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Originally Posted by Lynn Fuston Is this a myth or what? Old vs. new 57s? Has someone done the listening test? And did it take into account the use/abuse that the older 57 has seen vs. a brand new out-of-the-pouch 57?
Just wondering.
I've heard of one engineer that uses a brand new 57 on snare for every tracking session. No used ones at all. It's a part of his contract. Do you think he specs American 57s?
I've used 57s for years and have never had cause (or need) to ask about one's provenance. To me every 57 I've ever used sounds like a 57. How would you know where it was made? Is there some visual distinction between the two? When did the manufacturing change take place? |
Those who have compared know, those who haven't grab the first thing available.
I "dicovered" this large difference back in 1991 when comparing very good condition Unidyne III's to the current crop of Mexican 57's. I called an engineer friend at Shure about it. He said the dies and stampers were sent from Ill. to Juarez, Mexico and were not replaced. I believe tired dies and stampers for the mylar diaphrams are part of the reason, just like in pressing records.
Jim Williams
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