This is the first video in a new series of videos called "Music Gear on a Budget". This first episode features a microphone I found on Amazon for $14 called the Pyle PDMIC78. This is a dynamic microphone based on the legendary Shure SM57. In this video I will also compare the Pyle to a Shure so we can hear the difference.
Another great informative review Shane. I sometimes take a chance on these clones but haven't tried the Pyle stuff yet. I did buy the GLS audio version of it from Amazon and have been very happy with those. Keep up the great work, looking forward the rest of the series!
The Pyle sounded brighter on my end and the SM was darker. Thought I could hear a little mic distortion on the Pyle as well but very difficult to tell. Very impressive though for the price. Great idea for a series!
@@ShermanWilson Probably why the Shure weighs in a little heavier than the Pyle, also why Shure might charge $ 85 more ? Perhaps the better wiring also might be a test of time as the Shure may last a bit longer. Less corrosion in more humid conditions, outdoor stages particularly.
I have had a few of these in my collection for about 4 years now. I use them for live setups where I don't know the musicians well and can't trust them to treat equipment well. ( i.e. bars and local stuff). They're great, and I even record voiceovers with them every now and then if I'm in a pinch (for theatres). They sound just like a Shure with a little EQ, and IIRC the dynamic element will push a (albeit pretty sus.) balanced signal if you cut the bridge to ground that is on one of the XLR pins inside. Just don't push phantom to them, for the sake of the interface/console, not because the mic won't survive. It's been a while since I got them and replaced the wiring, but they've held up to beer, drops, kicks (the foot kind, not the drum kind) and other "musical" mishaps. And at $15 each, who cares if one or two die. The 58 clones are good to, and IMO sound closer to a legit 57 because of the basket and foam. Tape over the PYLE PRO 57 label on the side or pull it off and most local musicians and roadies are none the wiser.
The Shure SM57 really hasn't changed much in over 50 years; it's no surprise that super-cheap clones are able to achieve 95% of the sound quality. I'm really kind of shocked that Shure still sells the 57 for as much as it does. Surely by now they cost only a couple bucks per unit to manufacture.
You pay FOR the use of the name! 58's still go for the ~$200 mark, but Behringer make an exact copy, it sounds identical for $50! BUT will the Behringer take rough handling and 6' drops on to hard floors? I DOUBT it! BUT treat it with respect and it should last many years! (Like anything!)
They'd still have better quality control, durability, feedback rejection, wiring, warranty (they are pretty much enSHURE™d to be unbreakable), less handling noise, than their cheaper copies, which sort of makes it all add up. Although for recording, and not everyday use and abuse, cheaper copies can be almost just as good, although engineers often find the real sm57s distinctive tone cuts through the mix on snares and amps like no other.
@@DMSProduktions WHAT? $200 for SM58?! I paid 98 EUR at Thomann for SM58. That's about 120 USD. Net price is 80 EUR ($95) so add your taxes to this, but it won't go as high as $200.
Great mic for a musician an/or producer on a budget. Minus the lack of quality parts within, it’s a no-brainer. Shane, thanks for taking the time to do this video, you’re a class act. Our staff love your videos sir. God speed🙏🏻🎸🎧
The Pyle sounded louder and brighter to me. Perhaps the Shure was recreating a better representation of what the amp was producing but the Pyle could be EQ'ed to match. Very good series idea, thanks.
De-soldering the connection between 2 pins, replace the cheap wiring and male XLR connector, and it will sound a lot better. I buy these to mod, then do live shows and recording.
Just bought it based on this video. Sounds great. Yes, the search for budget friendly high quality gear helps me tremendously. Technology has improved in some areas and this helps find the items that benefit from the cheaper production methods. I have found that since the early 80s that some of the cheapest gear was the coolest. My favorite guitar right now is the $139.99 Firefly 335 copy that plays and sounds as good as my genuine Gibson 1970 ES 335 TD with coil split switch I have had since 1981.
