Rode PodMic vs Shure SM57 for Podcasting or Voice Over Applications

In this video, I am testing the legendary Shure SM57 against the Rode PodMic. The Rode PodMic is a dedicated podcasting microphone whereas the Shure SM57 is usually used to mic up instruments.
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#techreview

[@jamalabdul2009]

I feel that the Shure has a full smoother sound than the Rode one. It doesn’t hurt that you have a great sounding voice for podcasts and voice overs!!!!🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾

[@nicholassmerk]

@See Description That's my thought also. How hard is it to copy a SM57 capsule and stick it in a fancy package?

[@erikjorgensen8721]

5* video review!! Exactly the test i've been waiting for!!

[@papankunci]

i luv SM57 and still tracking some vocals with it.. i do interested with the podmic though.. great vids!

[@ToxicFrogAlliance]

Glad I already have a 57 and I prefer it for your voice. I'm planning to use it for podcasting starting soon. We'll see how it goes.

[@joemoon5656]

the sm57 picks up almost none of the room ambience reverb whereas the Rode one still slightly does

[@knwr]

nice testing it without a pre amp. that's a significant cost difference and the sm57 still gets the job done quite well. I havent seen many videos showing that off.

[@TheStudioFreq]

Mics are essentially fancy eq’s. I’ve been a sound engineer +25 years and I use the sm57 right now for all my inter-friend/colleague screencasts. Most people using sm7b etc on KZbin are folks who learned audio at some point from a video person teaching audio on KZbin. There is quite a bit of difference though with what video people teach versus sound engineers. There is even a KZbin “sound” for the majority of videos That is a result of video of people doing audio recording. Doesn’t sound “bad” it just doesn’t sound as professional as what an audio engineer would capture. Sound engineers are generally much more intentional with how they approach and apply changes to the sound. Most of the videographer videos I see are almost like a kid putting whip cream on pie by themselves with how they approach changing the settings. I like a lot of whipped cream but it’s better if someone knows the rest of the parts that could make their sound improve even more. It really isn’t the gear. It’s understanding how sound really works and then using the tools to shape the sound to meet your needs. Still sounds similar to what videographers are doing but I assure you it is quite a different approach and there are a lot of details like the dip switches on the back of the sure SM 7B and proper ways to approach compression and gating and limiting and EQ to compensate for proximity and gain staging etc. to prevent room noise which causes you to have to address noise reduction etc. etc.

[@vitaminaxion4774]

Podmic sounds a bit more tinny, and the sm57 a bit more compressed (and/or less muddy). Both are manageable with processing. You were able to get similar tones with your dbx

[@pierre-lucthiffault1768]

Hey! Can you share your dbx286s settings when you use it with the SM57? That's the combination I have and I'm not too shure how much mic pre-amp gain and output gain I should use.

[@jamesschaeffer3802]

I see you added an additional DBX unit. Gave up on the Behringer units already?

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

Record in front of the wall behind you with the mic pointing to the wall. Then hang diffent fabrics on the wall

[@mathieuhoueix2163]

The "s" sounds are harsh to me with the Rode... ! Great review ! Thanks :)

[@peterbejune9433]

Shure A81WS foam windscreen, makes the SM57 sound very nice

[@JamesBalazs]

Or the A2WS locking version

[@TheologyUnleashed]

@@JamesBalazs don't people say the a2ws doesn't offer enough shielding?

[@whiskeyweekly7533]

Having used both, the A81WS is definitely the way to go. Doesn't effect sound much but completely removed plosives. I use it on the daily. The SM57 is one of my favorite mics.

[@hanglooserecluse]

Thanks mate, you just saved me $150. I already own a few of the SM57 mics. No need to buy. I do like the look of the rode, but looks aint everything

[@thestingyham1188]

If only Shure didn't charge so much monew for the A81WS. I'd like to see what it's like to buy the cheaper A2WS and the add a 2nd cheaper foam screen over the top of that.

[@Tarkov.]

You ought to slap a WS2 on that podmic, I think it would benefit from a little more foam.

[@deadrituals]

Your voice sounds killer with the 57!

[@jaimis5377]

THIS is how you compare 2 mics. great job.

[@everysilence]

Thanks a lot for the vid. That was quite useful indeed 👍

[@JonathanKillstring]

.... wait a second. Are you the same Shane from InTheBlues? Sweet! Subscribed :D

[@simoncohen5170]

What kind of mic stand is that?

