Shure 55SH Series II (Unidyne)

The Shure 55SH is the iconic 'Elvis microphone' — the chrome Art Deco design that became the visual symbol of rock and roll itself. Based on the original 1939 Unidyne design that introduced the single-element unidirectional pattern, the 55SH's cardioid pickup rejects off-axis sound while its dynamic capsule handles extreme SPL from close-miked vocals. Elvis Presley's physical relationship with the 55 — grabbing it, tilting the stand, singing inches from the grille — made the microphone as much a performance prop as a technical tool.