Shure PG ALTA 5-Piece Review: Close Mics for a Working Drum Kit

Who Should Buy It

Key Specifications

Overview

The Shure PG ALTA 5-Piece is a drum microphone kit built from five cardioid dynamic microphones: one PGA52 for kick drum, three PGA56 for snare and toms, and one PGA57 instrument microphone. It ships with three AP56DM rim mounts, one A25D microphone clip and cables, and the listing describes it as intended for both performing and recording drummers. It sits in the lower mid-range price tier for drum mic bundles.

The PG ALTA family is Shure's step-up line from entry-level, positioned below the SM and Beta series that most engineers know. The idea behind the kit is to give a drummer the close mics for the shells in a single purchase rather than piecing together individual microphones. What it deliberately leaves out is anything for the cymbals.

That omission shapes who this kit is for. A drummer with a pair of overhead condensers already in the locker, or one playing rooms small enough that cymbals carry on their own, gets a full close-mic set here. A buyer expecting a seven-piece package with overheads will need to add two more microphones.

Sound Quality

Shure publishes no frequency response figures for any of the five microphones in this listing, so the sonic description has to come from how the company positions each capsule. The PGA52 is a dedicated kick drum microphone, which in practice means a dynamic voiced to handle very high sound pressure with emphasis on low-end weight and beater attack. The three PGA56 units are described as snare and tom microphones, a role that calls for punch in the midrange and a tight pickup that tolerates close placement.

The PGA57 is the general instrument microphone in the box. Its lineage points to the SM57 role: snare top, guitar cabinets, percussion and anything that needs a durable dynamic with a presence-forward character. On paper that gives the kit two snare options, a PGA56 on a rim mount or a PGA57 on a stand, which is a useful choice for players who move between loud and quiet gigs.

Buyers report that the PG ALTA line sounds respectable for its tier but does not reach the refinement of the Shure SM or Beta drum microphones. Expect a usable, forward tone that needs modest equalization rather than a finished studio sound. Without published specifications, the honest description is capable rather than exceptional.

Pickup Pattern and Noise Handling

Every microphone in the kit is cardioid, which is the right choice for close drum miking. A cardioid pattern favors the source directly in front of the capsule and rejects sound from the rear, so a tom microphone hears mostly its own drum rather than the cymbal hanging above it. That rejection is what makes individual drum tracks workable at the mixing stage.

Dynamic capsules also handle the sound pressure of a kick drum or a rimshot without the padding that a condenser might require. The listing does not publish maximum SPL figures, so the exact ceiling is unknown, but dynamics of this type are routinely placed inside kick drums without complaint. Self-noise is not a meaningful concern for close dynamics at drum levels.

Bleed is still a factor with any close-miked kit. Snare microphones will pick up hi-hat, and tom microphones will capture some cymbal wash, and the cardioid pattern reduces rather than removes that. Careful angling of the rim mounts, pointing each capsule away from the nearest cymbal, makes a bigger difference than any specification.

Build Quality

Shure describes both the A25D clip and the AP56DM rim mounts as break-resistant, which is the only durability claim in the listing. The rim mounts are the hardware that takes the most abuse in a drum kit, clamped to a hoop and struck by errant sticks, so a break-resistant design matters more here than it would on a vocal microphone. The housing material and weight of the microphones themselves are not published in the listing.

The PG ALTA series has a reputation among buyers for solid metal bodies at its price, and the compact PGA56 shape is designed to sit low on a rim without a stand getting in the way. The PGA52 is a larger body suited to a boom or a short stand inside the kick. None of this is confirmed by numbers in the listing, so treat it as general reputation rather than specification.

One practical detail is the count of mounts. Three rim mounts and one clip serve five microphones, which means the PGA52 and one other microphone need a stand or clip from elsewhere. Drummers should budget for at least one short kick stand and possibly a second stand for the PGA57.

• Five cardioid dynamic microphones: PGA52, three PGA56, PGA57
• Three AP56DM break-resistant rim mounts for snare and toms
• One A25D break-resistant microphone clip
• Cables included; type and length not published in listing
• Housing material and weight not published in listing

Connectivity and Setup

All five microphones are dynamic, so no phantom power is required at the mixer or interface. That simplifies setup on older analog consoles and on small interfaces where phantom power is global and might be unwanted on other channels. The listing confirms cables are included but does not state the connector type or cable length.

Setup time is where a kit like this earns its keep. The three rim mounts clamp to the snare and tom hoops, which removes three stands from the stage and keeps the microphones consistent from gig to gig. The PGA52 goes on a short stand inside or at the kick port, and the PGA57 takes a conventional stand wherever it is needed.