[@annekedebruyn7797]

The rode is great for audio newbs. It's so cut of that it doesn't have any sub 80hz rumble. For the audio quality, the Sm57/58 is so much better tho.

[@DiePilleLe]

Using the SM57 for years.. yes yo need a Mixer to Sound it perfect.

[@deolludhianvi]

Hi, I want to record my written poetry professionally. Suggest me a good audio interface and microphone. But my room is not sound proof. The sound from outside comes inside our room. If I use Audio Technica 2035 mic and Shuru SM 58, then what will be the difference between the two? And which audio interface would be better for ShureSM 58. In which there is no noise and the quality is also good at the time of recording.

[@nicholassmerk]

Thanks for the comparison. I didn't know about the Rode PodMic today, but after watching everyone's reviews, I wouldn't buy it over an SM57. I'm disappointed because it does look amazing, but I've always been a Shure fan.

[@GeekyNerdyTechy]

If you have an SE Dyamite or Cloudlifter it sounds pretty good. :)

[@audiovid.]

shure sounds really good in that comparison.. fuller regardless by default it's "toppy" as you called it :)

[@generalawareness101]

Many years ago I took RTF (Radio Television and Film) in college as I had worked as an Announcer in radio (and a DJ in radio) since I was 14 and the proper microphone distance was six inches. I had that thrown at me by the college as well as many a program director but I am not seeing that these days. Can the SM57 (considering it was made in 1965 and the chosen microphone of the Whitehouse since then) handle that considering it is an instrument mic mainly? I suspect yes looking at the distance, and how they sound, with every president, and foreign dignitary, who was before them was at least six inches away.

[@agambhasin]

Podmic is actually optimised for speech whereas the 57/58 are those versatile mics tht can do just anything! I think both sounded great! Yes, i hv the podmic and 58 and they r amazing!!

[@sasuke671]

I'm stuck between the podmic and the sm58. For spoken word/voice overs, which would you recommend? Since you own both lol

[@ittotaq]

@@sasuke671 I went with the sm57. and if i were to upgrade i can get something in a bigger price range. Also its not as hard to drive the sm57 compared to the podmic. also most "cheap" boom arms will work very well when it wont for the heavier podmic.

[@ChrisPFuchs]

@@sasuke671 I recommend the SM57 with the Shure a81ws foam. (The SM58 Wind Grille changes the sound a bit in a way I don't really like, while the A81WS will warm up the SM57 making it sound closer to the SM7b, while doing a really good job at preventing plosives)

[@ulfrinn8783]

@@sasuke671 People won't like what you have to say if they have a hard time understanding it. That is why the Podmic has a presence boost added to it. And if you have a deep voice, mics like the Shure mics can easily become muddy and very hard to understand. The same is true if you get close to your mic as the proximity effect tends to add even more bass. It's why one mic may sound different for one person, while a completely different mic will sound better with someone else.

[@cresshead]

apparently the Podmic has a V shaped EQ response curve, great for podcasting and not great for music production

[@mde272]

So, just to be clear, are you saying that the second demo, without the booster, is just plugging straight into the computer? If I had an XLR to USB, I would be able to use my SM57?

[@cresshead]

do not bother with xlr to usb cable even a $30 behringer xlr usb audio interface is leaps ahaed of any converter cable

[@OGLDEV]

Very useful, thank you.

[@simon0yeung]

Just a random thought, it seems th SM57 is akin to the M1911 of the pistols, classic and versatile

[@Symba_Lysm]

The Shure SM57 is a little brighter on the output, sound nicer to the ears.

[@ulfrinn8783]

This is funny.. because as unrelated and random as these two mics are, I am considering buying one of the two.

[@sirnigelcogs]

The Podmic sounds very, very sibilant to me in this video. It's rather unpleasant to listen to. The SM57 sounds nice though. I prefer that.

[@lerlerler1]

Because the distance is wrong, why people don't read instructions befor using microphones.

[@TheStudioFreq]

To my ears the PodMic sounds like an SM57 that has been nicely EQ'd for voice.

[@metatronmen2431]

Because Shure was around forever people believe is the only option in quality microphones and is wrong, is many other brands out there and older than Shure. Rode make excellent products in a gamma of different prices and applications, because is a relatively a new brand compared with Shure dont means is bad, the SM7B is a good microphone but is not for everyone voice, in my opinion can be cheaper specially if it is manufactured in Mexico and since the 70s. Like I said Shure are made in Mexico and Rode made in Australia neither one are Chinese junk.

