Shure BETA 57A Wireless Microphone

The Shure BETA 57A is a high output supercardioid dynamic microphone designed for professional sound reinforcement and project studio recording. It maintains a true supercardioid pattern throughout its frequency range. This insures high gain-before-feedback, maximum isolation from other sound sources, and minimum off–axis tone coloration. Excellent for acoustic and electric instruments as well as for vocals, the extremely versatile BETA 57A dynamic microphone provides optimal warmth and presence. Typical applications include drums, guitar amplifiers, brass, woodwinds and vocals. Review: All-Around Awesome Mic - I bought this mic for it's reputation as a workhorse both in the studio and in a live gig setting. So far I've put it through some use in both contexts and it's performed wonderfully. In a live application, I've used it as a vocal mic- there seems to be some debate over whether this or the Beta 58 is a better choice for live vocals, and I'd say that having heard both used onstage, I like the 57A because it cuts through the muddiness of most small venues a lot better. If you're playing a killer sounding room like, I don't know... the Ryman, it likely won't matter, but in the brewery barroom that resembled a really crowded hallway that we played the other night it made all the difference in the world over even an SM58- it was nice to hear myself sounding more like myself in the monitor. I've also noticed a few musicians that I respect a lot using it, and even Obama had one in his hand the other night while giving a speech. In my home studio, I've used the 57A to mic a snare (sounds killer, tons of snap and body), acoustic guitar (not bad at all, although I prefer an SDC mic here), and a guitar cabinet (sounds great.) Overall, I don't think you can go wrong with this mic. I'd like to add a Beta 58 to the collection as well, but after a lot of research I think the 57A is the most versatile of the two so if you're on a limited budget as most musicians are, I'd go with this. You won't be disappointed, and I'd be surprised if I find a dynamic mic that replaces it in my every-day, go-to gear case anytime soon. Review: Super Good - I like this as a top snare mic! I like it but I don’t love it. I am growing to love it as my personal vocal mic as a learn a little hypercardioid mic technique. I like that this is like a regular 57 in the way that you can get closer to the capsule than you can on a 58 or beta58. Super versatile, I love it!