sm57- is it a fakey?

  • Thread starter Thread starter fat_fleet
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fat_fleet

fat_fleet

Swollen Member
weight seems right
wires are yellow and green
xlr pins are labeled 1-3 with Shure branded into the plastic

-however-

when i open it up in the middle, on the capsule side, where the stamp should read "BE", the stamp actually reads "DK"
i've heard that the resistance between pins 2 and 3 should be around 400 ohms and fakes can commonly have resistance as high as 600 ohms. when i test the resistance on the mic in question, it comes up somewhere around 160. i'm sure the meter's working correctly. is this normal?
also, the black band which reads "Shure SM57 Dynamic Lo-Z" encircling the mic below the capsule apears to be a decal.

other than this, everything seems normal.
opinions?

if necessary i can post pictures, but maybe that's not necessary...
 
fat_fleet said:
weight seems right
wires are yellow and green
xlr pins are labeled 1-3 with Shure branded into the plastic

-however-

when i open it up in the middle, on the capsule side, where the stamp should read "BE", the stamp actually reads "DK"
i've heard that the resistance between pins 2 and 3 should be around 400 ohms and fakes can commonly have resistance as high as 600 ohms. when i test the resistance on the mic in question, it comes up somewhere around 160. i'm sure the meter's working correctly. is this normal?
also, the black band which reads "Shure SM57 Dynamic Lo-Z" encircling the mic below the capsule apears to be a decal.

other than this, everything seems normal.
opinions?

if necessary i can post pictures, but maybe that's not necessary...
Click to expand...

I have to say I think you're safe and have a real sm57. the real sm57 have a resistance of no higher than 400 hundred and yours being lower is a very good sign that it is real all fake ones will have a resistance much higher than 400 usually around 600 or more. Hope this gives you some relief.

Edit: also with the stamp on the inside just as long as it is red you should be in good shape
 
yeah, i'm pretty sure it's real too.
the only thing that makes me suspicious is the 160 Ohm impedence, i mean... it's kind of a big difference from 400, even if it is lower and not higher.
 
Yeah I actually went ahead and checked mine and all of mine read 164-192. I haven't heard any where that they are supposed to read at 400. Just that they are not supposed to read higher than 400 ohms. My guess is the closer to 400 the quality goes down or the sm57 is more broke in my guess. Could be wrong as I'm just taking a wild guess on that though :D
 
Alright just an update on Ohm readings for the real SM57's.

just took a look at the info that came with my sm57's and a look on guitar centers website both say:

Impedance: Rated impedance is 150ohms (310ohms actual) for connection to microphone inputs rated low impedance

Hope this will be useful to anyone else out there that thinks they have a fake.
 
I had thought that they took care of all the fake 57s and 58s at the place they were being made. The only thing one has to look out for now is used on ebay kind of stuff.



:cool:
 
Unless with all the new factories popping up everyday in China who knows maybe,just maybe there is an other one trying the same thing!? But I think your safe for now ALS and the OP fat_fleet.



:cool:
 
moresound said:
Unless with all the new factories popping up everyday in China who knows maybe,just maybe there is an other one trying the same thing!? But I think your safe for now ALS and the OP fat_fleet.



:cool:
Click to expand...

I know I'm safe with mine just wanted to post some facts for anyone that was un-shure ;)
 
thanks for the responses.
yeah, i'm pretty sure it's fine. i was mostly just wondering about the impedence thing.
 
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