I think I bought a "scam" 57, for cheap. Nothing wrong with it. It may just be a copy, but it sounds just as good to my ear. I have several 57's now and they all look identical inside and out. Maybe they are stealing shipments from Shure. I really don't know why it only cost me $50Usd....

anyway.....

Well, if it's the same mic, and it's as invincable as you guys say, it shouldn't need a warranty. What is Shure's warranty, anyway?

Dunno, all I do know is that I got burned one time when I bought a couple of 58s, that showed up postmarked from Hong Kong, had obviously badly printed boxes, and sounded like sh*te, had misprinted logos, had grills that snapped in half when I dropped one, etc. I complained, but, I mean, what are you going to do, mail them back to the guy so he can resell them? Just putting the warning out, since I got hit for a couple of bucks

-N

I buy the occassional item from eBay too, but I won't buy outside North America. I'm not saying they're all bogus.... just saying buyer beware. Do your research.

Can't say I didn't try...

Alright. Thanks guys. I'll make sure somethings legit before I buy. Thanks again.

It does look as though several of these are probably legit. It's the ones with 100% feedback that look fishy now. Some will have some negative reviews, but they seem to be something like slow shipping or something.

The thing about the sm58/57 is that it really does sound good on EVERYTHING. Which is what we have been trying to tell you all along here. :wink: As Greener (I think) said, they are really the same mic, minus the screw-on wind screen. Of course, if you want it to sound good, then you'll need to understand a bit about how mics work: the closer the mic is to the sound source, the more "in your face" the audio will be. Of course, the closer the mic gets to the source, the bassier and boomier it will be. It's sort of a double edged sword, so you have to experiment and find what works well for different things.

I'm glad you decided to listen to the voice of reason. Buying a cheap mic is like going and buying the cheapest electric guitar you can find and then trying to learn on it. If your fingers don't get sawed off, something else on the guitar will make it a pain in the butt to play. The same goes for any cheap music gear. You just gotta avoid the really cheap garbage out there. Good luck and God bless.

Thanks. I actually did buy a cheap electric by the way. But, it was a pawn shop find, so it's actually not too cheap of a guitar. I found a nicer Peavy, so it's not too bad. And, just before you say it, I'm used to nice guitars. I own a very nice acoustic (1967 Gibson J-45).

OK, a couple more questions, and I'll have my list. Are Shure Mic cables what I should buy, or a different brand? And, what kind of mic stands have worked out well for you guys? I would ask about monitors, but that will absoulutly have to wait, unfortunatly. I'll wait to find a good deal on those. When I get the cash, I'll get the interface, mic, cable, and stand. Is that the bare min. or is there anything else I have to have? If so, what brand/model do you suggest?

I just found this at MF. http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live-Wire-Deluxe-Microphone-Cable?sku=331095
Would it be good?[/url]

Unfortunately you'll need a preamp for the mic.
Standalone single-channel ones can be had for $40 perhaps.
Really you should get something that doubles as an interface - getting away from the onboard soundcard will make a spectacular difference, I expect.

Recording involves a lot of saving...

Is the Line 6 Toneport not a preamp? I thought that was what it was made for. If not, could someone point me in the right direction for one?

Maybe you're a musician wanting to write, have fun, trackdown, learn, have a very cool alternative to a taperecorder, a portastudio, so on...
Then i guess a cheap USB interface and a SM58 is just ok...

in this forum i guess it's like jg49 wrote, but still... if youre into music, do what fits YOU!
But probably people here don't really test 30 dollar mikes...

get it and start creating!!! for a starter, remember, a multitrack, the possibility to input and monitor and track on top of that, tweak and play can be an universe of it's own...

I made several albums and played hundreds of times... have my nice Adams in my homestudio, and still i carry around my minidisc from 1998 with my cheap PC mike like the ones for chatting... i have tube mics, and still love my Snowball USB one for getting ideas on Soundforge before forgetting anything (no knobs nor options)... and i keep asking myself if i still dont spend to much time worrying about gear...

of course i love it, but in my case music itself is my big big love...

but... still the SM58 would be my alternative... but... if the looks of your mike helps you write 2010's Umbrella, then go for it... before we know, maybe your in a real studio recording it with a cool engineer and really hot stuff...

and before you all get to mad at me, it is really very true that cheap is expensive...