Great idea for a video series - a lot of us don't have large budgets to spend on our music gear so it's good to see if there are any deals to be had for acceptable products. I think with a little EQ tweak they could be pretty much identical sounding - and in a full mix you'd being doing that as a matter of course anyways!Looking forward to more of this series!
I like the Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone more than the Shure SM57, it has more frequency response and also I can feel a little saturation from it. With a little EQ from the DAW capturing the sound it would make a cheap but great Mic for many instrument recordings.
I know this is a bit off topic from the video but usually when I see lefty guitars they look so funky and weird to me lol. but the prs actually looks really nice and not weird haha
sounds decent enough! you could buy about 10 of them and have them for backups if the build quality ends up not lasting. I'm sure for at home they are great. probably wouldn't handle the abuse of a live setting. 👍😁
The only small thing on the inside I didn't love was the wiring looked a lot cheaper over something like a Shure but that said for those who know how to solder stuff, it would be an easy fix if that ever failed. Overall, it's pretty cool for the price. I want to test some more of their Mics.
I'm really excited for this series. I've seen others attempt to do the same thing, but to those other reviewers, it always seems like "budget" means the $500 version of a $3000 piece of gear. It may be a bargain in comparison, but that's still a lot of money for the average person to spend, so it's nice to see a series actually focused on the cheaper gear out there. I would have never expected a $14 mic to be in the realm of an SM57. Great video!
Pyle mics are the BEST for the money, I mean pocket change, being spent. They just work, they sound as good as you can make them sound with your mixer and other gear, and you can just keep buying them any time without worrying about the money being dished out for them. I use 1 on my floor Tom for live shows and would use them on my entire drum set but I use the convenience of rim mounted mics on the rest.
Great idea for a video series. Even with the audio compression on RUclips, and a set of decent monitor headphones there was a noticeable difference between the Pyle and the SM57: the Shure sounded sweeter or more fluid, particularly in the top end. The Pyle however certainly wasn't a pile of shite. One obvious use for such a low cost mic would be as the spare you carry in your gig bag: it will get you through the show in the unlikely event your SM57 packs it in, or the more likely event that one of your band-mates forgets to bring their mike.
There’s a difference, but for the $, the Pyle was really pretty decent to me. This is gonna be a great series man. Thanks for keeping the channel content fresh! 🤙🏻😎
Great review Shane. I couldn't tell the difference - they both sounded very similar. You could buy 10 of these for one shure! Would have been good just to try it with an xlr to xlr as well and see if it made a difference with the gain settings. Did you notice any background hiss compared with the sm57? That's what normally lets the cheap mic's down.
Great video Shane. To me, the Shure's more rounded, the Pyle (haha)'s more treble boosted/hi mid boosted and a little harsher but still in the similar ballpark. You can't get anything for that price though so for $14, it's pretty amazing. I'd still go the Shure though.
Amen!!! Sounded amazing for the money. I have a PYLE power conditioner with 9 outputs . Again works great for the money with my pedals and small PA . Use it almost every day.
Good video. I bought two of these on EBAY. I'm like you....would have been nice to have a mic clip, but.... Found that the wiring was a little cheap and plan on re-wiring when I get time to except an xlr to xlr cable, and to beef up the internal wiring. But hey...for $15, you cant go wrong. The ones I bought sound pretty good and will use these to mike our drummers kit on stage and recording. I might even buy a couple of the Pyle PDMIC58 mics to see how they stack up. I also have a retro looking "ELVIS" mic that Pyle made and is still working and sounding good.Thanks for the video.
I'd have like to have seen if there was any difference in the sound had you used a proper XLR cable vs the one that came with it. Thats what I did.. but I never did A/B them. I have this mic... I think it sounds great.
Good show ,good idea for series. Of course a shur57 has been in its range, at the top of the heap n been around a very long time. Pyle audio here n the states hav a real good reputation so i thot it would hav to b at least decent quality . Glad u did this, im gona buy 2 mics soon , uv help ed to make up my mind. Thx.
I actually prefer the Pyle in this case. The 57 is more accurate as the Pyle has some sort of phase cancellation thing happening in the high mids. But for the tone you're getting on that amp, the Pyle has more character. I don't think the Pyle would be as universal as the 57 though.
