[Harp-L] Tom Ball suggests a Shure SM-54 mic?

[Captron100@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 12/8/2006 1:31:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
havaball@xxxxxxx writes:

In the  ensuing years since writing that, my PE54 finally broke (after 3000+  
gigs.)  At that point I A/B tested two other PE54s, an SM57, a SM58 and a  
545, and, to my surprise, found the 545 to sound best of all -- at least for  my 
usage. (I sing and play through the same mic, so I need a cleaner sound.)  So 
that's my current setup. 


Tom, a few questions and mic musings for the list in general, plus one  
question specifically for you re your 545.  I'm surprised to find out  the 545 is 
such a clean mic.   Everyone seems to agree as a  handheld harp mic, the high 
impedence version sounds better.  Which model  545 do u have, and do u use it 
high Z or low Z?
  General questions and comments appreciated.  I am not an mic  expert.
  1. Butterfield was known to often use a 545S.  Recently a  poster said that 
Tom Ellis found a PE54 in Butterfield's kit after his  death.  Iirc, our 
Harp-L friend, G, said on his site that the PE54 is  essentially the same mic as a 
545.  The Shure site said the 54 and all  545's used the same cartridge, an 
R45.  Besides cartridge component  materials (i assume), impedence and shape of 
mic and ball end or not, what  else makes a particular model unique to 
itself?  For instance, dunno if  true but I've been told that the SM 57 and SM58 are 
essentially the same mic  except for their shape on the end, but the no ball 
end pencil shape of the 57  merely allows for greater proximity affect - 
therefore the diff. frequency  response on the low end (40 vs. 50 Hz).  
  2. Do audiophiles hear differences in individual new mics  of the same 
exact model?  
  2. I'm thinking of buying a used mic. I understand that ceramic  cartridges 
deteriorate with age, but do modern mics like a SM58 deteriorate in  
performance with age and use (not abuse)?  
  3. A check on the Shure website showed 5 different discontinued 545  
models.  Model S has a switch.  All are dual impedence except the  model L, which is 
low Z.  The 545PE is not a pistol grip and it's frequency  response is shown 
as 50 to 50,000 c.p.s, instead of in Hz, as are the other  models.  What is 
"c.p.s"?
  4.  PE stands for Professional Entertainer, which is an entire  series of 
mics, like today's SM mics (Studio Microphone).  I know S  stands for "switch" 
and assume L stands for "low"?  Anyone know what D and  SH stand for?  If this 
info is somewhere on the Shure site, i'd like to  know.
  I have an old PE56 which is working intermittently, cutting in  and out.  
It's been suggested that I simply replace it, perhaps  just buy a SM57 or SM58. 
  Why is Low Z  better than than  high Z, which I assume is the new standard. 
 Is it something other  than the lengths of wire u can use?
  Lastly (whew!), Shure currently sells a 545SL, which has a  switch and is 
also dual impedence, and is not a pistol grip.   I'm curious why Shure still 
has 545's selling new, while it has  discontinued other types which seem so 
identical.
Ron