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Thinking of buying an SM57. Any reason I shouldn't?

also thinking of singing live through it. Same question.

They're decent mics, but there's cheaper alternatives- I know a few guys who feel this way and use other mics, such as Sloan.. maybe they'll chime in shortly.

The SM58 (industry standard live vocal mic) is very similar to the 57 in terms of response, but has the all-important popshield. You could always pick up a used 58 and take the popshield off to record guitars, it won't do the mic any harm.

I read somewhere that US Presidents use SM57s.

i think for using it for both guitars and vocals maybe a 58 is more polyvalent, but i guess they're pretty similar anyway.

There are better mics in the same price range, i was looking at some a few months back. unfortunately my goldfish brain has forgotten the models.

johnnyseven wrote:I read somewhere that US Presidents use SM57s.

Yeah, I read that on Wikipedia, too.

To me, the sm 57/58 vocals debate boils down to this:

If you're not going to be handling the mic (as musician-vocalists tend not to), use a 57. First off, they're horrible "in hand mics". Because the plastic part of the shield is not fully fixed to the body of the mic, it can swivel around on itself and with older 57s, move up and down enough to make an audible clic. However, to me, they feel more sensitive directionally than 58s. They'll pick up a decently loud singing voice from a solid foot away, so long as it's projected in it's general direction.

58's are the all time classic "get up in there" vocal mic. Perfect for lead singers or people's who's vocal stylings incorporate lots of frictive and plossive stuff (gutterals, hardcore vocals, etc) They have relatively low handling noise making them much better suited for being mounted on stands that'll get moved around a lot.

And no, there's no reason why you shouldn't have a good 57 lying around. They're like the phillips screwdriver of the mic world. You probably won't need one every day but you will need one eventually. A good cheap alternative I've found is the Sennheiser e835. You can generally find them for ten/twenty bucks less than a new Shure and to me, they sound a whole hell of alot like the more expensive Shure Beta57A which in turn, sounds almost identical to the SMs but benefits from a kind of "best of both worlds" between the two in terms of construction (echoed in the e835's design).

laterallateral wrote:gutterals

HAHA

laterallateral wrote:And no, there's no reason why you shouldn't have a good 57 lying around. They're like the phillips screwdriver of the mic world. You probably won't need one every day but you will need one eventually.

+1

Don't understand the "they're pricey" angle. I got mine for £50, it sounds great, I use it every time I record guitar and every week for my vocal at practise. For something that good sounding and well made, £50-£80 doesn't seem overpriced to me. But then again I have a job.

It sounds immense, it always sounds immense.

The 57 has lot higher hand noise and also its freg range is more taylored in the higher range than the 58 (which drives in the upper mids). 57 works great with instruments and also with vocals (i use a 57 live if Ive left my 58 beta out of the mic box). Though if you are looking for a mic for vox grab a 58 - they do not cost all that much (as mike pointed out), either one can be had for under 100 dollars (not sure the convert).

ive bought used ones for 30 to 50 dollars, they are work horsies so even a used one is most likely in good shape even if the metal is beat and paint coming off.

I own several mics but without a doubt the best all around I have are the sm's (aside from the beta). If you are getting the 57 because you found a great deal on it then grab it.. if not add 10 dollars to the price and buy the 58!

I guess I should clarify a little. First off, I need a better mic than the AKG D 8000S I currently have. I need a live mic more than I need an instrument mic, but if it can do both, that'd be awesome. I also think that it would look cool to sing live through a 57, but don't want to make the decision based solely on that.

Do you ever perform with your hands on the mic? Do you tend to sing with your lips directly touching the mic?

No? Get an SM57
Yes? Get an SM58 or something with a pop shield.

Pop shield it is! Thanks guys.

laterallateral wrote:Do you ever perform with your hands on the mic? Do you tend to sing with your lips directly touching the mic?

No? Get an SM57
Yes? Get an SM58 or something with a pop shield.

That's not very accurate. A pop shield depends more on your singing technique than how close to the mic you are. Also, a pop shield is this...



The part on an SM58 is generally referred to as a windscreen. I'm not wanting to be pedantic about it, it's just better to have a more accurate idea of the terminology especially when you're researching something.

The whole thing about taking the windscreen off the SM58 is unnecessary. It makes it visually resemble the 57 but for the high end response of the mics the difference in frequency response will be so small as to make it not worth risking damaging the diaphragm. They're not the same mic underneath, but they are very similar. The 58 has a little more in the common speech area (4khz or wherever it is) and a little extra in the bass. They're similar enough that it's not a huge deal which one you get. They're both very handy mics to have around.



One thing I would say, is that rather than being a Philips screwdriver of microphones, it's more something that will do the job pretty well in almost any situation but it's very rarely the best tool for the job. It makes sense to have one tool that can do 50 jobs 80-90% as well as the perfect tool, especially as it's usually cheaper than the niche, only works on a few things, tool. Almost never the wrong choice but also rarely the right one.

Gah! I always get these two (pop shield/windscreen) confused! What I was saying about the windscreen did pertain to style and proximity, though.

And I still think the SM57s handling noise needs to be considered, when contemplating it's use as a vocal mic.

Thanks James, good to know. I think I'm gonna go for an SM58 or a Sennheiser e835 for vocals. Doing a little research, they seem like the best bet. They both have windscreens plus I do occasionally grab the mic when I'm singing.

Still might try a 57 for shits & giggles sometime.

damienblair17 wrote:Thanks James, good to know. I think I'm gonna go for an SM58 or a Sennheiser e835 for vocals. Doing a little research, they seem like the best bet. They both have windscreens plus I do occasionally grab the mic when I'm singing.

Still might try a 57 for shits & giggles sometime.

go with the 58, I dont know this for sure being I havent had a lot of exp with the sennheiser but I dont think its got the durability of the 58 (from what Ive seen, used and heard).

57/58 are the workhorses for sure. Not the best, but very stable and dependable. the 58 is the better vocal mic I think. Personally I prefer audix mics but that is just for my loud ass voice, and my ears/taste.

johnnyseven wrote:I read somewhere that US Presidents use SM57s.

I do audio for press conferences on a weekly basis, and I use an SM57 every time. It's a good sounding mic for picking up speaking vocals, and if you throw the matching windscreen on there, it looks sharp.

Granted, I don't do press conferences for any presidents, but I do know that guys like California Governor Arnold Swarzenegger uses it. Politicians will use any microphone you put in front of them. They love nothing more than speaking into a mic.

I always try to use the Audix i5 in place of an SM57. Cost he same, but I like how it's all metal and sounds better to me on most things.

James wrote: The whole thing about taking the windscreen off the SM58 is unnecessary. It makes it visually resemble the 57 but for the high end response of the mics the difference in frequency response will be so small as to make it not worth risking damaging the diaphragm.

This.
If only a dollar for every "just take the windscreen off a 58"

There's nothing wrong with SM57s, including the price.
Someone said 57s are like the phillips screwdriver of the mic world... I think of them more like a hammer, because you could use them as one.