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Amazing looking new retro mics

#61
OK, here's my review:

I have a couple of Shure Beta SM 58's (B58) and decided to compare. Here is my objective observations:

1. When screaming songs like Old Time Rock And Roll and stuff like "Open Arms", this thing and the B58's sound almost identical.
2. When doing Elvis' "Blue Christmas", I can tell the pop filter on these is not quite as good as the one on the B58's. Also, it sounds slightly thinner in the mid-range, but only slightly. EQ can handle that. It actually comes with a frequency graph and I heard what it shows.
3. When plugging the chord in while the sound is coming through the PA, there is much more "handling sound" coming through. However, once plugged in there is no resonance from the body. I can grab this mic, move my hands over and around the surface while using it and there is no sound.

If I was a purist about these, I'd take 'em apart and throw a bit of an additional pop screen in them, but I don't know that it is gonna matter that much, especially since I roll off the mic inputs in the low frequencies anyway.

All in all, I'd buy this mic again and am excited to gig with it. It most definitely has the look, and the sound is exceptional.
 
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#62
I wound up buying another Audix OM5 to replace the one I sold a few years ago. It was 4 times the price of your mic but made in America and has a 5 year warranty compared to your 90 days. I bet it sounds better also.
 
#64
Just because someone disagrees with a buying decision you've made, that doesn't invalidate your decision. And if they agree, neither does that validate it. If your new mic works for the purpose you bought it for and lasts as long as you expected it to...your decision is validated. The preceding opinion has been validated by me. :)

M. M.
 
#65
Cool. Always wanted the retro shures for my oldies band but we have a bunch of 58s and nobody else seems to care. We do have some retro music stand lights that won't go away:banghead:

Alas, like the music and our audience, we ain't getting no younger, so I just try to enjoy the group for what it is while it lasts.
 
#68
nutdog said:
Cool. Always wanted the retro shures for my oldies band but we have a bunch of 58s and nobody else seems to care. We do have some retro music stand lights that won't go away:banghead:

Alas, like the music and our audience, we ain't getting no younger, so I just try to enjoy the group for what it is while it lasts.
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That was why I wanted to try these. I'm bringing them to my next rehearsal. If the less effective pop filter is an issue I'm going to do a quick mod. It's not like there is no room inside. ;)

But I can't emphasize enough just how beautiful this mic is. The Chinese have got polished chrome DOWN SOLID. I say that as someone who used to work in a plating shop (in 1973).
 
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#71
modulusman said:
Yeah not emotions but attitudes I always hated cheapness and laziness myself.:)
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Cheapness kinda has a place.
I have a friend who owns a house painting business. He used to get these really expensive paint guns. His crew would meticulously clean them between jobs. It paid in that the guns, assuming they were not physically damaged - which sometimes happened - would last through many jobs.

But after some experimenting, he switched to cheap Chinese paint guns from Harbor freight. The do the job and are low financial risk. And he doesn't waste the hourly wages he pays his guys to clean them. He said they do the job just as well and are basically disposable.

Regarding lazy, yeah, it's complicated. Some people I know will tell you I have an amazing work ethic. Others will tell you I'm lazy. Depends on what I'm working on and why. ;)
 
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#72
Opinions can always be made without snot. Even when you are spot on. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Sometimes you can do great things with so so or pretty good stuff. Sometimes the best doesn't help as much as some people think. In most situations attitude makes the real difference. My opinion YMMV. I would try these. I have decent mics. Would like some nicer ones.
 
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#73
Frankjohnson said:
Opinions can always be made without snot. Even when you are spot on. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Sometimes you can do great things with so so or pretty good stuff. Sometimes the best doesn't help as much as some people think. In most situations attitude makes the real difference. My opinion YMMV. I would try these. I have decent mics. Would like some nicer ones.
Click to expand...
I think I mentioned before that the rest of my band had really cheap mics and I use a Shure beta 58. One time I forgot it and had to use one of theirs. I was flabbergasted that, in a live situation with compressor, it really made no audible difference. Well, none that I could notice.

A live venue covers a multitude of sins, even though, being an audio purist, I wish it didn't...
 
#75
Robroy said:
I think I mentioned before that the rest of my band had really cheap mics and I use a Shure beta 58. One time I forgot it and had to use one of theirs. I was flabbergasted that, in a live situation with compressor, it really made no audible difference. Well, none that I could notice.

A live venue covers a multitude of sins, even though, being an audio purist, I wish it didn't...
Click to expand...
Which is why you own a really good PA right? A mic will only sound as good as whatever you are using for speakers.
 
#76
modulusman said:
Which is why you own a really good PA right? A mic will only sound as good as whatever you are using for speakers.
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Everything I own is a compromise. My PA sounds good, yes. I bought a couple of 15" Custom floor monitor / PA speakers from a friend that were blown and replaced all the insides and reinforced the cabs. I put in some nice titanium drivers for the horns, a solid crossover with L-pad and well matched woofers. My reviews can be found on MCM electronics. The speakers are now absolutely hi-fi. I have two boards. A Mackie and a Behringer. Both sound good but the Mackie is more reliable. The controls on the Behringer are crap. After four years in storage not a knob or slider worked. But after plenty of de-oxit, the board is not only functional but reliable, so far...

I'm not responsible for the PA in my current band so I'll hold off any improvement until I am. FWIW, I sold HI-FI between 76 and 82. I still have much of the audiophile gear I bought back then. I own a few thousand LP's, several turntables, and a couple of cassette decks. I sold and gave away four turntables, five open reel tape decks and a few separate amps and pre's when I moved from Seattle in 2011. I kept most of the good amps and pre's, though.

I literally just came in from using my tractor to grade my 1/4 mile driveway with a fairly steep hill after a torrential rain that put some major grooves in it (over a foot deep) because a ditch got diverted and the water ran down the middle of my road. i.e. I have a lot more to spend money on than my bass gear. I'm all about the point of diminishing returns. Where the "quality" of equipment affects the quality of my performance and sound in a noticeable way, I spend the money. And that is ALL I spend. The rest goes to other stuff. That is why my wife loves me. :D
 
#77
Sorry about your driveway. My thinking is that the bands playing bars/part time can't afford mixers that cost 5 figures and speakers that cost 5 grand each. Plenty of concerts companies out there with shure beta 58s in their inventory. A microphone is one piece of the puzzle where you can spend $150-200.00 and own something that is good enough to be on a major tour. So why waste your money on something that is basically just disposable junk?
 

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