Choosing a mic

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 04:30 AM

This thread needs a new title: Folklore: The SM57

Anyway, in the end we ordered ours online at a considerable saving to any of the MCR shops, though we did buy the 3-disc Steve Roud volume of the new VOTP issues so our journey wasn't entirely wasted, that plus the Naxos CD of Handel Violin Sonatas which is currently proving the perfect Sunday Morning music...

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 04:39 PM

But beware plague of counterfeit new 57s and 58s...


http://www.google.co.uk/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=counterfeit+sm58#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=counterfeit+sm58+sm57&oq=

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: John P
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 04:29 PM

The SM57 and SM58 are true workhorses. I have some, and have beat them up for years. But to my ear, for acoustic guitar and such, the Rode has a much more accurate and detailed sound. If you are playing an inexpensive instrument, the SM57 may well make it sound better. If you have a really nice instrument, get the Rode. It's a great sound for the money. If you can spend a bit more, the Rode NT3 is even better.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 12:05 PM

I used to use a SM57 as a vocal mic and a SM58 to mic my guitar (in addition to a sound board pickup, later on). The guitar just seemed to be more lively sounding with the 58 and the vocals seemed smoother with the 57, so I'm told.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 11:18 AM

Shure SM57 for me too.
The lead needed replacing due to wear and tear - only to be expected though.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 11:05 AM

Shure SMs , either 57 nOR 58 have an excellent reputation for Rubust ness ! See Atilla The Stockbroker live - He misuses them dreadfully but they stil work !!

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Sound Man Alec
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 10:45 AM

I've engineered well over 1000 folk gigs and my advice would be to go for the Rode M3 nothing else on the market as good for the cash, if your instruments are good quality and good sounding you would get away with both on 1 channel.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 10:23 AM

slip of the tongue. as a banjo player myself, I often forget other people play all those other inferior instruments

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 09:59 AM

"When I saw Chris Thile play solo at the Borderline last year, he used one AT4033, positioned half way between his banjo and his mouth" -

That would have been interesting, he usually plays mandolin!

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 09:23 AM

SMN58s are brighter though in my experience. If you want a vocal to cut through more on stage, go for SM58 rather than 57.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 09:00 AM

confirmed...


"That brings up another question that comes up all the time. What's the real difference between an SM57 and an SM58? There are actually a fair number of myths and misconceptions about what the difference really is.
The basic difference is the grille. The other parts -- the diaphragm and voice coil combination, the magnet, the transformer that's in the handle, the handle itself, the closing ring that surrounds the cartridge – are identical.   

In the SM58, the ball grille with the foam lining provides an extra degree of pop protection and wind protection. The SM57 has a much more compact grille arrangement that doesn't provide nearly as much protection against blast or wind.   But the basic frequency response and polar patterns are almost identical – there is only a slight difference in high frequencies where the shape of the grille starts to affect the response. But that probably doesn't kick in until 13, 14 or 15 kHz – something like that. "



http://www.shurenotes.com/issue30/article.htm

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 08:53 AM

I think the capsules and electronics may be very similar,
but the vocal SM58 mic has more substantial internal foam pop protection.

That's what I was told a long time ago.. but couldn't swear to it ???

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Brendan
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 08:44 AM

Can someone tell me the difference between a Shure SM57 and SM58. Layman's terms would be good!
Thanks

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:59 AM

on a side note, the classic K&M boom mic stands were significantly cheaper from Thomann
[almost half price]
than any online shop in UK when I was looking a few months ago.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: s&r
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:50 AM

£73.00 from Thomann


Stu

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,alex s no cookie
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:43 AM

SM57 is a great workhorse. Used them for 40 years.
Shure also do a cheaper version (PG57?) which is not bad.
Depends on your budget, but the SM57 is not too dear.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:18 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wj7lluiKV8&feature=plcp&context=C449942dVDvjVQa1PpcFNTkQz7-zfTUlpXdGFo3hpGypuoTxDdIBM%3D

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:15 AM

http://www.heilsound.com/pro/products/pr20/

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:13 AM

oh, one modern alternative to the Shure SM57 is the Heil PR20 (also known as the PR22 UT). If you're in the US, those are pretty cheap.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: matt milton
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 07:04 AM

You might be thinking of the Audio Technica AT4033. That's the mic bluegrass bands traditionally favour, in a 1-mic-for-the-whole-band sense. It's a large diaphragm condenser mic. Quite bright and cutting, but with plenty of bass and body if you position it right.