Well, that does help. Thanks. What about cables and such? Which cables are worth the money? I'd prefer to keep it under $20, but if I cant get a good cable, I'll just have to save a while longer. What about stands, will I need a boom stand, or what?

I think Livewire cables are dirt cheap and come with a lifetime guarantee. Of course, longer cables cost more. I really don't like buying any main cables shorter than 20', but shorter ones certainly will work -- you'll be limited in mobility. If I was going to cut any corners, I'd not get the mic stand. I have stands and I don't use them very often.

The Toneport is an interface, but only for guitars and bass. Microphones use XLR jacks, not 1/4" jacks. And changing an XLR to 1/4" is something you don't want to do. Line 6 is designed for guitars, so it comes with guitar tools. Most interfaces are designed to accept 1/4" and XLR inputs, but these interfaces don't come with good digital guitar and amp simulators, although, they do come with free recording software that is quite decent, such as Cubase LE. I'm sort of guessing you have a guitar amp? You could always use the sm57 to mic the guitar amp if you got an interface that accepted XLR and 1/4" inputs.

Allow me to clarify a little bit -

The statement "And changing an XLR to a 1/4" is something you don't want to do" is only a partially true (actually - mostly wrong) statement.
Changing from an XLR to a 1/4" is easy and creates no signal change whatsoever. They're both balanced signals (if wired accordingly) and work just fine.

However, where the statement is true is, if you have a mic with a 'mic level' output (that is, it doesn't have any amplification built in - most mics fit into this category) and you try to put it into a 'Line Input' that is a 1/4", you're going to experience problems. The problems are with both level and resistance matching. While you can get impedance adapters to fix this, the levels would still cause problems.

That being said, that's the role of a microphone preamplifier (poorly named since it's actually a microphone amplifier and the actual "pre" amplifier resides within the mic itself) is to raise the gain to a line level signal and to the right impedance.

I'm not familiar with the interfaces you're looking at but make sure whichever one you're looking at indicates that it has a microphone preamplifier. At this price point, there's not going to be a difference in quality, just a difference in existence.

Also, in regards to the cable....Livewire will do fine. Frankly, I think they're crap, but it will indeed pass the signal from the mic to the preamp and not do any harm in the process. You're more likely to need that lifetime guarantee with that cable than with others, but that's what it's there for.

That being said, I recently saw a post (maybe here in this thread...don't recall) that said that the lifetime warranty means you can literally stand in front of the guy at Guitar Center and cut the cable with a pair of scissors and they'd hand you a new cable. Hopefully that was said with tongue firmly planted in cheek and no one took that seriously. No warranty covers against intentional negligence. (Some computer warranties do if purchased accordingly, but no cable warranties do for sure!) The cable warranties only cover if the cable dies due to normal use. If they see a cut in the cable or the ends are flattened, they do not (and likely will not) need to give you a new cable.

If I may also, I know the topic has been beaten to death, but I would still strongly encourage you to opt for the SM58 that has been recommended numerous times. My reasoning is, while yes, it's a little outside your range (seriously...can you save for just another week or two? Hell, I'll give you the extra $20 for the SM58. Don't believe me? Come by....I'll hand you the crisp bill and drive you to Guitar Center myself), it will work right every time for the rest of your life. The cheap Na_y and Beh__nger mics will crap out and you'll have wasted your money. It's not "if" it's "when."

Cheers-
Jeremy

That being said, I recently saw a post (maybe here in this thread...don't recall) that said that the lifetime warranty means you can literally stand in front of the guy at Guitar Center and cut the cable with a pair of scissors and they'd hand you a new cable. Hopefully that was said with tongue firmly planted in cheek and no one took that seriously. No warranty covers against intentional negligence. (Some computer warranties do if purchased accordingly, but no cable warranties do for sure!) The cable warranties only cover if the cable dies due to normal use. If they see a cut in the cable or the ends are flattened, they do not (and likely will not) need to give you a new cable.

