Pricing and availability
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Price
Average Price: $147
Standard/Professional
$75
$201+
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Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 5 merchants for "Shure Beta 57A". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Immerse yourself in the world of music with the Shure Beta 57A Dynamic Microphone, a versatile tool for musicians, studio engineers, and live performers. It's an exceptional microphone designed not only for vocals, but also for capturing the rich sounds of toms and brass instruments.
This dynamic workhorse is well praised for its supercardioid polar pattern, which isolates the main sound source while minimizing background noise, making it perfect for studio recording or live performances. Its wide frequency range of 50 - 16,000 Hz ensures that every note and nuance of your performance is accurately captured.
The Shure Beta 57A is designed to deliver high-quality sound without compromise. It boasts an output impedance of 150 Ohm, ensuring clear and consistent audio reproduction. This microphone comes complete with a microphone clamp and bag, providing you with everything you need to start recording or performing right out of the box.
Key Features:
- Versatile microphone suitable for vocals, toms, and brass instruments
- Supercardioid polar pattern for sound source isolation and background noise minimization
- Frequency range: 50 - 16,000 Hz
- Output impedance: 150 Ohm
- Includes microphone clamp and bag for convenience and easy transport
Owner's manual
Shure Beta 57A User ManualProduct specs
| Microphone Type | Dynamic |
| Polar Pattern | Supercardioid |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-16kHz |
| Output Impedance | 150 ohms |
| Connector | XLR |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs. |
FAQs
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What is the Shure Beta 57A primarily used for?
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The Shure Beta 57A is a versatile dynamic microphone ideal for miking drums, guitar amplifiers, brass, woodwinds, and vocals, making it a reliable choice for both live performances and studio recordings.
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How does the supercardioid polar pattern of the Shure Beta 57A affect its performance?
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The supercardioid polar pattern of the Shure Beta 57A provides excellent isolation of the main sound source, reducing background noise and feedback, which is particularly beneficial in live sound environments.
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Is the Shure Beta 57A suitable for recording vocals?
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Yes, the Shure Beta 57A is suitable for recording vocals, offering warmth and presence that enhance vocal clarity and quality, making it a popular choice for both live and studio settings.
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What type of connector does the Shure Beta 57A use?
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The Shure Beta 57A uses an XLR connector, which is standard for professional audio equipment, ensuring compatibility with most mixers and audio interfaces.
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Can the Shure Beta 57A be used for live performances?
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Yes, the Shure Beta 57A is well-suited for live performances due to its robust construction, feedback rejection, and ability to handle high sound pressure levels, making it ideal for dynamic stage environments.
Videos
Podcastage
Shure Beta 58A Dynamic Mic Review / Test
Reviews
PROS
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Exceptional versatility for both instruments and vocals
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No phantom power required, easy setup
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Built sturdy, reliable for live and studio use
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Superior sound clarity and quality
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Effective side and back sound rejection
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Captures a full range of frequencies, especially mid to high
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Great value for the price
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Powerful output with good anti-feedback characteristics
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Can bring out nuanced sounds of various instruments
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More expressive in high frequencies than SM series
CONS
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Pop filter design could be improved
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Lacks the bright snap known to SM57 on guitar amps
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Can make the 350 - 600 Hz range sound ringy
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Not the best choice for snare due to lack of punch
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Some users find alternatives like Senheiser better value
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Shure Beta 57A.
Features and functionality
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The Beta 57A has a tighter supercardioid pattern than the Beta 58A, which enhances isolation for live performances, reducing stage bleed and improving monitor clarity.
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The Beta 57A's tight pickup pattern makes it suitable for large live stages, effectively minimizing unwanted sound interference.
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Comparisons
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The Beta 57A allows closer proximity to the capsule compared to the Beta 58A, boosting bass due to proximity effect, while maintaining a similar build except for the grille.
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The original Beta 57, a precursor to the Beta 57A, is noted for a slightly less brittle top end, appealing to vocal clarity enthusiasts.
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The Beta 57A is considered warmer than the Beta 58A due to its closer grill design, which affects the proximity to the capsule, altering the tonal warmth.
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Use cases and applications
User experience
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Users report that the Beta 57A produces a slightly pinched upper midrange sound, which some prefer over the standard SM57, especially in live settings for a clearer mix.
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Some users find the Beta 57A's sound on vocals less complimentary compared to the Beta 58A, suggesting personal voice characteristics play a significant role in mic choice.
