Shure SM48 Mic Review

Last week, I needed to make a quick stop at Guitar Center for a fresh pack of strings. But of course I couldn't help but wander the store for 30 minutes, checking out all the neat toys. In the middle of the recording section, a folding table with stacks of black boxes and a sale sign caught my attention. Shure SM48's for dirt cheap? Why yes, I think I will.

Shure has a reputation for making quality microphones. I've used (but never owned) the SM57 for vocals, guitars and drums in the past. It certainly earns its place as the most popular all-around mic for musicians. I haven't yet have the opportunity to use an SM58, the vocal variant of the 57.

Holding the 48 just gives me warm feelings inside. It's solid steel construction makes it extremely heavy for its size (half a pound for something the size of a banana). It certainly doesn't feel like a toy. Shure is known for durability, and some musicians carry their 57s and 58s around for decades before they go bad. I have the same confidence in this mic, though only time will tell.

I bought the SM48-LC version of the microphone. The only difference between the LC and XLR version is that the XLR version comes with a cable. But I was very happy with the accessories it did come with: A hard plastic mic clip, a mic bag and a cable tie.

So how does the SM48 perform in the basement studio?

My first experience with the mic was frustrating. The 48 takes a lot of gain to even register. When I tried plugging the XLR straight into my Zoom R16 audio interface the pre-amp could barely push the signal above audible. So instead, I had to use my Mackie 1402-VLZ Pro mixer with higher quality pre-amps. Much better.

The sound doesn't meet the performance of the 57, and presumably the 58. It's very dim and took some EQ work to brighten it up and grab some air. This may of course be due to my low singing, but it's something I didn't have problems with on the 57.

But after the pre-amp switch and the EQ fix, it sounds decent and worth the money I paid for it. I would not, however, pay the full $49.99 asking price when I could get a top-shelf 57 or 58 for under $100. But for $20 off and the added accessories, it was definitely a value buy and will get me through 'til I'm looking for a serious vocal mic.

Do you own an SM48? Ever been pleasantly surprised with a cheap mic? Disappointed in an expensive one?