The Shure PG56 is an impressively small microphone designed specifically with drums in mind. It is a direct alternative to the SM57's, and often, the PG56 works better due to its small size. Once, a drummer came in and had no idea that he was being mic'ed because the PG56 microphones were so well hidden all around the drum set. Its size also betrays its image of durability. The Shure PG56 is a nastily rugged microphone, so wild drummers who still manage to hit the ridiculously small PG56 microphones on their toms are not going to blow it up like they may blow up an SM57. Don't get me wrong; the SM57 is pretty rugged. The PG56 microphones, are, simply by design, more safe from the abuses of a fast traveling stick of wood. And this thicker grill and padding make the PG56 pretty resistant to extremely high SPL levels. This is nothing I think anyone should be terribly impressed by, considering the fact that it is a dedicated drum microphone and this feature is a requirement of them.

The PG56 has a fairly standard frequency response, starting predictably at 50 Hz and rising to 15,000 Hz. Their response is tailored to deliver a nice punch, and while I have trouble describing the flavor, it provides a healthily budget minded alternative to the SM57. I will just say that it is in no means of lower quality in any way whatsoever.

OVERALL OPINION

The Shure PG56 is a very cute, but very impressive alternative to the SM57 when mic'ing up a drum kit for live use. There are indeed better sounding microphones out there, but not anywhere near at this price. As a vocalist, my standards for this are not terribly discerning, but I found them to be roughly on par with the vaunted SM57's. So use that standard, and decide for yourselves!