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A user reported that the Beta 57A can produce unwanted air noise when used for vocals, preferring the Beta 58A for a more natural sound.
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Value and pricing
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It's crucial to purchase Shure mics from official retailers to avoid counterfeit products, which are prevalent on platforms like eBay and Amazon.
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Vintage Beta 57 mics can fetch up to $350 on platforms like Reverb, compared to approximately $150 for a new Beta 57A.
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There's a noted premium on vintage USA-made Shure mics, though differences in sound quality compared to modern models are often minimal.
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Owners note the Beta 57A as a cost-effective alternative to the Beta 58A, offering similar performance characteristics at a lower price point.
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Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 5 Reviews and 52 Ratings
41029
Hypercardioid response?!
I have an original Beta 57. I keep it for 1 purpose... TOP OF SNARE. It has an sm57ish voice on snare with a Hypercard response that rejects the hihats well. I usually like to throw a sennheiser E609 side address dynamic gitar amp mic udner the snare to get some extra strainer crack/rattle (that nasal sennheiser really helps the Beta get the job done).
You can use this on other sources where great side and back rejection is needed, but it won't give you precisely what a 57 does. Its a little more hifi, but not in the same way as an Audix i5. These are cheap so its worth having one around.
272
My microphone.
I just adore this baby. I recorded so much material with it("Covek Peva Posle Rata", "Lov Na Vukove", "Prica O Zeleznickom Mostu" as a whole with this one). It works great with guitar recording, even vocal with some later plugins of course. I even carry it on gigs to sing on it from time to time.
41029
great snare mic and has a definite sound as a guitar mic, along with the audix i5 I vastly prefer it to a straightup 57 on a guitar cab
272
Completely agree :)
164
254
cheap and good for high vocals(tenor)
Not the best Micro. Better other brand as akg,beierdynamic, but in stage live,one cheap solution, good enough for tecnical voices. Different respect SM series, more expressive in high frequencies.
41029
try it on snare when recording, straight down at the rim, with something centered on axis on the bottom head like an i5 or a sennheiser 609 maybe and feel the might of the beta series.... the beta has its place. I also kinda prefer it on pinned 50+ watt amps versus a regular 57, if I don't have an sm7 or re20 and the amp is producing enough SPL and power amp distortion to liquefy small animals (as god intended) its between this and the i5.
Artist usage
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You can see in this photo, originally posted on Ash's Instagram, that Will used the Beta 57a as a vocal mic during Lovejoys first headline show at the Hope & Ruin in Brighton.
In the image, Van McCann is seen using the Shure Beta 57A microphone, with the blue elastic band around the head removed.
In an article from Soundonsound, David Byrne's use of the Shure Beta 57A dynamic microphone is documented as part of his recording setup.
In discussions on Toolnavy, it is noted that Maynard James Keenan uses the Shure Beta 57A microphone during performances with A Perfect Circle.
"The mics are very important and ribbon mics in particular sound good for guitar but Sure 57's still take some beating as long as you're prepared to spend a lot of time moving them around combining them eliminating phase problems and adjusting them till you're content. I have a lot of different mics which I use, some powered some not but each one has its own character and the mic pre amps you use in the control room are very important to take what you've got and enhance even further."
Trough their 2015 Rock en Siene performance, and multiple other gigs, Pete and the rest of the band Use these microphones as their main vocal microphone. They even share them
Thorough the UYI tour, Axl used this Shure Beta. It has a white windscreen and blue foam grip.
Conor Oberst uses the Shure Beta 57A microphone for backing vocals, as noted on Shure's artist page for Dawes.
In an interview with Gizmodo, Reggie Watts can be seen holding and utilizing a Shure Beta 57 Mic.
Jonathan Davis, frontman of Korn, has been observed using a wireless version of the Shure Beta 57A microphone. While Shure doesn't officially offer a wireless Beta 57A, it can be achieved by modifying a wireless Beta 58A with a 57A's grille, as both models share the same capsule. This setup was mentioned in Revolver's article highlighting Davis' top vocal performances.
This article, describing Lanois' studio setup. "For microphones, he’s fairly set in his ways: He says he hasn’t seen any improvement in the technology over the years. He listed these time-tested models as favorites: Sony C37A, Neumann U47 and U48, RCA 77 and 44 ribbons, and the more modern Sony 800-T. He also likes dynamic mics such as the Shure Beta 57 and 58, and the Sennheiser 409 and 421"
Album Usage
The Shure Beta 57A has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Shure Beta 57A, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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