SM57 stock vs. SM57 transformer removed

[paladin shredder]

Sounds like to me the modded does get rid of some of that fizz, which solo'd sounds better imo. But listening to it in the mix I'm not sure it really helps. I can't help but focus more on how much the low mids stick out too much. could be that the friedman technique needs that fizz from the center mic to work properly. I this case I would go for the stock 57, but a single moded 57 could work really well in the right spot.

I guess like all gear, the right mic depends on the situation.

 

[VWAS2009]

The modded one sounds more like an SM7B... They do use the same capsule as the 57 anyhow... Id like to try a Modded 57 and an SM7B on vocals and see if you can tell the difference...

 

[dani]

I still have my SM7 if you want to compare with it.

Jeff

i'd be interested to hear!

thanks,

 

[JBroll]

The modded one sounds more like an SM7B... They do use the same capsule as the 57 anyhow...

Owning one of both and having looked at their spec sheets, I very strongly doubt that this is true. I also recall someone else showing that the capsules were different a while back.

Jeff

 

[Ermz]

No transformer is way better. How do I fuck that shit off?

.. or for the non-Australians: How would one go about removing the transformer in theirs?

 

[JBroll]

I know I've posted instructions on it in the past, hopefully they can be found soon.

Long story short... unscrew everything, boil the bit in the middle until the glue melts, yank the yellow thing out, and reconnect the wires through the now-hollow middle of the body.

Jeff

 

[~BURNY~]

I hear a difference, not an objective improvement.
The modded one has less fiftysevenness than the original.

 

[Ermz]

Less 57'ness isn't an improvement?

 

[~BURNY~]

Less 57'ness isn't an improvement?

I don't know. I never considered the 57 to be a bad mic.
I heard Andy Sneap uses them, but what do I know?

 

[Charles J]

No transformer is way better. How do I fuck that shit off?

.. or for the non-Australians: How would one go about removing the transformer in theirs?

LMFAOOO!!

Yes, school us, dude! I remember reading something about boiling, but... i've got a spare 57 i might be willing to try this on...

and what fucking amp is in the clips???? I'm surprised no one commented on how fucking AWESOME the tone is!

oh, and HUGE difference to my ears...

EDIT: DUH, recto in file name... any other info?

 

[006]

Ok, first off, I will probably be doing this mod to a friend's SM57 tonight - if so I'll try to make a video. The mod is INCREDIBLY easy and takes <30 minutes (for me it took 15 or so but I've read between 15-30 mins for others). There are many ways to go about it, the basics are to unscrew the portion that has the capsule from the handle, clip the wires - leave as much as you can so you have something to pull on when you heat the glue to remove the tranny though. Take a small flathead screwdriver and remove the XLR connector, clip the wires. At this point you should have the handle/body of the mic with the transformer in it completely free of any other shit. So now you need to heat the body up, you can boil it for like ~5 minutes, you can use a soldering iron on it for about the same, or a heat gun for a couple of minutes (my method of choice). The heat gun gives you more control and it's easier to keep from having melted glue all over the place. Either way you choose, you are heating up the glue so that it gets soft enough to pull the whole deal out of the microphone body. The body is made of metal, you can get creative with how you heat it. So once you take the transformer out, you need to wire the + from the mic capsule (the plastic where the terminals stick out will have a + etched into it next to one of the terminals) to Pin 2 of the XLR connector and the - to Pin 3, the XLR already has a ground wired to a metal plate which touches the metal of the mic body. Now, those are the instructions I found via a GearSlutz post and the only thing I noticed is that my modded SM57 is now out of phase with my i5 and my new stock 57... so I don't know if it needs to be + to 3 and - to 2? I think it should work either way it is wired but maybe wired that way it would be in phase - not sure, anybody know? Otherwise I just flip the phase of the track after recording and all is well.

ANYWAY. The amp used in the clip is a Mesa Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb 2x12 combo running 6L6, silicone, bold, modern. I have the speaker output going to my Mesa OS 4x12, mic'ing the top left speaker with an SM57 aimed at the center of the cap (either modded or stock) and then an Audix i5 as the angled mic. Both mics into my ProFire2626. I appreciate the compliment Charlie! Actually using just a HP/LP and a tiny dip at around 500Hz, then a multiband comp to help the palm mutes but that's it.

 

[JBroll]

I didn't pay attention to the Gearslutz wiring instructions... I just wired things up one way and checked for phase cancellation.

Jeff

 

[nwright]

open the mic, take out the transformer, wire the XLR jack straight to the capsule.

I boiled my mic shaft (ha) to soften the glue and then pulled the transformer out.

I loooove mine on vocals. I modded mine probably 2-3 years ago at this point but only recently really tried it out for vocals.

 

[006]

Touché, I bet if I take it apart again and switch them it'd be in phase then, oh well, flipping the phase it easy enough in the DAW. Maybe I'll get bored one day and rewire it though.

 

[JBroll]

For all I know it could give you ear herpes, I'm really just not sure of anything at this point - sometimes it's just easier to try things until they don't explode, and that's all I did.

Jeff

 

[006]

For all I know it could give you ear herpes, I'm really just not sure of anything at this point - sometimes it's just easier to try things until they don't explode, and that's all I did.

Jeff

 

[PhilTheBeard]

LMFAOOO!!

Yes, school us, dude! I remember reading something about boiling, but... i've got a spare 57 i might be willing to try this on...

and what fucking amp is in the clips???? I'm surprised no one commented on how fucking AWESOME the tone is!

oh, and HUGE difference to my ears...

EDIT: DUH, recto in file name... any other info?

What spare 57 do you have to do this with? lmao

 

[Trevoire520]

Think I'm gonna try this as I've always felt 57's can be a bit fizzy on top.

 

[guitarguru777]

I like both but I think the unmodded really gives it a bit more "life" I guess. It would be interesting to see the Fredman technique with 2 57's, one that was modded and one that wasnt. I like the fact that it kills off the harsh fizzy shit, but I dont like what it does to the mids personally.

 

[derfbonker]

Owning one of both and having looked at their spec sheets, I very strongly doubt that this is true. I also recall someone else showing that the capsules were different a while back.

Jeff

I may be wrong but i'm pretty sure that the 57, 58, and sm7 all use the unidyne III capsule. correct me if i'm wrong.