Shure Beta 57a dynamic mic

[Mr Blues]

A singers best kept secret.
Since I brought my used Mackie 1202 onyx mixer I have found that my older mic that i use to use a lot in the past. The Shure beta 57a.
It sounds excellent going through it, it strange but i find the dynamic mics on the Onyx comes across much clearer then the expensive condenser mics that i have .


The special thing about the 57a i am discovering is that the higher I set the gain on the fader and the trim the more clarity with hardly any feedback I am getting.

There is great warmth & detail and a nice open top end that is not there on the beta 58a although the beta 58a has more bass. The 58a can sound nasely, don't get me wrong still a great mic .

I am tempted to experiment with the 57a for homerecording as I have read it can handle very high volume.

Has anyone else used this for studio as well as live?

Dave

 

[mshilarious]

Sure, all the time. But you will find that if you swap the headbaskets on the Beta 57 and 58, then the 57 will be a 58, and vice versa . . .

 

[Mr Blues]

Hi mshilarious

Is that so, I did'nt realize so is it the grill that effects the sound.

I use to thing that have'nt more bass on a mic is the be all and end all but the more more I am using the 57a the more I am seeing it captures that sweet spot in the mid range of one's voice.

I mainly just perform vocals and guitar.

Now if I was in a band setting things might be different maybe the 58a will cut through the mix more.

Dave

 

[mshilarious]

Grilles affect two things mainly: high-frequency response peaks, due to interference from the grille aperture, and minimum distance to capsule, which in a directional mic changes the proximity effect (bass boost when used up close). Also, the 58 basket has thicker foam to suppress pops (the 57 has a very thin piece of felt/paper kinda stuff, I recall), that will cost a bit of HF response too.

The change in HF response will create a psychoacoustic effect where you will think that lower frequency response has changed when it really might not have (if you are outside of the proximity zone, say more than a foot away).

I always kind dug the Betas for the swappable baskets; I would buy 57s and then the 58 basket separately, then when I did a gig I would use the basket according to application (drums, vocals, etc.).

 

[Mr Blues]

Man I could have saved money and just brought the 58a grill. I have brought both a few years ago now. lol.

also mshilarious with condensers although they appaer to sound clearer in live applications, ( I have the Shure Beta 87a the AKG C 535) I am finding I am getting more response with the 57a which is a lot cheaper than the others.

Maybe its also the Onxy mic pre's that make the 57a really shine , I don't know.

I always brought the condenser mics because of there wide freqency responce 20 hz - 20 Hz.
The 57a & 68a are only 50 Hz -16Hz, but I am now seeing thats more then enough for live vocals
Dave

 

[mshilarious]

Yeah, live sound isn't too concerned with the highest octave. I dunno why Mackies, for example, put their HF shelf at 12kHz. I would prefer it an octave lower.