Shure Beta 57 A

Great Upgrade from SM57

Good for vocals, guitar and drums. Great all around, can't go wrong with this microphone.

SM57

The best instrument multi purpose mic out there…

Shure Beta57A

Similar to SM57 but with supercardioid polar pattern reducing spill from other instruments. Sounds a little harder and brighter than the sm57. Perfect on snare when you only can use a snare top mic.

Superb quality for all purposes

I was told by a studio engineer that you could not get any better than this microphone for all uses, not just vocals. I have invested in this microphone for my vocals on my own pa system and it is much more pronounced and clear. It also can bring out the sound of any instrument of my choice when performing including guitar, banjo, low whistle. A must have for any performer or studio engineer.

A true workhorse mic

I have three of these in my mic collection. Great for most applications. Stick it on a snare drum, horns, a guitar amp or even a drum vocal. It just sounds good. Build quality could be better though, the shock ring is easy to lose and the beta branding plate tends to fall off after a year or two's use.

As expected, industry standard mic

Good instrument mic not too 'naughty' in the highs and good mid-range response with a little notch, nothing a little EQ wont resolve. Industry standard, good investment, indestructible. But that damn blue band. You'll lose that.

Great all rounder

Although not the flattest response, the directionality and price make this an easy go-to mic to carry for emergencies

Now a classic, as is the SM57 and SM58...

To me, this mic earned his rank among the other Shure "classics". It's construction is indestructible. It sounds even better than the classic SM58 (or Beta58) on vocals and provides great rejection. It also shines on many other sources, amps, percs, etc. Provides a more 'fat' snare sound than the tradiotional SM57. At that price, you can't go wrong!

57beta shure microphone, great sound.

57beta shure microphone, great sound.

The first mic I've ever loved.

After trying to get decent sound from both a Rode NT-1A and an SE Electronics large diaphragm condenser mics into my DAW for a good many years I'd all but given up. Yeah, sounded ok but...well you know.

Anyway I thought I'd try an SM58. I mean...folk like them so I've heard haha. After trying it though it turns out I'm not one of them so back it went. (switch was also faulty on it but that's another story). I was getting more and more disheartened when a friend suggested the Shure Beta 57A (the one this review is about). And you know what?...Perfect, really just that. Pop shield in front of it, gain turned up on my audio interface (no phantom power needed woohoo), sang straight ahead into the front of it and there it was. The sound I've been searching for. Not boomy just perfect. No sound in from the rest of the room either. Directional you know :). Another plus is that I can also use it for recording instruments. It's not even that expensive. I can't say enough good things about the Beta 57A. I'm really, really happy with it. So there you go. Just get one :)