My Shure SM58 sounds worse than my Samsung Galaxy S7 Mic... Fix?

H

hyrdbil

New member
Hi,

So I'm using a Shure SM58 to record on my desktop, and it sounds pretty bad. Lots of static noise, and it actually sound worse (not even taking the static into account, but just the voice quality otherwise) than my Galaxy S7 when recording using its built in mic.

I'm connecting to my desktop via a Marshall MXL Mic Mate and using Audacity.

Should I get another preamp? Are there any other fixes?

Edit, I turned down the "level" (?) on my MicMate preamp to low, and the quality sounds better, but the static persists. I also plugged in my Antlion ModMic (another microphone) into the same USB port and there is no static.

Thanks
 
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In my view, a dynamic like the 58 does better with a actual preamp - like with a USB audio interface or a USB mixer, etc.. EVEN going into the computers MIC jack with my mixers analog out seems to work fine.

It would be prudent to find some other place to plug the 58 into, just to be sure the shure isn't buggy
 
Terminology :>) 'Static? No. To me 'static implies 'crackling. What I hear is a mic with the source ('wanted signal) either too soft -and or too far away, with a lot of room noise (..and perhaps equipment hiss too.
 
mixsit said:
Terminology :>) 'Static? No. To me 'static implies 'crackling. What I hear is a mic with the source ('wanted signal) either too soft -and or too far away, with a lot of room noise (..and perhaps equipment hiss too.
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Thank you for the explanation. But do you know how I can fix this?

I experience this even on my laptop, which makes no audible noise while recording.

I cannot think of any other noise in my room.

edit:
I don't know if the audio recording that I uploaded is clear, but to me it sounds similar to white noise.
 
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Sorry, my experience (ref) is pretty basic (read 'old school :>) Mics, decent preamps, converters, RayDat into the DAW.
Given what I heard.. Get up on the mic, sing/talk whatever, with some 'authority', and establish that with good acoustical strength at the mic.. ie vocal well louder in the room.. Start there and see where it leads.

I cannot think of any other noise in my room.
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I could hear (we all could) noise like that.. in any of our typical home studio mic/setups with an open mic and a timid'/off mic or low level source.
 
mixsit said:
Sorry, my experience (ref) is pretty basic (read 'old school :>) Mics, decent preamps, converters, RayDat into the DAW.
Given what I heard.. Get up on the mic, sing/talk whatever, with some 'authority', and establish that with good acoustical strength at the mic.. ie vocal well louder in the room.. Start there and see where it leads.


I could hear (we all could) noise like that.. in any of our typical home studio mic/setups with an open mic and a timid'/off mic or low level source.
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Why does my other microphone not produce such noise then? If I just keep the sound at a level that sounds equal to my music, or an interview, etc, the noise on my recording sounds much louder. My smartphone also doesn't produce that kind of noise.

Edit, I understand that these are all different mics, but I wouldn't think the difference would be so tremendous (although I know very little about this).
 
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A couple of things to consider:

First, the SM58 is the most counterfeited microphone in the world. Are you positive yours is real, i.e. did it come from a reputable supplier or a dodgy online purchase. FYI, Shure used to have a section of their site to help you identify counterfeits--might be worth going looking.

Second, the SM58 is mainly designed for live work. This means it has a very low sensitivity and low output level. It's happiest with a vocalist screaming into the mic from a half inch away while it rejects stage wash. To use it in a studio you tend to need an interface or pre-amp plus interface that gives a lot of clean gain. I can't find specs for the Mic Mate but I'm pretty sceptical it's designed for low output dynamics like the SM58. Most MXL mics are condensers with a much higher output. In this case, a proper external interface with a good, high gain pre amp should sort you out--and probably help with no latency monitoring as well.
 
Man, it was so long ago that it was purchased. I don't recall from where it was purchased. I've been looking at fake and real websites, and see that my SM58 does not have the trash can symbol on the XLR connector. So is it a fake?

If so, I will buy another microphone. Do you have any suggestions on mics in the $150ish range and below for recording on a desktop? I already have a Marshall Mic Mate as previously mentioned.
 
It probably stems from the 58 needing more gain than the typical mic. For the brief period that I tried using a 58 at home, I needed to set the input gain on the preamp to 10. At that point, you start getting hiss and room noise, just like your post. See here:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/gener...ers/shure-sm58-windows-382186/?highlight=sm58

https://homerecording.com/bbs/equipment-forums/microphones/sm58-record-343136/?highlight=sm58

https://homerecording.com/bbs/gener...t-reduce-pc-hiss-noise-303667/?highlight=sm58
 
They don't really engineer modest modern interfaces for Dynamics. They want all that work done with a active MIC. My older preamps might be 7-9 on the dial depending on noise and what level is wanted on the track with a long ribbon MIC. With digital recording, -20 levels isn't so bad, if you can keep that gain noise at bay. Many people think you need a decent console amp, or, something at least the quality of a ISA One for the SM MICs. I've only one Shure non-pro model from the early '60s, but with my ball-head Tascam, I don't think I run into problems. I just keep the gain from being cranked on my $60 interfaces..
 
I'm really not hearing any fault - just (from the sound of it) too much distance and therefore too much gain, and even then, the level of your clip had to be vastly increased to hear it properly. 58s are designed to be used almost with lips on the grill - however, people have always used them further away and gain isn't really a problem with them normally. However, they're a dynamic, and compared to a condenser, low in level. If the preamp can't cope - you need something better.
 
So are the other people that I see recording farther away from the SM58 on YouTube using preamps that reduce the noise?

Am I better off with a different mic (like a straight USB solution), or a different preamp?

I am also not sure that my SM58 isn't faken given the lack of garbage bin symbol on the XLR connector.

Thanks
 
To be kinda' cost efficient, you might look for a ART tube MP-type on Craigs, or, eBait - get a a cleaner 10-20dB by gain staging into the computers sound card ?
 
hyrdbil said:
I am also not sure that my SM58 isn't faken given the lack of garbage bin symbol on the XLR connector.

Thanks
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There are lots of superficial giveaways but the obvious one for me is always the weight.
An sm57/58 capsule is solid and heavy. Any fakes I've seen used very light flimsy elements with a hollow plastic chamber filling the rest of the cavity.

If you have no point of reference then I guess that's not very useful to you but hey....May as well say it.

There are some good threads out there with stacks of pictures identifying some of the common giveaways. Have a google if you're concerned. :)
 
hyrdbil said:
So are the other people that I see recording farther away from the SM58 on YouTube using preamps that reduce the noise? ..
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Maybe. But let's get this sorted out; How close are YOU in the example?
andrushkiwt said:
It probably stems from the 58 needing more gain than the typical mic. For the brief period that I tried using a 58 at home, I needed to set the input gain on the preamp to 10. At that point, you start getting hiss and room noise, just like your post. ...
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More hiss- yes. But more 'room'..? No. That's a constant for their relative levels at the mic.
.. Just just for the record :)
 
I have to say that, although it takes experimentation, my money would be on the noise being caused by the MXL getting noisy when cranked up to handled a low output dynamic. I'd see if I could borrow some other gear and experiment before running off and buying a new mic to use with the MXL.
 
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