Killa_Hertz
2257 posts
Mar 08, 2017
10:24 AM
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I just purchased a Shure Pe54 mic. It came with the 3 pin Amphenol to XLR adapter. Does anyone know the pinout for the adapter? I downloaded the Pe54 manual and it says pin 3 is Hot and 1 is Ground on the mic. However I'm not sure if the adapter is the same way OR if the adapter uses standard xlr pinout. Or unbalanced pinout. Or ....
I have Neutriks xlrs, switchcraft 1/4" mono, and mogami cable handy to make a custom cable if I could only find out for sure how the adapter works.
I also see that a company makes a 3 pin amphenol to screw on amphenol.
What's my best option?
Thanks.
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Greg Heumann
3318 posts
Mar 08, 2017
4:20 PM
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Best option? Send it to me to Ultimatize it and I can set it up with a screw-on connector or an XLR connector wired any way you want.
Short of that - I've had a couple of those Amphenol 3-pin to screw-on connector adapters and for some reason the "key" on the amphenol side of the adapter was in the wrong place to mesh with the slot on the mic. I ended up grinding it off. (I use it for testing mics when they come in.
Yes, 1 and 3 is the standard Shure wiring for high Z, with low-Z on pins 2 and 3. On some mics you have to change something on the backside of the connector.
The best way to see how your adapter is wired is to just use an ohm meter and find what leads to what.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
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timeistight
2086 posts
Mar 08, 2017
5:33 PM
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Here's a good page on all the Shure PE54 and 545 mics:
http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/shure545.html
According to that page the early PE54 cannot be switched to low impedance.
Last Edited by timeistight on Mar 08, 2017 5:36 PM
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Killa_Hertz
2258 posts
Mar 08, 2017
7:45 PM
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Time .. No .. it can not. I thought they were the same as the 545 until recently. Apparently the pe54 is Hiz only.
Greg.
Thanks .. I read multiple sources on the pinout that all gave conflicting advice. That was really my biggest concern.
As far as the connector ... Ohm it out, duh ... I knew I was overthinking it. Hah.
Actually I have one of your ultimate 545 mics. With the modern 545 element.
I just want to be able to test drive this bad boy for right now. Then I very well may send you them both to switch the cartridges on.
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Greg Heumann
3319 posts
Mar 08, 2017
9:09 PM
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True -= early PE54's were high-Z only. PE54D? dual impedance.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
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Piro39
125 posts
Mar 08, 2017
9:11 PM
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The PE54 is a great harp mic... I had Greg Ultimatize mine and also had him do an old 545 Butterfield swivel mic. Both great mics. If I recall the PE54 is more hot.
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KC69
557 posts
Mar 09, 2017
7:13 AM
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My PE54 is super hot! One day I will let Greg do his thing on it!
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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ScottK
52 posts
Mar 09, 2017
12:15 PM
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Killa sounds like a cool project
I love learning about these mics.
Does the Pe54 use the same cartridge as the 545sd? From what I read they do, is that correct?
I have a 545sd I got on EBay recently which replaced the one I couldn't fix.
Does the 54 have any qualities about it that make it sound different or materials it's made of?
Also, can anyone explain to me the difference between the cartridge and the element in these mics? Is the cartridge and element the same thing, or is the element inside the cartridge? When I attempted to fix my other 545sd I didn't take the cartridge apart. I know that when the grill comes off there is a thin plastic round piece that sits on top of the cartridge. Is this same piece in all these mics?
Last Edited by ScottK on Mar 09, 2017 12:21 PM
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TetonJohn
306 posts
Mar 09, 2017
1:44 PM
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I love my PE54 pistol grip -- I have it in a nice pistol case -- I did send a wand style vintage 545 to greg to ultimize, but I like the butterfield vintage vibe of the pistol grip -- it is heavy, but just too cool -- and it sounds great, too!
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timeistight
2087 posts
Mar 09, 2017
6:20 PM
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"I love my PE54 pistol grip -- I have it in a nice pistol case"
Photos, please!
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TetonJohn
307 posts
Mar 09, 2017
8:46 PM
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It's just a grey padded, zippered pistol carrying case, not a tooled leather holster or anything all that photogenic!
(plus I've never been any good at taking and posting photos; we'll see though...)
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Killa_Hertz
2259 posts
Mar 10, 2017
4:53 AM
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Scott K ... I'll do my best to answer your questions. Don't take any of this as gospel though, I'm not an expert at this stuff.
The new 545 models use the same model cartridge. However similar to shure CM elements, they have changed production a few times. So the older ones are "better" than the newer production.
The cartridge is the element and the transformer in a nice neat capsule. So the element itself is within the cartridge.
