While all microphones can capture your voice, not every microphones will sound the same and it is necessary to find one that can complement your voice such as Shure BLX288 Vs SM58. These microphones are the favorite of many especially for singing and in live application for how appealing the sound profile is. If you also wonder which of the two to go for or how they are different from each other, let’s see the comparison below.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Are You Currently Looking for A Microphone for Vocals
- What are Shure BLX288 and SM58
- How are the Build Quality of Shure BLX288 and SM58
- How are the Setup for Shure BLX288 and SM58
- How are the Sound Profile of Shure BLX288 and SM58
- Shure BLX288 Vs SM58
Microphone for Vocals
We love listening to good sound quality but what is good and what is bad can be subjective to the people listening to it. Regardless of the application, what we use to capture sound is a microphone and this is the tool that has been used for so long since the equipment itself was invented. When asked which microphone is the best, the answer may vary and the best microphone is probably those that can capture your sound as it is yet, the equipment after this microphone will color your sound too.
It is complicated and difficult to find something completely accurate because both the microphone and everything you put the audio signal into will affect how they will result, take the speaker as an example since this is often at the end of our system. Different speakers sound different too so we do think it is best to choose based on which seems or sounds best for you. We can choose based on how they perform or the type and specification of the microphone.
For example, a microphone has to provide the best vocal match if you are a vocalist or plan on using them for singing. Usually people can shop based on the microphone type and their specs such as dynamic or condenser, the directionality, the impedance value, frequency response, and diaphragm size. Dynamic microphones such as Shure BLX288 Vs BLX24 are working with movement of the coil to convert it into an electrical signal that can be recorded. It is a passive device so it doesn’t need a power supply.
Directionality or polar patterns are also necessary and many of them are coming with cardioid patterns which are like a heart shape. As expected the mic can capture sound from the front and reduce any sound coming from another direction. The bidirectional on the other hand is capturing sound from the front and back but not the sides; it is often known as figure 8 due to the design and usually used in an application like an interview with two people sitting across each other.
Impedance value is described in ohms and you can find them in high or low impedance with most affordable options coming with high impedance and vice versa. The low impedance option can transmit clearer sound with high quality audio signals and thus, is more expensive. Frequency response itself shows how the unit produces the signal it picks up and usually the most convenient way to know how they react to a certain frequency. For a vocal purpose, some microphone does work best for certain pitches only yet most are probably safe from 80 to 15 kHz.
| Shure BLX288 | Shure SM58 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 19.3 x 3.5 x 16.4 inches | 10.4 x 5 x 3.5 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 5.1 Pounds | 1.4 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | click here | click here |
About Shure BLX288 and SM58
It can be quite confusing because there are so many good microphones out there and if you have the time, we can go for the popular options by trying them first to know which will sound better for your voice. For those who can only shop from online platforms, it is best to consider how you want to capture your voice and see what similar users are buying because chances are you may like them as well. For starters we can decide the budget first.
For users who will sing into the microphone, Shure is one of the best and reliable options to go for. We do think they are more of a safe choice because most of their popular options are familiar and this is why many also love their signature. This brand carries tons of alternatives too whether you want to sing professionally, build a digital setup, or work on something that has nothing to do with music. The choice is all yours and we can pick up any model to complement the application.
For live performance and singing, dynamic microphone such as Shure BLX288 and SM58 are two ideal options to go for. These microphones are very similar yet they are also quite different from each other and if drawing the model back into the initial microphone, it seems like BLX288 is a version of SM58. The main difference between these microphones is BLX288 being a wireless system, perfect for small live and also home entertainment while SM58 is the wire and initial microphone between the two.
BLX288 is a system of receiver and microphone but the microphone itself is PG58 and you guess right, they do sound kind of similar. We do think both options are promising but rather than the sound only, it is wise to consider the whole system whether you are more convenient and confident with a wireless receiver or fine with the cable. In a fairly fixed setup, the SM58 is a wiser choice, moreover if you already have the rest of the system ready and just need the microphone.
Shure BLX288 and SM58 Unit
While like being a version of each other, the Shure BLX288 and SM58, especially the microphone, don’t look like the same model at all. Being wireless makes PG58 from BLX288 a bit bulkier and also taller in comparison. The housing material is also surprisingly different despite how the former is few times more expensive, it is not made of full metal construction like the SM58, probably because PG58 is made for handheld. Don’t mistake it for the standalone PG58 because the other is a regular XLR microphone.
Another significant difference is the equipment itself because with BLX288 you will get a receiver and two microphones system meaning the unit is wireless while for SM58 you will need to connect the microphone into an XLR cable and plug it into your system. The grill itself is equally rounded but they are not at the same size and not interchangeable with each other.
Shure BLX288 and SM58 Setup
Before checking what the Shure BLX288 and SM58 can offer let’s see the setup first and depending on what type of application you will be using them for, they will be different. With a wireless setup BLX288 needs to be placed at a visible or unobstructed spot from the mic for the receiver to work reliably. The receiver is then connected with your system unlike SM58 that can be directly connected through its XLR cable. The receiver is only bridging the microphone so any audio function is still based on your system.
The main point of Shure BLX288 and SM58 is probably their application itself because not everyone has the same preference and plan on where to use these microphones. Being a wireless system, the receiver is surely more convenient but it is also more expensive.
Shure BLX288 and SM58 Sound Profile
The most important to talk about Shure BLX288 and SM58 is probably their sound character or profile because while the PG58 seems like another variant of SM58, they sound quite different and in comparison, PG58 frequency response is from 50Hz to 16Hz while the latter is from 50Hz to 20kHz. This way you can guess that PG58 from BLX288 is more suitable for those who don’t want to capture much presence in their voice and this is probably why they are often preferred for speech.
On the other hand SM58 is carrying a wider frequency range so it may give your voice more nuance especially on the higher range but in general the sound from these microphones are not far different because they are fairly neutral with mostly flat response yet, the low end sounds better on the PG58 and this is great for speech as it gives a fundamental warmth when you speak into the unit. In our opinion the SM58 does sound brighter in general.
It can be personal preference too but when tested with speech SM85 is sharper so we do think it is not as comfy if your main purpose for these microphone is something like podcasting. The PG58 from BLX288 is warmer and more comfortable for regular spoken words but lacks presence when you sing into it.
Shure BLX288 Vs SM58
Both Shure BLX288 and SM58 are very different not only based on the connectivity but also based on the sound profile. To put it shortly BLX288 is a receiver that makes the microphone wireless while PG58 is the wireless microphone that comes with the system and there are two in this variant. The wireless system makes it convenient for your home entertainment or small live application whether it is anything music related or for speech only.
On the other hand SM58 is a regular dynamic microphone with XLR connectivity and it is sound brighter compared to PG58. It may be quite limiting due to the cable but most people probably pay attention to the sound and it is surely great for vocals than speech.
Conclusion
The choice may vary based on which seems to fit in your application. For home entertainment and live application that focuses on speech BLX288 is more convenient but for vocals heavy purposes the SM58 is going to add more presence to your voice, especially making it slightly brighter.