I've found the Pyle PDMIC78 to be a very good microphone. I did not care that it did not come with a microphone clip, it's the sound of the mic that counts for me. I've purchased the Shure SM58, Pyle PDMIC58, LyxPro HHMX-15 and UltraVoice XM8500. I returned the SM58 it was overkill for my use. The Pyle PDMIC78 and other are used for voice-overs and I've found the Pyle PDMIC78 and LyxPro HHMX-15 best suited for my use is a bit brighter on the top and nice lows that works great in post-processing. Pyle may not have the same glory behind it as Shure but the Pyle PDMIC78 sure does sound great to me and you could purchase 8 of them for the price of one SM58.
Great concept. Loved the gear selection method "there were others I just didnt like the look of them" as good a method as any hahaha....Awesome work mate. And how great does that PRS sound!!! Just out of interest do you think its basically the same construction as the Zach Myers model that looks very similar?
Thanks a lot Dan. I love this PRS Se it's an absolute beast. I haven't tried the Zach Myers but I hear these new series of Se guitars (2018) have the new pickups in them so they might sound different.
I've got the exact same guitar, even down to the slightly mismatched/off-colour glued-in corner pieces on the head-stock, and It's my new No. 1. Outstanding quality for just under $1000 Canadian bucks. I sleep with it now, and that's a huge honour. Well, I'd like to think so.
Once you try them you will use them more often and buy at least another, i have four and i'm planning to get a 5th for all the drum set. My son is learning how to record in my studio and sometimes he records with his mates, so these mics are fantastic even for schooling, i really don't care if one will just fall dead but so far i've thrown everything at them, from drums to distorted Guitars, they rock!!
Great idea for a new series Shane. At that price the Pyle mic stood up really well against the SM57 for budget home recording. Does it pick up vibrations badly? Not sure I'd want to use one to mic up and amp at a gig then.
Bought a cheap dynamic cardioid microphone for 3$ a few weeks ago that came with an XLR to AUX cable. I was happy to see that both the mic and the cable *worked* and together weighed less than my other XLR cable 😂
I've seen a number of bargain mics outshine/equal 58's and 57's in the last couple of years, but never anything at this price. My only worry is the economics of us all in the "West" or "First World" seeking bargains from our less then fortunate brethren to the "East". Though we'll all be earning the same wages at some point. /rant off. Outstanding vid as always, Shane.
Hi Shane, just curious if you have held on to this mic and if so, what do you think of it after a few years? Is it still working, reliable, etc? For what it's worth, I think it sounded really great. If you didn't put on the screen that you were switching the mic and I was just listening with my eyes closed, I'm not sure I would have realized anything was changing besides your actual playing. When I was watching and listening, I think I heard the Pyle mic to be a little bit brighter but still very close to the Shure.
The clone I have is the Moukey MWm-04. Same price. Sounds good to me. Differences are this one has a power switch and ships with windscreen that fits perfectly. This is also a balanced mic, and so plays nicely with phantom power if you are in a situation where you can't avoid it. I understand that the Pyle is wired as an unbalanced mic, which has some limitations.
I find many microphones are good or even great for talking but not for singing or instruments. It's also a question of road worthyness. Thanks for the video. Blues On....
This video is really helpful. Personally, I wouldn't but one but I have been around for a long time but if I were just starting out and on a tight budget, I would buy one for such a low sum of money. I thought the 57 was smoother but as you pointed out, this mic is so cheap, that it's worth buying to get a newbie started in recording.
Great review mate I've used one of these Pyle mics for vocals for a couple of years and it's fine for the money you can 't go wrong. The only other downside of this mic I can think of is that the top bit is on very loose so if you drop it it will most likely break off as mine did! It still works but its gaffer taped on now! I have never owned an SM57 but I'm guessing they would withstand being dropped a few times cheers.
