Shure SM57 vs. Beyerdynamic M201 TG (Versus Series)
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- If the SM57 were a microphone, it would sound like the M201 TG; that's what Steve Albini's old website said, so I wanted to put them back to back and see how they compare. In the end these are two classic / legendary microphones and you can make great recordings with either.
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00:00 - Intro to Versus Series
00:56 - Build Quality
01:45 - Blind Comparison
02:36 - Microphone Spoken Word Test (Price / Specs)
03:15 - Polar Pattern Tests
03:52 - Background Noise Tests
04:15 - Distance Tests
04:48 - Handling Noise Tests
05:15 - Plosive Tests
05:39 - Music Tests
07:40 - Winner & Use Case Discussion
10:05 - Summary
11:20 - Outro
#Recording #InstrumentMic #Comparison
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DO NOT contact anyone on Telegram that is claiming to be me. I am not giving anything away. They are scammers trying to steal your money and data.
Thanks for the advice.
The 57 has a special character that makes it easy to recognize in the comparison. I switched to the V7x for a more natural tone. Thanks for all the tests !
V7x is awesome.
I picked the M201TG every time, especially on the acoustic guitar. And I know very little about mics, but even to a novice it just generally sounded better.
Thank you for listening Dave. This is great news because you're fine tuning and developing more critical listening. You're going to learn to hate so much audio all over the world it becomes a personal hell, but it's also very rewarding. Haha.
@@Podcastage um... Thank you.
I bought the M201 tg a while ago based on your recommendation and it is fantastic for spoken word. Absolutely great mic!
A very well-made and entertaining video of your versus series. It was really fun! For me the Beyerdynamic was the clear winner, and it was easy to distinguish mic A and B. But what I also realised is how familiar the SM57 sounds to me.
Thank you very much. I agree the difference between the two is night and day, and the SM57 is very familiar because we have heard it on so many recordings. It's that go to in the studio.
The only reason why I watch your every uploads is to hear you sing. I so love your voice and every song you sing
That made my day. Thank you so much for the kind words.
I liked the blind microphone comparison. I hope you will include this little blind test in your next videos. Regards from Spain.
I‘m a great fan of the M201 TG. Good on everything, fantastic for spoken word. But what I really love is using it on string instruments (violin, cello etc.). Especially if you have to record in a less perfect environment.
And: great channel, really enjoy watching it!
That really highlights the difference, because I don't think many people would want to mic a violin with an SM57 if they had a choice.
We used to use the M201TGs at the 1st radio station (MFR) I worked at. Pick one up from ebay recently for use when traveling on holiday to do voiceover work. For voiceover use it's a perfect fit for my voice. Can't believe how good it is!! I'm using a Klark Teknik CT1 with it to boost the level, there little bit of noise, but nothing that RX8 can't fix. Top review fella!
I remember the 57 being marketed as the instrument version of the 58 to help things cut through the mix, live is perfect for all those folk instruments, percussion, etc., and then those peaky mikes are great for pushing treble onto tape to help lower hiss later on.... yea, a bit peaky on some sources in the digital realm. personally I love smooth sounding mikes. trebles is there, but not poking me in the eyes... love this channel!
i love this style of video!
What a good microphone the m201 is. Lately I've been enjoying COLORS videos on UA-cam where they use the m201 on vocals. Greetings from Argentina.
I have both of these mics. The SM57 with the TAB mod improved it quite a bit imo. Less fizzy and tad more low end. I now prefer that on amps and use the beyer on snare, both can work well on a similar instrument
I'm not familiar with the TAD mod, but that sounds pretty interesting, like something I should look into.
I loved the intro. Good to see the weirdness hasn't left the channel!
Also, I'm a great fan of the M201, for all the reasons stated. It sounds much better than many "Broadcast" microphones.
PS: Why you're wearing two watches?
While not a "broadcast mic", the M201 is, in fact, a well regarded broadcast mic! It's the default guest mic at pretty much every BBC radio studio.