[@InfinitelyQurious]

Shure SM57 is a classic for a reason. 🎤🥇👌

[@h00b00]

I also use the SM57 for VO work but the combined cost of SM57+A81WS+Fethead (all necessary) comes to about the cost of a Rode NT1. Now you can argue that any mic can be EQed to sound good enough but with the 57 I just can't get the high frequencies to sound as good a condenser. For my voice, the 57 produces very sharp T's while the NT1 has a very smooth/sweet reproduction. 57 is more versatile as it can be used to record instruments and esp. for electric guitar, the sharp high frequencies help create that bite. So to anyone starting out, I would NOT recommend getting the SM57 if voice work is your primary usage.

[@TheologyUnleashed]

Does the 57 really need gain boosting? It seems to sound alright without and a little extra gain in the daw.

[@ChrisPFuchs]

@@TheologyUnleashed Depends on the preamp. And I also love the A81WS with the SM57.

[@TheologyUnleashed]

@@ChrisPFuchs it's been working great with my 18i20 gen2. I use the waves NS1 to get rid if noise and I add heaps of gain in reaper.

[@ulfrinn8783]

@@TheologyUnleashed nah, the SM57 shouldn't need anything to boost gain.

[@cyrilox737]

To be honest if you have a good pre-amp/soundcard you dont need a cloudlifter, also keep in mind that a condenser does require good room isolation / soundproofing. For VO work this is always recommended ofcourse, but it doesnt take away that the SM57 is a perfect solution for groundwork on the go whereas a condenser - being higher quality recording - does pick up EVERYTHING. If a dynamic is your first choice for a budget option - I would actually recommend a SM57. If you go for a condenser I'd say get a Rode NT1 or an AT2020.

[@joyvillanueva9743]

Super nice works great

[@Life_Bot]

I think i got bad ideas cos every mic test I watch I can't tell the difference

[@Yimello]

That's weird, I've been watching intheblues for ages and only just found out you had this channel too.

[@kotekutalia]

Yeah, it's like finding out he's an actual human being

[@Andy_Fallon]

It feels like Shane has other friends I didn’t know about 😂

[@endezeichengrimm]

Shure should just make a detachable pop filter version of the 57, and you could then adapt it to whatever you want to use it for.

[@yuh9157]

They literally have a pop filter built for it lol

[@endezeichengrimm]

@@yuh9157 For the 57? Or are you talking about the 58?

[@yuh9157]

@@endezeichengrimm for the 57 they have the A1WS you can get and it's specifically made for the 57, you can also get the a81ws which is the giant grey one

[@systemtradingacademy7662]

I tried recording sm57 on scarlett 2i2 and Logic Pro. The sound is very low, and if I apply gain, there's a lot of noise. How do you deal with this? What's your fx set up like within the recording software? What kind of effects do you apply to get this final sound output?

[@falconpauunch]

it would be best to get something like a fethead or cloudlifter

[@urbnctrl]

Yes get an amp and perhaps check your XLR cables, make sure its a high quality brand.

[@maxmeier532]

chances are you are doing something wrong or something is broken.

[@williamburkholder769]

The Scarlett doesn't have enough gain. Add a Cloudlifter or FETHead between mic and preamp with phantom power, or get a pre-amp with about 70db of clean gain. Dynamic mics need good mic pre-amps!

[@desviewglobal]

Hi, we would like to invite you for reviewing our Desview R7, how can I contact you pls?

[@GeekyNerdyTechy]

my email is located on the about page on KZbin.

[@TheMatrixxandRhodesShow]

You have to crank up the bass on the DBX286S for the Podmic to get a decent sound. It sounds awful without it. It is good on plosives though.

[@protoman247]

how'd i miss this one

[@MatthewRichards81]

SM57 all the way!

[@xHadesStamps]

To be honest, I cannot tell the difference between the two with my current $8 earbuds. And also, pointing it at the corner of your mouth still had plosives. I'd agree with you on getting windscreens.

[@annekedebruyn7797]

The must be nothing but high end on your 8 dollar earbuds then. From 500hz and down, the SM57 is so, so much better.

[@epicvibration1759]

SM57 sounds warmer. I think I'm going to switch to the SM57 from my AKG P220.

[@ClearAdventure]

The Shure SM57 is the clear winner. Which surprises most people!

