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[brian maddox]

Next time you have the mic in your hands, try jingling some keys in front of the capsule and see what you hear. The "key test" was the terror of RF mic exhibitors on trade show floors for a long time. What it does, is see how the companding circuitry in the RF link deals with transients. A really, really good system will give you the sound of jingling keys, cheaper (and cheaper, and cheaper...) systems will give you a series of muffled thumps as the compander circuit tries to deal. So, if your singer is suddenly in front of some raging cymbals, the audio quality of the mic may take a dive.
WRT some other responses, I would argue that drop outs and poor RF link are going to be audible as their own thing and not a reflection on the capsule being used. I would also second the suggestion to make sure you are dealing with a genuine SM-58 capsule, even from Shure, as they have some cheaper versions that look similar.

The Ike is wise. Listen to the Ike... 

Seriously, the key thing is golden. Great tip!

[Russell Ault]

{...} A really, really good system will give you the sound of jingling keys, cheaper (and cheaper, and cheaper...) systems will give you a series of muffled thumps as the compander circuit tries to deal. {...}

I think Sennheiser disagrees with your price/key-test-performance correlation: in my experience the HDX compander found in their cheaper gear tends to do way better with the key test than their flagship HiDyn plus. Of course, if you throw a fader labelled "Chorus" and simultaneously open a few dozen channels-worth of SK 100 G4s, the audible noise floor increase makes it pretty clear why their flagship product has the more aggressive compander.

Digital isn't perfect, but one thing I don't miss when using it is having to worry so much about the interactions between the companding circuit and the signal's contents.

-Russ

[Daniel Levi]

Of course, it could be some old non-shure wireless with a sm58 head that's seen better days, there were a few manufacturers back in the day that had sm58 heads as an option, TOA, Trantec and Samson are just some of them.

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