Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
- Thread starter Diego
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Reckless Abandon
New member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Pros: Under 100 bucks and most of the best guitar tones ever were recorded with one.
Pros: Under 100 bucks and most of the best guitar tones ever were recorded with one.
metlking
Well-known member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
If you want one mic that can cover alot of ground (instruments) I'd say at 100 bucks an SM-57 is the one to grab. They are great on guitar amps! There are other mics that do certain things better in certain situations for alot more money! AKG D-112's are great on kick drums and bass amp speakers........but over $200 a pop. I just go with the 57's..........
If you want one mic that can cover alot of ground (instruments) I'd say at 100 bucks an SM-57 is the one to grab. They are great on guitar amps! There are other mics that do certain things better in certain situations for alot more money! AKG D-112's are great on kick drums and bass amp speakers........but over $200 a pop. I just go with the 57's..........
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innerdreamrecords.co
TrippyVinylologist
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Best mic made period.
Okay, maybe that's a stretch but certainly a tried and true work horse from, electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, drums etc.
Best mic made period.
Okay, maybe that's a stretch but certainly a tried and true work horse from, electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, drums etc.
vinterland
New member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
If someone could come up with a con then they've never actually worked with the mic.
If someone could come up with a con then they've never actually worked with the mic.
MattPete
New member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Years ago, I went to GC (first mistake) looking for a mic to mic my cab. They sold me on a Sennheiser 609. That thing sounds like crap. The recorded sound through my rig sounds nothing like what i'm hearing from my amp. Stay away from that thing like the plague.
On the other hand, my vocal mic (large diaphragm) sounded light-years better. Recently, I bought an SM57 and another mic stand. I set up the stand and the mic (semi-half azzed) and made a recording. That recording, with no tweaking, was instantly in the ballpark.
Lot's of people say that there are better mics out there, but obviously there is a reason that the sm57 is a 'go-to' microphone. Heck, I just tossed it front of my amp and it sounded pretty darned good. Imagine what it would sound like if I actually tweaked it! The fact that it can be had for fairly cheap is a bonus.
Yeah, I'm sure there are better mics (that cost a lot more), but there is probably a pretty darned good reason that this should be the basic (or first) mic in your arsenal.
Years ago, I went to GC (first mistake) looking for a mic to mic my cab. They sold me on a Sennheiser 609. That thing sounds like crap. The recorded sound through my rig sounds nothing like what i'm hearing from my amp. Stay away from that thing like the plague.
On the other hand, my vocal mic (large diaphragm) sounded light-years better. Recently, I bought an SM57 and another mic stand. I set up the stand and the mic (semi-half azzed) and made a recording. That recording, with no tweaking, was instantly in the ballpark.
Lot's of people say that there are better mics out there, but obviously there is a reason that the sm57 is a 'go-to' microphone. Heck, I just tossed it front of my amp and it sounded pretty darned good. Imagine what it would sound like if I actually tweaked it! The fact that it can be had for fairly cheap is a bonus.
Yeah, I'm sure there are better mics (that cost a lot more), but there is probably a pretty darned good reason that this should be the basic (or first) mic in your arsenal.
James Rock
Active member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Interesting as I've been reading up alot and I've read a few reviews that claim the Sennheiser 906 (similar to the one you mention) are better for cleans and the SM57 is better dirty. What kinda sounds were coming out your amp?
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
The SM57 is one that should be in anyone's mic locker. It's the best darn thing around for snare drums and works well on micing amps (it's essentially the standard and thankfully, it's still as affordable as it was in the past). I've found that I really like mixing in a Sennheiser MD421 with the SM57 for electric tones (the SM57 has a lot of bite when setup right and I like the warmth of the MD421), but by itself, the SM57 is capable of some quality tones (especially if run through a decent mic pre). If money were no object, I'd be using a Royer R-121 or R-122, but there's a slight difference between $100 mics and $1300 mics.
The SM57 is one that should be in anyone's mic locker. It's the best darn thing around for snare drums and works well on micing amps (it's essentially the standard and thankfully, it's still as affordable as it was in the past). I've found that I really like mixing in a Sennheiser MD421 with the SM57 for electric tones (the SM57 has a lot of bite when setup right and I like the warmth of the MD421), but by itself, the SM57 is capable of some quality tones (especially if run through a decent mic pre). If money were no object, I'd be using a Royer R-121 or R-122, but there's a slight difference between $100 mics and $1300 mics.
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
If you can only use ONE microphone to mic up your guitar amp, use the Shure SM-57.
It's the industry standard for a reason.
It's consistent, practically indestructible, equally suitable for live sound and studio use, and the sound you get from it drops right in to almost every mix.
If you can only use ONE microphone to mic up your guitar amp, use the Shure SM-57.
It's the industry standard for a reason.
It's consistent, practically indestructible, equally suitable for live sound and studio use, and the sound you get from it drops right in to almost every mix.
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
x2, I rock an SM57 for my gigs (on a 1x8 combo!)
I did some testing with an SM57 in a college "Audio Technology" class and looked at various results of the mic with a spectral analyzer (SpectraFoo, for the audio geeks) --- this mic is very predictable and "textbook" in its behavior.
The proximity effect is noticeable in an SM57, and on-axis vs. off-axis recordings are noticeably different --- I recommend them for this reason, that everything you learn about mic placement will be evident when you're using a 57.
x2, I rock an SM57 for my gigs (on a 1x8 combo!)
