SM57/58 vs. AT-2035 vs. Shure SM7B vs. ?

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Seanaway

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My Shure PG-58 and AT-2035 are gone (sob). Got to buy new mics (grin). I have very little experience. But I really liked the AT-2035 during our short time together. It had a lot more "vocal detail" (I don't know what else to call it) than the Shure, but of course it cost a lot more. I need at least two new mics. Most of my recording is guitar and vocals (male, baritone-tenor range (I have a wide range)). I want to be able to mic the guitar close-up and at a distance and also mic vocals, so maybe I need three mics, at least, although my current set-up with the Roland Quad Capture will only allow two mic inputs at one time. At present I find it very difficult to lay down a guitar track and then a vocal track. It's weirdly easier for me to record them all simultaneously. I hope that will change (the guitar track is the problem -- it just doesn't feel right without singing simultaneously). I am not sure if that is relevant, but it seems relevant, since if I'm right, I should be aiming towards more inputs and probably replacing the Quad Capture eventually so that I can record with two mics for guitar and a third one for voice. If I am totally wrong about this, I hope the membership will set me straight.

I don't want to go back to the PG-58 (though it was a fine product for the price), but is the Shure SM 57/58 equal to the Audio-Technica 2035? I have so little experience I just don't know. Some things I have read online indicate that it may be. Another option for one of the mics is a Shure SM7B. Is it worth the money? Is there an MXL mic that is superior to them all at a better price? Everyone has an opinion; informed opinions are valuable.

My goal is to be able to create a credible good recording in terms of "making a CD" (in the long run), and I'd like to buy quality. So my budget is flexible -- anywhere from $250-$600. But I don't want to waste money.

Suggestions and ideas invited -- thank you for your advice. This is an incredibly helpful site.

Sean


Equipment/software:
Logic Pro X
Roland Quad Capture DAI
G&L ASAT guitar
Taylor acoustics (6/12)
Alvarez Yairi classical
Macbook Pro
 
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I have no experience with the AT-2035, but I do have experience with other large diaphragm condensers, and the SM57 and SM58.

First and foremost, neither the 57 nor 58 is going to replace any condenser mic in terms of the tonal quality. In particular the 58 tails off below 50hz and above 15khz. That means no 'air'. For studio recordings of vocals, a condenser is generally your best bet for clarity. There will always be exceptions, like Bono, who has always used a 58 in the studio.

When it comes to an instrument mic, the 57 is a great bet for quality acoustic guitar recordings, and cabinets as well, not to mention percussive instruments. Fantastic all around studio instrument mic and you can't beat the price.

My recommendation if you're looking for 2 microphones in order to do studio recordings of vox and guitar simultaneously is a large diaphragm condenser for vox and the 57 for instruments.
 
One way to go would be a decent stereo pair of condensers to track both as a single image/performance, at least until you can expand your options. Also tracking both at the same time but with the idea of them being separate or controllable entities can be done, but there are limitations, 'gotcha's to work around in terms of phase problems for example.
 
Do artists all use identical paint? You buy what works for you. Sure 57/58 sell so well because they are a known 'sound' and a known polar pattern, that does the job pretty well. Most people have used them, and that can't be said for the others. I have a couple of AT mics, and they are fine - but could I say one would do tomorrows job better than something else without actually trying them?

As this is mainly a US forum, people often talk about the SM7 - but here in the UK, they've never been a common mic, and although I have seen them, touched them and read the blurb, I've never heard one. I therefore can't place people's recommendations in the right box in my head.
 
A PG-58 is a very cheap version of the SM58 - is this what you used for vocals before? Did you like the sound from it?
Recording guitar AND vocal at the same time is always going to be a compromise due to mic bleed - you really should really work on improving your recording techniques - usual suggestion is record a scratch track of guitar + vocal, then go back and do your 'keeper' tracks with guitar-only and vocal-only.
 
What do you mean by gone? Broken?
I have never used the AT 2035, I have used the AT2020 and AT4040 in the past and they are solid mics but they never really seemed like anything to get excited over.
I cannot say enough good things about the SM7b though. Its very versatile mic. It sounds good on a lot of different styles of music and types of singers. It's also a super meaty snare mic and great on tons of other things too.
 
