[Harp-L] Re: Shure mics, SM57 or 58?



Mike E wrote:
Hi Tom,
I bought them as recording mics but decided to try one with my amp. I never thought I could find a mic that could blow away a 545/PE54 but the AKG did just that. Incredible amount of volume before feedback. Perhaps too much for it's own good. I have used them as my acoustic mic in my band but the guys running the pa never know how to eq it. Everyone else uses
SM58s. I finally gave up and started using my 58 for acoustic on stage and set aside the AKG's for recording once again.


mike
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Aha! OK, I understand where you're coming from now. Yep, the EQ on the AKG would indeed be a challenge if the PA guys were used to "normal" low-impedence Shures, ala 58's...


My gut feeling is that part of the problem may be that the condensers require their own power source (whether phantom or battery,) and the 58's don't. Probably it would only take half an hour or so to find the right degree of heat/verb/EQ to set you up in relation to the other mics, but that still would not solve the problem of cut-out when the incoming signal has "too much" pressure. Perhaps this also explains why we don't see performing harpers using tube mics? But then, all this speculation probably reads amazingly naive to folks like T Ellis and others on the list for whom mic technology is second-nature...

But thanks for sharing, Mike... nice to hear I'm not the only one who's had a few similar mic experiences.

Any thoughts, Tom Ellis?

all best,
Tom Ball

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On Oct 18, 2005, at 8:53 PM, Tom Ball wrote:

Mike Easton asked:
I wonder if you or anyone else on the list has experienced problems with hand holding condenser mics?


I own 2 AKG 1000 mics. They are killer mics when played thru either of my amps but if I hit a blow note hard the mic signal cuts out. I don't know if its from the compression of holding the mic so tight or what. It doesn't matter which mic or amp I use. Any time I start wailing the signal cuts out for a second or two if I hit a reed hard. No it isn't the reed choking. Other then that they pick up every
nuance of the harp with crystal clarity.


__________________

I've never experienced that problem in performance, but then I've never used my condenser mics for hand held work into an amp -- only for playing (and singing) into 'em from 6 inches (or more) away, and into a PA. However I'm not surprised to hear of the problem, in that small-diaphragm condensers are fragile and don't seem to take kindly to max volume pressure. (I have occasionally experienced a similar over-the-top kind of cutout when recording with condensers...) But then there are other folks on this list who are far more qualified to discuss these specific tech issues than I am.

I guess I'm sort-of wondering why one would want to use a (phantom power) condenser mic with an amp? Seems like all the superb reproduction and signal response of the condenser would be all but wiped out by the compression and distortion inherent in an amp.....? But then maybe I'm missing something here? Sure wouldn't be the first time. <g>

I bet the AKG 1000 might record nicely though, assuming it wasn't hand held, and a bit of top were rolled off... (?) Any luck in that regard?

 cheers,
 Tom Ball
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