Shure SM57 replica microphone for recording acoustic instruments

Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I need a microphone to record acoustic instruments (like acoustic
>guitar, bass, acordeon and others). I know that Shure SM57 is
>considered by many as the best one for this purpose. But since I
>cannot afford one at the moment, I want to know your opinions about
>some cheap replicas that I found, like the T.Bone MB75 (http://
>www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_mb75.htm) or the Fame MS57 (http://
>tinyurl.com/6o2eoe).
>What are your opinions on this brands and models? Are there any others
>under the same price that you can recommend? And by the way, do you
>think that Shure PG57 can also be a good alternative for the Shure
>SM57 for recording this acoustic instruments?
>
>Thank you very much in advance

No. Don't buy one of the cheap SM-57 clones.

Consider the Behringer ECM-8000. It's an omni, and it's very clean
considering what it costs. It's a lot cheaper to make a good omni than
a good cardioid.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Jun 12, 3:06 pm, [email protected] (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I need a microphone to record acoustic instruments (like acoustic
> >guitar, bass, acordeon and others). I know that Shure SM57 is
> >considered by many as the best one for this purpose. But since I
> >cannot afford one at the moment, I want to know your opinions about
> >some cheap replicas that I found, like the T.Bone MB75 (http://
> >www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_mb75.htm) or the Fame MS57 (http://
> >tinyurl.com/6o2eoe).
> >What are your opinions on this brands and models? Are there any others
> >under the same price that you can recommend? And by the way, do you
> >think that Shure PG57 can also be a good alternative for the Shure
> >SM57 for recording this acoustic instruments?
>
> >Thank you very much in advance
>
> No. Don't buy one of the cheap SM-57 clones.
>
> Consider the Behringer ECM-8000. It's an omni, and it's very clean
> considering what it costs. It's a lot cheaper to make a good omni than
> a good cardioid.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Thanks for your reply.

I also considered the use of a condenser microphone, but since I plan
on using it also in live situations for capturing the same
instruments, I'm only considering dynamic microphones.

Cheers

Carlos wrote:
> On Jun 12, 3:06 pm, [email protected] (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>> Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I need a microphone to record acoustic instruments

>> No. Don't buy one of the cheap SM-57 clones.
>>
>> Consider the Behringer ECM-8000. It's an omni, and it's very clean
>> considering what it costs. It's a lot cheaper to make a good omni than
>> a good cardioid.

> I also considered the use of a condenser microphone, but since I plan
> on using it also in live situations for capturing the same
> instruments, I'm only considering dynamic microphones.

If you're planning on using it for PA, you probably don't want an omni.

And I wouldn't rule out condensers for live work.

//W'lt

Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Jun 12, 3:06 pm, [email protected] (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>> Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >I need a microphone to record acoustic instruments (like acoustic
>> >guitar, bass, acordeon and others). I know that Shure SM57 is
>> >considered by many as the best one for this purpose. But since I
>> >cannot afford one at the moment, I want to know your opinions about
>> >some cheap replicas that I found, like the T.Bone MB75 (http://
>> >www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_mb75.htm) or the Fame MS57 (http://
>> >tinyurl.com/6o2eoe).
>> >What are your opinions on this brands and models? Are there any others
>> >under the same price that you can recommend? And by the way, do you
>> >think that Shure PG57 can also be a good alternative for the Shure
>> >SM57 for recording this acoustic instruments?
>>
>> >Thank you very much in advance
>>
>> No. Don't buy one of the cheap SM-57 clones.
>>
>> Consider the Behringer ECM-8000. It's an omni, and it's very clean
>> considering what it costs. It's a lot cheaper to make a good omni than
>> a good cardioid.
>
>Thanks for your reply.
>
>I also considered the use of a condenser microphone, but since I plan
>on using it also in live situations for capturing the same
>instruments, I'm only considering dynamic microphones.

Why? What does the microphone technology have to do with anything?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Jun 12, 5:49 pm, [email protected] (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Jun 12, 3:06 pm, [email protected] (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> >> Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> >I need a microphone to record acoustic instruments (like acoustic
> >> >guitar, bass, acordeon and others). I know that Shure SM57 is
> >> >considered by many as the best one for this purpose. But since I
> >> >cannot afford one at the moment, I want to know your opinions about
> >> >some cheap replicas that I found, like the T.Bone MB75 (http://
> >> >www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_mb75.htm) or the Fame MS57 (http://
> >> >tinyurl.com/6o2eoe).
> >> >What are your opinions on this brands and models? Are there any others
> >> >under the same price that you can recommend? And by the way, do you
> >> >think that Shure PG57 can also be a good alternative for the Shure
> >> >SM57 for recording this acoustic instruments?
>
> >> >Thank you very much in advance
>
> >> No. Don't buy one of the cheap SM-57 clones.
>
> >> Consider the Behringer ECM-8000. It's an omni, and it's very clean
> >> considering what it costs. It's a lot cheaper to make a good omni than
> >> a good cardioid.
>
> >Thanks for your reply.
>
> >I also considered the use of a condenser microphone, but since I plan
> >on using it also in live situations for capturing the same
> >instruments, I'm only considering dynamic microphones.
>
> Why? What does the microphone technology have to do with anything?
> --scott
>
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Well, I'm not a pro, but i believe its not usual to see condenser mics
miking acoustic instruments in live situations. One of the
characteristics of the dynamics it's its robustness, hence my
statement. One other thing it's that I don't have for now the ability
of powering the microphone trough phantom power.

Cheers

Carlos <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Well, I'm not a pro, but i believe its not usual to see condenser mics
>miking acoustic instruments in live situations.

It's not? Come to the Potomac Celtic Festival this weekend and you'll
see C535s used on damn near everything.

One of the
>characteristics of the dynamics it's its robustness, hence my
>statement. One other thing it's that I don't have for now the ability
>of powering the microphone trough phantom power.

Okay, so you don't have phantom power, but you want a microphone for
both live recording and studio recording, but not for sound reinforcement?
Have I got that right?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Gotta agree with Scott here. Condensers are far from uncommon in
sound reinforcement (or live recording) applications. Sometimes
they're a little trickier to use because of their sensitivity to wind
noise, etc., but all other things being equal, I'm more inclined to
reach for a condenser than a dynamic if I'm miking an acoustic
instrument. I'm not familiar with the festival Scott mentioned, but
his statement rings true: I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see a stage
littered with C535s at a Celtic music concert.

Now... if you can't use a condenser because you don't have phantom
power, that's another issue. If you must use a dynamic, I'd think you
could do a lot better than an SM57 - much less a SM57 clone. But
somewhere - I have no idea where - you've gotten the idea that the 57
is the "standard." So if money is the issue (which it seems to be)
and your heart is set on that kind of mic (which also seems to be the
case) then I would suggest that you buy a used one isntead of a cheap
knockoff... being careful that it IS, in fact, a SM57. In the city
where I live, 57s turn up on Craigslist all the time for around $60,
and with a little patience you can get them that cheap on eBay, too.