Shure SM57 question...

[LEOKV2]

I've been miking my cab with this mic. But, I plug the mic directly into my Creative SoundBlaster Live 5.1 card using a mic cable, but, the one that has the big "mic type" jackl (don't know the name) and a standard 1/4 "guitar style" plug on the other, this side I connect to the soundcard using a 1/4 to 1/8 (or the headphone style jack) adaptor so it fits into the "mic" input of the card.

The mic captures a very low volume signal, so I found on my soundcard's controls a button that said "20db boost" and that does the trick now.

Of course this is the card I just use for home recording ideas and all, I already got a 2496 and an ART TubePAC (tube preamp and compressor) that will go into a new pc i'm planning to get.

I was just curious, do SM57 are supposed to work this way?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

yes, your mic needs a preamp to bring it up to line level signal.
the 2496 and tubpac will work out great once you build the new PC.

[Shotgun]

And yes, in my very very VERY limited experience, the SM57 has very low output: the 57s have the weakest signals of the 1/2 dozen or so mics I've worked with recently, and require the most trim (heh heh... he said, "trim") at the preamp.

So yes, you need the preamp, and even then you're probably going to need to crank things up to get a nice hot signal.

What software are you going to use? I used a 2496 for a while, and honestly still could be using it.

Keith

[Shawn Lutz]

For the price of a SM57 you can't go wrong with that. Its perfectly suited for micing cabs and rugged as can be. Another great mic is the e609.

The larger connector is called an XLR

Use the ART preamp so go mic-->ART-->SB/2496.

The 2496 is a great card for the money...I used it and a chreap ART pre with guitar tracks pro for a several years with excellent results. When I went to Sonar I got a M-Audio 1814 Firewire and the ART DPSII so I could have more i/o's and record digital SPDIF out of the DPSII inot Sonar

[Riscchip]

That sounds about right for an SM57. Focusrite makes some nice sounding and fairly cheap preamp / compressor units (I use the twintrak) that will make your life easier running between the mic and the soundcard.