I own two of both. Apart from when I’m after the classic 57 snare or guitar sound, I will use the 201 nine times out of ten. Just a fantastic mic.
hey Bandrew. Really missed the versus series. Glad to have it back :)
I guessed correctly, but man I had a harder time than I thought I would. I'm surprised how similar these two mics are on voice, though they both clearly their distinctives. Great comparison, as always.
I couldn't decide in the spoken word test, but the acoustic guitar part is so different that I picked mic A without a blink. Nice comparison.
Those are so similar I really can't tell the difference in the blind test.
Can you do a video explaining what the technical terms are (for absolute newbies), like impedance, sensitivity, etc etc? LOVE YOU VIDEOS AS USUAL
Great video as always man! Do you mind if hit you with a noob question? Maybe something you can answer on your second channel or as a short… if you like…Regarding the gain in general, should that be adjusted in the physical microphone first, then the one in the windows sound panel? This has been driving me nuts 🌰 ! I have read leaving windows volume at 100% and just move the mic (physical) gain knob until you reach a healthy level. (Or interface mic gain) But I’m not fully convinced. I have also search on UA-cam about this topic and nothing. I have also tried 50% for both and I don’t seem to hear any change. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know that Macs don’t have this problems…but any help would be great! Thanks. Ps: much love from Spain 🇪🇸 people that know English love you here! 😂
I truly could not distinguish between the mics on spoken word. I agree with all your assessments. For electric guitar, the Shure provides a "stage ready" sound without needing much EQ, but also is limiting for any sort of recording. For acoustic guitar, the Beyer provides so much more clarity and high-frequency detail, it isn't even a comparison! As a musician who has used both mics, I sold the Shure and kept the Beyer.
The two mics sounded almost exactly the same tonally on my speakers, but there was a little coarseness to Mic A, which remained evident the second time through. Mic B was the winner
What a superb video. Surely this is Peak Reviewing, an excellent standard that makes other channels looks like a joke. For me I would pick the SM57 for instruments, for singing/talking the M201 TG is the winner imo but still the SM57 would likely suit some voices more than others because all microphones have that potential ace card to play.
Thanks for this comparison. Happy user of two 201 for years. Luckily, they are cheaper in Germany😅 Honestly, a SM57 works in almost any use case. But the 201 is a touch nicer.
Hi hello! Do you already have a SONY C-80? Its sound reminds me a lot of Lewitt (440 or FLEX) and a bit of KSM32. But he is much more sensitive than both named. Will you test him? 🙃
I bought and use the M201TG as my daily driver due to Bandrew's original review. Love it. SE V7 also excellent.
M201tg and SEV7! What a set of mics!
I'd love to see a quick comparison of the 201 and the 57 with the A2WS. Maybe on the second channel?
Can you please try the dynamic fifine k688 ? For $80 it seems promising and I want to hear your thoughts about it!
The lack of a _"Greeeetings Earthings"_ totally threw me off and so I'm glad it was rectified quickly.
I wonder what the Frequency Response of the SM57 would be with the A81WS on - would it flatten out that boosted top end just the right amount? Did they design it that way specifically with a top-end boost to pair with that windscreen?
I sometimes use a 57 for vocals with the A81WS and it definitely changes/improves the sound. It's not night and day but it definitely helps on most voices. Another thing to check out is Julian Krauss has an EQ setting schedule that mimics the SM7b's sound. I like it a lot, but it's a bit dark for my taste so I don't cut the upper frequencies quite as much and I end up with an improved result for my uses & taste.
A81WS on a m201 tho?
There's a simple mod to improve the sound of an SM57 - putting a resistor (680 ohms is about the correct value) across its output pins 2 and 3. This has the effect of damping some of the HF resonances and smoothing that aggressive HF boost boost. I think the mic was originally designed for transformer inputs, which also tame it in a similar way.
Maybe an in-line pre with impedance switching options allows for similar tonal changes
@@ssserotonin1373 it would do. It doesn't matter which end of the cable it goes!
