New MIC to pair with my sm57- pros/cons of choices

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kapo_Polenton
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garbagetruckdriver":1rp6rmt5 said:
I did the 57 + 121 combination for a while, then I bought a second 121.
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The 57 serves a different purpose and really opens up the tonal options. Not just mixing the two but when utilizing the phase relationship as an EQ can be pretty nice.
 
Thanks for the info guys.. i was actually going to play around in redwirez and get a feel for the characteristics of which mic i may like best but obviously that isn't ideal. The royer 101 looks really interesting though. Sounds very close to my ears for what it is worth but i didn't listen with headphones: http://www.royerlabs.com/R-101.html

and from Mr. Wagener on another forum when did a search:

The 121/101 combination sounds great to me, easy to get a range of different tones with both mics on the same cab, just by mixing them together with different ratios.

To me the 101 has a bit more midrange, which really fits well for electric distorted guitar, the 121 has the oomph and just enough top end not to sounds scratchy on guitars and reveal the shortcomings of the output transformer in the amp. Both mics have a great sound of their own, both mics sound great by themselves in front of a guitar cab, but the combo kicks ass.

So, in typical Gearslutz fashion: use both...
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I have a Fathead 2 and I like it but my AT 4047 rules. It is my go to cab mike!!
 
If you're not very comfortable with recording technique, I would suggest skipping the ribbon microphone. You know one slip-up with connections and you can blow out the ribbon, i.e. destroy the mic, right? Also, ribbons sound great as a second mic on guitars, but it's not a sound every engineer or producer goes for.

If you're more of a hard rock/metal guy, the most popular pairing with an SM57 is the MD421. However, I want to point out an amazing accident I discovered while doing a head-to-head comparison of the Shure SM57 vs. Beta 57a: the Beta 57a makes an amazing pair with the SM57 for guitar and gives you a great, wider tone palette than either mic on its own. You can save a bundle over the ribbon approach, and even $125 less than the MD421 by trying to pair a Beta 57a with the SM57.

I have used this on two albums now with the prog rock band Days Before Tomorrow, the first one produced by rock industry legend Ron Nevison and the second one being mixed right now.

Here's the review of the mics so you can read more about what I discovered (and check out audio samples):
http://www.musicplayers.com/reviews/rec ... _Shure.php

Scott
 
I love the 57/421 combo, its my go-to-it-always-works combo, but the 57/121 was considerably better. More sparkle and detail while still adding some bottom. I had no problems at just under half volume on a 100 watt head, but I never pushed it past that. I had the luxery of borrowing one for a month, running it into a Universal Audio LA610 it was fantastic :D The 57 added some snarl
 
The Heil PR30 / 40 has a very nice top end, haven't heard the PR20 but it seems to get a lot of praise. Ribbons generally are figure 8 pattern so you have to make sure you are not in a super crappy room, While I have heard some great recordings with ribbons, I haven't been convinced that they are the end all be all for guitar cab yet, maybe for some styles, but its possible to get great recordings without a ribbon.
 
I really dig the heil pr-20 also. Sounds great by itself and mixes very nicely with a 57 if you wanna do that too. I think its much smoother and open than the 57.
 
I have a PR30 its pretty nice sounding....no real peaks to speak of like the 57 has. I may pick up a PR20 at some point.

Anyone wanna trade me one for an I5?

On a side note, just blew up my 421....its on its way back to get fixed now. :(
 
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