SM57

Tonal Profile

Same cartridge family as the SM58 without the ball grille, so the capsule sits closer to the source and the top end is less diffused. Response starts at 40 Hz instead of 50 Hz.

Gain Staging Advice

1.5 dB quieter than the SM58 on paper (-56.0 vs -54.5 dBV/Pa) purely because the grille is gone. On a snare or a guitar cabinet that never matters; on speech at arm's length it does.