When I saw Chris Thile play solo at the Borderline last year, he used one AT4033, positioned half way between his banjo and his mouth (about chest height). It sounded perfectly balanced. (If just slightly bright).

UK residents might be interested in this scheme Audio Technica are currently running: http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/support/firstimpressions/
I used it to audition a few mics and concluded the AT4047 was the perfect mic for my Django guitar.

Kara - your instincts were in some ways correct to single out that Oktava mic: it is indeed a very, very good instrument mic for acoustic instruments. But I wouldn't use it in a live situation, simply because it requires phantom power.

I would buy an SM57, as others have suggested. You can't go wrong with it. However, if by any remote chance you dislike it you can sell it off again for not much less than you bought it (they are that cheap, it's irrelevant).

Alternatively, Shure also sell the 545SD, the retro-looking precursor to the SM57. This mic sounds slightly darker to the 57 in some contexts: particularly on male vocals (it's a good mic if you ever want to thicken up a male or female voice).

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 06:54 AM

I've found the SM57 versatile enough to switch from voice to whistle to clarinet - or from fiddle to crwth to kemence to zither causing the minimum headaches to the soundman. In quick on-off festival sets this is pretty essential when sound-checking time is limited / non-existent.

What's that American band who only use the one lovely big mic on stage for instruments, vocals & all? I'd love one of them.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 06:50 AM

Thanks everyone, Loud isnt really our main priority, believing that people will be quiet if they want to hear, just need a bit of a boost. but your right about the 2 EQs. Hadnt even thought of that...

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 06:49 AM

Yes the SM57 is indeed a workhorse - I bought 3 of them 30+ years ago and they're still going strong - and they're cheaper now than they were then!

Personally, for live use, I prefer the c1000s with its hyper-cardioid adapter. You can either phantom power it or use a 9 volt battery.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 06:39 AM

For live work it's sensible to go for a bullet-proof dynamic. They are not the be-all and end-all of sound quality but they tend to stay working. Of those that stay working the Shures are maybe the ones that stay working the longest under the most provocation, but I'm very fond of AKGs too and still cherish an old D190E.

But you should not use the same mic for the 2 instruments, the EQ will need to differ, so you need 2 mics - although I'd suggest that the sensible choice if you want to play loud is to plug your guitar in rather than use a mic for it.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:59 AM

Ha! Great minds, eh? We're off to MCR to buy an SM57 today - which is not so much a microphone as an icon of everything that's good & proper about life. In the past I've used them live & in the studio for drums, banjo, vocals, gongs, jew's harps, fiddle, kemence, guitar, flutes, whistles, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes - and I once was honoured to use one either side of Peter Bellamy's anglo. Like Stu saysm the SM 57 is a workhorse - and a design classic to boot; own one of them and it's a little piece of musical history right there in your kit.

One thought though - might the M3 prove a tad lively on stage being a studio condenser? In my experience condensers are great for studio use (for cheap studio condensers look no further than the Behringer B1 - we've got 4) but require a lot of palaver when there's live amplification & PAs involved, even small diaphragm ones.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:43 AM

THe Rodes does look good. And not at all expensive.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Zen
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:26 AM

P.S. The Rode M3 does need power but this can be either phantom power from a desk or from a 9v battery in the mic itself.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:25 AM

On the product discription for the SM57, it does not specify accoustic guitars. I am looking at the Rode M3 now

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Zen
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:22 AM

I use SM57s... they do not need phantom power. I do not know the Oktava and cannot comment on it but have good experience for your kind of application with the Rode M3 (review here) which is well made and actually a little cheaper and readily available.

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 05:06 AM

No Phantom power from the mixing desk, the SM57, does not need phantom power does it?

Subject: RE: Choosing a mic
From: s&r
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 04:41 AM

Looks OK. Make sure you have phantom power available from the mixing desk.

My workhorse for this sort of thing is Shure SM57

Stu

Subject: Choosing a mic
From: Kara
Date: 28 Apr 12 - 04:30 AM

Hi There

I need to get a microphone for onstage use for a banjo and guitar. One at a time rather than both ot he same time. What would be your recommendations?

I am looking at This

has anyone used one of these and what do you thnk?

Kara