Shure 55?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Fallen
  • Start date Start date
Chris Fallen

Chris Fallen

New member
My friend said he picked up a Shure 55 lately and wanted to know if it was any good for recording vocals. I can't find any information about it on the Shure site, possibly because it's an old mic or possibly because I'm blind. Can anyone help me out with this?

Christopher
 
I have a couple of them. They're dung. Sorry my friend.
 
Actually, there's a little more to them than that, trackrat.

According to Jim Webb, the Shure 55 "Elvis" mic is one of the "12 Microphones That Changed History".

Shure Unidyne Model 55

"The Shure Unidyne's history dates back to 1937, when Ben Bauer began searching for a way to make a much simpler and more reliable directional mic using a single element.

Bauer found that by utilizing time delay networks on sounds arriving at openings at the back of the mic ("uniphase," as Shure called the system), he was able to achieve controlled cancellation and produce a cardioid pattern.

In 1939, Shure introduced the Model 55A (30-50 ohms), Model 55B (200-250 ohms) and the high-impedance Model 55C. In the ’40s, Shure added the shock-mounted broadcast models 555 and 556. The small Unidyne was introduced in 1951, which eventually became today's Shure SM57.

It's hard to imagine another microphone based on its original concept and styling that has remained in production as long as some version of the Unidyne.

I believe its styling is one of the three most recognizable microphone shapes ever created, the other two being the RCA 44 and 77."

---Jim Webb
 
I know what you mean Harvey, it's definately been around the block. It's just not one of the mics I reach for when recording vocals. I've had OK results with them in front of guitar amps but a 57 still smokes them even in that application.
They DO look good in music videos.:D
 
And in Japan, they go used for about $300 to $500 in good condition, where they are highly prized as kareoke mics
 
Well, I have two mint ones. Put me in touch with one of these rubes, er, Japanese connoisseurs.
 
Thanks, both of you. He saw pictures of it and it's not the same thing, so I guess he got the model # wrong. I'm going to post back on here when he finds out, though, so check back if you have the time in a few days when I bump it back up.

Christopher
 
I run a Karaoke company in the midwest by the way. I actually over heard conversation about the 55S being good for Kick drum. I would like them more for show than for tone.
 
Doesn't the 55 give a sort of crackly thin lofi sound, much like the vocal sound of The Strokes? (Which I assume many a slick American producer thinks of as a bloody disgrace).

One guy I heard of tried it on snare and reported he got a trashy sound that worked well for the track he was recording. The only problem was to squeeze it in between the hihat and the snare drum...

Cheers
/Henrik
 
That would be interesting as these monsters are about the size of the front clip of a 46 Packard.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top