[@MantusRietBaalberith]

To me it sounds like the Podmic is a bit weaker in the low mids.

[@wesleywheeler7891]

i maybe a bit biased...but the shure sounds a bit fuller to me. For a $100 mic, you really can't go wrong.

[@MichaelWilliams-lo3ix]

Awesome

[@ThecrosseyedTexan]

I never have like the pod mic it has no bottom end it's all mid-range and high frequency

[@ulfrinn8783]

Have you done any streaming or recording? If so, then you know that mics with more bottom end can sound muddy, and make your voice less legible and harder to understand. The Podmic has a more neutral, clearer sound since it's designed for spoken word. You can always add a bass boost to a Podmic though if that's the sound you wanted out of it.

[@ThecrosseyedTexan]

@@ulfrinn8783 since I made this comment I have listened to the podmic through different sets of headphones different types of speakers and it actually sounds a little bit better than I expected. My involvement with microphones has not been for streaming or podcasting but as a musician. I know spoken word however has a few different requirements. But the podmic has made it onto my short list for sure. cost restraints however might limit me to something like the zoom z d m one

[@mrtechie6810]

The Shure sure sounds better!

[@Zerbijan]

Sm57! It sounds much better

[@Jakepf]

The podmic does not sound deep or rich at all. The SM57 sounds way deeper and better for what I want.

[@angeltensey]

less exhausting sound with supressed sibilants and compressed mid voice range. kinda type of microphone which almost plug'n'play friendly. unlike all condensers and many..."professional" dynamic mics which requiers some live processing or post-processing.

[@matrixate]

The SM57 wins hands down but....it doesn't have as good off-axis sound rejection as the PodMic. So, for that reason, I would get the Shure SM7B.

[@cresshead]

at x4 the cost it's a great mic but it's not in same ball park budget wise.

[@thedoodler882]

rode made the podmic too bright. sm57 wins ez.

[@akikoo11995]

Rode - Sound super Crunchy Shure - Sound Crispy and Smooth

[@Undefined9]

Yeah, no, you talk on the side of the Rode mics and plosives will always sound terrible when you're practically swallowing the mic. You also don't place a windscreen, let alone a very loose one, right on top of the mic; you gently situate it halfway on the mesh part. For best results with the SM57, use the A81WS; you have essentially a SM7B with it.

[@gabrielchavarria22]

The 57 sounds way better. Wow.

[@pd1jdw630]

Its not for nothing the sm57 is the longest going production mic ever.

[@kotekutalia]

he looks like the "intheblues" guy

[@dangumalo6857]

I speak in different registers for voiceover but I have a naturally bassy voice and very sharp sibilance, so the SM 57 sounds like suicide

[@williamburkholder769]

One thing I can't stand about mics seen in podcasts on video is that they are all too intrusive. The big ones cover up the face. This is worst with the Shure SM7B. The SM57 is much less intrusive. I like the EV RE-20 a lot more than the SM7B, but I would NEVER use it for a video blog or video podcast, especially in its spider cage shock mount. It's not about the medium, it's about the message, folks! Your microphone is not the message. In radio, big mics are okay, since, well, RADIO. Shane, I don't know what your voice sounds like in real life, but I like the sound of the 57 a bit more than that Røde. They both sound fine, but the presence peaks of the 57 give it a bit more top end articulation, and the proximity effect is stronger. I would use the Shure A81WS heavy duty windscreen made for both the SM81 and the SM57. A lot of people use loose knock-offs that wind up making low end noises in the wind outdoors. I would also put the 57 in an A55M isolation shock mount, which greatly reduces low frequency noises from table bumps, stand bumps, etc. The 57 is probably the number one "do it all" mic in most sound recordists' lockers. It works on drum kits, voice, acoustic guitars (use two in stereo for some great imaging!) and it's a classic for miking guitar amp cabinets. US Presidents have used pairs of SM57s at their podiums for almost 60 years. You can find better mics for specific uses, but few other mics are as versatile or as cost-effective.

[@SoComposed]

Your Podmic is upside down. :{P

[@GeekyNerdyTechy]

It makes no difference. The microphone is round

[@XX-vu5jo]

If you hear the Shear mic better it means that you have no money.

[@garrywindshield1]

and you have no English

[@XX-vu5jo]

@@garrywindshield1 another loser with no money lol

[@AlexD12345]

SM57 all the way!