I liked the Sm57 in the blind test way more on my dt1990s. funnily enough I thought it was the beyerdynamic at first 😅 Again shows that the sm57 is just a classic :)
Danke!
Thank you so much for your Support Rainer! I really truly appreciate it so much and it helps continue to make content like this.
fucking subscribed, great logic and vibe, all the years scrolling music tech vids n only just found ya, this vid just highlighted that I think my ears are a bit bored of 57s, ok don't kill me they're great but my ear can hear them so distinctly in any comparisons n its highlighted that slight harshness im constantly battling with in my mixes, 57s on gtrs, 57 on snares top n bot, 57 on acoustic, just too much 57 tone generally in my mixes, this vid just made a light bulb go off in my cranium, thanks man, respect, Leon
Great tune in this one. Wish you did drums too !
Thanks so much Steve. I wish I did too because that would be very helpful. I just don't have the ability to do that at this time. Maybe one day I'll be able to. That'd be awesome.
Geez Bandrew, thousands of Shure faithful devotees have gone into cardiac arrest. A great review.
As I have been labeled a "Shure Shill", I had to be resuscitated following my conclusion of this video.
I really like the 201 tg on electric guitar. I use it as my live mic because it has a smoother less sharp sound. Both are awesome though
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on them. The 201 is great and the SM57 is great too. I agree.
Woah... I really liked 57 on those guitars! What a surprise as I thought that "pretty standard mic" was the darker one (MIC A).
Glad the demo helped you ID which one you like the sound of better. Appreciate you watching and sharing your thoughts.
Went Definitely with Option A. (voice)
When i heard the price gap O.O No wonder i liked A. (vocal)
Bias disclosure: I was hoping i picked the under-dog, sort of speak; but, in the end i liked the Bayer by a LONG shot.
I love the the blind A/B tests coming from you Bandrew
I kind iof missed it but which mic was used on the electric gutar example B?
Great videos, but how about reviewing some (Examples being; ACQUA - Lava, ML-1 Slate Digital, and a new one by UA)
201TG won it all IMO. I have heard tho that the sm57 needs a high quality preamp (with transformers maybe? and its picky to which impedance it sees from the preamp, if I understood it correctly) to really come to life so it would have been cool if you tried that out with the mics aswell. Thanks for the test!
@DarkTrap Music I was reading up a bit on the sm57 the last couple of days due to me having 3 of them and I want to give the best chance to deliver the goods. What I meant to say was that they seem to be pretty demanding on the preamp (whatever that means). Not necessarily highest quality stuff, just they are picky at what preamp they work good with (for example impedance). They also need a bit more gain than usually with mics. Search for sm57 and preamp or something if you're interested and see if you find similar info, maybe not?
I think what they mean is it, the 57 tends to sound best through a 600 ohm input impedance which isn't possible with your standard interface preamp but is typically included on more expensive outboard preamps.
@@OssianOtt I feel like this type of "advice" from ppl is just to sell preamps. Your mic positioning and placement in a room will matter more than a "high end" pre. There are no magic bullets in audio, no special keys. Mixing and recording and such are just like learning an instrument. You gotta do it a lot and suck at it for a while before you get "good", whatever that means. By the time you're "good" you don't care anymore. Your concern then is "how the hell do i make money doing this so I can justify all the time and money I've already dumped into it??" lol.. A 57 will always be a 57 no matter how much money you throw at it. If you only have 57s, that's cool, just pay lots of attention to distance, direction and angle, also different spots in your space. But keep doing research and try to eventually get 1 or 2 other mics so you can learn the differences mics can make. The sE V7 and V7x anf other sE mics too, AKG Perception mics, Studio Projects mics, Tascam TM-80, Behringer C2 pair (value king matched pair for drum overheads, but not much else, there's some good comparison vids on yt). I caution against low end MXL and CAD products. There's a lot of good cheap mics, you don't need a $1000 pre or a neumanns or anything. I read that Steve Albini recommended the Audio Technica Pro 37 as the best mic under $200.00, though the story of the recommendation was from like 20 years ago. Its a good little mic though and pretty different from a 57. And check out "recording hacks" for microphone information. It's a really great resource. And i don't mean to diss 57s or mic preamps, i like a 57 for what it is and i think mic pres are juicy, lol.. But the best place to start is to build a little selection of mics.