Actually, intentional misuse is covered under some cable manufacturers, especially the higher end cables like Planet Waves, Monster, Mogami, etc... Just bring the cable in and they'll give you a new one no questions asked. I just bought some cheap cables from Sweetwater that will be replaced "even if your little sister uses it as a jumprope one too many times," or if "your band members play tug-o-war with it."

I would have to say that this MUST be on a store-to-store basis. I'm staring at a warranty form from Monster - it specifically excludes intentional damage.

I have a large, 8 channel 100' snake from Monster. A channel on it went down and it wasn't something I could solder to fix. I had to send it back to them and they had to inspect it before replacing it. Granted, this is a $700 cable versus a $49 cable, but still, I don't know of anyone who would be willing to replace product for intentional damage...

no questions asked.

Some manufacturers will indeed replace their nice cables even if you call them up and tell them how you disected the cable. I have no idea if they will honor repeat offenders... But most cables with the lifetime warranty go by the above mentioned quote when replacing cables. I can bring in any of my Planet Waves or Mogami cables to any store that carries them, and they are obligated to provide me with a new cable, no questions asked.

Hey, if you just wanna mail me that crisp $20 bill, I'll give you my address! But, seriously, I'll be saving to get the SM57. That's the mic I want, so I'll save until I get it. So, if I don't buy a mic stand, what do I do with the mic? The Toneport I'm looking at does have an XLR input. No Phantom Power, but it does have an XLR in. So will I still need a seperate amp, or what? Would Monster's bottom line cables be better than the Live Wire? Or should I go for a Shure, or something else?

If the toneport has an XLR cable input it most likely has enough of a preamp built into it, it has been awhile since I looked up that piece of equipment and I can't for the life of me believe this thread is still going. You can hand hold the mic while recording vocals if you handle it gently so as not to transmit sound vibration.
There is no particular benefit to using Shure cables.

The cheap cables we have in our church carry a signal and haven't broken yet, but who knows. I keep them safe mostly.

Yes, you can hold a mic, sometimes this might help with more flexibility, but if you want to record guitar with it, a stand WILL help.

Cheap stands will do the job but you'll notice better flexibility and less moving around with the more expensive, properly built ones.
^^ by that I mean things like balance when you extend it, and not having parts slip by a few degrees.

Alright. Will Audacity mix tracks? If so, I'll download it. If not, is there a free one that will mix? I want to be able to record my acoustic guitar, because that's what I play more often and it fits my style better. With only one XLR in, I'll have to record guitar and vocals seperatly.

Kristal will mix tracks.
But it's a pain in the neck.

Audacity will also mix tracks albeit a little differently.
But I personally cannot stand the interface.

Kristal:
Pro - VST support (so you can screw up your material in the interests of "making it better").
Con - buggy on Vista. Not great for specific editing, no volume envelopes.

Audacity:
Pro - has built in effects (don't need to find VSTs - mixed blessing btw)
Con - your "tracks" have to be solid - you need to insert silence to have gaps between blocks on the same track, whereas Kristal lets you have blocks.

(Also, you can maybe prop that mic up on a bunch of crossed broompoles, with enough ductape and luck).

Agree w/ Codemonkey.

I have all different grades of cables.
Planet Waves, Mogami, CoreX2, some I don't even know the brand.
Nothing boutique.
To my only slightly trained ear, I don't hear anything that makes any of them unusable.

I have a lot of cheap stands. Plastic. Screws thread easily.
Then the mic hits the floor when you're not looking.
Not to mention the subtle shifts that will ruin your careful mic placement.

With enough gaffers (duct) tape you can make anything a mic stand...LOL Its also good for fun and games in the bedroom.

Ah hem.

No need to bring the repair of waterbeds into it!

Anyhow, I'll just be recording one track at a time for now. And until I buy a stand I'll have to limit myself to electric guitar.

Like jg said, you can always improvise.

Get some gaffers tape (not duct - too sticky, leaves residue), a chair, a lamp, whatever.
You could probably even tape a mic to a wall if you wanted to.