Here's why the XLR cable is louder: It's not the cable. The thing with these combined XLR and 1/4" input jacks on the Steinberg interfaces is that XLR=mic input and 1/4"=line input. So by using the (unbalanced) cable that came with the microphone you're basically bypassing the UR22's mic preamp.
Yup, my FocusRite 2i2 uses a combo socket. It figures if you plugged in a 1/4" jack you are using a guitar, etc. and sets up the impedance to match. The latest iterations of the PylePro are coming through wired for balanced (mine is), so you just need to slap an XLR cable on it.
Hey Shane, I’m looking to get into recording but I literally own nothing for recording. Just guitars amps and pedals. Could this new series include some stuff about getting an interface and whatever else you need to start recording in protools?
The Pyle brand used to be connected with Utah and Oxford speakers some how or another many years ago before the name got sold to the Chinese. I've known them for years as a budget Car Audio company. Derek Trucks apparently has some Pyle speakers in a Fender he owns. That said, I didn't expect this microphone to sound like a real 57 however I was REALLY surprised it sounded decent enough to use. Though I've been pleasantly surprised by cheapos before. Peavey mics anyone?
Good video - for the price not bad. Definitely sounds a lot different than the 57 though. What about build quality? The weight of the mic etc? 57's are shown being run over by buses. How would this Pyle of Mic hold up? Cheers!
I scrolled down to make this a blind test. One of the mics had a bit more 'bite' and I scrolled up to find it was the Pyle! I'm off to buy one now! EDIT: It's €50 here WTF?
Thanks Shane. Surprisingly, Amazon.com actually delivers to Spain! I wasn't expecting that. But will probably order one on the UK site and get it delivered to a friend and then then can send it on to me. It should work out cheaper that way! ;) On amazon.es it was about 5 times the price for some reason.
I really love this series Shane. Out of curiosity I purchased the mic, the better cable, the mic clip, and the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 Audio Interface, only one question you left out for us recording novices, a good mic stand? Lol. Preferably ones in the set up you were using in this video (for smaller height, for recording guitar amps).
GOOD stuff Shane. There was neglible difference between them. The Pyle had a tad more apparent volume, but that could have been from your levels settings, & it seemed to have a bit more low and mid presence, whereas the Shure sounded a bit flatter or a bit scooped, but it was VERY small! If it ever failed, you could always use it on its name sake! ;oP LMAO!
Its funny in post I levelled them both out so they were pretty much the same volume. That said though, the Pyle had a bit more sizzle on the top end which might be what we are hearing. :-)
The Pyle is high impedance and with a good XLR cable, it's scary how close it sounds compared to a 57. It will have just a small bit more output, but tonewise in a live situation, no one could tell which you were using. Do a blind A/B vocal test with people and see what the results are.
@@NELZ007 I agree, it would be what we Aussies call a 'poofteenth' in it! GREAT value! I have a friend with a high end, boutique studio, he has mics worth $1K of, he quite openly states a few $100 Shures and sub $100 Behringers are almost as good in sound quality, & in a mix you would not know the difference with other elements combined! He knows the tech & said manufacturing is so good now, that even hi performance equip like mics can be made for very little $! (& subsequently sold for!) $10K Neumanns are almost passée these days! )
I just got a genuine SM58 from an online Chinese site for £2,8,I was dubious but yup shes a real one.On Pyle,I foolishly bought a Pyle "wah pedal" for a tenner a couple of yrs ago,used once,broke,binned the end.
Well, it didn't sound $14 horrible I'll give it that. I might have to check these out. I like cheap! lol! Nice vid Shane. I have a piece of kit for you to try to find. M-audio Black Box Reloaded guitar performance/recording system. Out of production ages ago, but can be found second hand for well under $50, sometimes with the foot controller included because they made a ton of them, and are worth it just for the JTM45, Plexi, and 2K Marshall style amps IMO (roll off cleans and OD/Boost pedals work like a charm), and also it's simultaneous DI tracking/reamping capabilities. First released 11 years ago (damn I'm old) it flew waaaay under the radar in the red kidney bean dominated market, but was developed with Roger Linn, and sports one of his time based effects made popular by John Mayer, as well as some groovy stereo panning and rotary options. Especially as just an effect in a stereo rig with it's amp sims turned off. Small enough to fit on a board or go in a gigbag. It's been my mobile tracking secret weapon for ever, and I'm hunting down another as we speak just to have a backup. Sleeper gear/audio interface for sure if you can find one.