All a person needs is a preamp with a decent about of gain, or if push comes to shove, buy an inexpensive Chinese knockoff "cloud lifter". Then you'll have to counter the plosions.
Those myths about the SM57 exist for one reason. The SM57 is a poor microphone. Nothing can help it be more than it is. Don’t believe any of that nonsense.
did you discuss that the sm57 is single coil, versus the 201 TG is a humbucker? That's one of the upgrades to the sm7b, right?
I did not. Thanks for pointing that out Larry, that’s great info for people to know.
I love how the SM57 brings so much presence to my dialogue and handles pretty big ups and downs in loudness, but the inherent sibilance and harshness kills it for me. I'm looking for something that makes me feel the same way while monitoring but without the harshness, so I'm hoping that the M201 will be my daily driver mic.
I hope you end up loving the M201, and that it is your daily driver forever mic.
@@Podcastage hehe, I didn't like it actually. It was one of the more disappointing ones for sure. Not sure why it sounded bad for me!
At the end of this current mic odyssey, I found that the RE20 was the best. Never had a chance to try out an RE27N/D. But I've had a CAD e100Sx from before all this. I tried it out again and I think it sounds good! I think after all this I just learned better technique and trained my ear a bit.
Next two or three I want to try are the Rode NT1, AT2035 and AT4033.
@@MystiqWisdom Glad you found the mic for you! The RE20 is a great sounding mic. You have chosen wisely.
As always, entertaining to those of us who care about this stuff. I listened at work on my sub-par work headphones. I couldn't hear $200 worth of difference, so I'd go SM57 all day. As someone said below, do we really think that most live audiences who are chugging barley bevs can tell a bit of difference? Save yer sheckles, Friends!
Make an updated $300 studio setup video pleaseee
This is a fun comparison, but a bit artificial. Cuz these mics are not competitors (for most peoples' use cases). A bit like comparing a low end Jeep and a Porsche 911: Each have some very compelling qualities, both will get you where you're going, but folks are not cross-shopping them. Let's be glad both exist, and reach for the one that suits our purpose and our budget. This was a great exposition of each one's qualities - P.C-age is always a fun view.
Which mic I prefer in this video depends on the headphones I use. :o/
I'd suggest listening to some music that you love and know well before listening to the comparisons. Kind of as a baseline before listening to the mics.
I think this it's not a fair comparison, but for the price, I'd stick with Shure.
As always, great video.
How about a review of the old school RE10/11 or RE 15/16, popular in the 60s for TV/Film and Live event work. Precursors to the RE20.
I could not tell a significant difference in sound between the two, but I can tell a big difference in the price! Therefore. I would hands down buy the Shure over the M201 TG.
They sound close enough for me to just choose the cheaper option. The Beyer is not 3x better but costs 3x the price.
It is more than 3 times better if you read my comment.
As a die-hard SM57 hater on guitar cabs, I instantly recognized it on your voice in the blind test and I hate it as much. It just has all the high mids and highs that I do not enjoy.
A Definitely felt like it had Beyerdynamic's signature sound. and B had the Crushed Mid that I don't like of the 57. When I say crushed, I don't mean quiet, it's plenty loud but just always felt like it lacked definition to me. All audio mumboumbo words and feel, but that's how I describe it haha.
Welp, there's a reason why in many applications the 57 is paired with a condenser or a ribbon microphone to fill in some "missing" frequencies.
They sounded extremely similar to me. But in the blind test I thought mic B had a bit better clarity on the high end. So, I'm surprising myself and saying the SM57 sounds better for half the price. At least, on your voice, for spoken word.
