Shure SM57 vs. Sennheiser e609

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thorguitarist
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SM57 or e609 to record guitar amps?

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    185
boingoman said:
It's like battlebots. Some people like the ones with the saw blades, some like the ones with the flamethrowers.
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Ha! Pick your poison, so to speak. No clear winner?!
 
SM57's are dumpy and I avoid them as much as possible during a session. The e609's that I own have become the greatest asset to my studio. I do use them in conjunction with other mics but I've found myself (ever since I bought them several years ago when they first came out) using them for an "in cone" mic everytime. The ONLY exception is the Autio Technica ATM23HE's of which have a little more bite but it does depend on the sound coming from so-and-so's amp.

It's all a matter of taste, ultimately. But yet again those e609's sound great on toms as well. I've used the e609 on vocals as well with great results (depends on the singer, naturally).

So that's my take on the e609's. Out of all the bands I've worked with since owning the e609's I've been really really happy.

I've spent HOURS tweaking a guitar cab (and a nice ones to boot) just to compensate for a dumpy SM57 plus another mic. With the e609 and another mic a little further away with a different "mix in" flavor, I have very few headaches these days.

-- Adam Lazlo
 
analogelectric said:
I've spent HOURS tweaking a guitar cab (and a nice ones to boot) just to compensate for a dumpy SM57 plus another mic. With the e609 and another mic a little further away with a different "mix in" flavor, I have very few headaches these days.

-- Adam Lazlo
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What is dumpy? :)
 
thought i'd jump in here:

I'm not an expert, but I bought a 57, and when I tried it out, I was wondering what everyone kept raving about. That was with my old amp, a behringer ultratwin212. Then, I bought my Vox, and the 57 sounds great!...well, sounds good. What I do now is mix it with a SP B1, placed about 1-3" from the grill. The B1 gives me more of the bottom end and the 57 gives me more "sizzle". I just ordered an AT4040, and I hear it's also good on guitar cabs...if so, my B1 just lost its only place in my homestudio...but I guess it's a good mic to just have lying around.
 
nothing makes recording easier than a good sounding source
peroid.
 
dingwall said:
i refuse to have anything in my rig with the word "mesa" on it.
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What? Mesa makes some of the most versatile equipment around.
Have you ever heard thier power amps made with integrated quads in them?
If you have a power amp in your rack, I guarantee the Mesa would stomp it.

Mesa purposely, for reasons I dont know, overbiases the amp and has it set there. Biasing the amp right (install a trim pot) and a set of integrated quads can turn a Rectifier into something unbelievable.

You need to back of the ole crack pipe, its getting to ya... :)
 
Thorguitarist said:
Right now to mic my guitar combo (Crate MX-120r) I'm using the e609 and I'm starting to think, that my amp might be giving me the poor sound. But I've been getting mixed ansewers when I ask what mic to use. I was told that the "e609 is the updated version of the SM57". Just wondering what your preferences are when micing amps (especially Distortion guitar)
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Shure 57 is really good (without spending a ton of money). Using a Dynamic mic like a SM57 gives a very "gritty" sound, but often lacks top end sparkle that makes the sound cut through in a mix. I see it more for snare and live.

I like the now discontinued Sennheiser MD 409 for guitar cabs, the mic that replaced it seems similar - the e609.
 
I think I have some sort of genetic adversity to the 57 when it's placed by my hand... the 57 just doesn't work for me... others around do a great job with the 57 and I've liked their stuff... but not mine

I do like the e609S but the bottom end is a bit thin... mix it with a 421 and that can be very nice...
 
fenix said:
you need a new amp dude. preferably a real one, not a crate.
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LOL, I got a chuckle out of that!

I have 57's, 609's, and 421's. I like the 421 cause it has the bass roll off switch which makes it more versatile, with is great. For a while i thought the 609's were grainy compared to the 57 but last time I used it I got some sweet tone. Experiment with placement a little more. A great thing about the 609 is that you don't have to have a stand. Just tape the chord to your cab and let it swing down. :cool:

Getting good recorded tone requires playing with your amp a lot of times, because it come across different after being recorded, expecially with questionable amps.

Also, if you are going to get a new head look in the genz benz El Diablo!! Boogies are great also, I've owned on and loved it, but those El diablos kick ass.
 
sm57 are the greatest. I use three mics for distortion guitar. sm57 at the cone, at3035 condenser about four feet away, and another sm57 on back of open cabinet. I pan hard the cone mic left and the back mic right. killer sound
 
I've always had a bit of trouble getting the SM57 placed just right.....where as the e609 seems a whole lot less finicky on placement...which I like.

Here's some clips using both the SM57 and an e609 (Original)..... The only problem is that I'm micing a 2x12 combo (Carvin Belair), and it has been re-loaded with two different speakers - They are voiced similar, but still different. Also I'm not sure which mic is on which side.....in theory the e609 is on the left, and the 57 is on the right....but I may have had the cables twisted around somewhere between the mic's, pre's, and the breakout box of my Delta 1010 :o

Anyway, here's a link to the clips (11 total) :

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=410286

** These Clips are totally "unprocessed" as in that they have no effects, EQ'ing, Panning, or anything done to them....just the guitar straight into the amp.

Incase anyone was wondering these were recorded for the sole purpose of demonstrating the sounds that this amp is capable of......the sounds arn't really "dialed" in, more just working it through it's paces so to speak..

Rick
 
which one i use depends on the amp, the guitar, the player and the tone i'm looking for.....i've gotten excellent results out both.

however, i tend to gravitate towards the 609 just for the simple fact that i can lay it over the cab and forget about it. and it tends to reject sounds from the back/sides a little better. placement is quicker, easier and more forgiving--all good things in my book.

and when you mix the 609 with an LDC (in my case a BLUE dragonfly or MXL V77), you approach tone nirvana. especially on a low-wattage tube amp. YUM.


cheers,
wade
 
My 2 cents...
Both are good for the price. I personally use the 609 more, but still like the 57 on guitar cabs (in my case, a Fender Twin and a Hiwatt Custom Tube 20). Neither one sounds great by itself - I usually end up using something on the back of the amp, or another mic in front and blend as I need to.
What I like better than both the 609 and 57 is the Beyer m69, and those come up used on ebay from time to time at great prices.
 
fenix said:
you need a new amp dude. preferably a real one, not a crate.
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what do you mean e REAL one. Crate is a great amp company. maybe he didnt wanna be the stereo-type and get a marshall, because every guitarist in the guitar playing society says that marshall is the best amp company before they even play on one.Im not saying marshall sucks, but just cause marshall is good doesnt mean crate isn't.
 
the new e609 silvers sound AWFUL. the black ones aren't even that spectacular. the 906 sounds very nice but its quite expensive..
 
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