As for my initial post .....
I did ring out the 3pin amphenol to xlr connector. In short... The connector takes the 3pin hot for the mic and makes it 2 pin hot xlr. So your average unbalanced xlr to mono Will work fine.
This mic is very hot. I like it. It's nothing like my ultimate 545 (which has a current production 545 cartrige.) I'm not saying one is "better" than the other. They are just different. Which I like better? I'm still unsure, too soon to tell. I do think the 533 still stands at my favorite mic for that dirty blues sound. Bulletini and JT30 CR still tied for second. (Not that they sound alike)
Mind you I have all small amps, so bass response and things of that nature are more important (in a mic) than if I had an amp with naturally better bass.
When changing amps and/or when using certain effects ... my mic choices change greatly. Above I'm comparing the mics dry straight into an amp. I find the more I color my sound with pedals, the cleaner the mic I prefer. So given a different setup, that list would be much different.
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Mar 10, 2017 4:57 AM
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Greg Heumann
3321 posts
Mar 10, 2017
8:57 AM
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@Killa is correct - there have been several generations of cartridges and the new ones are a little cleaner than the old ones. I heard once but have no proof that the new 545SD cartridges are in fact the same as SM57 cartridges, perhaps ones that just slightly failed some QA test. I have A/B'd new 545SD with SM57 and if there is a difference it is VERY slight.
What I CAN tell you is that, for any given generation, the cartridge on a PE54 was the same as the cartridge on a 545. 545's (with the exception of a fairly rare 545L) were all dual impedance. Initial PE54's used a high-Z-only transformer. The PE54D uses the same dual impedance transformer as a 545 of the same age; it just left the factory wired for high-Z while the 545's went out set up for low.
The TRANSFORMER in these mics is as responsible for the generational tone differences as the cartridge! The older transformers ARE better. The best possible tone in my opinion comes from an early PE54 with its single impedance high-Z transformer. The dual impedance transformers all have an extra set of windings, therefore they used thinner wire to get it to all fit. I theorize this is responsible for the difference in tone, but I don't have any scientific evidence to back up that theory.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Mar 10, 2017 8:58 AM
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ScottK
53 posts
Mar 10, 2017
10:10 AM
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Killa and Greg- Thanks for the info!
Greg- As I understand and when you helped me diagnose my broken 545sd, the transformer is the yellowish part in the lower half of the mic below/next to the on/off switch, is that correct? Is it this Transformer at this link below, which is for the 57 and 58?
Shure 51A303 Tranformer
Also, I think I read that you recommend keeping the 545sd low z. Thats how I have mine with an adapter, then I can go direct to an xlr in a pa easily too.
I read some keep it hi z. In that case, I guess I would need a different cord or adapter..any benefits? Does it come down to personal preference/ amp etc...Eventually I'll try both ways prob.
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Killa_Hertz
2261 posts
Mar 11, 2017
3:06 PM
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Greg that bit about the transformers adding to the tone is very interesting. I had never considered that.
I haven't had much time to play with the pe54, but it only takes a second to see how vastly different it is from new production. The pe54 is very colorful. Meaning it adds alot of different characteristics to the tone. Whereas the newer production is very much like the newer sm57 in that it's a closer representation of the actual input sound. Or its cleaner I suppose is the easiest way to say it.
Which one is"better" depends on what your using it for. Aswell as your personal taste.
Scott K. Personally if given the choice I always go with Hiz. However I play mostly at home and PA concerns and cable length aren't an issue.
I do however have many LowZ mics. And I simply use a shure in line transformer plugged into the amp to convert them to Hiz for playing through. Low Z mics are far more versatile because you can also use them for recording and things of that nature. So I suppose it all comes down to your preference. If you have more than one, you can ofcourse have one of each.
If your mic is Hiz you would use an xlr to 1/4" cable to go from mic to amp. Wired mono unbalanced 2pin hot.
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ScottK
54 posts
Mar 12, 2017
3:44 PM
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Thanks Killa- great info. I'll need to keep my eye out for a Pe54.
Tried out my mics today with a Bugera V5 at guitar center since I never used these mics with it. Ya, I use a impedance adapter on my mic chord with the low z mic. Sounded pretty good.
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Greg Heumann
3322 posts
Mar 13, 2017
11:09 PM
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@ScottK - the transformer for the 545 is different than what's in an SM57 or SM58. It is dual impedance. It is part number 51B304.
@Killa - if you set your XLR-equipped PE54D or 545 up for high impedance according to Shure's instructions, it will be Pin 3 Hot, not Pin 2 Hot. It isn't that hard to change, but that's the path of least resistance.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Mar 13, 2017 11:11 PM
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