These mics are the bomb. I honestly prefer them to my 57s. They have a brighter sound and the real 57 compresses too much on guitar midrange in comparison. You can hear it in this video. It's amazing for the price. I actually have several now.
I thought it sounded pretty good. I guess now it's a matter of how long it will last. If it last a couple of years in the studio it's money well spent. If it lasts going out to gigs on a regular basis then it's a steal. On a side note we have a large trucking company here in New England called A. Duie Pyle. Must be an American thing.
Great subject. I’m building up equipment to record and everything from pop filters to DAWs are good subjects for me. I really need some square feet - what can you do about that?
Well shane thankyou for an excellent review site I didn’t buy one of these Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone $14-20 I just bought two DM57,S $57 (comes with cannon to cannon and holder) From swamp music for One third of the price of a real Shure for my home studio .Can you believe it there’s no excuse for not being a home recordist on a small budget Unless you have the elites in your ear telling you something different mmm. If I was out on road gigging ,it pays to have rugged equipment that’s why they standardise everything, when you gig and when you’re in professional studios regularly it saves break down hassles and standardisation issues, my ears aren’t living in the world of HI fidelity buddy ,their excellent mikes for home recording The $14 Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone Review - Music Gear on a Budget #1 - RUclips
The Shure was nicer but I was surprised how well the Pyle did. I would have been interested in seeing how it did in other scenarios like voice, acoustic and the likes.
I have no idea how any of this works and I’m diving in blind and I don’t know anything about guitar mics, so I need help. Can i plug this mic in my computer and record straight to my DAW? (Sorry again if this makes no sense)
It actually souinds very good and in my opinion is not worse sound wise, they sound different. The shure is more robust and heavier and can take a battering, but in a home studio situation you can't go wrong, they soung great on drums, i have 4 of them. They even sound good on a bass drum! I've had mine a year and so far work a treat, just use XLR to XLR and you're good. For less than 15 bucks you can't go wrong !!
Mark I got my little sister a $270 Purple Shengze for her birthday and other than the pickups being kinda microphonic and have a few nicks in the binding the thing plays pretty well
Ya for $14 its good, but a real used SM57 is very cheap also... I guess if you were on the ultimate budget it would work just fine, but I'll bet a Behringer copy would sound better. Great video BTW!I
How would the Behringer sound "better" LOL. Like everyone else, I don't hear a significant quality difference in these two. There is definitely a positive placebo effect of paying twenty times more for something!
I can already tell this series is gonna be outstanding.
Thanks man!
Can't wait for more to come!!
This is the first video in a new series of videos called "Music Gear on a Budget". This first episode features a microphone I found on Amazon for $14 called the Pyle PDMIC78. This is a dynamic microphone based on the legendary Shure SM57. In this video I will also compare the Pyle to a Shure so we can hear the difference.
intheblues I debated getting one of these mics last fall and forgot about it. lol. cool stuff!
I love this idea for a series!
Thanks Dru. Video #2 is already filmed and will be up next week. Thanks for the kind words.
This is my kind of series! Thanks Shane!
Another great informative review Shane. I sometimes take a chance on these clones but haven't tried the Pyle stuff yet. I did buy the GLS audio version of it from Amazon and have been very happy with those. Keep up the great work, looking forward the rest of the series!
The Pyle sounded brighter on my end and the SM was darker. Thought I could hear a little mic distortion on the Pyle as well but very difficult to tell. Very impressive though for the price. Great idea for a series!
The Pyle is brighter because there is no transformer inside it.
@@ShermanWilson Probably why the Shure weighs in a little heavier than the Pyle, also why Shure might charge $ 85 more ? Perhaps the better wiring also might be a test of time as the Shure may last a bit longer. Less corrosion in more humid conditions, outdoor stages particularly.
