GLS Audio ES57 and ES58

My band has been together for about 5 years. We've recorded 3 albums in our home studios. We used a Mac tower and a couple Mac laptops. We have a pair of NS10s and a pair of JBL 4412s for the mix down.

My band has been using both the 57 and 58 mics since the start. We've used them on our road shows and in our studio recordings. They're spectacular. I've been recommending them for years. You won't find a better mic for this price (of course if you want to spend $200 you can find something better.) We have tried other mics in the same price range as the GLS and they've been junk. The GLS mics hold up and sound great. They have been very road worthy. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

I already gave my background on my previous review of the GLS ES-57 mics. I picked up some of the es-58 vocal mics and wanted to chime in about them. I'm a producer / DJ.

I could make this review 1 word: "WOW!!!!!"

These es-58 mics totally destroy my Shure sm-58 mics. The GLS have a much better sound over all. I did some tests with my vocalist and then looked at the frequency response on my Mac. The GLS had better highs and better bass. This was very apparent when we listened to the playback also. After using the GLS mics for awhile there's no way I could ever go back to the Shures. This is sorta comical to me since I paid $90 each for my Shures and $30 for the GLS.

I don't have any Shure Betas to test, but from what I've read, the GLS mics sound more similar to the Betas because of the type of magnet they use (neodymium?). I can't imagine if I'd spent $150 on the Shure Betas and then found these GLS mics.

These GLS ES58 and ES57 mics are such a super find. Thank you, Zef Rodrigues for your first review. I just wish I would've tried the GLS 58's long ago.

For sure a 10-Plus rating.

ive been recording local bands for about a year now using pro tools (at home), i work at tafe for a studio and have experience in higher studios.

before recieving this mic, believe it or not i was usig a playstation singstar mic to record. and since recieving this mic, i actually havnt noticed all that much differnce. the clearness of the es-57 is just a little better, however for picking up distortion from my amp, this mic does not do extremely well. its definatly not a 10. a 10 for me would be the highest possible recording quality available. where in this case, the mic is only a little better than my singstar mic.

so due to the frustration in having a mic thats only a little better than a ***** playstation mic, id give this product a 6-7.

I've been working in music for about 5 years. I use my G4 Mac mostly for doing my recordings. I do re-mixes and pro-mixes for the most part.
I have a pair of JBL 4425 monitors and a pair of NS10 Yamaha monitors.

I haven't used the ES-58 mics yet, but I bought some of the ES-57 mics with the carry bag and the 25ft mic cables. I can't believe they really do sound outstanding. They kill my Shure SM-57 mics. I use the GLS mics for recording guitar and drums mostly. Now I'm going to get some of the ES58 mics for vocals. I really can't see any reason not giving them a 10. Especially since they're only $39.95. It's a total steal!!!

I didn't want to get all gushy over these microphones, but it's hard not too. I have been in the music business for many years. It's so rare to find something (GLS Audio) that's better than the standard (Shure) and costs 70% less. How can this be? My guess is that Shure has been soaking everyone for 30 years. I mainly do live recordings directly to my computer. The GLS microphones perform better than my Shure counterparts. I've stopped using my Shures.

I don't want to ramble on like some people do when they review a product. I just want to say these mics are great. You will not be disappointed.

If you consider the Shure SM-58 at $100 is a 6 in value then the GLS ES-58 for $30 would be a 10+ in value. It's that simple to me. :-)

I've been a DJ for about 10 years. I've done lots of mixes, but not technically done any "recording" per-say. I've got 4 Macs that I use for all my mixes, DJing, and KJing. I use Vega speakers for my DJ gigs.

I found out about the GLS Audio ES-58 and ES-57 microphones from a friend of mine who does live sound for bands. He was raving about these mics, so I gave them a shot. They really impressed me. I've been using the Shure SM-58 and SM-57 for years. And I know it may be hard to believe, but the GLS ES58 and ES57 really do sound better than the Shure to me. The ES58 works much better than my SM58 for my KJ gigs. The GLS mics sound fuller and louder which is great for the Karaoke gigs. They sound better for my DJ gigs too. The GLS makes the voice sound more clear and bigger than the Shure. If I'm doing a wedding, the GLS is better than the Shure when people do speeches and such. I'm glad my friend pushed me to try them. I've been using them for about 2 years now. Never had a problem with any of them. And the price is crazy low. I bought a 10 pack for $262.00. And that even included shipping. How can you pass up that? I've been recommending the GLS mics and GLS mic cables ever since I first tried them. Their cables are great and crazy low price too! The overall value of these mics is really incredible.

