Beta 57's versus SM57's

D

Danny Love

New member
Is there really much of a difference, aside from price? Used I can get an SM57 from $40-$80, the beta's on the other hand are difficult to get for less than around $110.
 
I don't know, I really haven't tried the Beta57, but I do know that it's the SM57 that it's the world standart, not the Beta. That has to be becouse of something... :)
 
They sound different - I think the Beta57a has better highs and not as much high-mid hype -- it's flatter, I guess. I did a personal (non-recorded) taste test on a couple of small tube guitar amps using the SM57, the I5, and the Beta57a and pretty have been using the Beta57a since that for these small amps. For bigger amps with more distortion, the others are plenty good, and the I5 sort of scoops the mids a little, it seems like.
 
The reason the sm57 is the standard is qutie likely due to it having been around for so long. Personally, I prefer the beta 57a on most snares to the sm57, on some guitar cabs, and usually prefer the beta57a on vocals as compared to an sm or beta 58.
 
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