dougharps
575 posts
Mar 14, 2014
8:52 AM
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I have a Shure 55SH Series II mic and in my experience it works fine for acoustic harp and vocals. It really looks cool and retro. It does have some proximity effect, but is impractical to hand hold and cup due to size and weight. It costs more than a SM57 or SM58 and in my experience in a loud stage environment it feeds back more easily than those two Shure standards.
If you are starting out with getting mics, I would suggest the following:
If you will play harp to the PA and only sing some of the time, get an SM57. You can play acoustically with it in a stand, or cup it and thus boost the lows by taking advantage of the proximity effect (more bass when you play right on it). It is also good through an amp with an impedance matching transformer. Also, a 57 can be used to mic amps or guitars. It is decent for singing, and some singers prefer it to the 58. It is the most versatile mic.
Greg Heumann sells an inline volume control for Low-Z mics like the SM57 and SM58.
If you will be singing a lot, I would recommend the SM58. It is the standard performance vocal mic, and sounds great with some EQ built in that is good for vocals. You can get a stock 58 to play in a stand or hold it and cup it. It has some proximity effect, too. It sounds great for vocals and for harp to the PA. It is very directional and feedback resistant. It can be used with a transformer to an amp, though I would prefer the 57 in that role due to the presence/EQ added to the 58 for vocals.
Greg's Low-Z volume control is great if you are going to handhold and cup a standard Low-Z mic. If you don't want the extended length of a 57 or 58 with an inline volume control snapped on the end, Greg sells modified 57s and 58s, the Ultimate 57 and 58 mics.
If you are not into just the looks of the 55SH, the other two mics are economically and performance wise the better choices. If you are not primarily a singer, then the 57 is the best and most versatile choice. You will always be able to find a use for a 57, even if you change to other mics for harp.
Edit: I also have the Sennheiser e835 and it is fine for vocals and harp, though it tends to emphasize the high frequencies, which can be good for some voices. It is EQed a little brighter and has no noticeable proximity effect.
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Mar 14, 2014 3:41 PM
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