SM57 or SM58? There can be only 1!

  • Thread starter Thread starter tonesponge
  • Start date Start date
I don't like either of them, they're the exact same mic so who cares. I read they can be modded so I'm going to give that a shot.
 
I've got a 57 set aside to do the Michael Joly free modification .....but I'll be damned if I can find the time to do it.






:cool:
 
The house of commons is full of nouveau riche since the election.
It should be renamed the house of commoners who want to get an upgrade to the house of lords.
I wonder if they'll repeal the HOL restructure.
As to the mic debate...
NEITHER - I dislike them both with an enviable eqanimity.
It's like saying LP, Big Muff, Marshall, 57, Monster, Neve, 2" tape.
There are options available - & many of them are better.
 
based on reading this thread, and that interesting article posted by smurf, i'm gonna say 58.
 
So if the 57 and 58 are the same mic without/with a windscreen, why is the 58 (with the windscreen) cheaper?
 
VomitHatSteve said:
So if the 57 and 58 are the same mic without/with a windscreen, why is the 58 (with the windscreen) cheaper?
Click to expand...

My guess is the material and production cost of the wire mesh ball on the 58 and the matching groves of the screw on/off of the ball ~~ someone has to run the lathe or computer ran lathe to accomplish this task.





:cool:
 
VomitHatSteve said:
So if the 57 and 58 are the same mic without/with a windscreen, why is the 58 (with the windscreen) cheaper?
Click to expand...
it's not ....... everywhere I just looked, they were the same price.

Seems like when I have noticed one being more, it was the 58 that cost a little more.
 
I've usually seen them as 58 for 89 USD and 57 for 99 USD
 
VomitHatSteve said:
I've usually seen them as 58 for 89 USD and 57 for 99 USD
Click to expand...

Really? It's been a long time since I've shopped around for any 58s or 57s. The price seems to have gone down since I have purchased any of them.

I had just needed (16) 57s for a public government meeting that I provided the sound and the recording of and so I took an inventory of my 57s (hadn't done that in a long time!) and in the live sound portion of my business I counted 23 of them...plus 2 dead ones...I had no idea that I had that many, but with multiple systems going out on the road constantly for various acts I need this many.

The 57 is quite the workhorse and I've been using them as vocal microphones on podiums, round table discussions talking heads,etc. for a long time over a 58, the 57 doesn't need to be right on the mouth as a 58 does and can grab the voice a little better when off axis(out of the camera shot).
Hell if they are good enough for the president when he is making public speeches then why not!







:cool:
 
Get them both. At that price point you can't justify just settling on one.

Although for vocals, I'd lean towards the 58 since the ball puts the mic element further from the expectorating humans. And it's a replaceable and otherwise washable item. But there are better mics at it's price point. It depends on usage though.
 
I just read about the Michael Joly mod. I'm going to both that and the transformer replacement mod. I'm glad to see that other people including Joly have noticed the same thing on these which is mid-range ridiculousness. Good to see that there's a way to fix that.
 
Absolutepower said:
I just read about the Michael Joly mod. I'm going to both that and the transformer replacement mod. I'm glad to see that other people including Joly have noticed the same thing on these which is mid-range ridiculousness. Good to see that there's a way to fix that.
Click to expand...

Absolute...... have you ever modded or had a microphone modded for you before?
It's cool and exciting! Ive a few modded ones and it's kinda like night and day.
Got one of my Rode NT1a's done by Michael and what a great microphone I got in return. ;)





:cool:
 
No, but I agree for me modding stuff in general is pretty awesome. I got an Oktava MK219 off Ebay for 100$ and I'm sending that to him. That guy is like the wizard of microphones!
Just today I dropped off an epiphone valve jr amp to an amp tech I know, who's going to do a bunch of mods on it. I'm extremely psyched for it! I feel that modding can also make an item more personal, rather than just another mass produced item. A Special and unique piece of equipment is going to produce better recordings, and I think that there's an emotional value attached to that as well.
How does that Rode sound? Can you describe before and after?

moresound said:
Absolute...... have you ever modded or had a microphone modded for you before?
It's cool and exciting! Ive a few modded ones and it's kinda like night and day.
Got one of my Rode NT1a's done by Michael and what a great microphone I got in return. ;)





:cool:
Click to expand...
 
Well we did a half *ss controlled test on it where as we did some recording before and after with certain things like....keys jingling,cell phone rings,acoustic guitar, vocal talking and singing.
And upon getting the microphone back the first test was recording the vocals, just to here the vocals as they were being recorded made us sit right up and take a look at what the heck was going on.....what a big wow!! and for me I didn't have to go any further with the test but did.
All I can say is that we got back a very special microphone thanks to Michael.





:cool:
 
only one mic?.... niemann u 87 only choice

dont zing me on spellin cause i say it like noi man but no matter what you put it in front of it sounds just like what comes out....

of course you could buy about 50 sm58's for the cost of one

mellonhead
 
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I'd get a 57, which indeed i have, because i play guitar more than vocals.
 
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