
Equipment Review
Product Reviewed:
Shure SM 57
Made by: Shure
Cost: $90 USD
Submitted by Dan Monk
Rating: 



Features:
unidirectional cardiod mic. It has a frequency response of 40 to 16,000 hz. Good off axis rejection and is reasonably sensitive for a cardiod. No windscreen tho, which can make it pretty noisy. Especially in an outdoor setting.
Technical Specifications:
What I liked:
First of all the price. But most of all the sound and versatility. I've used it on almost everything. Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, kick drum, snare etc. I have even used them as overheads in live settings. I especially like the sound I get when I place one in front of my old tube amp. Nice warm and fuzzy.
What I didn't:
Not much really. It doesn't have an internal pop filter or even a wind screen. A bass rolloff switch would be nice too. In fact, a simple on/off switch would be a bonus. But for under a hundred bucks you can't expect a lot.
User Tips:
Point it at something and press record. Seriously, pay attention to your placement. I can get totally different sounds depending upon where I point this mic. Course, this applies to all mics. And invest in a pop filter.
The Equipment Review Page
Search the review database
The Recording Website Home