Shure military quality.
You could bludgeon some one with one and they still work.

SM57 < Audix i5
SM58 < Beyer-M88 or Heil PR-40

FM penningtron mentioned Beta 57 & 58, just a l more more quality and more versatile.

In live sound reinforcement and with the eq tuned? I guess. Recording session? Never.

I cannot think of a better use of $60 (on a microphone) than a used SM57. End of story.

tommy wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:25 pm I cannot think of a better use of $60 (on a microphone) than a used SM57. End of story.

There are so many decent Chinese-made small diaphragm condensers out there that perform well acoustically (even with somewhat noisy output electronics) at that price point, it may not be the end of the story for me.

Geiginni wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:52 pm

tommy wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:25 pm I cannot think of a better use of $60 (on a microphone) than a used SM57. End of story.

There are so many decent Chinese-made small diaphragm condensers out there that perform well acoustically (even with somewhat noisy output electronics) at that price point, it may not be the end of the story for me.

Can they take 130dB from a close-miked speaker cone and 15 hard stick hits over the snare before you resell it in 7 years at a break-even price?

Oops. dbl post.

tommy wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:14 pm

Geiginni wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:52 pm

There are so many decent Chinese-made small diaphragm condensers out there that perform well acoustically (even with somewhat noisy output electronics) at that price point, it may not be the end of the story for me.

Can they take 130dB from a close-miked speaker cone and 15 hard stick hits over the snare before you resell it in 7 years at a break-even price?

I'll admit, it's been a long time since I've worked with a loud rock band with a sloppy drummer. So no, different tools for different applications I guess.

When I was doing more rock recording, 20+ years ago, I tended more towards non-close-miking approaches, with both drums and amps. It's been over 26 years since I've done live sound. Doing live sound always seemed like punishment for transgressions in a past life. Definitely never my thing.

Mickey242 wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:25 am SM58 < Beyer-M88 or Heil PR-40

Not comparable to either of those. Both cost as much as 3 SM58's. Maybe a Beyer M69, but even one of those costs 2x58. Its like saying SM81<KM184. It better the fuck be, its a fraction of the price.

Kniferide wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 7:40 pm

Mickey242 wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:25 am SM58 < Beyer-M88 or Heil PR-40

Not comparable to either of those. Both cost as much as 3 SM58's. Maybe a Beyer M69, but even one of those costs 2x58. Its like saying SM81<KM184. It better the fuck be, its a fraction of the price.

Fuck it you are all right. I just have something against them subconsciously.

Mickey242 wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:25 am Shure military quality.
You could bludgeon some one with one and they still work.

SM57 < Audix i5
SM58 < Beyer-M88 or Heil PR-40

FM penningtron mentioned Beta 57 & 58, just a l more more quality and more versatile.

In live sound reinforcement and with the eq tuned? I guess. Recording session? Never.

I have a rare knack of destroying the undestroyable 57 which I've now given up buying. I have no idea what I'm doing to them that kills them; I don't seem to break any other microphones with any degree of regularity. Probably my cack-handed drumming.