Shure PG58-QTR Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with 1/4-inch Cable Review

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(More customer reviews)Building a home studio, owned a few mics before this, some were more expensive some cheaper. This microphone blows them all away, there's a reason Shure has such a good reputation in this industry. This mic is built rock solid, the switch feels really solid and I don't have to worry about it breaking. First time I used this I was absolutely amazed at how crisp and clear the recording was. I'm buying two more.

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Tailored for performers of every level, the affordable Shure PG58 vocal microphone is a rugged performer that's tuned to accentuate the clarity of lead and back-up vocals. This PG58-QTR model includes a 15-foot XLR-to-1/4" cable, microphone clip, 5/8" to 3/8" thread adapter, and a storage bag. It's backed by a 2-year warranty.

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Shure SM57 Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have used Shure SM57's before, you can probably skip this review.
If you are new to the wide-world of audio recording, this mic should be the first mic in your mic box. Get one of thee NOW if you haven't already. (I just paid $65 for mine here, used). It is a great mic for recording pretty much anything and will produce an acceptable sound. It is also great for live use as well. I have been into audio engineering as a professional for over 20 years (as well being a musician) and played hundreds of shows, been in dozens of studios, and have home-recorded for a long time. You know what microphone I run into more than any other? The Shure SM57. It has been used in the studio and on stages for decades- to mic up guitar cabs, drums, and pianos among other things. I have seen a lot of metal/thrash/punk bands use them for vocal mics. Yet they are subtle enough where I have seen people record acoustics guitars with great success. There is a reason for that- while yes, there are better sounding mics out there, when you buy a Shure SM57 ($100 new), you know EXACTLY what it is going to sound like and that the sound is unbeatable for the money. They are virtually indestructible as well, and when they do crap out (IF they do- I have a few that have been dropped numerous times, one took a beer bath, general abuse, and they still worked great) you can usually just get a new capsule for them for around $30-40, solder it in and BAM! it's as good as new.
Yes, there are other mics out there for the same money that sound as good (the Audix i5 comes to mind), and while they have their place and some have the same sound quality as a SM57, I highly urge anyone thinking of getting into audio engineering as more than a hobby start out with a 57. Why? Because it is the mic that ALL other

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Shure PG48-XLR Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with XLR-to-XLR Cable Review

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(More customer reviews)This mic is typical of Shure: good and tough. For the price, don't expect studio performance; this is a good mic for garage bands, karaoke, anywhere you don't want to shell out on for the superb SM series. It is a good sounding mic that does what it's supposed to.

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Tailored for performers of every level, the Shure PG48 vocal microphone is an excellent performance microphone for spoken word applications--and it's also a great choice for karaoke singing. This PG48-XLR model includes a 15-foot XLR-to-XLR cable, microphone clip, 5/8" to 3/8" thread adapter, and a storage bag. It's backed by a 2-year warranty.

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AKG PERCEPTION 120 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose. Review

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(More customer reviews)I use this microphone to record acoustic guitar and vocals in Garageband. It's plugged into an ART Tube MP phantom power/preamp which feeds into an M-Audio Fasttrack USB. It's an affordable setup and sounds great to me.
If you are looking to record yourself in any capacity, I think this mic would do well for you. The mic picks up every overtone and nuance of the acoustic guitar and sounds MUCH better than plugging the guitar's pickup directly into the M-Audio box.
Vocal recording with this mic is shockingly accurate (to me anyway). My previous mic was an off-brand dynamic which sounded dull in comparison to the AKG. For better or worse, this mic will record you EXACTLY the way you are.
The mic is well built and feels robust. Build quality is absolutely no concern with this mic, and that is primarily what steered me away from the MXL 990.
Some considerations on buying this (or any condenser) mic:
You must have a solid stand. It's a pretty heavy mic and you don't want to test the build quality by watching it crash to the floor.
You will need a phantom power & preamp source. Phantom power alone will not do the job.
These mics pick up EVERYTHING. If you breathe funny while playing guitar you'll hear it on the recording. If you hit pickguard while strumming, this mic picks that up quite loudly. If you leave your cellphone on vibrate on the other side of the room, it'll pick that up too. SO, if you can't record in a relatively quiet room you'll be amazed/frustrated with all that you hear in the recording.
You will want to buy a pop screen if you plan record vocals at all. These mics sound best if you speak/sing directly into them (as I understand) and doing so will produce a loud "puh" sound frequently. The answer is a $20 pop screen.
Downsides to this mic are primarily in the value department. The MXL 990 includes a shock mount and carrying case at the same price. The Perception 220 has a larger diaphragm, comes with the shock mount and carrying case, looks a bit cooler and costs about $80 more. A decent shock mount will cost $40 and I have yet to find the AKG-branded case for sale by its self online, so the price difference is well made up just by the included accessories. Realistically, I don't see much of a need for the shock mount in my setup, and in the unlikely event that I carry the thing elsewhere I can just use the box/foam it came in.
Overall I'm quite pleased with this microphone. I'd give it 4.5 stars for the lack of a spider mount and case, but to me those are non-issues. This is a great mic from a great brand and I'm confident that if you buy it (and have no need for the shock mount/case) you'll be just as happy as I am with your purchase.

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