damn... I'm caught.
I used a 58 for YEARS. Loved it, until I heard the difference between it and a good mic. *shoot* did it again.
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Shure sm57 question.
- Thread starter fuzzy beard
- Start date
I used a 58 for YEARS. Loved it, until I heard the difference between it and a good mic. *shoot* did it again.
K. I'm back. We tried it at practice tonight. Plosives - uncontrollable, even with the foam sock on it. Sibilance is rampant, but can be somewhat mitigated with heavy EQ. I hated it, our singer hated it, the band hated it. It's now a paperweight.
Don't take it personally.
Don't take it personally.
Thanks, Munji. I feel better now that someone else has heard the same issues I thought I'd heard. I hear a lot of good about Heil, but not as much from them. It could just be the voices and instruments I've heard through Heil, I can't say, but I've always thought they were too bright.
and you like the Beta58, right?
Wow. That's gotta be a bright mic.
The trend with a lot of new-ish, cheaper, microphones is more and more hype. Lots of 'big' and that weird sounding treble. I refer to any mic that sounds like this as an 'Audix'. As in: 'get that goddamn Audix out of here'. Even the Beta58 pushes too far in this direction for my tastes, but I have learned to live with it.
Getting the midrange right is hard. I understand. I really do. Just getting rid of it is not the answer.
I'm telling you: Beyer 69. It has a little presence peak and a bit of a proximity effect, just like every popular vocal mic, but without the fizzy treble. More importantly the midrange is rich and detailed. The M88 is similar but 'bigger' sounding, and goes low enough to be usable on a bass amp or kick drum.
Nice comparison for recording or broadcast/podcast purposes but mostly useless for live sound applications.
I have SM57s, 58s, Beta 58s and Heil PR35s among others and I like them all for different reasons and on different sources. But none of them are perfect or suitable for every source and universally swearing by or against any one is just silly.
FWIW, I find that with top shelf PA systems the regular SM58 sounds just as good if not better than most other dynamic mics out there. However, lesser PA systems really do benefit from mics with extended frequency range and presence peaks and proximity effect and so on.
Mics are just tools. If the tool doesn't work for you, grab another one that does. And remember to tailor the mic not only to the source but to the system.
The 57 will work fine, I've done it many, many times. Pick up a used one for $60 or so, and sell it for the same if you don't like it. No sense spending a fortune for a single gig. The 57 makes a good live vocal mic, too, and some prefer it over the 58.
Not really, but I'll accept your opinion. I'll say again: listen to Paul Rogers in the "Bad Co Live at the Hard Rock" show, if you need a live example for comparison. He sounds great with the PR-22. There are several examples of the sound of the PR-22 on YouTube. Just look for the signature wind screen.
Mics are just tools. And some tools (IE: Makita vs. Black & Decker) are just better than others. But then everything is a matter of opinion.
Of course a 57 would work just fine as an instrument mic. No question it's been done a billion times. I like the sound of the PR-22 much better on a voice--AND it would work well for mic'ing a cab. I wouldn't sing through a 57 ever.
My Beta 87a sounds great. Nice and smooth on the top. Beautiful. It doesn't cut through like the PR-22. The clarity is that different. I'm not saying it's better than a Beta 87a, I'm saying it sounds clearer. It also rejects better from the rear.
I know this post is a couple of months old, but here is my .02.
SM57's work great on guitars, and are only maybe "OK" for bass. I would much rather go direct. If I had to use a mic I would use an Audix D6, AKG D12 or an AKG D112 (a bit pricey compared to a 57 though), they sound awesome!
Also, if you are going to purchase a used SM57, be aware that there are a lot of fakes on the market. A quick Google search will help you learn how to recognize a fake.
SM57's work great on guitars, and are only maybe "OK" for bass. I would much rather go direct. If I had to use a mic I would use an Audix D6, AKG D12 or an AKG D112 (a bit pricey compared to a 57 though), they sound awesome!
Also, if you are going to purchase a used SM57, be aware that there are a lot of fakes on the market. A quick Google search will help you learn how to recognize a fake.
It's important to note that the signal chain used for this type of live recording is extensive. It is mixed for broadcast/DVD long after the show is over. This means you are not hearing the mic through a PA, you are hearing the mic with extensive processing for the broadcast mix, just like a studio album. In other words, this is not an objective means to judge a mic. Great performance though!
Again, YouTube clips are highly compressed files that cannot relay detailed audio information and furthermore they don't show you how a mic behaves through a PA system. Choosing audio gear based on YouTube clips makes about as much sense as choosing an instrument based on music videos.
We're not talking Makita vs Black & Decker. That's an analogy of build quality, not performance. The Makita doesn't drill better holes or cut straighter lines. You're Heil opinion is like saying that a #4 Philips screwdriver is better than a #2 Philips screwdriver. If your specific application only requires a #4 that's fine but it is not an indication of superiority over the #2.
Many notable artists have done just fine with an SM57, even Paul Rodgers: Invalid Link Removed
Comparing a supercardioid condenser to a cardioid dynamic is apples to oranges (and would explain the rear rejection differences) but all that aside they are both useful tools that serve their purpose depending on the source and the system...just like the SM57, SM58, Beta 58, KSM9, etc.
Great post. Thank you for taking the time. Sincerely.
Though I understand your comment on the differences between broadcast and live performance and recorded vs. live sound, the mic comparison in the YouTube video still shows huge differences in the mics that are also apparent live. Proper compression doesn't change the sound of a mic or an instrument drastically enough to make the comparison useless.
The YouTube audio compression seems to me very similar to the MP3 compression. Would you check out a new pedal based on a YouTube video? Many would and do every day. I've also heard some great guitar and bass tones in YouTube videos. I don't think the compression ruined them at all.
EDIT: Just listened to the video you linked. I think Paul Rogers a great rock singer and he'll always sound good, no matter what he sings through, but that mic doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the Heil he used in the Hard Rock performance. Not even close.
The other rolloff to consider is when the mic rolls off on the floor. 
The SM-57/58s can survive the drop test.
Many mics can't take one drop.
Reggae one drop, a different conversation.
The SM-57/58s can survive the drop test.
Many mics can't take one drop.
Reggae one drop, a different conversation.
FWIW, I did some demos when I got my new amp, and used it as an opportunity to A/B some popular mics. Posted em at my Invalid Link Removed.
IMO, the 57 drops too much low end, and the D112 hypes the 100HZ too much, compared with the (relatively inexpensive) AT2020 LD condenser I was using. The D112 DID give a nice chugging feel to the bassline, but in a mix, it would get old quick. Saving up for a PR40 right now.
The SM-57 will do a fine job with your SB-12, much better than a DI for reproduction of the Ampeg tone, and will serve you well in future endeavors as well. FYI, the SM-57 has been the offical microphone of the the U.S. President for at least 5 decades. At any official event, you will see two 57's at the podium. Not that this example proves it's worth as a bass amp mic, just that it is a very versatile workhorse of a mic.
Thats because congress will not pass the bill Obama sent to upgrade his podium microphones to a Heil. If they did he would sound like the guy on all the blockbuster movie trailers.
-If you want another cheap option other than the SM57 - I prefer the Sennheiser E609 for about the same price. It is close to the same Freq response and curve except it doesn't have the sudden boost around 3kHz . Its a more natural Freq curve. I find that it gets more of authentic tone of your cab. For live sound , I prefer these because they are quick and easy for mic placement (wider pickup pattern so you dont have to be as exact with placement. -SM57 needs a little more attention. ) If you play mostly hard rock or punk, use the 57, IMO
