beta's vs. sm's?

worshipguitar94 · #1 08-26-2004, 06:00 PM

So I bought a behringer condenser mic and i'm not really happy with the sound i'm getting for home recording. I think i'm going to go with a dynamic mic and am wondering about the sm-57, sm-58, beta-57 and beta-58. I only want to record acoustic guitar and vocals, that's it, which would you prefer for all-around recording quality of both guitar and voice? Or is there another dynamic mic in the same price range that you think is better?

sully · #2 08-26-2004, 06:59 PM

I've got a couple of SM58's and I like my Sennheiser ES835's a lot better. Sounds better for my stringed instruments and for vocals.

JohnZ · #3 08-26-2004, 10:01 PM

If I only had those choices I'd go with a 57 for recording. There's a reason they are in every studio. For most recording though, condensers are far better.

For live work I use a Beta 57 or an AKG wireless headset.

whiskeyjack · #4 08-26-2004, 11:18 PM

Here's what I think. . .

Playing live:

Sennheiser 835S for vocals. These mics are MUCH better and more forgiving than any Shure mic I've ever used. By forgiving I mean that you can be WAY off axis and still pick up the nuances of your voice without colouring its quality. It's all you with an 835 so you may not like what you hear:-)

K&K Western pup (or other onboard unit) with a K&K Pre-amp (or other pre-amp) for guitar. This combination isn't the only way to get a good sound but it sure is convenient. The pre-amp clips to your belt or pocket sash and it's only 3" square. I'm thinking about trying either a PG57 or an SM57 because I have guitars without onboard electronics. Re: the Beta 57. . . . I've been told that the Beta 57 is more expensive than an SM-57 because it has a built-in pop filter AND it has a tighter pattern; it was built to be more effective as a vocal mic while trying to maintain the instrument micing capabilities. So, apparently the old SM57 has a wider pattern and is more foregiving than the new Beta 57 for amplifying instruments. I'm gonna' try the PG 57 because it's the only one of the 57's that has an on/off switch. . .but it's a way cheaper mic.

Recording:

Bear in mind that virtually all condenser mics NEED phantom power. . .and it should be 48V phantom power to get the maximum performance out of the mic. These are not plug & play mics. I don't mean to insult your intelligence but when some folks initially set out to record something (me) they sometimes don't undertstand the equipment (me). Dumber'n a box a' rocks!! Also, fwiw, I recently tried out a Custom Profile One PA with "Phantom Power". It was 15V phantom power and my large diaphragm mic (that usually sounds great through my AW16G) sounded like crap.

Recording vocals. IMO, any one of the $100 LARGE diaphragm condenser mics should do nicely. Don't get hung up on specs as you'll probably not actually hear the difference between these and more expensive mics unless you're listening through REAL special cans or own REALLY expensive speakers. I use an ADK-51A for recording vocals. It's cheap. And it's soooooper sensitive even at low gain settings.

Recording acoustic guitar. I use a SMALL diaphragm (sd) condenser mic in conjunction with the LARGE diaphragm (ld) mic. I haven't learned to isolate the ld's range yet so it picks up overtones from the guitar - but it sounds alright. The sd's pattern is very narrow and there's limited latitude for adjustment. Again, phantom power is required. And a preamp is really effective with one of these too. It works best for me near the 12th or 14th fret pointing at the soundhole. There's a whole science to the technique of mic placement that I'm just not qualified to even think about. . .and you're probably aware of more home recording links than I am. But the sd does wonders to capture the presence of an acoustic guitar. Again, I have a cheap ADK model, SC-1.

I tried to go direct into the workstation one time with the guitar's onboard electronics. 'Didn't like the results. Mics are best imo.

From one rookie to another; "good luck."

jnjunior · #5 08-30-2004, 11:49 AM

For recording acoustic guitar I have used the beta sm 58 and I am not too happy with the quality. I recently used an AKG C3000 which is a large diaphram mic. I have been very pleased with the sound I have gotten from it. It is pretty affordable as well. I know that sm 57 are better for recording instruments

panndder · #6 08-30-2004, 02:45 PM

For live a SM58 (or beta, which has a better frequency range) is good for vocals.

For recording you want a condensor.

AlphaQuam · #7 09-01-2004, 10:05 AM

I would go with separate mics for the guitar vs. vocals. I have a Beta 87A for vocals in my "studio" (and live) and then a pair of Rode NT5s for my Taylor that I combine with a soft signal from its jack. You can get by on dynamic mics for vocals, but you'll definitely want a condenser for the guitar.

Gecko · #8 09-01-2004, 10:13 AM

I'll add my $0.02. I'm not an engineer but a musician. I do, however, have substantial performing and recording experience. Our band has released two CDs and we've gigged for over 7 years solid.

The 58s are voiced for vocals, the 57s are more general purpose. The main advantage of betas is that you can get more gain out of them before feedback, as compared to the regular 57s and 58s. So the betas are more for a live situation, where you need that extra gain for say vocals, without garnering feedback.

I'd echo the advice about different mics for vox and guitar. I'd use a 58 for vox and the 57 on your guitar. I don't think you're going to hear a substantial difference with the betas, so I'd save your money and get the regular Shures. However, for most of the acoutic recording I've done, we've used a condenser mic.

Good luck!