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peepsaudio
Published on 09/08/08 at 08:59
This mic is a dynamic cardioid mic that finds it home in a studio as well as live. I like to think of this mic as an upgraded version of the classic SM57. It is a standard XLR connection and doesn't need phantom power. It's about the same size and weight of the original SM57, but it has a better grille on it. Sound is rejected from the sides and back because of the cardioid pattern. When you mic something up close, you will get enhanced bass because of the proximity effect on these kinds of mics.
OVERALL OPINION
I have had this one for a few years. I got it on recommendation that is kind of like a brighter, clearer SM57. I borrowed one to try it out, and used it on a snare drum and a guitar cabinet. It definitely beat out the SM57 in both categories, and sounded almost more like a Sennheiser 421. The transients are more crisp which is great for the snare drum, and the guitar distortion seemed to have more bite on it and sounded more alive. I pretty much never use the SM57 anymore after buying my own beta 57 - this one sounds better almost every single time. It's also just as rugged as the SM57, you could probably throw this mic against the wall and it would work fine. You can also twist off the grille cap if you need to clean it out. If you use this for vocals of any kind, you're bound to get a lot of dried up gunk stuck in the foam part under the metal grille which can worsen the sound, so it's worth giving it a good cleaning once in a while. It's really not that much more expensive than the SM57, so it's definitely worth the upgrade if you can afford it, it's a great value. I would definitely get it again.
OVERALL OPINION
I have had this one for a few years. I got it on recommendation that is kind of like a brighter, clearer SM57. I borrowed one to try it out, and used it on a snare drum and a guitar cabinet. It definitely beat out the SM57 in both categories, and sounded almost more like a Sennheiser 421. The transients are more crisp which is great for the snare drum, and the guitar distortion seemed to have more bite on it and sounded more alive. I pretty much never use the SM57 anymore after buying my own beta 57 - this one sounds better almost every single time. It's also just as rugged as the SM57, you could probably throw this mic against the wall and it would work fine. You can also twist off the grille cap if you need to clean it out. If you use this for vocals of any kind, you're bound to get a lot of dried up gunk stuck in the foam part under the metal grille which can worsen the sound, so it's worth giving it a good cleaning once in a while. It's really not that much more expensive than the SM57, so it's definitely worth the upgrade if you can afford it, it's a great value. I would definitely get it again.