I've never been a huge fan of the SM-57 sound. It always sounded a bit flat and two dimensional to me, compared to a mic like the Beyer M-201 or the Sennheiser MD-421.

As a pointless experiment a while back, I refrained from using the SM-57 for over a year....no one complained.

With the music I tend to record, the 201 or a number of condenser mics always seemed to fit better sound wise on a snare drum.

For electric guitar, most of the time the folks I was recording would be amazed at the width and depth of the guitar sound with a Royer 121 so that has become my first choice there. If we really need the 'dynamic' sound, a 421 or an AKG D190E (but only on the right amp, as it's a pretty bright mic already) usually fits the bill.

I have little use for the 57...unless the drummer is constantly hitting my mics....then they get 57s.

One thing I was always interested in seeing was a 57 with the body cut down, and the end turned 90 degrees so that you could fit one in really tight places. I think I remember reading about this years ago, but never saw one. Good idea (see the "Albini" model Josephson mic for this idea done right)

I actually bring one with when I record these shitty emo bands, because they prefer the bullshit/flat sound.
I was using a 57 and a UA M610 on a shit practice amp for this band, and they love the sound.
I think the thing is that after you learn what a compressor does (turn it down?), you learn to ask for a 57.
- John

darktowel wrote:

I feel the same way about ProTools. and prostitutes.

That's a valid comparison (you mean: prostitutes are good, right?)

cheers,

cstof

I meant "if you use it and like it, then use it" applies to prostitutes also.

Chris

Anyone here who has any experience with the russian tube microphone Astor MKL-101?

I've liked and hated 57s. I think they suck on snare. I simply don't like the sound in most instances. On guitar they can be hit or miss. I usually mic guitars with at lease one mic. Many times I'll throw up a 4038, a 57, and some condenser on a guitar amp, record a bit, and see what the guitarist likes. It's usually a toss up between the 4038 and the 57. Guitarists almost never like the condeser sounds on distorted rock guitar. If I have room, I keep all three tracks. If not, I keep whatever mic the guitarist liekd better and the condenser for texture.

A 57 is a tool and every tool will have its use. At my work we have two American D22s. these mics sound like crap by any hi-fi standards, and they have no dynamic range and heavily limit the signal. For some uses, they just shine, like kick beater, horns in a dense rock mix, trashy drum room mic, etc.

I guess I have no reason to buy any more in the forseeable future, but I have no reason to sell the two I personally own, nor to disregard them in the mic cabinet at work.

Ben Adrian
San Francisco

i don't like all this talk (mostly from earlier) about sm57s being indestructable in a live situation. in my 10 or so years of drumming i have obliterated MANY of them (to be fair, one of those times i did lose my left hand stick and grab the 57 out of its mic claw and finish the song- boy was the house soundguy pissed!). in my 2 or so years of doing live sound have seen many get absolutely destroyed -even as guitar mics. and as far as i feel about their sound, i don't like them one bit.
BUT- i will say if you are looking for a super cheap mic for a live situation that (in my humble opinion) sounds better then a 57 and is absolutely built like a russian tank then my suggestion would be an Audio Technica ATM31.
you don't see them around much anymore- sometimes they show up on ebay for like $35- and man, they are worth every penny.
take it from a guy who is the 50-gallon oil barrel and power tool player in his current band. i've used these things for 3 years on my weird and abusive "percussion" setup (sometimes they have even been near fire!)- and granted they don't look pretty- but they work and sound as well as the day i brought them home from the flea market. as far as micing other things besides scrap metal in a live situation- they are great for guitar, drums, a bit too narrow (or i suppose 'thin' is the right word) for bass- but definitely better than the shrill whine of an sm57.

anyway- blah. blah.

in closing- i will say that the best use i've found for a 57 is that it makes a wonderful slide for bass guitar. put the XLR connecter on the tip of ring finger and your thumb in the little 'crater' of the grill and off you go! a wonderful dirty Morphine-style bass slide! one that makes you really feel every fret marker as you ascend or descend! enjoy!

-Darren M.

I think Alex Newport, when still he played with fudge tunnel, it has obtained interesting performances on the guitar with sm the 57.

sciao

You can get good results from an SM-57... if it's the only option. But even when the only other options are other sub-$500 mics, there is almost always a better option. I would always choose a Beyer 201 (~$200) over the 57 for snare, a Sennheiser 421 (~$200-300 used) over the 57 for toms, an Audio Technica 4033 (~$300) over the 57 for a loud guitar amp, blah blah blah...

An SM57 on a snare can sound great, and they make decent tom mics, especially for rocky music. The presence boost helps. I've seen them used on a double bass before, with quite a decent sound. I've used one to record a harp where the player held the mic while he played, the result was a dirty bluesy sound which suited the song a lot.

It has its uses

Neil.