How did you get it to work on your computer
I have had a few of these in my collection for about 4 years now.
I use them for live setups where I don't know the musicians well and can't trust them to treat equipment well. ( i.e. bars and local stuff).
They're great, and I even record voiceovers with them every now and then if I'm in a pinch (for theatres).
They sound just like a Shure with a little EQ, and IIRC the dynamic element will push a (albeit pretty sus.) balanced signal if you cut the bridge to ground that is on one of the XLR pins inside. Just don't push phantom to them, for the sake of the interface/console, not because the mic won't survive.
It's been a while since I got them and replaced the wiring, but they've held up to beer, drops, kicks (the foot kind, not the drum kind) and other "musical" mishaps.
And at $15 each, who cares if one or two die.
The 58 clones are good to, and IMO sound closer to a legit 57 because of the basket and foam.
Tape over the PYLE PRO 57 label on the side or pull it off and most local musicians and roadies are none the wiser.
Postaldude McDude Glad u wrote this, thats bout as real world as it gets.
The Shure SM57 really hasn't changed much in over 50 years; it's no surprise that super-cheap clones are able to achieve 95% of the sound quality. I'm really kind of shocked that Shure still sells the 57 for as much as it does. Surely by now they cost only a couple bucks per unit to manufacture.
You pay FOR the use of the name!
58's still go for the ~$200 mark, but Behringer make an exact copy, it sounds identical for $50! BUT will the Behringer take rough handling and 6' drops on to hard floors? I DOUBT it! BUT treat it with respect and it should last many years! (Like anything!)
Agreed. You can really abuse Shures and still be sure they'll perform.
Yup. 1 of their selling points, however 57s are quite fragile. NOwhere near as tough as 58s or Betas.
They'd still have better quality control, durability, feedback rejection, wiring, warranty (they are pretty much enSHURE™d to be unbreakable), less handling noise, than their cheaper copies, which sort of makes it all add up. Although for recording, and not everyday use and abuse, cheaper copies can be almost just as good, although engineers often find the real sm57s distinctive tone cuts through the mix on snares and amps like no other.
@@DMSProduktions WHAT? $200 for SM58?! I paid 98 EUR at Thomann for SM58. That's about 120 USD. Net price is 80 EUR ($95) so add your taxes to this, but it won't go as high as $200.
$14? When you started playing my eyes got really big. No-brainer for a backup or brightening up dark guitar parts.
Great mic for a musician an/or producer on a budget. Minus the lack of quality parts within, it’s a no-brainer. Shane, thanks for taking the time to do this video, you’re a class act. Our staff love your videos sir. God speed🙏🏻🎸🎧
The Pyle sounded louder and brighter to me. Perhaps the Shure was recreating a better representation of what the amp was producing but the Pyle could be EQ'ed to match. Very good series idea, thanks.
De-soldering the connection between 2 pins, replace the cheap wiring and male XLR connector, and it will sound a lot better. I buy these to mod, then do live shows and recording.
RUclips it, I'd like to see!
Make a video!
Just bought it based on this video. Sounds great. Yes, the search for budget friendly high quality gear helps me tremendously. Technology has improved in some areas and this helps find the items that benefit from the cheaper production methods. I have found that since the early 80s that some of the cheapest gear was the coolest. My favorite guitar right now is the $139.99 Firefly 335 copy that plays and sounds as good as my genuine Gibson 1970 ES 335 TD with coil split switch I have had since 1981.
Great idea for a video series - a lot of us don't have large budgets to spend on our music gear so it's good to see if there are any deals to be had for acceptable products. I think with a little EQ tweak they could be pretty much identical sounding - and in a full mix you'd being doing that as a matter of course anyways!Looking forward to more of this series!
I bought one of these several months ago and it is AWESOME. Mine actually came with a mic clip too! Highly recommended
I like the Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone more than the Shure SM57, it has more frequency response and also I can feel a little saturation from it. With a little EQ from the DAW capturing the sound it would make a cheap but great Mic for many instrument recordings.
