Shure SM57 "Tape Op" Mod Audio Comparison

[AustinTx]

Just posted a short SM57 audio comparison on YouTube and my Tone Blog.
The "Tape Op" mod really clears up the midrange distortion of the modern
SM57. Mic placement is much easier and forgiving, also minimizes the need
to EQ out harshness.

After my last vintage 57 died, I had to find a way to get the Old 57 sound
out of a New 57, turned out to be simple, remove the 57's output step up
transformer, pretty close to the vintage 57 with less overall output. If you
don't like the sound and placement hassles of new 57's, this may be a mod
to check out.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E73QNHoPsqs[/youtube]

[Reeltarded]

It drops about 10db of signal and makes your 57 sound more like an SM7.

It's great for snare and guitar. Umm.. It is the same for any vintage 57 though. The old and new are not very different.

We've been boiling 57s for.. 20 something years. Worthy!

[AustinTx]

It drops about 10db of signal and makes your 57 sound more like an SM7.

It's great for snare and guitar. Umm.. It is the same for any vintage 57 though. The old and new are not very different.

We've been boiling 57s for.. 20 something years. Worthy!

It does drop the output..Live it may be a bit more prone to feedback when you have to crank up the pres,
not a problem for recording, i like the lower output for recording loud amps.

My old 70's 57s did not add any buzzy distortion, how it sounded in the room was pretty much how it sounded when recorded. When I got "New" 57s they never sounded like the room, no matter where you placed them, always had a slight buzzy midrange distortion..the dreaded microphone mosquito, and you can't EQ out a buzz. Pulled out the transformers and the moquitoes died, now I can place the mic on different spots on the cone with no hassles.

Reeltarded...After 20 years of removing transformers...have you found a downside to this mod when recording guitar?

[Reeltarded]

Yeah man, perfect snare and guitar mic. Real flat by comparison. Also makes a decent voice over mic for the times when you get someone who refuses to remove their gag teeth.

-talks like a walrus-

[AustinTx]

remove their gag teeth.

Awesome!

[rgorke]

So did the original 57s not have the transformer or did they have a different one?

[AustinTx]

So did the original 57s not have the transformer or did they have a different one?

Yup..they had transformers, but they sounded alot less hyped up than the modern 57.
Shure says the specs have never changed, but the sound of the 57 sure has, the
output is hotter more distorted nowadays. The transformer adds over 10db to the output,
it has to be adding distortion, just like adding a bright cap to the mic.

If you are into vintage tones, the sound of a modern 57 (less transformer) will make you
want to sell all of your other guitar mics. I just did a session with a 4x10 Bassman, got a
good sound going in about 5 minutes, hassle free, mic placement was a breeze.

[SteadyEddie]

There's a replacement transformer for the 57 that someone sells on the web.

[Strat78]

I have two sm-57's: one I bought ten years ago and the other I bought back in the 70's, well, so I thought. When I opened up the old sm57 it had a transformer in it that was held in place with a little copper strip. The little tranny was nearly submerged in a dark brown grease substance. I had not read Austin's post yet that the old ones had tranny's too, so I went ahead and took out the tranny, thinking maybe I had bought it in the mid 80's instead of the 70's. After reading Austin's post I guess I did buy it in the 70's, though the tranny looks just like the one in the sm57 that I bought more recently (that is held in with white silicone). Has anyone ells come across this thick brown greasy substance when opening up their old sm57's?

[mayrandp]

Just to try it without permanently altering the mic, I didn't boil the barrel, I just desoldered the wires and wired the connector directly on the capsule.

So far, I like it better after the mod (without the transformer). Sounds more natural, more pleasant to my ears.

[rgorke]

I just picked up a "broken" SM57 (seems the wires came unsoldered) to try the mod without altering my new one too much. I plan on putting the housing from the broken one onto my new one. It seems as though this "broken" one had the transformer removed. The broken one works but is really low recording.

There is also a transformer that you can get to replace the stock one.

http://www.tab-funkenwerk.com/id67.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All these little things add up to chasing the tone we hear on albums, no?

[vanhalen5150]

Maybe this is why my new mics sound terrible? So your just bypassing the trans? Black to black and grey to copper? I've never taken one apart.

[rgorke]

Maybe this is why my new mics sound terrible? So your just bypassing the trans? Black to black and grey to copper? I've never taken one apart.

Here is what I found. I need to confirm the wiring. I think my new "broken" mic might be wired up wrong. I want to double check Pin 2 and 3. I think pin 1 is grounded to the case. Well I know one of them is but not sure which one.

http://youtu.be/rDVzXAgOFYw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[vanhalen5150]

Just watching some of those fake SM57 vids.....

I'm starting to wonder about mine.....

[rgorke]

Just watching some of those fake SM57 vids.....

I'm starting to wonder about mine.....

yeah, I saw that too. I bought mine from the local shop and my grill spins...on my mic.