Any Shure Model 55 microphone Experts out there?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Bruce Stock wrote:
> I bought a Shure Model 55 multi-impedance Unidyne microphone on Ebay
> recently, intending to use it with my vintage ham radio equipment. The mic
> is working, but the frequency response is clearly not what it should be.
> There is little or no lower midrange/bass response. I have examined the mic
> cartridge and it appears to be undamaged and the voice-coil moves freely.
> My preamp does provide the proper impedance matching for the high output
> impedance setting of the 55.
>
> A friend of mine bought the same model a year ago and had exactly the same
> problem with it. Is this typical of the Model 55, or are we both just
> unlucky?
>
> Plus, if anyone has any insights into how the cardioid pattern of this mic's
> cartridge is obtained, I'd be very interested in hearing about it.
> Visually, I don't see any of the trappings I associate with the usual
> phasing approach to achieving a cardioid pattern with a moving-coil dynamic
> element.
>
> Any help or info will be much appreciated.


This may help:

http://www.shure.com/pdf/discontinued/55s.pdf

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Damn, Mike. Don't you know that 55's are supposed to be used only as shoe trees?

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
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"Mike Rivers" <mrivers@d-and-d.com> wrote in message news:znr1106616218k@trad...
>
> In article <23aJd.4311$YD5.3468@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net> ab7yd@earthlink.net writes:
>
> > I bought a Shure Model 55 multi-impedance Unidyne microphone on Ebay
> > recently, intending to use it with my vintage ham radio equipment. The mic
> > is working, but the frequency response is clearly not what it should be.
>
> That's probably about like it's supposed to be. Someone gave me two of
> them a little while ago. After trying them out, I decided to mount
> them on a piece of wood, attach it to the wall, and use it as a hat
> rack.
>
>
>
> --
> I'm really Mike Rivers - (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
> However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
> lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
> you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
> and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

hey Mike the problem is probably the stock setting on the mic..some have a HML switch on the bottom back part of the grill that allows you to set the impedence at High, Medium, or Low hense HML. if your model is one without this then most likely the out put is gonna be low. unless you get an inline transformer to boost the signal......these mics were not made for a lot of output....... and as for a cartoid pattern, it has a omni- directional pattern, meaning it pics up sound from the front back and sides, hense the grill openings all the way around....each side is a certain distance from the element and had two screens to pass....eac was to pic up sound and the silks or foam was to slow the sounds down just enough to get a full rich sound alost like four voices at once or a early form of reverb. It was a break through for its time...but now they are not very good for sound quality Unless you are looking for that tinny sound compaired to modern mics....go to mutantmics.com and see if you can find something to help you there. this guy deals with upgrading 55's and customizing them fully. He even lights them up. and put new mics like the sm58's and beta in them.