This article is going to be a review of the studio workhorse microphone, the Shure SM57.

As mentioned, the Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone is a workhorse. This is because it can be used in a variety of functions both live and in the studio. For example, it can be used on female vocals, guitar cabinets, acoustic guitars, violins, saxophones, mouth organs and snare drums. It is a very versatile mic.

When you open the box, you will see that you get the normal stuff like the leather pouch and mic clip. You also find the spec sheets, warranty, registration and manual.

The mic is extremely robust and rugged, being able to take a lot of punishment for life on the road so it outlasts many bands.

The polar pattern of the SM57 is cardioid which means that it is uni-directional so, if used as a live vocal mic, it only gets sound from the front and so combats feedback from the monitors. The sound reproduction is extremely accurate.

As it is a dynamic microphone, it does not need any phantom power. The microphone would be better used with a good pre amp and if you are recording vocals, you would be better using a pop filter. I have used this microphone going into a cheap mackie mixing desk and the sound quality was really good. As mentioned, it is better for female vocals due to a peak where the female voice is (around 6 kHz) but it all depends on the pitch of your voice. You can stand a couple of inches away from the microphone in order to take advantage of the proximity effect which will bring out a little bit more bass into your vocal. A little bit of an interesting fact - the U.S. president uses these microphones when he makes his speeches.

A tip is to go into your music store and pretend you are going to buy it so that you can test it yourself. Then go home and order online so you can take advantage of discounts. Always test every piece of audio gear yourself before purchasing and make sure that online, you only go through a registered dealer as there are a lot of fake Shure microphones from China..

The Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone sounds great on loads of different applications and is great quality and value. They are used in loads of studios and you are likely to see used at every gig you go to.