Shure 57 v 58???

  • Thread starter Thread starter smashingpumpkin
  • Start date Start date
S

smashingpumpkin

New member
I have a shure 58 (old one - 10 years)
Do I need the legendary 57 if I already have a 58?
 
Well I'm not sure about it being 10 years old but the 57 and 58 now are the same mic (it's just that the 58 has a different head (pop filter I think)).

I have one 57 and one 58. If I unscrew the top of the 58 I have two 57's. I use the 57's for micing instruments and the regular 58 (with top on) for singing and harmonica.

For more information do a search. This topic has been covered many many times before. The only thing I'm not sure about as I said is with it being 10 years old, if it has the same specs as the version today.

So to answer the question-you already have one. You don't need another, but I'd get one so that you have two. It always comes in handy. Some people here have three or four of the little beauties.
 
I heard that the SM58 has more of a proximity effect and is used more for vocals. But other than that they're pretty much the same mic. I may be wrong but I seem to remember hearing that somewhere.
 
same same same

Same exact mic except for the windscreen. A 58 windscreen sells for arround 20 dollars. Thats why the 58 sells for $100, and the 57 sells for $80. The live sound company I work for uses both mics religiously, we have about 40 of each. Its the windscreen on the 58 that adds a small amount of low end.
 
I like the 58 for vocals. I had a pretty old one myself and found that if you have a mic pre with a gain boost, you can get detail and crispness out of it that will rival a lot of condensor mics, yet didn't clip as easy. I now have a Rode, but the 58 with the mic pre sounded pretty close to what I'm getting now, vocalwise.

Ray J
 
you guys are on crack

A 58 minus windscreen is not a 57.

57 freq. response 40-1500 Hz
58 freq. response 50-1500 HZ

the curves on the frequency response chart is different to.

check them out at www.shure.com

They do sound similar but are different beasts.

-jhe
 
sorry but no

The repair tech at my company has been working on shure microphones since the late 60's. He has fixed many a 57 and 58. The micophones may have different chassis, but their circuity is identical. It is the windscreen that causes the differences in frequency response(the small gain in low end), hence the different patterns. However, you cannot put a 58 windscreen on a 57, but you can purchase a windscreen for the 57. This allows the 57 to be used as a vocal mic, but it just dosn't look as "cool" as the 58. I don't understand what the big deal is, the 58 is sold as a vocal mic, and the 57 is sold as a instrument mic. You can use them anyway you please, Shure just designed them for specific tasks. Who cares if they are the same mic. Just deal with it. They are both kick ass mics, and any recording "genius" should own at least 2 of each.
 
Back
Top