Shure SM-58 vs. AKG D880 ???

[deathofamind]

So, I went to the guitar store today, looking for a decent all-purpose microphone. I'm still a beginner at this stuff. I want something that I could use for vocals and acoustic/electric guitar (sometimes clean, sometimes distorted) at home, and maybe live for vocals sometime.

I went in to look for a Shure SM57 or SM58, and they had both in the cabinet. So I asked the guy if he had them in stock, and he gave me this whole speech about how "nobody buys them anymore", and that I'd be better off with an AKG D880. He said it's the same price as the SM58, and it's a little better. He also said that the AKG D770 is similar to the SM57, but better.

So um... what gives? Like I said, I'm a total beginner at this. Everybody here praises the Shure mics, but now I don't know what to think.

[gmiller1122]

I have only used the SM57 in a live show -- that was years ago, but it was a great mic.

For acoustic guitar and voice, I use an AKG D65s. It was about $50. It's a well-built mic -- I've dropped it several times. And while it's not an SM57, it's pretty decent.

Personally, I'll be looking for an SM57 or 58 soon, based very much on what I read here.

Good luck!

[Stefan Elmblad]

You might consider th epossibility that your local salesman has a few dollars more in his pocket when selling AKG over Shure perhaps. You shouldn't trust this guys too much, especially if he says that the 57 & 58 ain't so good. The 57 is THE worlds most versatile mic. Period. Any studio of any size and any budget should, as always will, have at least one of each and usually a dozen of the 57's.

You really can't go wrong with either of them.

[deafen]

I had something similar happen when I went to purchase a mic several years ago -- I went in for a 58, and was steered to a D880.

I bought the D880. In a side-by-side comparison, I felt that the D880 sounded better on my voice. The top end is a little smoother, and it had a certain "richness" that the 58 lacked.

I haven't regretted my decision for a moment. I've had the D880 for eight years or so, and have abused it on stage and in the studio. It still sounds good, and for my voice, it still sounds better than a 58 (which I now have two of for other purposes.)

It all comes down to your voice. Try both of them, side by side. Try to get them both hooked up to a PA, rather than just listening on headphones, to get a better picture of their true response. The D880 works better for me, but not necessarily for everyone.

[Randy Yell]

I have a D880 and it's not a bad mic but I only paid $50 for it a while ago when Musician's Friend was blowing them out.For more than $50 I would buy an SM57 and a windscreen.The 880 doesn't really impress me a whole lot but for $50 it wasn't bad.If I had it to do over I would kick in the extra and get a 57.

Beware of salesmen as they just want to push stock they have on hand or are trying to get rid of.Do your research before you go into the store,alot of employees that work at music stores don't know dick about recording and they all have a personall agenda.

[deathofamind]

Thanks for the comments, everybody! I can't really try them out in the store, so that's why I was asking here. And even if I could try them out, I wouldn't really know what to listen for.

[MISTERQCUE]

IMHO, stick with the SMack58!!! It's really 2 mics in one!
As a 58 you get the windscreen and and underlying felt to control siblance and unscrew the windscreen and presto, you have a SMack57, all ready for amp/cab and acoustic mic'ing!!

[deathofamind]

Just to follow up (in case anybody is curious)...

I wound up getting the SM58, and I love it! It feels very durable, and I'm sure it'll last forever. The guy that I bought it from (not the same guy who tried to talk me into the AKG) said that he has been using a SM58 for the past fifteen years, and it's still going strong.

I tried mine out, and I love the sound. Now if only I could learn how to sing!

[Richard Monroe]

I have used both SM 57/58 and a variety of AKG mics, mostly D690's, a discontinued model, for almost 30 years as stage mics. Only recently have I started using them for recording, mostly for guitar cabs. They are simply both great mics, but sound a little different. To my unscientific ear, the AKG's sound a little darker, the Shures brighter. While I can mix and match them a little for recording, on a stage, they don't seem to go well together. In the end, my personal preference is the AKG for every application. I think this is just aesthetics, like I like blue better than red. The AKG sounds better when applied to my voice, but frankly, I don't think you'll go wrong with either mic. Even when you have a U87 and a B.L.U.E. Kiwi, you're going to need a few dynamics. Although I use AKG, I keep a couple of 57's, so when a musician or the engineer asks for it, we don't have to debate the merits of the two mics.-Richie

[Dr_Sbaitso]

The D880 is a pretty good mic for the price. in terms of which gives the salesman more dollars in his pocket, my work sells the AKG, and theres not a huge amount of profit in them.
By unscrewing the cap and taking out the pop filter, the mic sounds fantastic on female vocals. leaving it in sound great for male vocals. if you do remove it, be careful with it, and remember that plosives will be bigger.
the D770 is one of my favourite mics. it sounds great on a guitar cab and I've gotten excellent results by hanging two from the ceiling above a drum kit. Its my all purpose sort of mic.