SM57-58 have been a standard live and in the studio for over 20 years. But I wonder, of the people that have used them from when they first gained widespread use in the late 70's, how do they compare to the ones Shure currently manufactures? Are they really still as good?
I ask because I seem to recall that there was one company well renowned for quality in the 70's 80's but their newer products (just re-releases of their old products) weren't up to par. I just can't remember the company. Not to mention I am a bit curious.
If you were blindfolded, would you be able to tell two tracks apart that were recorded with a newer one or a 20+ one?
Thanks
-Guitarfreak
Comments
Well, as a friend of mine, who hand winds custom guitar pickups,
Well, as a friend of mine, who hand winds custom guitar pickups, would be quick to tell you...the very metals that modern day equipment components are made of are vastly different from their predecessors of just a decade or so ago. The metals are very much more "PURE" today. While that SEEMS like a good thing, it is, in fact, NOT! The IMPURITY of the older metals that made up such things as guitar pickups(both the magnets and the windings)...mic diaphragms...mic coils...speaker coils..and of course magnets...etc..had a lot to do with the tonal qualities of said items. Particularly in guitar pickups, the impurities caused vastly diff' tonal qualities(YES Smitsparts, not to mention the slight irregularities that hand winding caused in guitar pickups). So, getting back to guitarfreaks post, with the very metals being diff' not to mention things like dents and sediment(trash from dirty mouths) buildup in the dust covers of older mics, certainly they USUALLY sound different from newer mics. By the way, why the heck are we beating this sm57/sm58 vs. the world subject to death. Yes, they have unique qualities, no, they are neither better or worse than many of today's newer models, just different! So why all the hubbub? Guitarfreak....are you an undercover Shure rep?jk!! lol!
yeah, theres probably a difference between older generation ones
yeah, theres probably a difference between older generation ones and current ones. however, i'd bet there are differences just between 2 current ones. that is, if you went to buy 2 brand new sm58 mics, there's probably a difference between them. mics like that arent made to super strict specifications