I did some testing with an SM57 in a college "Audio Technology" class and looked at various results of the mic with a spectral analyzer (SpectraFoo, for the audio geeks) --- this mic is very predictable and "textbook" in its behavior.
The proximity effect is noticeable in an SM57, and on-axis vs. off-axis recordings are noticeably different --- I recommend them for this reason, that everything you learn about mic placement will be evident when you're using a 57.
Stratman
Guitaris Maximus
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Shure SM 57 and Shure SM 94 both work well for your application.
The SM 57 is better on stage, while the SM 94 is better in a studio environment.
I also have and use a ElectroVoice N/967 for our singer, she sing a heck of a lot better than me! (I can not sing at all)
Shure SM 57 and Shure SM 94 both work well for your application.
The SM 57 is better on stage, while the SM 94 is better in a studio environment.
I also have and use a ElectroVoice N/967 for our singer, she sing a heck of a lot better than me! (I can not sing at all)
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
+3 to Hot Sex up there.
I've never done any scientific testing, but you can get a whole palette of sounds out of an SM57 by changing it's angle and proximity to the speaker.
+3 to Hot Sex up there.
I've never done any scientific testing, but you can get a whole palette of sounds out of an SM57 by changing it's angle and proximity to the speaker.
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
thats not true. i have two of them and they are good mics but they arent the best. record the same track with a sm57 then a md421 and the 421 sounds more open and alive. in a dense mix a 57 is punchy and cuts thru really well, especially if you use lots of gain. in a smaller band situation where there is more sonic space a better mic is very noticable.
i recorded an album in the fall and the engineer used a 57, the tracks came out ok but i can tell he used a 57 which doesnt really make me smile.
for $100 its a gotta have mic, but its not the best. im gonna pickup a heil pr30 for $250, its what wahwah uses and from the people ive talked to they love it. a friend of mine has one that he is gonna let me borrow, if its as good as i think. it will be my new guitar mic.
thats not true. i have two of them and they are good mics but they arent the best. record the same track with a sm57 then a md421 and the 421 sounds more open and alive. in a dense mix a 57 is punchy and cuts thru really well, especially if you use lots of gain. in a smaller band situation where there is more sonic space a better mic is very noticable.
i recorded an album in the fall and the engineer used a 57, the tracks came out ok but i can tell he used a 57 which doesnt really make me smile.
for $100 its a gotta have mic, but its not the best. im gonna pickup a heil pr30 for $250, its what wahwah uses and from the people ive talked to they love it. a friend of mine has one that he is gonna let me borrow, if its as good as i think. it will be my new guitar mic.
Diego
New member
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
Thank you all.
However, could you guys please clarify the importance of a mic preamp?
My sound card has a built-in preamp (Sound Blaster X-Fi series) but I presume it's been done with those little microphones for Skype and stuff in mind. What am I missing with not having a proper preamp for the Shure? Is it really fundamental or just something nice to have but that I could live without and still record and sound OK?
Also another thing... let's say the preamp is indeed a must, and that I buy the preamp and the 57. I've got the guitar, the amp can definitely do it... Is there any other fundamental gear missing in the link for proper, at least decent recordings? Thanks again.
Whoever says "a tube amp and a Fender!" will be shot!
Thank you all.
However, could you guys please clarify the importance of a mic preamp?My sound card has a built-in preamp (Sound Blaster X-Fi series) but I presume it's been done with those little microphones for Skype and stuff in mind. What am I missing with not having a proper preamp for the Shure? Is it really fundamental or just something nice to have but that I could live without and still record and sound OK?
Also another thing... let's say the preamp is indeed a must, and that I buy the preamp and the 57. I've got the guitar, the amp can definitely do it... Is there any other fundamental gear missing in the link for proper, at least decent recordings? Thanks again.
Whoever says "a tube amp and a Fender!" will be shot!
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ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
You can a get a cheap and decent enough preamp from Line6 and others. We're talking about 100 bucks. I have run dynamic mics through a TonePortGX and it's not top quality, naturally, but it sounds exactly like you'd expect it to. It's very predictable and the sound of the guitar is spot on.
Thank you all.
My sound card has a built-in preamp (Sound Blaster X-Fi series) but I presume it's been done with those little microphones for Skype and stuff in mind. What am I missing with not having a proper preamp for the Shure? Is it really fundamental or just something nice to have but that I could live without and still record and sound OK?
Also another thing... let's say the preamp is indeed a must, and that I buy the preamp and the 57. I've got the guitar, the amp can definitely do it... Is there any other fundamental gear missing in the link for proper, at least decent recordings? Thanks again.
Whoever says "a tube amp and a Fender!" will be shot!
You can a get a cheap and decent enough preamp from Line6 and others. We're talking about 100 bucks. I have run dynamic mics through a TonePortGX and it's not top quality, naturally, but it sounds exactly like you'd expect it to. It's very predictable and the sound of the guitar is spot on.
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Shure SM57: Pro and Cons?
The 57 only ever does what a 57 does, so the predictability is one of the reasons it's a standard, and whatever is missing from a 57 can be supplied by annother mic designed to catch a wider range...that's why you see cabs mic'd with one 57, and one other mic, usually a md421 these days...now you have both clarity and a punchy tone both to work with.
The 57 only ever does what a 57 does, so the predictability is one of the reasons it's a standard, and whatever is missing from a 57 can be supplied by annother mic designed to catch a wider range...that's why you see cabs mic'd with one 57, and one other mic, usually a md421 these days...now you have both clarity and a punchy tone both to work with.
T
