Troubleshooting Shure SM58

When you speak into the microphone no sound comes out of the speakers.

If your microphone does not make any noise, it may be turned off. Although uncommon, some SM58's come with a built-in on/off switch on the handle. If your microphone has an on/off switch, check that the switch is in the on position.

SM58's are very durable, however the XLR cable that connects it to a mixer or speakers is much more easily damaged. If you are sure your cable is plugged in to both the microphone and mixer, try a different cable and see if that solves the problem. For further directions, see the guides Unplugging XLR Cable and Plugging in XLR Cable.

If the mute button is pressed, then the channel for the microphone will be muted and no sound will reach the speakers. The channel mute button is normally located just above the slider or fader on the sound board. Some mute buttons may say “on” rather than "mute". You will usually see red, yellow, and green lights on the sound board if signal is reaching the sound board.

If you are using a sound board or mixer, it is possible your gain is turned down. Your gain controls the amount of signal that enters your mixer and in effect controls the volume. Try turning your gain up to at least 50% and see if the red, yellow, and green lights (sound meter) on the sound board l light up. If your mixer does not have a sound meter, you can press the PFL button. The PFL button isolates your microphone's channel on your headphones and the main output’s sound meter. Pressing the PFL button will not affect the sound going to your speakers, so it is OK to use during a performance.

If your speaker or mixer is turned off then no sound will be emitted. The mixer is on if the lights on the sound board are on. The speakers have a green power button that will be lit up if speakers are on.

If all the devices are turned on but not lighting up, the cables may be loose or unplugged. Check first the power cables of the speakers and the mixer. Next, check that the connecter cables between the mixer and the speakers are plugged in. Finally, check that the microphone XLR cable is plugged into both the mixer and the microphone. When you plug the XLR cable into the microphone you should feel it click into place.

If none of the above solutions work, then the problem may be internal. If your microphone has a loose wire inside its' body, it may send signal intermittently or not at all. While this often happens if the microphone is dropped, it sometimes happens with normal usage. For help fixing the wires see the Capsule Faceplate Maintenance guide.

If your microphone has a loose wire between the transformer and XLR connector, it may send signal intermittently or not at all. This often happens with normal usage, but can also occur if the microphone is carried by its cable. For help fixing the XLR connector wires see the XLR Connector Disassembly guide and the XLR Connector Wire guide.

If all of the wires are connected correctly and there is still no sound coming out, it is possible the capsule is damaged. The capsule is about 70% of the cost of the microphone. If you suspect the capsule is the problem, it is usually best to have the microphone examined by a professional. It is easy to damage the capsule when you remove it. It is often more cost effective to replace the entire microphone. If you happen to have access to another capsule, you may follow the Capsule Installation guide.

"There is a background noise coming out of the speakers."

If your phantom power is on, there may be unwanted noise coming out of the speakers. The phantom power is normally a button or switch located on top of the mixer. Try turning it off to get rid of the noise.

If your equalizer is not balanced then the wrong frequencies will be traveling into the speakers. Look for three (or sometimes six) knobs below the gain on each channel. Using the knobs labeled “High", "Low", and "Mid,” you can adjust the frequencies that go to your speakers. For example, if you hear a high pitched ringing, you can turn down the "High" knob on that channel. It is usually best to start with them all pointing straight up and then making adjustments as needed.

When your gain is too high, too much signal from your microphone is sent to the channel on the sound board. Too much signal in the channel causes the sound to become distorted and creates static (called clipping). Usually your sound meter will show a red light on that channel if there is too much signal. Turning down your gain and turning up your fader will help eliminate this signal overload.

"A piercing screech comes out of the speakers with the microphone is turned on."

The microphone may pick up and amplify sound from the speakers it is playing out of, creating a feedback loop. Aiming your microphone away from the speaker reduces the chance of a feedback loop.

If the volume is too high, the microphone may pick up noise from the speakers no matter which way it is turned. Turning the volume down on the mixer will reduce the sound entering the microphone. To compensate for the lower volume, you can move microphone closer to the sound source.

A feedback loop can also be caused if the equalizer is not balanced correctly. The equalizer is three (or sometimes six) knobs, usually located below the gain on each channel. Using the knobs labeled “High", "Low", and "Mid,” you can adjust the specific frequencies of your speakers. Feedback is usually caused by high or low frequencies, so you can use the equalizer knobs to emit these frequencies.

"It is hard to hear the sound coming out of the speakers."

If the faders are down, the sound coming from the microphone may be muffled. The channel fader controls volume for that channel, and the master fader controls the volume for all the sound leaving the board going to the speaker. Make sure both the individual channel fader and the master output faders are up.

If adjusting the faders doesn't raise the volume, adjust the gain knob at the top of the channel to boost the signal going into the board. The gain knob is very sensitive, raise the signal slowly to avoid feedback.

If the raising the game knob doesn't help, the pad button can also raise the volume. When the pad button is pushed in, it decreases the incoming signal to the channel. Popping the pad button up will raise the volume 20db.

Having the wrong input selected can also cause the sound coming out of the speakers to be faint. The input switch is most likely labeled "A/B", and it changes between the two inputs. The switch should be located on the mixer board. Try switching between the two inputs to test which produces a better sound quality.

If none of the above solutions increases the sound coming out of the speakers, it is possible one of the cables connecting the mixer and the speakers or the mixer and the microphones is bad. Try using a different cable to solve the problem.

"The microphone won’t detach from the cable or the microphone connector falls out when you try to unplug the cable."

If you are having trouble removing the XLR connector, you may not be pressing the release cable button. For help locating the XLR button view the XLR Cable Unplug guide.

If the screw at the base of the microphone is loose then the XLR connector may not be held in place. Although this screw can be loosened, it does not come out through the hole. It stays in the XLR connector assembly. To tighten the screw see the Connector guide.

There is dirt on/inside the microphone grille or handle or the grille smells bad.

Over time, dirt or grime may build up on the microphone handle. The best thing to do is use a Clorox wipe or other cleaning solution to wipe down the outside of the microphone.

Over time, saliva and dirt will build up on the microphone grille, making it quite dirty and sometimes smelly. To remove the dirt from the microphone grille, follow the Grille Maintenance guide.

''There is a visible dent in the grille.'"

Although dents in the grill can change how sound enters the microphone, most people replace it purely for aesthetic reasons. To replace the grill see the Grille Replacement guide.