Tom mics: MD421 vs. SM57

[mshilarious]

So I just finished an A/B test of these two mics on toms (shallow; 10, 12, 13, 14 with Fiberskyn heads). I tried 1" above head, and 3" above & between two toms. I wasn't surprised when I preferred the MD421; it's a lot more expensive after all.

The MD421 had a great controlled sound, nice tight bass response (no bass rolloff engaged) with the perfect treble boost to define the stickwork. The SM57 was boomy and uncontrolled, and a little noisier (not self-noise, but useless high-end clicks, vibrations, cymbal bleed, etc).

But looking at the frequency response charts, I have trouble understanding why. The MD421 is dead flat from 1kHz down to 100 Hz; whereas the 57 drops off at 200 Hz with a little dip at 400 Hz. So I don't get that the 57 should be bassy. The treble peaks make sense; the MD421 peaks at 4-5k but the 57 at 6k.

I'm wondering why I have so many 57s. I used to have 5, I sold 2 & now I'm down to 3, plus I have a 58. But I also have an SM7, and a Beyer M88, both of which are much nicer than the 57 or 58 for vocals. Now I don't like the 57 on toms, and I don't record guitar amps.

Have I reached the post-57/58 plateau? Should I sell 'em & buy another MD421 and an M201?

 

[boingoman]

Never sell anything . Sounds like you have reached a plateau. I didn't start upgrading gear until I could hear the limitations of what I already had. When I wanted to upgrade from my first set-up cause it sounded bad an engineer friend of mine laughed and told me the better my ears were the more money I was gonna spend.

Don't forget the proximity effect:increased low-end response at close distance in cardiod mics.

 

[mshilarious]

Never sell anything . Sounds like you have reached a plateau. I didn't start upgrading gear until I could hear the limitations of what I already had. When I wanted to upgrade from my first set-up cause it sounded bad an engineer friend of mine laughed and told me the better my ears were the more money I was gonna spend.

Don't forget the proximity effect:increased low-end response at close distance in cardiod mics.

Good point about proximity; I had assumed it would affect both mics the same (both are cardioids) but of course that's not true. Still, I usually work in a close mic environment so the test is what's relevant to me.

The other reality is that I'm never going to afford better mics than the $300 used range (preamp channels too), so this is as good as it's gonna get. The other reality is I have to sell something to buy something, so I can't expand the mic collection to infinity.

 

[boingoman]

The 421 is gonna do anything the 57 can, only better IMO (except work after getting thrown by a drunk singer in a bar ). I read your posts, and you know what you are doing (I've learned a thing or two). Sell the shures, get what you like. The 421 sounds great on just about anything. Don't know the 201........

 

[mshilarious]

The 421 is gonna do anything the 57 can, only better IMO. I read your posts, and you know what you are doing (I've learned a thing or two). Sell the shures, get what you like. The 421 sounds great on just about anything. Don't know the 201........

You flatter me. Truth is I know the gear I have pretty well, and I only talk about that. I just got the 421, so I don't know it well and I don't feel confident with it yet.

I don't agree about the 421 being better than the 57 at everything. The 57 is OK at just about everything. So far the 421 is great on drums for me, but not much else. It's bad at vocal & acoustic guitar vs. the 57. But I have better choices than the 57 for both of those.

I think that's it; I finally have mics that are better than the 57 at each different thing, but those mics are much more specialized. Sniff . . . the 57 was my first mic I'm gonna miss it.

 

[Henri Devill]

Use the 421 a little more..experiment with the rollloff..If you like the 57 more then so be it!You gotta decide what your after sonicly!Choices are one of the things that make you what you are as a recordist..I may choose a 421 ect. you may choose a 57 ect..different not better.. I for one do not care for certain mics that others like{C42}However I like the SM81 and I have a freind who hates 81's.. No one is right or wrong

 

[EleKtriKaz]

I just bought a 421 that I haven't had a chance to use yet, but I see a lot of people using those on toms. I've been to a few quality studios where the toms are miked up with 421s. I can't wait to try mine on drums and electric guitar.

 

[xfinsterx]

im not so big on the 57 for toms because of the low rolloff it has.
i like the 421 on the bottom heads, and then the AUDIX d2 on the top.
that makes for a massive tom sound!

 

[Henri Devill]

Can be nice in the Kik also.

 

[xstatic]

I say do everything you can to hold on to everything you can. You may be going through a phase. When I got my first pair of AKG 414's I was in love. Then after a while I just sort of stopped liking them and liked other things better. Recently I have "rediscovered" my 414's. Several times I had considered selling them. Now there is no way I would. Personally, I like 421's on brass instruments. I like them OK on toms, sort of on guitar cabs, and NEVER in a kick drum. Other people love them. The second thing to consider is the resale value of a 57. Being so cheap to begin with, they don't bring much in return. At least my 414's would have brought a chunk of change large enough to get something really useful. I kind of have a rule that I don't try to sell something unless I haven't touched it for like 3 years. And even then I make myself try it out again before I do sell it. That being said, anyone need a MOTU 2408 or a DBX 576?

My vote is to keep the 57's. You may still put them to good use.