's not as big of a need/concern.

The SM58 will last longer than you will in a home scenario. And don't think that just because you are at home, you won't have people dropping your mics! Kids/relatives/intoxicated buddies are just as bad if not worse than the bar crowd.

And are you sure about the clip? Every SM58 that I have ever bought came with a clip and little mic bag.

It wasn't listed in the item description or photos, but its not a deal breaker. Just wanted to show the comparison and try to keep it apples to apples as much as possible based on descriptions.

Personally, I consider an on/off switch to be a minus for karaoke. Guaranteed song restarts, which detracts from the show (even a home one).

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Personally, I'd say for the extra $40, get the SM58. The PG58's are very similar in frequency response and overall audio reproduction, however they introduce a great deal more handling noise (where simply switching hands can cause noise) and are not as durable as the SM58. For something that's going to last you 20-30 years, a $40 difference isn't much and is certainly worth it.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Totally agree.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

Third agree!

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I asked a similar question on this forum a little while ago, and man do the guys on here know what they are talking about.

I own a Beta58, and SM58 and a PG58.

Bought the PG58 first, so I did not have a good reference point. After I used the other 2 I realized how much more handling noise the PG58 generates in comparison. My PG58 is now a backup that never gets used because my other mics are built to keep working forever.

If you are not super fussy the PG58 is a good mic, but there are better mics out there at that price point.

If you don't mind stretching your budget a bit, the SM58 is a great sounding mic that you will use forever.

I don't know if the others will agree with me - I found that the PG58 was a very crisp and sharp sounding mic, and thought this was great. Until I heard the warmth from the Beta and SM. Very different sounding microphones to my ear, but I am not an expert by any means. Just my two cents. Aussie cents btw.

Vic in Sydney

PS: Last weekend one of the house cordless microphones ended up in the Lobster Tank again... ahahahahahahaahahaha!!!! Lucky they are cheapies "SHUPU" (looks suspiciously like SHURE) and 'made in Germany' *wink* *wink*

Even though the SM is better, the PG sells for $19.00 locally..

Tough to beat if the crowd is rowdy..

I never get this argument. When has anyone managed to kill an SM58 by rough handling? Never heard of a case....

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Thanks letitrip...that's the type of info I was looking for. I'm not hard on my equipment and rarely have anyone over that would be...kiddos included so wasn't as concerned about the durability as I was the handling noise. If I could buy two for the price of one with a little less durability I could deal with that. Not a lot of duets at my house anyway so I can buy one now and get a 2nd later.

Thanks for the input guys!!

Which is why I usually ask on here before making a purchase I may end up regretting.

In general, durability is inversely proportional to handling noise. The Sennheiser 835 is also very durable as well as having very low handling noise. For home use, I would prefer it to the SM58.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Why is that?

Would you also prefer it for bar/gig use?

FOR YOU ACCOUNTANTS ...THATS DOUBLE THE PRICE
PG58 = $50
SM58 = $100

PG58 IS A GREAT MIC FOR HOME USE

DO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER HANDLING NOISE FOR HOME USE ?

Well my current mics are horrible about handling noise, and I'm not typically sitting directly behind my rack when we have karaoke at the house.

Because I like the sound better. They are both fine, don't get me wrong. But I think the Sennheiser is a better sounding microphone for more voices.


No. Mainly because of one factor -- the cost of the windscreen, which is 5 times that of the SM58 windscreen. Also, there is a certain comfort that is imparted by the familiarity of the SM58. Most karaoke singers don't care on a conscious level, of course. But having a 1) good looking and 2) familiar microphone is an important point to me. If you are gigging, your grille *will* get dented, and I for one don't want the tacky feel of a beatup microphone. When I can fix it for $5 or $7 it is great. For $25.00 it is a harder choice.

As far as saving $40.00 for the main thing that people will interact with in your show, that seems to me to be a false economy. In addition, the resale value of the PG58 is nil. So you lose your $60.00 completely once you let go of it. The SM58 or Sennheiser 835 will sell for $60-70, which means you only lose $30-40.

Getting the better mic is a no-brainer when you think about it. Unfortunately, as I discovered when I bought (and regretted later) some cheap things early in my karaoke career, we don't always engage our brain.

_________________
[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.