SM57 & SM58: Difference in frequency response curve!

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fiveyearslater

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Hey, maybe this is stupid question, but I just don't get this.. When I read about the Shure SM57 and SM58, everyone says they're (almost) identical. How could everyone say that, when their frequency response curves are different? Especially in the high frequencies. I can't test & compare them, cause I only have a SM58.

Where lies the difference in their curves? For example, the SM57 has a response of 6db at 6khz, where the SM58 has a response of 3db. At 10khz the SM57 has a response of 2db; the SM58 of -3db. Definately a hearable differance I guess!

http://www.shure.com/images/response/fsm57_large.gif
http://www.shure.com/images/response/fsm58_large.gif
 
*sigh*

They use THE SAME capsule, but their response is slightly different due to the difference in the casing and the windscreen. With the windscreen off of the 58, the difference is fairly subtle.


On an aside, I wonder why it makes such a difference to everyone in the first place?!?! They're both inexpensive mics, get one of each if anyone feels the difference is that important..........!!!
 
Ok thanx! In that case I think I'll record guitar without the windscreen from now on.
 
fiveyearslater said:
Ok thanx! In that case I think I'll record guitar without the windscreen from now on.
Click to expand...

Try it both ways and see which one sounds better to you. It's free.

Blessings, Terry
 
Looks like the curve on that RS mic I got today is close to the 57. Too bad these curves are mostly BS.
 

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Blue Bear Sound said:
*sigh*

They use THE SAME capsule, but their response is slightly different due to the difference in the casing and the windscreen. With the windscreen off of the 58, the difference is fairly subtle.


On an aside, I wonder why it makes such a difference to everyone in the first place?!?! They're both inexpensive mics, get one of each if anyone feels the difference is that important..........!!!
Click to expand...

Do the Beta57A and Beta58A also share the same capsule?
 
The 57 and 58 are probably more similar than any other two mics. Frequency curves really aren't the only difference between one mic and another.
 
They are a little different........

http://shure.com/microphones/models/sm57.asp

SM-58
Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz

SM-57
Frequency response: 40 to 15,000 Hz

SM-57 Frequency response is lower.....better punch for drums...Kick, etc.
With the windscreen off of the 58 you may get the same results for vocals, I'm not sure.
 
They both pretty much suck for kick bro. Try a D112 for a contrast to a standard kick mic.
 
tallman said:
They both pretty much suck for kick bro. Try a D112 for a contrast to a standard kick mic.
Click to expand...

Try a Sennheiser e602 for a contrast to a standard kick mic.
 
What difference does the 40 or 50Hz mean if your room has a pronounced honk at 250Hz???

And a low-E on a guitar is about 88Hz.............
 
tallman said:
They both pretty much suck for kick bro. Try a D112 for a contrast to a standard kick mic.
Click to expand...
I know that the D112 is a Standard Kick Drum Mic.

I was trying to stick with the topic of this thread.
(SM57 & SM58: Difference in frequency response curve!)

SM-58......... Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz

SM-57..........Frequency response: 40 to 15,000 Hz

If these are the only Mics that you have, or that were talking about.
You would want to use the 57s for Kick Drum, Toms, Guitars etc......Because of the 57s lower Frequency Response

You might want to use the 58s for Vocals and such. Thanks! Norm
 
Norm Mix said:
I know that the D112 is a Standard Kick Drum Mic.

I was trying to stick with the topic of this thread.
(SM57 & SM58: Difference in frequency response curve!)

SM-58......... Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz

SM-57..........Frequency response: 40 to 15,000 Hz
Click to expand...
Since you insist on pursuing it....... can you please explain how mics using the EXACT SAME CAPSULE will vary in any signficant way, especially with the ball-end off the 58???

:rolleyes:
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
Since you insist on pursuing it....... can you please explain how mics using the EXACT SAME CAPSULE will vary in any signficant way, especially with the ball-end off the 58???

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Sure... the sound waves reach the capsules differently with different windscreens/balls and etc. You'd also have to remove the grill from the SM57 before they could be the same or put a 57 grill on the 58. Is there a difference between the 57 and 58, YES. Is it a big difference, NO. Can the difference be heard, YES and NO (some can hear it and some can't).

PS... I don't like removing the grill that protects the capsule from being damaged.
 
Last edited:
Blue Bear Sound said:
Since you insist on pursuing it....... can you please explain how mics using the EXACT SAME CAPSULE will vary in any signficant way, especially with the ball-end off the 58???

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Since you insist on pursuing it....... If you will read my ORIGINAL POST.... I said This:

(With the windscreen off of the 58 you may get the same results, I'm not sure)

I was trying to stick with the topic of this thread:

(SM57 & SM58: Difference in frequency response curve!)

This is from Shure. This is what THEY say about THERE MICs..........
SM-58......... Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz
SM-57..........Frequency response: 40 to 15,000 Hz

They Have Different Frequency Responses. That's all.... (Peace)... Norm
 
Norm Mix said:
This is from Shure. This is what THEY say about THERE MICs..........
SM-58......... Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz
SM-57..........Frequency response: 40 to 15,000 Hz
Click to expand...

There is something that somebody still should explain here.

If you look carefully at actual graphs you will see that LF fall in SM57 starts just slightly below 200Hz and reaches -10db point at 50Hz. The one for SM58 starts falling at about 150Hz, and it seems that this one reaches -10db at about 40Hz. On the other hand, HF in SM57 reaches -10db at higher frequency than SM58. This discrepancy between graphs and published frequency response makes me believe that something here is a BS.

On the other hand, difference in their HF response can be explained by the fact that cillindrical and spherical shapes of the grill have different diffructions, which largely affect HF curves. How much?--let your ears judge--who cares about these stinkin' curves?
 
They are very different...

The SM57 uses a dialectric w/ a coefficient of .48.
The SM58 uses a dialectric w/ a coefficient of .62.

The difference of .14 in the dialectric accounts for the 10hz frequency response differential, as well as pronounced "voice-iness" in the SM58 which has made it the best selling stage mic ever.

The SM57 on the other hand, has a lower cofficient, giving a sense of "wood-iness" which makes it the perfect mic for wooden Marshal cabinets and the like.

Other than that, they are rather similar in metals used, packaging, and the 3 little things that stick out of the hole in their bottoms....

I usually which ever one sounds better for the given application. (or whichever is closer if I need a dynamic...)











;)
 
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