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Miking Guitar Cab - Beta 57a vs Sennheiser e609


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Just got a good deal on a Shure Beta 57a, and I was wanting people's opinion on using it for miking guitar cabs in a live setting. I play a tele and les paul through an Orange Tiny Terror head and 2x10 cab. Most venues we play provide a Sennheiser e609, but I'm interested in others' opinions. Of couse, the real test will be to use one mic on each speaker and A/B them, but what is your experience with these mics for guitar cabs? 

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When i first used my e609, i miked my 66 blackface vibrolux reverb into a simple full range 2x15" and a horn cabinet pa system. I walked in front of one of the pa cabs, closed my eyes played and listened. It sounded just like my amp was in front of me. No shure mike ever did that for me...

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I did an A/B test with a SM57, Sennheiser e609, and a Sennheiser MD421.

I setup 3 different channels on my mixer so that I could channel eq each mic to "as good a sound to my ear" as I could get.

The test was conducted with a VHT 50ST amp and my custom American Strat (Lindy Fralin pickups).

First, I don't think that anyone would be able to tell in the audience which of these were being used.  There is simply not THAT much difference in sound and they are all decent microphones.

That being said, here was what my ears said:

  1. The best sounding mic was the MD421.  It had more impact on palm mutes with heavy patches, and had more clarity on the cleans.
  2. I couldn't pick a winner between the 57 and the e609.  They didn't sound exactly the same .... but they both sounded very good.

Now for the rest of the story ....

The MD421 is a MUCH more expensive microphone.  One would hope it sounds better ;)  It wasn't a clean win though.  I have had issues with the MD421 picking up too much stage volume.  This is a particular issue with the kick and bass, but it gets lots of other noise in it easily too.  The MD421 is also my LEAST favorite microphone from a usability standpoint.  It has a custom mic clip, and takes up more room than any other guitar mic I have ever used.

The 57 is built like a brick, but I have broken a couple over the years.... mostly my fault.  It takes less room than the MD421, but it is no where near as easy to use as my favorite mic....

The Sennheiser e609 is a huge win for me.  No stand is needed.  It rejects stage noise better than any other mic I have used, and it is very reasonably priced.

That was my conclusions anyway ;)

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Thanks for the input!

 

My main reason of trying a Beta 57 was because a sound guy at a gig A/B'd an e609 and a sm57, just talking through them to the stage monitors. The e609 was definitely not as clear/bright at the Shure; in fact it almost sounded muffled. That being said, I know the e609 is not a vocal mic, and I've played gigs where the 609 sounded great on my amp as well as gigs where it sounded terrible, made my hand wired over drives sound like cheap fuzz pedals. Now that I have the Beta 57 I will be trying it at the next few gigs. As Tomm said, it's about what sound I like, and also may depend on what guitar I'm playing, as a bright tele with the 57 may be too bright. Also, I'm sure the quality of the sound system plays a huge role - I can't judge a mic on the sound coming from a POS floor monitor.

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The sound system absolutely plays a role in this....................as far as what the audience hears. It's entirely possible that you could like the way mic A sounds in the monitors but not the mains or the opposite. Sound is quite subjective. I once read an interview with Eric Johnson where he claimed that the screws in the bottom of his FX pedals needed to be removed for his sound to be right. I don't know about that but who am I to argue with EJ?

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henrigates wrote:

 

 

Just got a good deal on a Shure Beta 57a, and I was wanting people's opinion on using it for miking guitar cabs in a live setting. I play a tele and les paul through an Orange Tiny Terror head and 2x10 cab. Most venues we play provide a Sennheiser e609, but I'm interested in others' opinions. Of couse, the real test will be to use one mic on each speaker and A/B them, but what is your experience with these mics for guitar cabs? 

 

 

I own both mics, and because the 609s are so easy to use/place, they are what I normally use.  I like them on amps that players tilt back also.  On smaller, crowded stages, a 57 on a stand can get bumped and moved out of position. 

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Not that this answers your question ... but have you ever tried a ribbon mic for this application?  Royer 121's are amazing for micing guitar amps, but very costly.  I would audition a few of the chinese knock-offs and would expect they will blow away and common dynamic or condenser mic for the job.

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57 or 609?  Red Delicous or Jonathan?  Both are sufficiently similar that if you can make one work you can make the other work, or you don't like either.  I prefer a 906, PR30, PR40, AT4050, D4.  Then there are the Royers that are a lot of money.

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