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Shure SM57 vs Shure SM81

    1.26 in
    1.26 in
    Shure SM57 Microphone
    Shure SM57
      Shure SM81 Microphone
      Shure SM81
      Available colors
      Editiorial reviews
      2
      2 editorial reviews
      Does the old studio staple microphone still cut the mustard in 2021?Read more
      Musicians champion the Shure SM57, and all the praise is well deserved. This dynamic cardioid microphone can take a beating and withstand your loudest jam sessions.Read more
      Read editorial reviews
      1
      1 editorial reviews
      Capture your acoustic guitar's wonderful shimmering highs and warm, deep lows with 10 choice microphones from Shure, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Neumann, Røde, Aston and more…Read more
      Read editorial reviews
      User rating
      89
      3.8 out of 5
      89 user ratings
      5 stars
      		28 %
      4 stars
      		32 %
      3 stars
      		29 %
      2 stars
      		7 %
      1 stars
      		2 %
      47
      3.8 out of 5
      47 user ratings
      5 stars
      		21 %
      4 stars
      		44 %
      3 stars
      		23 %
      2 stars
      		10 %
      1 stars
      		0 %

      Full Comparison

      Units:

      Technical details

      Shure SM57Shure SM57
      Shure SM81Shure SM81
      Microphone typeStage/performance microphoneStage/performance microphone
      Direction typeCardioidUnidirectional

      Recording quality

      Shure SM57Shure SM57
      Shure SM81Shure SM81
      Input impedance150.0 Ω150.0 Ω
      Sensitivity-56.0 dB-45.0 dB
      Frequency range40 - 1500020 - 20000

      Design

      Shure SM57Shure SM57
      Shure SM81Shure SM81
      Colour of productBlackMetallic

      Dimensions

      Shure SM57Shure SM57
      Shure SM81Shure SM81
      Height1.26 in0.93 in
      Depth6.18 in8.35 in
      Weight10.02 oz8.11 oz

      Connectivity

      Shure SM57Shure SM57
      Shure SM81Shure SM81
      Device interfaceXLR-3XLR-3

      Pros & Cons

      Pros
          Cons

              Often compared with Shure SM57

              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Shure PG58-XLR
              ShureSM57
              ShurePG58-XLR
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Shure SM58
              ShureSM57
              ShureSM58
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Shure SM7B
              ShureSM57
              ShureSM7B
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Sennheiser e 906
              ShureSM57
              Sennheisere 906
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Audix i5
              ShureSM57
              Audixi5
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Shure SM57-LCE
              ShureSM57
              ShureSM57-LCE
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Rode M3
              ShureSM57
              RodeM3
              Shure SM57 Microphone
              Behringer XM8500
              ShureSM57
              BehringerXM8500

              Often compared with Shure SM81

              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Neumann KM 184
              ShureSM81
              NeumannKM 184
              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Rode NT5
              ShureSM81
              RodeNT5
              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Shure SM94
              ShureSM81
              ShureSM94
              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Sennheiser e 914
              ShureSM81
              Sennheisere 914
              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Shure SM57
              ShureSM81
              ShureSM57
              Shure SM81 Microphone
              Sennheiser e 614
              ShureSM81
              Sennheisere 614