Shure Unisphere I 565SD

Condition: Good

Vintage Shure Unisphere I 565SD dynamic microphone in good used condition. Known as the legendary “Woodstock microphone,” the 565SD earned its place in music history on the stages of the 1969 Woodstock Festival and later became closely associated with Freddie Mercury during many iconic live performances. The 565SD is widely regarded as the predecessor to the famous Shure SM58, offering the same warm, punchy vocal character with classic vintage styling and rugged all-metal construction. A fantastic choice for collectors, studio use, live vocals, or anyone looking for an authentic piece of rock-and-roll history.

A few standout characteristics:

• Dynamic cardioid design — built to reject off-axis noise and reduce feedback on loud stages.
• Dual-impedance operation — unusual today, but useful in older PA systems and studios.
• Frequency response: 50 Hz–15 kHz.
• Built-in wind/pop filter inside the spherical grille.
• Magnetic reed on/off switch with a lock option on the “SD” version.

The mic has a very “vintage live sound”:

• strong midrange presence,
• slightly warmer and less refined than a modern SM58,
• excellent feedback rejection,
• rugged all-metal construction.

Many engineers describe it as having some of the same DNA as the SM57/SM58 family because the internal design evolved into those later models. Reddit users and vintage audio enthusiasts often call it the “grandfather” of the SM58. 

From a modern perspective:

• It still works well for live vocals, harmonica, announcements, and retro stage aesthetics.
• Vintage originals are collectible.
• Current reissues/revivals are still sold by Shure in some markets.

This particular item has some cosmetic scuffs one the body of the mic, some dents in the grill/head-basket, and some corrosion in the XLR Connection/Output Jack. The mic works well and functions as intended and expected.