For the solo electric, the SM57 was noticeably better. For the mix, I couldn't tell. For the acoustic, the M201 sounded better; the SM57 just sounded kind of "dead" or something. Like I was only hearing the strings, and not the body, if that makes any sense. Singing: No preference.
I completely agree. The only use where I preferred the M201 was the acoustic guitar.
The SM57 has more lower treble, which a lot of people associate with "clarity". But if you listen with a good enough monitoring system, the SM57's treble sounds grainy or "cardboard-y", whereas the M201 is buttery-smooth.
You can EQ the 201 to sound just as present as the 57, but you can't EQ the 57 to sound as smooth as the 201.
The attack and punch of the 57 is special, you should review a transformer less 57
🔥❤🌟
sm57 has particularly harsh sibilance with spoken word IMO, that's how I told them apart in the blind test
Yep and this is very clear in the FR measurements, big rise in the top frequencies.
I am very surprised you did not mention anything about the biggest difference between these two mics.
SM57 is a single coil while M201TG is a humbucker.
That translate into EMF hum picking noise sucker vs quiet as a mouse pro tool. The choice is all yours.
Sold my two SM57 and got them replaced with Beyerdynamic M201TG. What a difference!
I would think the biggest difference is the sound quality of them. But that's a very great point that you mention though that I hadn't even considered. Thank you for pointing out that the M201 is hum bucking while the SM57 is not.
Carnac the Magnificent! Brilliant.
People only listen with their eyes, They see a microphone and make judges based on the looks, the brand and all of that.
Using mic A and Mic B really makes sure people listen with their ears, not eyes.
Oh also, Check out the Lewitt MTP440DM which is another competitor to the Shure sm57
After a trombone recording session, and comparisons between SM57, SM58 and m201tg, I found out that with this particular instrument the SM58 and the m201tg are identical. I'm blown away with the fact that a China made SM58 (cost 100 euros) sounds the same with a German made m201tg (cost 230 euros). The SM57 felt a little thin compared to the full and warm sound of the other two.
I believe they still make SM58 in Mexico but the Beta 58a is made in the China factory.
I liked A better listening on my Apple MacBook pro speakers which can be unforgiving in the sense that they obviously just highlight mostly the mids and some highs. M201 for the win
Sm57 is great if you do live sound in the 80isch and you need to be obnoxiously loud on a small PA. otherwise 201TG on everything.
Have still 4x sm57 in my 100+ live mic case, if they’ve been used 10 times in the last 23 years it would have been a lot. So if anyone wants to trade
The 57 has that big ol 5k-6k presence peak that you either like on a particular source or not. This is why some people love them on a guitar cab or a snare drum and sometimes other things while others jusy hate the mic altogether. I also think some people just like to hate the 57 because it's kind of cool to hate the mic.
The Beyer M201 has a lot smoother rise and isn't as boosted in that high presence range like the 57 is but you will pay dearly for that with a pricetag that is triple the cost of the $99 SM57.
If the Beyer is out of your budget then the 57 can still get great recordings, a little eq cut in that 5k-6k range can do wonders if you have a source that the 57's presence boost doesn't flatter.
Both mics are studio standards, if you can afford it buy them both but if you can only afford the 57 then just learn it well, understand how it works exactly, and you can compensate for it quite a bit. The 57 basically has a big proximity boost, a substantial presence boost, and rolls off in the high frequencies, all of these things can be adjusted for with eq if needed.
Less sibilance with the Beyer?
I knew A was the Beyer after just 3 words. Fuller, smoother and less sibilance. BTW, I've been an M160 fan for years.
I wanna see if the m201 is as durable as the sm57 but im scared to mess up my 201, lol..
I can't bring myself to do this either. Haha.
@@Podcastage yeah, its too purdy and good sounding.
I was surprised how similar these were and was expecting the M201 to capture more voice volume at 2 feet, it being hypercardioid. Not sure it's worth the price difference. I was mulling getting the 201 for spoken voice as I'm looking for something flat and unhyped for an edgy voice. Not so sure anymore.
