Best Inexpensive Microphone Shure SM57
- Bharath Janardhan
- Jul 5, 2018
- 2 min read
If there is one mic that has gained legendary status in the recording industry, it's the Shure SM57 dynamic microphone. This mic can be found from massive state of the art recording studios to project home studios. The main reason for its popularity is being on the most inexpensive mics for the quality it offers. Being built like a tank makes it road worthy for touring bands and live sound companies.
Don't let the price fool you!
Don't let the price tell you anything about its utility, its still the best mic to capture heavy guitar tones from amp cabinets. Still the sought after mic for tracking drums, especially the snare drum thanks to its cardioid polar pattern and tolerance to high SPL(Sound Pressure Level) sources.
Microphone Specifications
Microphone Type: Dynamic.
Polar Pattern: Cardioid.
Frequency Response: 40Hz-15kHz.
Output Impedance: 150 ohms.
Color: Black.
Connector: XLR.
Weight: 0.63 lbs.
Included Accessories: Mic clip. Carry bag.
I use the SM57 for recording acoustic guitars, vocals, and even Foley for film post production. Its a real good investment for you home studio or a professional set up as this is used by the likes of both.
Frequency Response
As seen in the FR curve, it has a natural roll-off of sub 200Hz and a slight upper mid boost in the 5kHz to 7kHz. and high end roll of above 11kHz.
This inherent property of the mic makes its the best for recording guitars amps and snare drums as these instruments delve in the mids and the upper mids of the frequency spectrum. Having a sub 200Hz roll-of means a built in high-pass filter.
The cardioid pickup pattern makes it very directional to the source and is very suitable for drums. It avoids excessive bleed from the hi-hats and cymbals.
Conclusion
This has to be the first mic you'll own. Its the best mic for project studios who are just starting out and also its the best "bang for your buck" microphone you'll ever buy. A couple of these and you can record an entire band! That's how good these are!
Stop your research and get this at the best price down below!
Comments