Yeah, I may try that. I think I may have a chair the right size. What exactly is gaffer's tape? I've never seen any. And, if I did buy a cheap stand, would a weighted stand or a tripod stand be sturdier?

FYI...gaffers tape would probably be more expensive than a cheap mic stand.

I have cheap stands and and expensive micropohones.
I have a pair of velcro exercise ankle weights -2 1/2 lbs- that I wrap around the base of the stand. If I am only using one stand I put the whole 5 lbs on that stand. It is not going anywhere.

All this talk about stands... I tape the mics to my cabinet and speakers, and I certainly could do just fine holding the mic and singing. Even with acoustic guitar, I could just set the mic on a level surface with the guitar. I don't know how well taping a mic to an acoustic guitar would work... :lol: And for taping, I've found different types of tape work better for different things: gaffers tape isn't the best for metal, neither is duct tape or masking tape, but the clear packaging tape is fantastic for metal and most other surfaces. Cloth grills don't take too well to packaging tape, though, so I use masking tape on that. I suppose all this tape may be out of Moneylessrecording's budget, though. :lol:

Ouch! That was a brutal, man. Anyhow, while I sing, I could hold the mic, but I want a stand for the guitar. So, which would be better in a cheap stand, the weighted or tripod style? I can get either from MF or Radioshack (no visible differences) for roughly the same prices.
That bit about the ankle weights is interesting, if not very good! I have a pair of those around somewhere. I'll have to dig 'em out.

Hey, you weren't kidding about gaffer's tape being expensive. The cheapest I see is $18 for 60 yards. This stuff may be like a private label hardware store stuff. I'll have to take a trip to the local ACE and see.

ACE will not have gaffers tape. It is a specialty item, and thus the high price. ACE will only have duct tape. gaffers tape is designed to come off cleanly. duct tape is designed not to come off.

Clear packaging tape and masking tape work very well and are cheap.

ITT: sticky substances.

Personally I'd go with a tripod stand - the larger base of our tripod stands are slightly more stable than the 2 weighted ones we have. They also allow for extension (boom stands anyway) and,
[I received this tip from our drummer]
..if you extend the boom above one of the legs of the tripod, it is even more stable.

I love tape. My headphones broke. So I taped them. Today.

I must confess to a strange attraction to tape and torches.
Nothing beats the right piece of tape when you need it, and same applies for a good torch you can rely on.

My favourite torch would have to be my Nova X5 red LED, great for night vision, handy sized and tough like a hammer. Useless though if you actually need to light up something. That's why I own a couple of Maglites, a 2D for general use and a 6D for Light Sabre duties.
Then there's my 12v LightForce, couple with a sealed lead acid battery carried in a back pack, this thing is like my own personal sun.

Onto tape, good quality duct tape, and it's called duct tape because it has to be able to withstand heated conditions like heating ducts, there are standards it has to meet to be called "duct tape". I like a good cloth backed duct tape. Sometimes though, like when you know you're going to have to remove it, gaffers tape is called for. I don't worry so much about it's standard, just that it peels cleanly.
Electrical tape of various colours is a must. Good electrical tape must be kind of stretchy so you can bind stuff up as well as sticking it up.
Masking tape is no good for anything except masking off using paper to you don't over-spray when painting. The stuff wont hold together for more than a few weeks and perishes like crazy in the sun. It's not to bad when you need a temporary hold but that's what gaffers is for... Which reminds me, one time I was helping a mates Dad re-spray the black plastic strip which surrounded his car, basically the front and back bumpers and this strip that ran between them on both sides... He wouldn't go spring for a new roll of masking tape because he had this massive roll of medical tape he could use up. He was re-spraying so it would look flashier as he was selling the car... Anyways, the tape was perforated with tiny holes he couldn't see, I told him that it wasn't going to work but he didn't listen. He ended up with a nice dot matrix style effect all around the black strips on his silver paint. Looked really crap... I laughed. :P

Considering this thread is nigh on 9 pages of shit. I thought I would throw some more on the pile.

Happy day to all, the beer is cold here hope it's the same for you. Cheers. :)