To start off I'd like to say that I think Tim's review completely missed the mark. After reading his review I was compelled to stick up for the GLS Audio mics. They're wonderful. I've been producing bands and running sound on tours for 30+ years. I have my own recording studio and full EAW Line Array system.

I use both the GLS Audio ES-58 and ES-57. The GLS 58 has a much better sound than my Shure 58's. The GLS 58's sound much closer to my Shure Beta 58's. I've pretty much stopped using my Shure 58's. I exclusively use the GLS Audio 58's now. I'd really like to make a strong point here. The GLS mics are only $30 each or $24 each if you buy 10 at a time. The Shure mics are $100+. I cannot tell you how many mics we lose when out on tour. I used to get so upset each time one would get stolen. Now it's no big deal. I buy the GLS mics 10 at a time. I get 4 for the price of 1 Shure. When we lose 10 mics on tour I'm not out $1000+, I'm only out $240. This makes me very happy. And again, I think the GLS mics sound better than the Shure mics.

We use the GLS 57's for micing drums and guitar. They sound great. And the difference in sound on the GLS 57 compared to the Shure 57 is even bigger to me than the 58's. The GLS 57 completely dominates the Shure 57.

I buy my GLS mics brand new from speakerrepair.com. I'd stay away from buying them used from Craigslist or Ebay. Why buy them used when you can buy them new for only $30? (or $24 like me)

I'm rating both a 10. Some behind the scenes info for you: As I'm writing this review, the websites asks for a Rating. Under the 10 rating it says this "10 - Fantastic Value". This is the perfect description for these GLS mics. They are an absolute "Fantastic Value" and I'm constantly recommending them to everyone.

I have been making music for for about 8 years now. I am young and still have good ears. Ive recorded with microphones ranging from $400 condensers to $30 radio shack microphones, digital recorders, usb interfaces. I use everything from sound recorder to Cubase Sx to my cell phone to record audio. Drums, guitar, bass, vocallt, trumpets and percussion....I can record it all in a single live take, or record individually and mix it all into one master track. I like to exparament. Sometimes open up equipment, then make it better or put it to rest. I love to fix others things for free, they throw away a learning opportunity when they are to affraid to open something up and just solder a few wires. I love rock, medal, indie & classic rock ...not really blues but the basslines are cool! There is no better feeling than custimizing your own audio, or bringing a guitar or microphone back from the dead!!!

I picked up a ES 57 off of this guy on craigslist. Good deal I paid $35 and didnt have to pay shipping cause I picked it up off of him. He told me he bought if online off of ebay. He got a 3 pack from speaker repair .com. All I have seen here and there are very impressive reviews about this product all of them comparing it specifically with the SHURE SM57. I have evan heard some audio recording samples online with many microphones being used for the same riff on the same settings with the ES57 being one of them. I decided to set the record straight. The ES 57 is about as close to a real SM57 as a Counterfit SM57 is to a real SM57. They look strikingly similar although ES57 probabally weighs more. As Well a REAL SHURE sm57 has the impedance of 150 Ohms. The fake SHURE sm57 as well as THe GLS ES 57 have an impedance of both 560 Ohms. to pust this in perspective... a dynamic cardiod microphone from radio shack usually has an impedance of 580 Ohms. How do I know this.... I owned a fake sm57, I still own a real sm57, and I have the radio shack mic too (never use it though). I did a head to head comparison of the ES57 and SM57 and here is goes. Handling noise- SM57 has little no none- ES57 has some handling noise or rubbing against the mic noise coming through but wouldnt be a problem on a mic stand, unless you touch the stand. Feedback- SM57 had very little evan at higher volume levels evan when bringing the diaphram close to the speaker - ES57 Had alot more problems at higher volumes, had to EQ to death and use a windscreen. How Real Exactly was the Tone - The Sm57 is warm and can replicate exactly what your ears can hear with very little or no colouration (adjusting the tone) - ES57 Evan when EQ'd to death sonded a little hotter but still impressive ( I plugged the SM57 in at the settings that I EQ'd and Leveled the ES 57 to and it still sounded like the difference between a $100 and $30 microphone. The bottom line is that you can not compare a $35 mic to a $100 mic. They are in different leagues all together. I still love teh ES57 and it does serve a multitude of purposes for me. For $35 it will last you forever cause this thing is tough. Probabally one of the best peices of music gear I have got for that price. If you tweak it enough you can get and record some great sounds or if you leave it the way it is you get some exparamental sounds or to fit your taste. But I still dont mix my steak and vegtables. I like it for the price I paid but I learned not to expect $100 quality from a $35 product. But I 'll keep it , I'll use it, and I'll like it for now. ..........