I'm late to the party but B seems to have a rougher/harsher upper range and would be the 57 I presume.
I preferred the M201 TG on speech, song, and acoustic guitar. Interestingly, I preferred the M57 on electric guitar...go figure.
I feel like the SM57 is such a workhorse in live situations that people think it'll be a great studio resource too, though I dunno how accurate that really is.
People absolutely adore the SM57 and use it on everything in the studio, so it seems like it does work quite well there. I'd just go M201 if I had the option.
I'd almost never use either of those mics on voice, spoken or sung, or acoustic guitar; for me this kind of dynamic mic shines on snares (wish you'd given us an A/B with these 2 on a snare) and guitar amps. and, going by what I hear here, I prefer the 57 . . . yes it can be overpronounced on the upper mids on guitar amps, but that can be cured with mic placement (just move the mic off-cone to taste). In live applications where mics have to be tough to survive, the 57 is such a versatile proven industry standard that I'm happy to stick with it. the lower price doesn't hurt either
I would love to be able to provide drum samples, but I do not own any drums, and given current recording locations, I am limited in what kind of sounds I can demo. Very interesting insight though, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
I preferred the sm57 in the electric guitar blind test. The lead guitar had a lot more clarity.
That's why I include the tests so you can make that determination for yourself. Glad you've found which one you like better for that application. The 57 is used on electric for a reason.
The SM57 is very easy to recognise. I preferd it on the elctric guitar, but on the acoustic guitar the Beyerdynamic has the edge in my opinion.
Yeah the 57 has that classic sound we've heard thousands of times.
Favorite Albini 57 line: "I have never found much use for it- as a microphone" 😂
Oh no... you alright man? You need to post a video apologizing to the sm57 and comparing it to a neewer so it can look like a polished god tier mic again.
M201 sounds great! sm57 is good but you need to cut more freq.
I'm honestly shocked. Ive always loved the SM57, but I ended up picking the M201TG every time.
The Beyer M201, having a hypercardioid directivity, has off axis angles 120 and 240 degrees, not 180 ;-)
Please, sennh e865, lewitt 440 and 840
Love the video bandrew but if you change the tune - we RIOT
The SM57 sounded quite nasally and just lacked an overall flatness in the frequency.
I respect the 201TG, but I still prefer the SM57, It works well with my voice.
I don't make these videos to denigrate anyone, I make them so people can find the right mic for their application. Sounds like you've found the right mic for your use.
@@Podcastage Of course, huge fan of your work Mr. Bandrew, I will admit that I won't make the mistake of underestimating Beyerdyanmic again
I though the sm57 was the only mic ever...
Really goes to show how situational mic choice is. I didn't like the M201 as much as the 57 on the cab, but both were usable. The M201 sounded great on acoustic, but the 57 was awful. On vocals I didn't like either mic for differing reasons.
Absolutely. Mic selection is incredibly important when trying to get the exact sound you're looking for.
I dont think that ball of paper ever landed! I literally disappeared into the ether!
Moar SM58, less SM57. I think the 58 sounds way better in general, except for specific cases where the very colored sound of the 57 is a good fit.
I just can't warm to the sound of the SM57, especially for voice. It has this buzzy characteristic that I find unpleasant. The only time I have heard it sound good is with electric guitar. Thanks for the comparison.
M201 is great on el. guitar, but the E906 is even better!
Beyerdynamic cool mic👍
Mic B, the beyer had a notched sound, more airy
The sm57 would sounds pretty good, if it sounded better than a pyle pdmic78...
But, like, it doesn't. Also Shure doesn't know how to make them anymore, because the sm57 I just bought picks up 60hz interference due to body grounding issues, yo.
the 57 sounds much better than the beyer on spoken word
For the price, I'd rather get 3x SM57s 👍
Only difference I could here is the Beyer was a LOT more noisy in handling.
In short, Mic A for acoustic and mic B for Rocking out
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on them. It's always great to hear opinions and thoughts.
201TG,, 🥰