SM 57 or EV ND767?

[fender69]

Trying to decide which one I should use for micing my acoustic for bluegrass shows. Solo, I typically use an Anthem for the guitar, but with some upcoming shows with some grasser friends of mine, the odds are that it's just gonna be mics. I could use to have a mic that reproduces guitar well, but could be used for vocals also. I know the 57 is an industry standard, but have also heard great things about the 767. I'm going the dynamic route because one never knows whether phantom power is going to be around. Any suggestions, and any suggestions for other mics would be great. Trying to keep the budget under $100. Thanks.

[alexevans917]

I'd go for a 57. You'll end up using it on everything, and if you ever (for some insane reason) decide you don't need it and want to sell it, then it'll have better resale value.

[RustyAxe]

Either would be a good choice. I've used both of them for guitar and vocals. SM57s work great for vocals, and some singers prefer them to the SM58. The EV is a solid performer, too. I don't think you can make a bad choice here.

[mchalebk]

I prefer EV mics for vocals. I don't use mics for guitar, so couldn't say which would work better for your situation.

I do own an SM57, which is a fine vocal mic. However, it does have one issue: no pop screen.

By the way, there's no reason an SM58 couldn't be used for guitar, if you prefer the Shure and would like a pop screen when used for vocals.

[mutantrock]

The SM57 is great for miking just about anything and is rally a "swiss army knife" type mic. It has a familiar sound to me like many recordings which have used it. The EV is very good ( much better than SM57 for vocal) and should work well for miking a guitar

[buzzardwhiskey]

I have both and have tried amplifying acoustic guitars using each. The SM57 sounds better probably 80% of the time and is easier to get right.

I have owned and used an SM57 and the 767. From my perspective, the 767 is a significantly superior microphone to the 57 for vocals and for micing acoustic guitars. It is clearer sounding, more articulate. I just think it is in a different class. I suppose if you are going to have others doing sound for you and you need to provide the microphone, the 57 might be more familiar to them. This is the only advantage that the 57 might have. I am not trying to spark flames here, just providing my perspective to help the OP.

I have not seen the 767 going for under $100 new as it is generally $129, a bit more than the 57. I do not think the 57 will hold its value any better than the 767.

All of this being said, what matters is how the mic works for your voice, you live setup/guitars, and your ears. Again, these are just my perspectives based on my use of these microphones.

[jjrubin]

I found the beta58 (SM58a) to be a big improvement over the regular 58 for vocals, with a lot more gain before feedback. For mic'ing acoustic guitar, I found it to be about indistinguishable from a good quality condenser - Audix VX5. (note: 58 and 57 are the same mic with different caps, so I expect my experience with 58s applies to 57s, that is why I cite it here).

Also the beta57 is more in the price range of the EV....so I think that would be the better comparison. Likely can't go wrong with either. My guitar mic now is a Neumann KM185, highly recommended if you've got the budget and phantom power...

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by jjrubin

I found the beta58 (SM58a) to be a big improvement over the regular 58 for vocals, with a lot more gain before feedback. For mic'ing acoustic guitar, I found it to be about indistinguishable from a good quality condenser - Audix VX5. (note: 58 and 57 are the same mic with different caps, so I expect my experience with 58s applies to 57s, that is why I cite it here).

Also the beta57 is more in the price range of the EV....so I think that would be the better comparison. Likely can't go wrong with either. My guitar mic now is a Neumann KM185, highly recommended if you've got the budget and phantom power...

...yes indeed a beta 57A is the way to go...its also a great vocal and snare mic....an alternative is the Shure Beta 56A....its got identical specs to a Beta 57A so i think the diff is the housing....check it out...

http://www.shure.com/americas/produc...ent-microphone

[donh]

Heil PR22 or PR35

A universe of difference, all good, all worth it, all better value - both monetarily and acoustically.

[M.D.Smith]

+1 on the beta 57a...Just a good all around multi purpose mic. For the price it's hard to beat.