the 3 rating would be a 5 or 6 but since everyone else gave it a 10 i feel the rating of a 3 would adjust the average rating to what I feel this mike should have been rated from the start.

I'm an audio contractor by profession. I've worked on many high profile systems, installing and maintaining. The company I work for is a hard core Shure dealer. Personally, I love Shure gear. Even in my personal system I run Shure DSPs and mics...at least until I got these mics....

I run a local venue in which I also run sound. I'm also in a couple bands where I frequently have to rely on my own sound system and components. Everyone from professional musicians to beginners need to be able to use my mics onstage, but not always do they treat them with the same respect that I do though. I choose GLS mics foremost because they were cheap and could be replaced inexpensively if one failed on me. I've been using SM58s and SM57s. They work great, but I cringe every time one is dropped of the metal grill is smashed...it kills me to pay $100.00 to replace a mic that's going to get damaged again.
I'm amazed at how smooth these mics sound! They have the same specs as their Shure counterparts (they are a little more sensitive) but they sound better. It's true! They really do sound better! I haven't yet run them through an analyzer, but they say they have a 50Hz-15kHz frequency response for the ES58, and 40Hz-15kHz for the ES57. Both are rated -47dB @ 1k sensitivity. Bottom line, they sound great!
Both mics are heavey sporting metal casings. My ONE beef with these mics are the build quality though. The connectors seem like they could have tighter tolerances, and the threads for the ball grills are plastic. I can't hardly complain though having paid only $30.00 for each mic. And so far I haven't had one fail on me.

If you have the budget, invest in Shure mics. Not only have they stood the test of time, but they also come with a warranty...something the GLS mics don't. But if you're on a tight budget, or can't see putting so much money into something the local band is going to spit into, then BUY THESE MICS! It's not often in this industry that awesome value is linked to an awesome price!

I've been in the industry for 20+ years. We've mostly used Shure SM & Beta series microphones until I found GLS Audio. We tried a pair of the ES-58 and ES-57 mics about 2 years ago and we fell in love with them. We have about 20 of the 57's and 60 of the 58's. We use them for live stage shows and in our studio rooms for recording. We also use them in our rental department. We've never had even 1 fail. They are workhorses and they sound great. We have 2 full EAW rigs for our outdoor events. We primarily use EV speakers for our rental department. In our studio rooms we use Mac G5 Dual's with Pro Tools with both JBL LSR4328P Monitors and Yamaha NS-10M Monitors.

I agree with the other reviews: The GLS mics are incredible and I give both of them a 10+ rating. Nothing on the market comes close in the same price range. The GLS mics compare to other brands costing 5-10 times as much.

The GLS ES series mics definitely sound livelier than the Shure SM series mics. The GLS mics sound like they cover a larger frequency range. The highs and lows both sound better and more defined. Another review mentioned that they use neodymium magnets. I was unaware until I read that review that the GLS mics used Neo magnets. This may explain why they sound better than the Shure SM series. The Shure mics use regular magnets. From what I understand, Neo magnets are much more efficient and focus the energy better. The Shure Beta series use Neo magnets. And not surprising the GLS mics sound as good as the Shure Beta series.

