Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

zZounds Gear Experts Say...

Own a time-tested legend: the Shure SM57 cardioid dynamic microphone. It's a worldwide favorite on drums, guitar amps, and more -- on stage or in the studio.

Overview

No microphone locker is complete without a Shure SM57 microphone (or five). Great for live sound or studio recording, the SM57 handheld dynamic is one of the most popular mics in the world for faithfully capturing audio from any vocal or instrumental source. You can trust Shure's legendary reputation to deliver professional results on all of your audio projects.

Features:

- Performance tested, industry standard
- Uniform cardioid pickup pattern for maximum gain before feedback and excellent rejection of off-axis sound
- Tailored frequency response specifically shaped for guitars, drums and vocals
- Advanced pneumatic shock mount system that minimizes transmission of mechanical noise and vibration
- Enamel coated metal construction, polycarbonate grille with stainless steel screen resist wear and abuse
- Zippered storage bag and break-resistant mic clip
- Shure quality, ruggedness and reliability

The Most Popular Snare Mic, Ever

The SM57 is a rugged dynamic microphone that can handle extremely high sound pressure level (SPL) without distortion. As a result, it is often picked first for high-volume instrument sources. Countless hit recordings feature an SM57 on the top snare head, with a second SM57 run phase-reversed on the bottom. This technique will give you a fat, snappy tone with plenty of stick-crack and snare buzz. You can blend the two mics in the mix to get just the right back-beat for your song.

Perfect for High-Volume Amps

Guitar amplifiers… read more are another SM57-friendly sound source. It takes some major gain to overdrive a high-wattage tube amp. In fact, recording studios will often isolate a half-stack in its own room while the guitarist listens at a safer volume over headphones in the control room. Your SM57 can handle it, though. Close-mic one of your amp's 12-inch speakers and you'll get a clear, precise guitar tone that will cut through any mix. You'll bring the energy of a live performance to your recorded guitar tracks, for a much more accurate interpretation of your music.

Custom-Tuned Frequency Response

While snare drums and guitar cabinets are two of its strengths, the SM57 has a custom-tuned frequency response from 40Hz to 15 kHz, which covers a wide range of instruments and voices. Tapered bass roll-off from around 750 Hz removes the boominess from vocals and instruments alike, with a ruler-flat response up to 3kHz. Enhanced definition up around the 6-10 kHz range brings brilliance and clarity to upper harmonics, adding sparkle to the top of your mix. It's hard to believe how something so simple as the proper microphone can have such a positive impact on your final product, but one listen to the SM57 and you'll be a believer.

Cardioid Pickup Pattern

Today's multitrack recording techniques often rely on good separation between recorded tracks. If one instrument is bleeding over onto another instrument's track, it can be difficult to balance the two properly in a mix. The SM57 uses a cardioid pickup pattern to focus on a specific sound source. Audio from outside the pickup pattern is rejected for clean, isolated studio recordings. The unidirectional pattern is also beneficial in a live-sound setting. You have more freedom in mic positioning, letting you boost microphone gain much higher without worrying about feedback.

An Incredibly Reliable Microphone

Professional sound quality is only part of the story. The SM57's rock-solid reliability is just as impressive. After all, what good is a "go-to" microphone if it's not ready when "gone-to"? The die-cast steel casing protects internal components from damage, while Shure's patented internal shock mount reduces mechanical noise caused by handling or room vibration. A polycarbonate grille shields the stainless steel dynamic element from the rough treatment typically inflicted upon a touring microphone. Gig after gig, session after session, you can count on your SM57 to perform just like the first time you plug it in.

The Drop Test and Mic of Choice for the President

The SM57 has passed Shure's now-famous drop test: Shure employees dropped the mic from a seventh-floor balcony, picked it up, plugged it in -- and heard no loss of performance. Ideally, your mics won't suffer that kind of torture, but isn't it nice to know they can survive it? For further proof of this legendary mic's reliability, look no further than the White House. A pair of slim, unobtrusive SM57s with discreet black foam windscreens have perched atop the Presidential podium for more than 30 years, delivering the goods with workhorse consistency. The next time you bump into the leader of the free world, mention that you use the same microphone. The President is sure to be impressed.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.