I know this is a bit off topic from the video but usually when I see lefty guitars they look so funky and weird to me lol. but the prs actually looks really nice and not weird haha
Probably because there isn't a pickguard
Great idea Shane
Great idea Shane
- Chris Cooper
sounds decent enough! you could buy about 10 of them and have them for backups if the build quality ends up not lasting. I'm sure for at home they are great. probably wouldn't handle the abuse of a live setting. 👍😁
The only small thing on the inside I didn't love was the wiring looked a lot cheaper over something like a Shure but that said for those who know how to solder stuff, it would be an easy fix if that ever failed. Overall, it's pretty cool for the price. I want to test some more of their Mics.
I totally dig the concept of your new series and look forward to more!
Looking forward to this series
Great series idea!!! Looking forward to the rest of it. 👍🏻👍🏻
Good work, Shane. This exploration of cheap gear will help to make recording an affordable reality for your viewers!
I'm really excited for this series. I've seen others attempt to do the same thing, but to those other reviewers, it always seems like "budget" means the $500 version of a $3000 piece of gear. It may be a bargain in comparison, but that's still a lot of money for the average person to spend, so it's nice to see a series actually focused on the cheaper gear out there. I would have never expected a $14 mic to be in the realm of an SM57. Great video!
Pyle mics are the BEST for the money, I mean pocket change, being spent. They just work, they sound as good as you can make them sound with your mixer and other gear, and you can just keep buying them any time without worrying about the money being dished out for them. I use 1 on my floor Tom for live shows and would use them on my entire drum set but I use the convenience of rim mounted mics on the rest.
true !!
Thanks Shane! I ordered one of these based off of your review and can't wait to try it out!
Huge Pyle of.. Lol!
Just by watching your vids, i already bought Bandit, OCD, and the Pyle is on its way. Thanks, keep doing these stuffs man!
Great idea for a video series.
Even with the audio compression on RUclips, and a set of decent monitor headphones there was a noticeable difference between the Pyle and the SM57: the Shure sounded sweeter or more fluid, particularly in the top end. The Pyle however certainly wasn't a pile of shite. One obvious use for such a low cost mic would be as the spare you carry in your gig bag: it will get you through the show in the unlikely event your SM57 packs it in, or the more likely event that one of your band-mates forgets to bring their mike.
Thanks for that demo. I didn't think the Pyle would sound that good.
I'm loving this new series Shane!
Hey man. I love the idea of this series! Great stuff. :-)
I'm just getting started, so at this price this is where I'll start. This video saved me some money -- in UK, a used SM57 is at least £50. Thanks!
There’s a difference, but for the $, the Pyle was really pretty decent to me. This is gonna be a great series man. Thanks for keeping the channel content fresh! 🤙🏻😎
Thanks a lot Craig ☺️🎸
THE PYLE SOUNDS AWESOME ! NICE WORK MAN ....
Great review Shane. I couldn't tell the difference - they both sounded very similar. You could buy 10 of these for one shure! Would have been good just to try it with an xlr to xlr as well and see if it made a difference with the gain settings. Did you notice any background hiss compared with the sm57? That's what normally lets the cheap mic's down.
Would love to know the answer to this as well
Great video Shane. To me, the Shure's more rounded, the Pyle (haha)'s more treble boosted/hi mid boosted and a little harsher but still in the similar ballpark. You can't get anything for that price though so for $14, it's pretty amazing. I'd still go the Shure though.
Thank you. I couldn't find the like to Amazon on your channel. The mic sounds really good. I couldn't hear any distortion.
I have two of those, they are worth it in my opinion. I paid $10 for mine.
Amen!!!
Sounded amazing for the money.
I have a PYLE power conditioner with 9 outputs .
Again works great for the money with my pedals and small PA . Use it almost every day.
I've had one of these for a few years. Punches way above it's weight IMO. Great demo BTW!
Thanks for the vid. I just ordered two of them a couple days ago and i feel much better now
Also, listening over my Apple HomePod speakers, the guitar really sounds great.
