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Optional replacement for Shure 55SH


daoops

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There are true condenser mics for studio purposes -price of a small car though -- usually with valve pre-amp. there are electret mics 1.5v to drive the preamp - get a capsule from Maplin. the copy 55sh is available from terralec the real one from a shure dealer

 

The old 55 was the rock and roll vocal mic. prior to that the mics were often ribbons

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  • 11 years later...

Thread resurrection after 11 years and 6 days:

 

A singer friend is looking for a vintage-look microphone. In the past I have set her up with a borrowed 55SH which she has been happy with,

 

As an alternative to her buying the genuine article

I have found two other candidates:

 

From Studiospares, the s1940 at £56.50 - https://www.studiospares.com/Microphones/Mics-Vocalist/Studiospares-S1940-Retro-Mic-Red_449140.htm

 

From Thomann, the t.bone GM 55 at £40.14 - http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_gm55_elvis_mikro.htm

 

I am keen to avoid the various £30 from eBay versions!

 

Does anyone have any experience of either of these for live use?

 

Thanks!

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The Thomann and CPC ones, branded Pulse are the same unit. I used to sell a lot of these before Thomann moved in and knocked £20 off the price I was getting. They're made by the Chinese company Yoga - who make quite a lot of very popular mics. The CPC version is here.

 

I suspect the Studiospares one could also be made by Yoga, but it's different from the one they have. For interest, their website is here.

 

For new customers their minimum order quantity is now 500 for most of the items, with 100 on the more expensive ones. Some of them, if you have a look are rather familiar.

 

Most of the ebay ones are the same things, but people are making next to nothing on them - but they are surprisingly good.

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I've got some NJD versions*. They're probably the same as the other lookalikes. They are remarkably good and stand up well against branded microphones.

 

*This was the first supplier thrown up by a famous search engine; other suppliers may well be available.

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I have one of the Thomann versions. Initially bought it just for "the look" but actually think it sounds rather nice. Warm and full, particularly if you sing (like I do) with lips touching the mic. Clever 5/8" mounting thread built it so it goes straight onto a mic stand without needing a separate clip.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Alan

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From Studiospares, the s1940 at £56.50 - https://www.studiospares.com/Microphones/Mics-Vocalist/Studiospares-S1940-Retro-Mic-Red_449140.htm

 

From Thomann, the t.bone GM 55 at £40.14 - http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_gm55_elvis_mikro.htm

 

<snip>Does anyone have any experience of either of these for live use?

 

Thanks!

I have both of the above, bought for the period look, and they are surprisingly good.

Very pleasant and neutral with a nice warmth.

The off-axis rejection is as good as the real thing.

They're not as prone to proximity effect as a 58 (which is good when working with show voices who stand back off the mic.)

 

The s1940 doesn't look 50s; :blink: it does look older, and is very suited to the current electro-swing trend.

Studiospares also do a 55 copy that I recommend.

Warning: They have poor quality on/off switches that don't latch well, so need to be taped over to stop them switching off. (On the originals, this was an impedance switch.)

Also, on the mic stand, you need to remove any locking ring on the thread before mounting the mic, as it'll foul the XLR.

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Thanks for the feedback and recommendations. In the end she has ordered the "Fame MS 55" from DV247.com, which looks like yet another of the Yoga microphones: http://www.dv247.com/microphones/fame-ms-55-vocal-microphone--200130

 

Her first gig with it is on Saturday, although I'm not engineering it. I will be interested to see how she gets on with it.

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