SM57 Mic Question

[Brady Smith]

If I get a sm57 mic, what else would I need in order for it to work through a regular guitar amp. I've read other related post with nothing but confusion.

Secondly...what kind of recording equipment would be recommended and could be used with that mic at good price?

[Spruce]

"I've read other related post with nothing but confusion."

I hear ya!

OK....
The easiest way is to get ahold of a Lo-Z to Hi-Z transformer like this, which matches low-impedance microphones to high-impedance electronic inputs like guitar amps....
Radio Shack carries them...

Another way is to get ahold of a mic-preamp with XLR ins, and 1/4" outs...

I'd go the transformer route and call it a day....

Luck!

[BoydWood]

I agree. The low-impedence mic allows a longer cord, and the plug that converts it allows it to go into an unbalanced amp.

If you're using it for voice, don't expect really good sound quality from most guitar amps, though.

[Ray(T)]

Sorry if the other post has confused but there are a number of options to get it to work properly. True, anything may "work" but various set-ups will be better than others.

First there is the matter of impedance. Decent mics (such as the SM57) are low impedance. Cheap mics and guitars/guitar amps are high impedance so if you want to plug an SM57 into a guitar amp you need to increse the impedance. The easiest way to do this is with a matching transformer as Spruce says. That will work but my bet would be that if its your typical electric guitar amp it will sound pretty awful - but don't let me put you off trying it.

Cheap mics aspire towards and decent mics achieve a "flat" response - that is they respond to all frequencies equally. Guitar amps tend not to do this. They amplify some frequencies more and others less and this gives the amp a particular character - great for electric guitar but a greater tendency to feedback and uneven sound with a microphone. Acoustic amps and keyboard amps, on the other hand, are designed to give a flatter cresponse and you are likely to have more success with one of these. In fact you will find many such amps with an XLR input that you can plug an SM57 straight into.

One thing I must ask is why do you want to plug a mic into a guitar amp?

[mandroid]

another way is a minimixer then the amp will be hooked to the output of the mixer, having a preamp for the mic will be a benefit, some extra tone tweaking.

recording, really basic.. would favor a small mixer that has a pair of rca connectors for recording out from that mixer . theres where you can hook up the recorder. tape,or minidisc with a line in recording jack. often 1/8"trs so a cable with rca to the 1/8 is needed.
behringer has some simple mixers with just a few channels.

[Brady Smith]

The reason I ask is I have the mic and the amp and the amp has inputs for high and low impedence...didn't want to plug the mic in and destroy it.

[Steve Farling]

So Brady, Do you like the way the SM57 works?

[Ray(T)]

Plugging the mic into either of the inputs won't destroy it but it'll work better into the low impedance input - which unfortunately takes us back to having the right lead. The SM57 is intended to be used with a balanced (XLR) input. The amp is likely to have an unbalanced (1/4 inch - jack) input. Balanced leads have shield and two other wires and unbalanced leads a shield and one other connector. To convert balance to unbalanced fit a 1/4 inch jack to the amp end of the lead connecting one of the wires to the shield it doesn't matter which one for a one mic setup.

Are you sure the inputs are high and low impedance? If they just say high and low, they could be high and low gain - in which case they are both likely to be high impedance. Most acoustic amps have a high impedance jack input and a low impedance balanced XLR input in which case just plug and go.

Sorry if this is a bit technical but that's the nature of the subject.