Need a dual purpose mic, how about Shure Beta 57A

[Hawkeye]

At a recent recording session we used some Shure SM57's on the guitar cabs and they gave us some decent tracks. I was looking at picking up one for myself and noticed that the Beta57A isn't that much more money.

I have PA mics to buy too (was thinking of Sennheiser E835 /935's. Can I kill two birds with one stone?

Anybody have experience using the Shure Beta 57A as a vocal mic? What was it like?

I'm thinking of getting some Beta 57A's and using them double duty both in the home studio as an instrument mic and also live as a vocal mic.

 

[Mark Reccord]

I think the Beta 57a is the best workhorse mic available today.

They're great for vocals, very clean with excellent gain before feedback/off axis rejection. I actually prefer them to the SM and Beta 58 for vocals, especially in loud environments.

They'll work in just about any application and give good results. Snare, guitar amp, percussion, bass amp. In fact it's my preferred mic for bass rigs in a live environment. It should be noted that I typically use a mic and a DI for bass when I'm behind the desk so that if the low end is lacking from the mic I can dial some in from the DI channel. Though most of the time the signal from the B57a has plenty of bottom end.

 

[GregShadoan]

I think the Beta 57a is the best workhorse mic available today.

They're great for vocals, very clean with excellent gain before feedback/off axis rejection. I actually prefer them to the SM and Beta 58 for vocals, especially in loud environments.

They'll work in just about any application and give good results. Snare, guitar amp, percussion, bass amp. In fact it's my preferred mic for bass rigs in a live environment. It should be noted that I typically use a mic and a DI for bass when I'm behind the desk so that if the low end is lacking from the mic I can dial some in from the DI channel. Though most of the time the signal from the B57a has plenty of bottom end.

+1 . I agree. The beta57a is probably one of the most underated, under used mics out today. They are really good for vocals, as are Audix I-5's surprisingly. But... You must sing INTO them, or your done. They are also a good substitute for snare top. SM57's cap's come off if you look at them funny.

 

[Mark Reccord]

+1 . I agree. The beta57a is probably one of the most underated, under used mics out today. They are really good for vocals, as are Audix I-5's surprisingly. But... You must sing INTO them, or your done. They are also a good substitute for snare top. SM57's cap's come off if you look at them funny.

If I had a dollar for every SM57 I've seen with the top knocked off it by a drummer I could retire.

 

[Hawkeye]

If I had a dollar for every SM57 I've seen with the top knocked off it by a drummer I could retire.

So, you have some hard-hitting drummers out on the Rock? Or maybe just inaccurate ones after a bit to much screech.

Good post on the Beta57A. Nice to hear that they have good GBF too. I'm seriously considering them now.

 

[GregShadoan]

If I had a dollar for every SM57 I've seen with the top knocked off it by a drummer I could retire.

I wouldn't be rich, but I would be happy if shure would make them better.
This is from last season.

 

[sonic assassin]

I wouldn't be rich, but I would be happy if shure would make them better.
This is from last season.

wow.. sloppy drummer. get a 906/609. ive never had anyone come close to hitting that.

to the OP, go for it. a 57 is always worth what you pay for it. even as a door stop or hammer.. it will do the job.

looking at the freq response plots, the beta seems to be a little less crazy up top. likely less fizzy. brighter in the 3-6kz range (thats note definition in bass terms, more snare crack). 6k dip less sibilant.

not a ton of low end on either one, but im sure a little proximity effect and/or a DI would straighten that out.

id go for it. looks like it voiced more like my 906, which i prefer to a 57 on guitars.

57a
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[BigMac5]

Here's a good comparison with clips of the Beta 57 and SM57.

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[tekkentool]

i would go with a rode nt1a. but the beta 57a would be an awesome choice too

 

[GregShadoan]

wow.. sloppy drummer. get a 906/609. ive never had anyone come close to hitting that.

to the OP, go for it. a 57 is always worth what you pay for it. even as a door stop or hammer.. it will do the job.

looking at the freq response plots, the beta seems to be a little less crazy up top. likely less fizzy. brighter in the 3-6kz range (thats note definition in bass terms, more snare crack). 6k dip less sibilant.

not a ton of low end on either one, but im sure a little proximity effect and/or a DI would straighten that out.

id go for it. looks like it voiced more like my 906, which i prefer to a 57 on guitars.

It's Sloppy drummer(s).

Here, try this one.

 

[wetzelman1]

Here's a good comparison with clips of the Beta 57 and SM57.

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great read there, learned a lot about mics. I've only used them without really knowing how they work and this explained everything pretty clearly. Gotta try the dual beta57 and sm57 guitar setup sometime.

My band just used a sm57 instead of the sm58 for guitars on our last tracking. 57 sounds so much warmer and clearer with heavy tube gain. MY advice to any project studio would be to get a 57,58 and 52. All great mics and not too expensive to give a huge array of sounds.