Shure SM58 & SM57 mics have a reputation for being reliable to the point of being indestructible.
Mats Stålbröst, editor of the Stockholm-based Studio, took that as a challenge and subjected a SM58 to a year of sadistic torture.
And here it is in all its awesome glory.
He used the SM58 mic to hammer nails, dropped it from heights, submerged it in water, drove a car over it and nuked it.
And the thing still worked.
So they buried it underground for a year.
Here are the results:
It still works – but I’m not using that thing.
You can get SM58’s for $80-90 and they are as indestructible as these video suggests. The SM58 is typically used for vocals because it has a built-in wind screen/pop filter. The SM57 is basically the same mic, but without the wind screen, so it’s more appropriate for instruments. Both are great first mics.
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Tags: demo videos, Shure, Shure Microphones, Shure SM58, SM57, SM58
4 Responses to “Shure Microphone Survives Insane, Sadistic Torture Tests”
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Of course the SM58 survived all this crap, it was designed in 1958 (true!) & it has not changed one bit. It’s a great mic for venues and live sound engineers because it sounds ‘decent’ and it can withstand the torture that most amateur musicians will dish out onstage. This definitely shows the ruggedness of a microphone, but ruggedness should not be the chief criteria. There are other mics that are just as rugged and sound MUCH better. They cost a little bit more so most venues stick us with these antiquated 58’s and 57’s. I would prefer to use a mic that SOUNDS GOOD rather than the one you can bury in the yard. Too much emphasis has been placed on the 58/57’s, and many live sound engineers will no (cannot) use anything else. This is very unfortunate. But there is hope, I witnessed a factory rep take a $99 vocal mic, hammer roofing nails into a 2×4 with it, then proceed to plug it in and start his seminar. The mic he used had much more clarity than a 58, and it had better feedback rejection.
The mic? SENNHEISER. Slowly but surely, Sennheiser is taking over the market, I see it everywhere. Try one out. I don’t work for them, I just really dig their products. No more 58’s for me, no sir.
ST.B – good points.
SM58’s have earned their place much like Yamaha NS10’s. They aren’t the best you can get, but they are solid performers that have proved themselves over the years.
It amazes me the SM58 is still around and selling. How very venerable! And an obvious choice for some, since they get brought up time and time again.
Funny, I had one SM58 that took a fall backwards on a stand off a stage and SNAPPED IN HALF. So much for them being so indestructable. Although I will admit it still works.
If anyone knows where you can get a reasonable replacemet body let me know.