Shure SM58 and PG58 Microphones

[Pe7e]

Has anyone tested these two mics side by side?
Is the SM58 worth double the price of the PG58?
Is the cheaper PG58 a decent performer when price is taken into consideration?
Is the difference really noticable?
Any recommendations for a decent 'budget mic'?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Yes, I have a couple of SM58 and PG58 and both are wired. I can't go into all the technical blurb because I wouldn't know where to start. All I'll say is that they are both decent enough. I use the PG58's for Karaoke etc but have also used them when I have mislaid my SM58 somewhere and it's clear and crisp.

I think Darren uses them aswell?

[mattydinx]

Is the SM58 worth double the price of the PG58?

No

Is the cheaper PG58 a decent performer when price is taken into consideration?

Yes

Is the difference really noticable?

Not to 'Joe Public'

The PG58 is a great little mic and I favour it over our Singer's SM58. It sounds so much warmer. The SM tends to lose detail which the PG still manages to capture.

Best advice is to go to your local retailer and try a few mics out and see what suits your voice. I've got the PG58 and Sennheiser e815 and find the Senny a little lacking in bass in comparison.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think Darren uses them aswell?

I do.

I have both wired and wireless, SM58 and PG58.

The SM has much better top end clarity IMO.

Is it worth twice the price? If you are using the SM to DJ with, then yes.

The PG is good enough also, but not for me personally.

I use the PG radio mics for PA Hire and karaoke and the wired one for quiz nights and PA Hire etc.

Let's not forget we are talking about a very important bit of kit for a DJ and the SM58 can be had at £100 or less.

[WWDJ]

I have a PG58 which I have used for about 3 years and IMO it serves me well as a microphone for general announcements and talking to the audience. I do use the mic a reasonable amount on some nights and I can tell that the audience can tell what I am saying because they are responding.

To be fair, I don't know what I am missing by not having an SM58 and probably never will, but at £45 if it gets dropped and broken I wouldn't be too gutted however I would with a more expensive mic.

[Pe7e]

The PG is good enough also, but not for me personally.

I use the PG radio mics for PA Hire and karaoke and the wired one for quiz nights and PA Hire etc.

It's for PA hire I want to use them for, and I don't want to use the more expensive SM58 if there's no great difference. I was also concerned about the risk of hirers swapping fake SMs for my genuine items, it seems to be a growing problem of late, a few weeks ago I had a HF driver swaped in a mackie SA1521, buggers. Is this happening to anyone else on the forum who hires out kit?

Thanks for the replies and advice, I've just ordered some PG58s

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Thanks for the replies and advice, I've just ordered some PG58s

They'll be fine for the purpose.

[Totally Plucked]

I think the key factor is something that has been discussed many times there is not "One cap fits all" unfortunately.

Microphones are a very individual/personal thing, what sounds good for one person may sound Pants for another and vice versa. That's why it is also advisable to try a few out and decide what's best for YOU.

A very good Mic for little cash is the JTS TM-929, we did a few microphone comparisons at one of the South Wales NADJ meetings about 18 months ago and I had a JTS along with a few other of my mics. the response from other members were very favourable towards the JTS. If I remember rightly Dan Essex went out and purchased a few of these as a result of this.

But the key factor is sound is a personal thing, try before you buy !!

[Corabar Steve]

A very good Mic for little cash is the JTS TM-929, we did a few microphone comparisons at one of the South Wales NADJ meetings about 18 months ago and I had a JTS along with a few other of my mics. the response from other members were very favourable towards the JTS. If I remember rightly Dan Essex went out and purchased a few of these as a result of this.

But the key factor is sound is a personal thing, try before you buy !!

Funnily enough, I have one on the desk in front of me at the moment. I have to say although they do give a good sound, of all the mics we have (SM58s to Prosound 58 clones) they seem to be the easiest to damage the mesh. All of our Sure & Prosound mics are in good nick, but the 929s are all dented.

[DazzyD]

At one of the first NADJ NE Branch meetings we did a sound test on mics and I think it was the PG58 that came out on top with the gathered crowd. It was a bit of an eye-opener (or should that be ear-opener??) hearing the mics side by side in the same environment.

I have the cheaper-still PG48's for karaoke as I find the SM58s are a little bit more prone to feedback and noise especially when two people are using them close together.