Sm57 broken?

Lomas

New member
Hi.

I don't know if I'm missing something obvious here (like "yea! it's broken") or what, but I've been bugged for a while that I can't seem to get any levels out of my sm57 microhpone.

I have the levels up to like 2 o' clock at least on my behringer mixer and the level in Cubase up way above zero, and yet the sound registered in cubase when I play is peaking at like -22

Whatcha think? Time to buy a new one or what?
 
naaahh..

time to buy a new behri board possibly...

check your cable too. and try it with other mics.

57's dont die just like that!

how old is it?? shure might send you a new one if its not too old.. people use the same ones for 25+ years without anything but scratches on them..
 
Yeah the thing is, when I connect my condenser mic it's fine. Very loud...

Also I have this strong feeling that when I bought it (a little more than a year ago now) it wasn't this quiet.

I don't know...it has been dropped on the floor a couple of times (not by me!) so that's why I'm suspicious. But then, as you say, they supposed to be real workhorses these things...
 
Lomas, dynamic mics are generally much much more quiet than condensors. For example if I recorded an acoustic guitar with a sm57 I'd have to turn my preamp to about 3/4's at least, with my ksm109 I'd probably have to turn it a quarter of the way. Dynamic mics are just much more quiet, generally, than condensers.
 
Last edited:
jonnyc said:
...dynamic mics are generally much much more loud than condensors...Dynamic mics are just much more quiet, generally, than condensers.


Huh?

Here is info on Shure's warranty/service policies.
If you bought it (domestically) within 2 years (of the manufacture date) then it is still within warranty.

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/ServiceAndWarranty/WarrantyPolicies/index.htm

But like most of the other people said on here, it may not be the mic.
 
jonnyc said:
Just said it backwards, not smart enough to figure it out?


Except you changed your post. Look at what I originally quoted you. First you said dynamics are louder than condensers, then you said they're quieter.
 
RAK said:
Except you changed your post. Look at what I originally quoted you. First you said dynamics are louder than condensers, then you said they're quieter.


Yeah, that's why I changed it, and my point is that you could've figured out that I just mistyped, but instead you wanted to post "huh?" is if you were utterly confused, but really you just wanted everyone to see my mistake. :rolleyes:
 
jonnyc said:
Yeah, that's why I changed it, and my point is that you could've figured out that I just mistyped, but instead you wanted to post "huh?" is if you were utterly confused, but really you just wanted everyone to see my mistake. :rolleyes:


I wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, I generally was confused. It's the internet, I didn't necessarily know which one you meant. I really didn't mean anything by it. If I posted a mistake like that, I'd want someone else to clear it up, and that has certainly happened to me on this board.

No hard feelings I hope.
 
RAK said:
I wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, I generally was confused. It's the internet, I didn't necessarily know which one you meant. I really didn't mean anything by it. If I posted a mistake like that, I'd want someone else to clear it up, and that has certainly happened to me on this board.

No hard feelings I hope.


You didn't try to clear anything up, you said "huh?". What does that clear up for anybody. If you actually do anything with audio then you should've known which one was right, and eventually I would've read what I wrote and fixed it.
 
jonnyc said:
You didn't try to clear anything up, you said "huh?". What does that clear up for anybody. If you actually do anything with audio then you should've known which one was right, and eventually I would've read what I wrote and fixed it.


I said "huh" because I was confused, and didn't want to put words in your mouth, just wanted furthere clarification.
I think talking about mics as "loud" or "quiet" can be confusing. I think of them as more or less sensitive. Because "loud" could mean lots of self noise or maybe low S/N, so then you maybe you do have to actually turn it up more. Perhaps a "quiet" mic doesn't need as much gain. I just didn't know which way you were going with it.

Again, I apologize if I offended you.
 
OK, first, yes, condensers are always higher output than dynamics, often MUCH higher. Second, if you have to crank your input that high, sounds like the 57 mic is hashed. So you're saying it's the same channel of the board that your using to test, and the condenser's loud, and the 57 is super super weak? And the same mic-cable, too right?

Well, the 57 should not be as low output as you're saying.

Time to buy a new 57. While you're at it, you might as well get two.
 
jonnyc said:
You didn't try to clear anything up, you said "huh?". What does that clear up for anybody. If you actually do anything with audio then you should've known which one was right, and eventually I would've read what I wrote and fixed it.
I think RAK may indeed have something to do with audio, and he might just know a little bit about the Shure SM57. As others have said, "lighten up a little".
 
Harvey Gerst said:
I think RAK may indeed have something to do with audio, and he might just know a little bit about the Shure SM57. As others have said, "lighten up a little".
hey hey hey- you stay out of this!

what they hell do you think you know about recording and mics!?!
:rolleyes:

:D :D :D :D

ps you dont know jack about polar pattern application ;)
 
use a trs/balanced cable from the pre to the mixer, of course the ports have to be balanced, you might get some more gain, if i'm correctly interpreting what i have recently read.
 
Back
Top