We primarily use the ES-58 mics for vocals and the ES-57 for drums, guitars, and horns. We do live shows with them and also use them in the studio for recording. Sometimes we have signers who prefer to use the 57 and sometimes we have guitar players who prefer the 58. But normally we use the 58 for vocals and the 57 for instruments.

Any negatives? Well, the mics are probably made in China (isn't everything nowadays?) The GLS mics don't come with the zipper carry bag like the Shure mics. That's about the only negatives I can come up with. They do include a mic clip. The GLS Audio construction is top notch. They don't have that typical cheap China look and feel. They definitely have a high quality look and feel. I believe the Shure mics are also made in Mexico or China. The GLS mics feel just as heavy duty and have proven over the past 2 years to be just as rugged as the Shure mics.

Bottom line: The GLS Audio ES-57 & ES-58 mics are the hidden gem of the industry!

I'm an amateur sound engineer and studio producer. Been at it for over 10 years. Although no expert I have learned to trust my ears and stay grounded in the reality that I am not making multi million dollar music and that albums have been recorded with cheaper gear than I actually own or many years ago when gear was way more archaic. I record on Yamaha aw4416, Use Sony mdr 7509 headphones Line6 gear, real marshalls, boogies , fenders and vox amps and about 55 guitars and bases from pretty much every price range. Fender gretsch,rickenbacher, epiphones, Ibanez, PRS, and generally monitor through several cheap home systems to get an idea of realworld results versus high end monitoring people dont all have. In the end its about what you put down versus sound quality. How many times have I listened to albums that sound like crap but the songs rock. Particularly old Deep Purple Recordings and bootlegs. You get the idea.

Ok so I recently was in the market for micing drums and got the Samson 8kit. I was looking for bargains on mic wiring bundles and came across speakerrepair.com on ebay. I checked out their site and they were offering these dynamic mics who are supposedly better or equivalent to shure sm 57 and 58. I am posting this review because after I did my research I couldnt find much useful info on these mics. So I took a chance.

Being relatively cheap i decided on getting a 10 pack of each mic along with cables (who are also very decent for the price compared to the 25 bucks i paid for shorter yet equivalent ones). If they were bad i would unload them on a pawnshop or something. The people at orange county speaker really give above par service if you are looking for advice.

So I got these mics and proceeded to side by side compare them to my shure mics. The Es series mics are actually higher output than my Shures and sound just as good. Keep in mind I am not crazy about sm58 mics for vocals. Some vocalists can sound good through anything whereas others need a good condenser to help.

The ES57 sound and are built as solidly as the shure mics, metal case nice grille work. I took off the windscreens and checked out the ES versus the Shure capsules. The Es capsule is taller compared to the Shure which is more stout.This is purely esthetic ofcourse but just in case you wanted to know. The ES58 actually sound livelier than the shure for vocals. They come in an attractive box with mic clip but no documentation or pouch. But for 20 bucks can you really complain? Theres nothing cheap about these mics but the price.

When Recording amps The ES 57 sounded much like the Shure 57 as I recorded them to 2 tracks pointed in the same place on my Boogie rocket440 speakers. Switching between tracks revealed the ES57 to sound less muddy and more clarity in the high end. The Shure seem to have a better bottom response in frequency but not by much.I actually prefer the ES mics.

Keep in mind the pricing is not so outrageous compared to a shure when you compare certain facts. A dynamic mic is not expensive to produce in bulk especially the SM series that have been around since the 60's. Shures distribution (as well as other manufacturers)allows the manufacturer to take a cut, then the importer distributor (I'm in canada mind you) and lastly the retailer takes a markup as well. Thats without counting the endorsements you indirectly pay for and advertising costs factored into the mic price. Think about it.

Lastly the GLS audio mics have neodimium magnets compared to the Shures SM series ceramic magnets which have different performance rating. So it would be fair to actually compare them to the Shure Beta series which feature neodimium magnets in their capsules.

Overall these mics are outstanding at any price. Considering you can get 10 GlS Audio mics for the price of 2 Shure Sm series and get equivalent results its a no brainer. Don't be a price snob. Don't pay for stuff you don't need. Expensive doesn't mean good. Take it from someone who has gotten ripped off for sub quality gear just because it said made in the USA. Quality products are out there at bargain prices. Try 1 and make up your own mind.