Awesome Video....Love the idea of inexpensive gear that sounds good and I thought it sounded good as well! Thanks for doing this!
I like your new series.
Great series, Shane! A good deal is always a happy deal (:
Good video. I bought two of these on EBAY. I'm like you....would have been nice to have a mic clip, but....
Found that the wiring was a little cheap and plan on re-wiring when I get time to except an xlr to xlr cable, and to beef up the internal wiring. But hey...for $15, you cant go wrong. The ones I bought sound pretty good and will use these to mike our drummers kit on stage and recording. I might even buy a couple of the Pyle PDMIC58 mics to see how they stack up. I also have a retro looking "ELVIS" mic that Pyle made and is still working and sounding good.Thanks for the video.
I'd have like to have seen if there was any difference in the sound had you used a proper XLR cable vs the one that came with it. Thats what I did.. but I never did A/B them. I have this mic... I think it sounds great.
Good show ,good idea for series. Of course a shur57 has been in its range, at the top of the heap n been around a very long time. Pyle audio here n the states hav a real good reputation so i thot it would hav to b at least decent quality . Glad u did this, im gona buy 2 mics soon , uv help ed to make up my mind. Thx.
I actually prefer the Pyle in this case. The 57 is more accurate as the Pyle has some sort of phase cancellation thing happening in the high mids. But for the tone you're getting on that amp, the Pyle has more character. I don't think the Pyle would be as universal as the 57 though.
I like it when you try out budget gear!
I've found the Pyle PDMIC78 to be a very good microphone. I did not care that it did not come with a microphone clip, it's the sound of the mic that counts for me. I've purchased the Shure SM58, Pyle PDMIC58, LyxPro HHMX-15 and UltraVoice XM8500. I returned the SM58 it was overkill for my use. The Pyle PDMIC78 and other are used for voice-overs and I've found the Pyle PDMIC78 and LyxPro HHMX-15 best suited for my use is a bit brighter on the top and nice lows that works great in post-processing. Pyle may not have the same glory behind it as Shure but the Pyle PDMIC78 sure does sound great to me and you could purchase 8 of them for the price of one SM58.
Great concept. Loved the gear selection method "there were others I just didnt like the look of them" as good a method as any hahaha....Awesome work mate. And how great does that PRS sound!!! Just out of interest do you think its basically the same construction as the Zach Myers model that looks very similar?
Thanks a lot Dan. I love this PRS Se it's an absolute beast. I haven't tried the Zach Myers but I hear these new series of Se guitars (2018) have the new pickups in them so they might sound different.
I've got the exact same guitar, even down to the slightly mismatched/off-colour glued-in corner pieces on the head-stock, and It's my new No. 1. Outstanding quality for just under $1000 Canadian bucks. I sleep with it now, and that's a huge honour. Well, I'd like to think so.
My fav kind of reviews!
Great video!
Once you try them you will use them more often and buy at least another, i have four and i'm planning to get a 5th for all the drum set. My son is learning how to record in my studio and sometimes he records with his mates, so these mics are fantastic even for schooling, i really don't care if one will just fall dead but so far i've thrown everything at them, from drums to distorted Guitars, they rock!!
Great idea for a new series Shane. At that price the Pyle mic stood up really well against the SM57 for budget home recording. Does it pick up vibrations badly? Not sure I'd want to use one to mic up and amp at a gig then.
Bought a cheap dynamic cardioid microphone for 3$ a few weeks ago that came with an XLR to AUX cable. I was happy to see that both the mic and the cable *worked* and together weighed less than my other XLR cable 😂
Great Choice for Stage or Gigging. If it gets broke or lost or stolen you wont be out so much $$$ and the sound quality is spot on! :)
I've seen a number of bargain mics outshine/equal 58's and 57's in the last couple of years, but never anything at this price. My only worry is the economics of us all in the "West" or "First World" seeking bargains from our less then fortunate brethren to the "East". Though we'll all be earning the same wages at some point. /rant off. Outstanding vid as always, Shane.
I thought it sounded good as well. