Double Bass Hardly any volume from an SM57

[jonnyboy559]

Hi everyone. I am looking to experiment with blending my Realist pickup with a microphone. I tried putting an SM57 on a boom stand, and plugging it into my GK800RB with 12" avatar NEO cabinet using an XLR to 1/4 cable, just to see what the mic alone would sound like, because I don't have a device to blend the pickup and mic yet. I could not get hardly any sound from the mic, even with the amp cranked. I put it in every different place next to the bass and it didn't really make a difference. Any advice?

 

[Bob Gollihur]

It's an impedance mismatch. The XLR to 1/4 inch adaptor must be the type that has a transformer within to up the approx 150 ohm impedance of the SM57 to the high impedance input of your amp.

 

[atheos]

Usually dynamic mics are about 150 to 300 ohms but the amp expects signal with approximately 10,000 ohm impedance so I guess you see there's an issue

 

[morris33333]

It's an impedance mismatch. The XLR to 1/4 inch adaptor must be the type that has a transformer within to up the approx 150 ohm impedance of the SM57 to the high impedance input of your amp.

radio shack sells these adapters for short money, about $15. The one I have is Radio Shack part #274-016C and converts "Lo-z" 3-pin XLR connector to a "Hi-z" 1/4" 2-conductor plug connector (like a guitar plug). I had to buy a cable to make the mic-adapter connection. I think the "shack" has adapters with different connection configurations but beware, some of them looked like they converted Hi-z to Lo-z vs what you need (Lo-z to Hi-z)

 

[jonnyboy559]

Thanks a lot fellas. I'll be visiting Radioshack in the next couple of days.


Jon