Channel count is the other setup consideration. Running all five microphones needs five mixer inputs before any overheads are added, so a drummer with a small interface may need to prioritize. Kick, snare and one tom microphone are the usual trio when inputs are tight, with the remaining capsules held in reserve.

Features, Controls and Extras

There are no switches, pads or filters described in the listing for any of the five microphones, which is normal for dynamic drum capsules at this tier. The feature set is the bundle itself: the right mix of capsules for a standard kit, the hardware to attach three of them to hoops, and the cables to connect them. Nothing in the package requires batteries or configuration.

The PGA57 is the kit's flexible piece. Beyond drums it can mic a guitar cabinet, a percussion instrument or even serve as an emergency vocal microphone, which makes the bundle more useful to a working band than a drums-only set would be. That flexibility is the closest thing to an extra the kit offers.

What is missing is a case. The listing does not mention a carrying case or bag, so buyers should plan for storage and transport. Drummers moving the kit between rehearsal and gigs will want a padded case to protect the rim mounts and keep the cables together.

Use Cases: Vocals, Streaming, Podcasting and Instruments

Drums are the obvious application, and the kit maps directly onto a four-piece or five-piece kit with kick, snare and two toms close-miked. Live sound engineers will appreciate the rim mounts for consistent placement night after night. Home recordists get usable individual shell tracks that can be balanced against overhead or room microphones.

Instrument work beyond drums is where the PGA57 and even the PGA56 units earn extra value. A PGA57 on a guitar or bass cabinet is standard practice, and a PGA56 on a conga or djembe works well because of its compact body. The PGA52 can also be tried on a bass cabinet where low-frequency handling matters.

Vocals, streaming and podcasting are not what this kit is for. The PGA57 could serve as a backup stage vocal microphone, but none of these capsules are voiced for speech at a desk, and there is no USB option. A streamer or podcaster should look at a dedicated broadcast dynamic such as the Shure MV7 or Rode PodMic instead.

Who Should Buy It

This kit suits a drummer building a first close-mic rig who already owns overheads or plays rooms where cymbals carry naturally. It also fits a band that wants a single bag of reliable dynamics for drums, cabinets and emergencies, since the PGA57 covers several roles.

Project studios on a lower mid-range budget will find the shell coverage useful when paired with a pair of small-diaphragm condensers. Schools, churches and rehearsal spaces that need rugged mounts and zero-configuration wiring are another natural audience, because nothing in the kit needs phantom power or batteries.

Buyers who want every drum including cymbals covered from one box should look at larger seven-piece bundles instead. And anyone who needs published frequency response and SPL numbers to compare against other kits will not find them in this listing.

Alternatives Worth Considering

The PreSonus DM-7 is the most direct alternative in the same tier, and it adds two small-diaphragm condenser overheads to a kick and four dynamic shell microphones. That makes it a more complete package for recording, at the cost of needing phantom power and two more inputs. Drummers who do not own overheads should weigh that difference carefully.

Within Shure's own range, the seven-piece PG ALTA kit adds a pair of PGA81 condensers for overheads. Stepping up to SM57 and Beta 52A individual microphones delivers better-documented performance but costs considerably more once mounts and cables are added.

For a drummer who mainly records at home, a pair of condensers and a single kick microphone can capture a kit with fewer channels and less setup. The PG ALTA 5-Piece makes most sense when individual shell control is the priority, as it is in live sound and in rock or pop production.

Verdict

The Shure PG ALTA 5-Piece delivers exactly what it names: five cardioid dynamic microphones aimed at kick, snare and toms, with mounts and cables to put them to work. On paper it is a tidy, phantom-free close-mic set for live sound and basic recording in the lower mid-range tier.

Its score reflects the unpublished specifications, the missing overheads and the modest mount count rather than any stated flaw. For a drummer who knows those limits going in, it is a practical and durable starting point from a brand whose drum microphones are a stage fixture.

Strengths and Limitations

Alternatives to Consider

Sennheiser MKE 600

Videographers who want a directional on-camera microphone that works with cameras lacking phantom power.

Read the Sennheiser MKE 600 review →

Rode GO III Gen 3

Solo creators, interviewers and small video crews who need two wireless voices on one camera or phone with a safety recording on the transmitter.

Read the Rode GO III Gen 3 review →

Shure BLX24/SM58

Singers, presenters and worship leaders who want the familiar SM58 sound on a cable-free handheld with simple setup.

Read the Shure BLX24/SM58 review →

Questions Buyers Ask