5. Grill Design

The grill design on a microphone has significant impact on its frequency response. The science behind this is beyond the scope this class but we can see this impact looking at 2 of the most common type of mics used - the Shure SM57 and SM58.


Shure SM57

Shure SM58

Shure SM57

Shure SM58


The Shure SM57 and SM58 are dynamic mics and are exactly the same in their electronic, magnetic, and diaphragm designs. The only thing that makes them different is the grill design. Looking at the frequency response graphs of each mic, the effect of the different grill on the frequency response can be seen.


SM57 Frequency Response Graph

SM57 Frequency Response Chart

SM58 Frequency Response Graph

SM58 Frequency Response Chart