"One Half Of Shure's Long Lasting Dynamic Duo" | 2008-12-13 |
| - Reviewed By sounddude51 |
Considering that the SM57 was introduced to the world in 1967, a year after the Shure SM58LC Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone, I guess the 58 gets Batman status, relegating the 57 to that of Robin. But that's not really a fair assessment considering the 57 and 58 were developed at the same time, and except for the 58's acoustic foam lined cage pop screen, the two mics are identical electrically.
The SM (Studio Microphone) 57 was designed to begin it's life in a recording studio, as a dynamic microphone used to mic the ever increasing volume of rock and roll amplifiers, drum kits, etc. In that capacity, it had no use for the pop screen of it's cousin the SM58, still one of the most sold vocal mics in the world to this day. So the SM57 slimmed down and even though it's still a fine vocal mic, you'll see it used mostly mic'ing instruments, which it excels at.
One of it's long time and most important roles has been the official podium mic for the White House. A pair of SM57's is always seen on various White House podiums for press conferences and there is even a VIP bundled kit Shure SM57 VIP Dual Microphone Kit you can buy for this exact type of use.
The SM57 is an extremely rugged mic, built to tough standards and can take lots of road abuse. That's one of the things that makes it popular with touring bands and sound companies. And on top of that, it's just a great sounding mic for the price.
There is a Performer Series Shure Beta 57A Microphone that looks very similar to the SM57 but the Beta 57 has a different mic capsule and transformer and sounds different. So make sure you try before you buy.
Bottom line is the Shure SM57 is one tough road mic that sounds awesome and is not overly priced. A best value for sound companies, home studio recordists and touring musicians. |
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"good price great mic" | 2008-10-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2M5YDD1PAZUF5 |
| If you know the sure 57's then you know the timeless quality of this mic for snare and guitar cab micking. Good price |
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"Great for vocals or instruments!" | 2008-09-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1YYDO3HZHED58 |
| People will try to tell you that the sm58 is a better vocal mic, it's not true. The sm58 is designed to enhance only the sounds that fall within a certain range (the vocal range as decided by shure). This mic accurately portrays both vocals, miked instruments, acoustic instruments, and even some drums. I say some because we haven't tried the bass drum, might work for that as well, or might be too much, I don't know. Regardless, for a versatile mic that will last you as long as you need it to, buy the sm57. |
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"Best value in the industry. Great for more serious podcasters." | 2008-08-16 |
| - Reviewed By dfichtner3 |
I am a podcaster, and purchased one of these used for $60. What a steal! I also spend over $300 on a good quality Shure KSM27, and I feel I should have just saved my money and stuck with the SM57.
If you're into podcasting, but want to step up to interviewing others with multiple mics, I highly suggest you buy a few of these, or the SM58 model, to add as additional mics to a small mixer board. They are just so versatile, and sound through so clear. If you want to add some more bass to your voice, you just move in closer (make sure you have a pop filter). They don't require phantom power (phantom power does not equal a better mic).
Really, to get the benefits of the better large-diaphram condensers, you need to spend lots of cash on a good mic preamp. The Shure SM57 will get you the most out of your basic mic preamp, and give you the best sound for the money. I highly recommend it for the podcaster like me, and don't blow your money on higher-priced condensers or cheap condensers that sound muddy and just pick up more room noise, anyway. The higher-priced condensers are great mics, but really need a lot of money spent on other equipment (and room treatment) to be useful. The Shure SM57 does a very good job of recording what's in front of it without all of the proximity effect. It really is a great value.
If you want to get into serious podcasting interviews with multiple mics, get this or the SM58.
Highly recommended! |
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"good of course" | 2008-05-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A26416ZDNVET7J |
| What else is there to say other than legendary? It is sturdy, but does not get as good of a sound as I expected. Maybe, it was too hyped up by everyone. I often use it for vocals during practice. When it comes to recording, I found my MXL condenser sounds warmer and more full. |
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"Watch out for counterfeit Shure 57 Microphones!" | 2008-03-30 |
| - Reviewed By crossnbone |
I just recently bought two 57's from two different Amazon dealers at a very cheap price of $70. After testing these microphones with other Shure 57's and having a couple of expert local sound technicians spec-out the microphones, we discovered that these microphones were total counterfeits. True Shure microphones are typically very high quality microphones when they are direct from the Shure factory. If you go for the deal, check your microphone as soon as it arrives. If there are problems with your high-end being very sensitive and feeding-back and you have no low-end, it's probably a counterfeit. Shure 57's are pretty well balanced across the board with very little adjustments on your EQ.
Go ahead, pay a higher price and buy them from your local music dealer or from an Internet store that you trust. There are counterfeits out there...be careful!!!
I normally rate genuine Shure 57 Microphones as 5-stars. |
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