Specs

- Type: Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 40 to 15,000 Hz
- Polar Pattern: Unidirectional (cardioid), rotationally symmetrical about
microphone axis, uniform with frequency 3-pin professional audio connector (male XLR type)
- Case: Dark gray, enamel-painted, die-cast steel with a polycarbonate
grille and a stainless steel screen.
- Dimensions: 32 x 157 x 23mm (1-1/4 x 6-3/16 x 29/32 in.)
- Swivel Adapter: Positive-action, break-resistant, adjustable through 180 degrees,
with standard 5/8 in.-27 thread
- Net Weight (without cable): 284 g (10 oz.)
- Furnished Accessories: Swivel Adapter, Storage Bag

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
SM57-LC, without Cable: Shipping Weight: 1.25 lbs; Shipping Dimensions: 10 x 5 x 4 in; Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): SHU SM57LC
with 10" Base Mic Stand Bundle: Shipping Weight: 10.71 lbs
with 12" Base Mic Stand Bundle: Shipping Weight: 12.6 lbs
with Bass Drum/Amp Tripod Stand Bundle: Shipping Weight: 5.85 lbs

Things To Know

Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

Updated April 3, 2025 08:13 by Nick Wedyke

Hey, it's Nick from zZounds with some things to know about the Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone. It's probably already in your mic locker—if not, five or six of them! But if it's not, it’s a great place to start.

It has high SPL handling, making it awesome for instruments, but it's also great on vocals. It’s dynamic and features a unidirectional cardioid pickup, meaning a lot of the stuff from the sides and behind gets completely eliminated. It's perfect for anything around a drum kit, on a 12-inch speaker in a cabinet, and, as I said, it’s also great on vocals. In fact, it’s the trusted mic of the White House; they use two of these at the podium. If it works for them, it can work for you!

This mic is super rugged, tour-tested, and time-tested, with an industry-standard design. Famously, Shure employees dropped this mic from a seven-story window, plugged it in, and it worked just fine!

In terms of frequency response, it goes from 40Hz all the way up to 15kHz. The bass rolls off at around 750Hz, with a flat response after that up to about 3-3.5kHz, which covers the vocal range and rock & roll guitar tones really well. For the brilliance in the highs, it picks up a lot of sheen from 6kHz to 10kHz.

So, if it's not already in your mic locker, you should grab one. It’s time-tested, tour-tested, and one of the industry standards—the Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone. Available at zZounds. Thanks a lot!

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-516-2525
Email: service@shure.com

Spec Sheet

User Guide

Shure's Description

Shure SM57 Microphone

What can you say about the Shure SM57? It is a tool found in the workbench of every sound engineer, both for live and studio applications. There's simply no question: it's a "must-have" mic.

The SM57 is a cardioid (unidirectional) dynamic microphone with a contoured frequency response of 40 to 15,000 Hz, perfect for clean reproduction of vocals and instruments. But the SM57 is most renowned in the music industry as the standard microphone of choice for snare drums and guitar amplifiers. Go to any stage or studio and you're likely to find SM57s pointing at the amps and snare.

The Shure SM57 unidirectional dynamic microphone is exceptional for musical instrument pickup or for vocals. With its bright, clean sound and carefully contoured presence rise, the SM57 is ideal for live sound reinforcement and recording. It has an extremely effective cardioid pickup pattern which isolates the main sound source while minimizing background noise. In the studio, it is excellent for recording drums, guitar, and woodwinds. For musical instruments or vocals, the SM57 is a consistent choice of professional performers.

By the way, the '57 has been proudly standing on the podium of the US President for over 30 years, so you can add patriotism to its outstanding attributes! This mic is also known to take a beating and come back for more, so tell your roadie Rocco to have a ball! Its outstanding performance, legendary reliability, and diversity of application make this "workhorse" the choice of performers, producers, and sound engineers the world over.

Features:

- Performance tested, industry standard
- Uniform cardioid pickup pattern for maximum gain before feedback and excellent rejection of off-axis sound
- Tailored frequency response specifically shaped for guitars, drums and vocals
- Advanced pneumatic shock mount system that minimizes transmission of mechanical noise and vibration
- Enamel coated metal construction, polycarbonate grille with stainless steel screen resist wear and abuse
- Furnished with zippered storage bag and break resistant stand adapter
- Extremely durable under the heaviest use
- Shure quality, ruggedness and reliability

Reviews

(258 ratings)

Submitted January 20, 2017 by Steve L Fidanza in Avondale, PA

"SM 57 microphone"

Overall:

(see rating details)

Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

I have several of these SM 57 Mic's and let me tell you and all the mics that I have studio mics good vocal mics SM 57 microphone with stands all that I have. I choose to use the SM 57 even for my vocals on my master recordings on my vocals. Even on my amp my acoustic I play a lot acoustic and it sounds really great . Even on my electric guitar it works really great for that as well. I even use them on my drums Mike every drum and it was an awesome sound. Now I bought me a set a really nice electric drums so I'm good to go there but the SM 57 in my studio is a great tool Mic to go for . I just purchased another one through zZounds . And I'm sure I'm going to buy several more as well. It's not like they break down I've had him for almost 30 years now and it seems like you can never have enough SM 57 Mic's So thank you zZounds for the purchase of this Mic I just bought from you guys I'm sure i'll be purchasing another one as well Steve L Fidanza