Fake vs. Real SM57s

[magno]

So here are 3 SM57s, one is a UnidyneIII made in USA, one is made in Mexico, the other is made in China by some Asshole.

I know by looking at this picture it's sorta abvious which one is the fake(middle one), but I wonder how the fake one compares in sound?

Here's a frequency response graph of the 3 mics.

Blue=USA
Green=Mexico
Red=China

Here's a pic from the pink noise test.

All mics were positioned within 1mm.
I've also included the original pink noise.
Sound clips are below.

Ok here's a shot of the amp set up to record.

Thanks to garageband for the Rockin' DI Track!!!
I'm posting the files below, they're labelled A B and C.
Attached also is a mic legend with the answers.

And special thanks goes to MagicRobot @ Ghettoblast Productions for loaning me his genuine SHURE mics for this experiment.

Stay tuned for more updates...

[garageband]

Do a reamp sort of thing. Record a dry, DI track into the DAW send it back out to your amp and use a mic stand and clip that'll let you get the position the same. Maybe one of those springy clothespin-style clips that open up. Send into preamp (same setting for all three). Record that back in to DAW, each on its own mono track. When you "normalize", be sure to only add enough gain to all of then to get the loudest to -0.1dBfs. If one is quieter, that's as interesting as the rest of the timbre differences.

I am dying to hear the diff between the three of these and have been for some time. Anything I can do to help, just ask.

[magno]

I was think about re-amping but why not just tape them up in a bundle?
I don't have a real re-amping type device, I've had a bit of success using my Boss SE-50, and it might just be good enough to demonstrate the differences in the mics.
Anybody care to provide a DI track so we don't have to suffer with my playing?
I've been waiting for this shootout for a while too.

[garageband]

Taping them in a bundle won't do it. The positioning variance (even an inch) would significantly affect the sound, not to mention the reflections from differing parts of the speaker off the other two. The "reamp" idea is just for consistency. You don't need a proper reamp device, heck send an unbalanced signal off the headphone jack. I would make the amp itself provide the distortion and not use the Boss gizmo.

Part of the fun of these things is to suffer through whatever music you think is appropriate to test with. I mean, did you hear my drumming on the OH mic shootout? Or the MIDI arrangement of Donna Summers' "Last Dance" on the Bit Depth Wars? Random, questionable music makes it all fun.

[magno]

OK the re-amp it will be then.
I would never use the distortion on the SE-50=bad.
I will bypass all effects, it should be better than adding another pre(headphone out)
All distortion will come from a cranked amp.

[magno]

So I'm looking for submissions of a DI track suitable for this shootout.
Send me a PM and I'll give you the email address to send the file.

[magno]

Originally Posted by garageband

.I mean, did you hear my drumming on the OH mic shootout?

HAha, more than once. That thread is awesome.
Maybe in 20 years or so , at the rate i'm going now, I might be able to play in an ACDC or ZZTop cover band.
Drums are a hard instrument to play well, there so much fun tho.

[P.P.T.]

Just out of curiousity, is the made in Mexico one licenced by Shure?

[garageband]

Shure moved a substantial amount of their manufacturing facilities to Mexico in the mid '80s.

[garageband]

Magno, I'll have a raw track for you sometime tomorrow, if you still need it. Like I said, can't wait to hear these three mics.