The Shure SM5 is a classic vocal microphone, originally designed for recording dialogue for television and movies, though it can also be used for any other vocal recording, including music. It's unidirectional, meaning it only records sounds that are in front of it. This style of microphone is often called a "shotgun" mic due to its elongated shape. Shure has discontinued the SM5, but if you're looking for a quality vocal mic a used model might be the perfect choice.
Frequency Response
The Shure SM5 is a cardioid, unidirectional microphone with a frequency response curve from 50 to 15,000 Hz. The response is mostly flat, but the microphone is slightly more sensitive to high frequencies than it is to the mid- and low ranges. The frequency response drops off sharply after 15 kHz, which is fine because as a vocal mic it doesn't need to be sensitive to super high frequencies. The unidirectional character of the microphone makes it ideal for recording vocals, because it records only what's in front of it without recording background and ambient sounds.
Features
The SM5 includes a humbucking coil that filters out electronic noise and an integral windscreen for further noise protection. The internal suspension mechanically separates the microphone from the case, helping keep it quiet when it's held on a boom.
Case
The housing is just a hair less than 10 inches long and 5 inches wide. The microphone weighs 2 lbs. and 2 oz. The windscreen covers the entire microphone, but is colored light gray in the front and dark gray in the rear so you can quickly tell which end is which.
Tags: high frequencies