Lana Del Rey's album ultraviolence was all recorded with an sm58 mic for all the vocals...just listen to it, amazing sounds! I would get an sm58, the pg58 is not as good sounding, and an sm57 placed correctly on a speaker cone for electric guitar is unbeatable, it's about spending time moving the mics around. For acoustic guitar though condensers for me are almost always better
 
Btyre2013 said:
Lana Del Rey's album ultraviolence was all recorded with an sm58 mic for all the vocals...just listen to it, amazing sounds! I would get an sm58, the pg58 is not as good sounding, and an sm57 placed correctly on a speaker cone for electric guitar is unbeatable, it's about spending time moving the mics around. For acoustic guitar though condensers for me are almost always better
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Bono (U2) records all his vocals on an SM58, too. I think if the rest of the mix provides enough 'air' to the overall sound, it can work. With LDR, the 'air' comes from the reverby piano always used.
 
mjbphotos said:
Recording guitar AND vocal at the same time is always going to be a compromise due to mic bleed - you really should really work on improving your recording techniques - usual suggestion is record a scratch track of guitar + vocal, then go back and do your 'keeper' tracks with guitar-only and vocal-only.
Click to expand...

^^^This^^^
 
iF YOU ARE HELL BENT TO RECORD GUITAR AND VOX AT THE SAME TIME......
There is a vid out somewhere of George Massenburg doing just that. He uses a condenser on the guitar, and a SM7b for the voice.....
 
I think this video really adds to the debate. The SM7b and SM57/58 share the same Unidyne III cartridge, but the SM7b diaphragm was reinforced to capture bass better and you can see that here. But not to disregard the SM57, which works really well... if you use it properly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E14ujrt5bQQ
 
Big thanks & apologies

Thanks, everyone. This is ultra-belated, I know . . . but after moving to China, I went through some changes, to say the least.
My previous mics were stolen, by the way.
 
I did not really like the sound of the PG-58, no. The AT 2035 was a huge improvement.
 
Reading between the lines, you like the detailed high end of an LDC on your voice. If I'm right, then you probably won't like the SM7B which is a large dynamic--know for a very warm, smooth sound quite different for a condenser. A lot get used in radio and voice over studios for that reason but, speaking personally, I prefer an LDC for sung vocals because of the high end detail. Others have a different opinion of course.

The SM58 is really designed as a live sound mic. As others have said, the low and high ends are rolled off and there's also a presence peak between 2 and 10kHz, just before it rolls off rapidly. If you didn't like the PG58 I doubt you'll like the SM58. If you like the AT2035 then you could probably get a new one. I'm not sure about what you can buy in China but another one you might like is the sE X1 (which is actually from a Chinese company so you might be able to find them. FYI, I have a number of the X1's big brother the 2200A II and often use it in preference to mics costing 2 or 3 times as much.

The SM57 is a good workhorse of a mic found in many studios and used for lots of different instruments (and, with the right pop filter, sometimes voice. However, if your desire for high end detail extends into your guitar recording, I'd consider 1 or 2 small diaphragm condensers which are my go to mics for acoustic guitars. Some you should consider would be the sE 1A (which you can buy singly or in a stereo pair (which you don't necessarily need, they're very closely matched anyway). Another one to think about is the Rode NT5. Both work well on guitar, the Rode being a bit brighter than the sE 1A so it depends on your taste.
 
There are few producers I respect, but Alan Parsons is somebody I've followed for a very long time. A few years ago he signed an endorsement deal with audio technica and used their mics. I notice now that deal is a long way back, he still has a few of their mics in the latest images of him and his work, but he has Allen back to his old favourites. My point is that a complete swap to alternative mics isn't a huge shock to the system and clearly doesn't produce worse results, but the choice of mics is personal, and not global. Surely, nowadays, you just buy the best guess mic, and if you are happy, you use it, but if for whatever reason you don't get on with it, you sell it and buy another. I sadly have lots of mics I bought on a whim, and they just don't get grabbed when I need a mic. I have a nice AT studio mic, yet I never use it - unless I'm too lazy to walk a bit to the store and select my old favourite, and the AT is just laying there. If I had to walk to the store, and there were all my mics, I would not pick the AT. That's a ridiculous situation. My choice is based on perhaps a delay of a couple of minutes. Stupid! This is why I refuse to get into these comparisons. I don't know what you hear, or like so my opinion is based on me!
 
Count me as another Sennheiser 835 fan...I have several I use for live vocals. They give me a nice natural sound and seem to be better at feedback rejection than even an SM58.

Don't use them in my studio though.
 
rob aylestone said:
could I say one would do tomorrows job better than something else without actually trying them?
Click to expand...
This is the big problem. :mad: Very few places have it set up so you can try diff mics, and I can't imagine why as it wouldn't take much....basically some headphones to listen in on and a basic set up to run it through. Wouldn't need to take up much room either. I guess because mics overall cost much less than instruments they don't want to "waste" the resources for this. sigh
 
You should have an SM57...thats a minimum...now IDK if the AT2035 is the same mic as my AT3035...but I like the AT3035 a lot and its a very useful mic...
 
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