Shure SM57 - NEW vs VINTAGE!

I compare a relatively new Shure SM57 dynamic mic to a vintage counterpart. The vintage one is from between 1965 and 1985 and the relatively new one is from 2003. I'm playing a Marshall half stack and use one mic at a time to record it.
Gear:
2003 Shure SM57
1965-1985 Shure SM57 (Unidyne III)
1977 Marshall Superbass with SIR #39 mod (implemented by Forsberg)
2008 Gibson Les Paul R9 with a Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro in the bridge.

[eclipse]

Listening blind, I couldn't tell when you switched from one to the other.

[Kevin.Kelly.]

I’m actually liking the newer one better.

[zsolttoth]

Finally a peace of gear where I won't have to look for an expensive vintage model ;-)....Superb video as usually Johan...;-)

[VultCult]

I honestly couldn't tell a whole lot of difference between the two - they both sounded great!

[jaf]

Pretty close on my phone. Could not say one was "better" than the other.

[nobodys.shapeshifter]

I have 3 SM57s all bought at the same time. There is more tonal variety in those 3 than the 2 in this video, but all sound great. Also they are indestructible!

[brozio]

very subtle difference and i can't say which is better both are good

[HBSuccess]

Was, still is, and will be the absolute best $100 you’re going to spend in the band biz or the recording biz.

[siegfriedwashburn]

Hi, Johan!
I would like to say, that the level of the quality of Shure57 is still high and relevant to the modern sound! Everyone was very good! I have a problem to find any sign of the regression. They are still ok! Have a nice weekend, and happy new year! Hope, it's gonna be better, than 2020, because I have a feel, that this year was 85% very ugly and hostile. Hope, we will have a better one! See you!
Zigfrid

[MICHAELSMITH-fldu]

Thanks for taking the time to make this comparison as I have been trying to bay a vintage 57 thinking they must be better because the command more money on auction sites.
The two mics are close enough that you would never tell the apart in a mix and as always the speaker and amp choice will make the bigger influence to the final sound, not forgetting the guitar and player!

A very happy now year Johan.

[budgetguitarist]

What a great idea for a video! Thanks for making this one. Really interesting. They both sound good to me - no way I could tell the difference mixed in a track.

[jcoulter]

Both sounded similar. I finally just stopped paying attention to which you were using and just enjoyed your riffage through the Forsberg modded masterpiece. Tonal bliss on the first day of 2021 was achieved 😎 God bless and rock on 🥂🎸

[stevenmgyori]

Well done Brother! Thanks for all the Great demonstrations and Excellent Tones this past Year!
Happy New Year to Everyone!
Be Well All!

[oyvey]

Finally a proper reissue of ANYTHING! No different layout/components/materials etc, and it shows! They basically sound the same no difference!

Celestion and Marshall should take notes!

[EdwardT]

From Wikipedia... “Every U.S. president since Lyndon B. Johnson has delivered speeches through an SM57. It became the lectern microphone of the White House Communications Agency in 1965, the year of its introduction....”. Happy New Year and Rock on Johan!

[Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

I have heard 3 new ones a drummer friend owns and all 3 sounded different. Keep in mind theses are a very straight forward manufactured item. The SM 58 is virtually the same mike. The handle and cartridge are the same only the cap is different. They are all more the same than different. lol The cool thing is they still do the job after decades. Add to that factoring in inflation they probably about a third of the price now. My singer bass player still uses one from the 70's.

[elgen]

Unidyne III is smoother but the new one is pretty close. Just roll off some 10k and you're there.

[mikeindel]

Unidyne !...i pick em up whenever i find them

[rockdaddy]

Still use my SM-57s I bought in 1971 and compare them everytime I got a new one though the years (I have boxes of them) to make "Shure" they were still up to snuff. No worries. The new ones always have just a little edge on the attack but fades away with some break in. These are the army tank of sound, indestructible physically and audibly. There's an old saying, "No soundman was ever fired for showing up with SM-57s." Good video. 👍

[digitalchris]

These two sound within the tolerance of any two new Sure mics: says a lot about their build quality and design consistency that you could effectively match an old 'un with new.