Comments on: TTKs Mic Shoot-Out : Shure SM57 vs. Sennheiser e609

By: KnowlesKristi

KnowlesKristi — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:01:58 +0000

Buildings are not cheap and not everybody can buy it. Nevertheless, credit loans was created to support people in such situations.

By: audiocircuit

audiocircuit — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:37:56 +0000

i think Sennheiser e609 is better….

By: Studio 139

Studio 139 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:27:00 +0000

I have both, still prefer the SM57, I know some people think of it as nasal or brittle,
which can be true, but also has a better bottom end and more clarity.
The e609 is designed to be hung right up against the grill cloth, but sounds better
about four inches back ( i.e. use a stand) but it still lacks the depth of the SM57,
the tone of the e609 seems dull by comparison. It was easy to identify the the
two microphones as their tonal qualities are quite different. Both mic’s sound better
with a little bit of subtractive EQ. The e609 isn’t a bad mic, but I would go with the
SM57 as a first choice.

By: jcpwrd

jcpwrd — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:48:24 +0000

I also got the opposite of ModernGuitarist. Nice that there was an attempt to do a blind subjective test, but an experienced engineer, with audio test experience, would be quick to point out that the test is not properly setup for it to be both objective and subjective. I’ll be happy to explain should anyone not understand the concept I am referring to. Regardless, it still boils down to personal preference, given identical test conditions for each. (i.e. signal source, speaker, & mounting distance).

By: Steve Donnelly

Steve Donnelly — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:13:23 +0000

Taping the mic to the grille of the will likely have some adverse effect on the sound as the mic itself will be vibrating with the cabinet, both mics should be on stands. Also you can see in the pics where the mics are off-center, that the center of the 609 is probably an inch closer to the center of the cone; this is going to make a difference in the sound, the closer you get to the center, the more high end you get. Good concept but the execution needs to be a little more exact for it to be a fair/useful comparison. When you’re micing this closely, tiny differences in position and angle can make a big difference in sound.

By: Brandon Thomas

Brandon Thomas — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:36:21 +0000

I can say from using both live as a guitarist and FOH this test really didn’t reveal the true colors of either mic. Both are fantastic mics and i use them both all the time. The 609 has a more clear tone while the 57 does a good mid range tone. I love to use the 609 on axis just off the center of the cone and then the 57 at a 45 pointing out about 2 inches in from the edge of the cone.

By: dudeguy

dudeguy — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:41:59 +0000

Considering the sm 57 has an impedance of 300 and the sennheiser has and impedance >1k and your rolls unit is 600, you are not pairing either mic with the right preamp and not getting the proper sound from either.

Test is flawed. You need to use a preamp with variable impedance.

Do over.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 04:08:30 +0000

The 609 definitely has an overall smoother balanced tone. I think so many people prefer the 57 because of its midrange boost. but if you listen again closely it’s actually very brittle and breaking up a little. yes the 57 cuts through more but in a harsh way. remember you can’t polish a turd. the 609 will give you more options in mix down, and/or more options to eq for the stage at the board in live situations.

By: Pieter

Pieter — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:36:30 +0000

I like the the sm57 off axis, and the
sennheiser e609 on axis.

The e609 is better for cleaner sounds, and sound
more ambiant.
The sm57 is on axis to direct, i like it better
of axis, especialy with the more compressed sounds.

By: trevor

trevor — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:10:42 +0000

well he didn’t try them at different distances or angles from the amp. there aren’t obviously only two places to place a mic on an amp. i have both mics and i prefer the 609, but you gotta scoot it back 3-6 inches for a more balanced tone. also you don’t have to fuckin tape it. it comes with a mic clip hahaha.