sm57 mod

[greyharmonix]

i read in some other thread about a modded sm57 that sound like or better than a sm7. How is this done? is a do it yourself thing or a pay a guy to do it mod?

An sm 57 has a smaller diaphram right? and an sm 7 is a large diaphram so is that the main change? i'm just thinking about it as i type.

thanks to anyone who can help set this straight.

 

[WhiteStrat]

The SM7 is not a large diaphragm--it's just a larger body. I've never taken mine apart, but I think the innards are very similar to those of a 57--thus the ability to mod one to be more like the other.

Here's a link to a retailer that sells a modded 57. Not that you want to buy it, but at least there's a brief description of what they do:

http://www.mercenary.com/smmiwitatr.html

 

[antichef]

I've got a modded SM57 - I got the transformer directly from TAB-Funkenwerk.

Here's some info:


this thread shows the mod process:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=273513

this thread has some sound samples:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=273292

at the end of this thread are some samples comparing it to the SM7b
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=275727

If you pay attention, you'll hear people say that it makes the SM57 "more like" the SM7, but not "like" the SM7 - that's true enough. The modded SM57 is a great mic (cleaner and more detail than the unmodded ones -- which are still good for a lot things, btw), and I use it frequently, but there are still differences. The SM7b has better bass response, for one.

 

[antichef]

Update:

I used the modded SM57 for vocals, and I thought it was *really good* (but the vocalist was embarassingly bad, so I won't post ) -- in a way, not having the full bass response made it better than the SM7, since I would have to EQ away the low stuff anyway.

And in retrospect, I should have said this before, if you're going for the end result instead of the fun of modding, it makes total sense to buy one from Mercenary (Whitestrat's link). The cost savings of doing it yourself is negligible.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

i wonder if merc will mod my 57s for something near the difference?

 

[antichef]

i wonder if merc will mod my 57s for something near the difference?

I have no idea (it's worth asking), but I figure they must be getting the transformers for significantly cheaper than I could -- otherwise, they're barely charging for labor on the finished units they're selling.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

I have no idea (it's worth asking), but I figure they must be getting the transformers for significantly cheaper than I could -- otherwise, they're barely charging for labor on the finished units they're selling.

yeah they will, for 200 bucks they will do both, if i cover shipping.

sounds fine to me.

 

[antichef]

nice! I should say that it's also nice to still have an unmodded 57 - I think I like it better on snare. But having 2 T58 mics sounds pretty cool, and you'd spend almost that much doing it yourself.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

nice! I should say that it's also nice to still have an unmodded 57 - I think I like it better on snare. But having 2 T58 mics sounds pretty cool, and you'd spend almost that much doing it yourself.

i kinda hate 57s so i dont really care to keep the originals