Throughout already many years Shure SM58 continues to remain the most popular vocal microphone in the world. Legendary sounding of this series of the microphones, differing cleanliness and softness of a transferred timbre, in a combination to faultlessly reliable case, became card Shure. Popularity SM58 is so great, that appearance of this microphone a sign not only to professionals, but also the people far from the sound industry. Unfortunately, the world recognition and high quality not always mean, that under mark Shure to you will sell an original microphone of firm Shure. Popularity SM58 and its recognised appearance even more often are used for manufacturing of fakes.
The given comparison concerns exclusively wire microphones SM58 and does not concern microphonic radio systems.
So, before you outwardly similar two microphones. One of them - firm microphone Shure SM58 SE (the version with the switch), another - fake SM58 SK got in one of pavilions, trading in household electronics.
Not looking at the big external similarity, the counterfeit microphone has a number of visual differences, both on packing, and on the microphone on which it is possible to distinguish a fake at once. We pay to them your attention as their evidence:
On a label of a counterfeit box the microphone model is designated as "SM58SK". Models with such name at company Shure do not exist! True SM58, can be only following updatings: SM58-LCE (without the switch) or SM58 SE (with the built in switch).
On a label of firm box Shure there is an inscription "5/8" to 3/8 "Thread adapter". Accordingly, in the firm complete set there is an additional nozzle for the microphonic holder. In the complete set of a counterfeit microphone the adapter for a microphonic rack 3/8 "is absent, as well as an inscription on a label.
On a cap of the true microphone there is no label "Caution".
On the case of the true microphone the carving is put on an aluminium basis. At a counterfeit microphone the aluminium basis is absent, and the carving on the case is processed less accurately.
On the case of the true microphone below there is no round aperture.
Besides these obvious differences it is necessary to note and the following lacks directly characterising quality of a fake:
- Discrepancy of quality of a sound and characteristics as a whole: the counterfeit microphone is easily got and hoots on low frequencies; the cap does not hold high dynamic loadings, distorting a sound; the sound from the case is transferred to a cap.
- The switch on the case of a counterfeit microphone is indistinctly fixed in positions "incl." and "off".
- On a counterfeit microphone the protective grid and contacts of socket XLR do not contain some silver. Because of it they are faster subject to oxidation.
- In a microphone the transformer is incorrectly stuck, wires are incorrectly fixed.
And still:
- In the complete set of a firm microphone of a cable is not present. The cable is present At the complete set of a counterfeit microphone. It is cable XLR - 1/4 "TRS very much poor quality.
The price of fake SM58SK on the average on 20 - 40 percent more low, than cost of an original microphone. Real market cost of such microphone - about 20 c.u.
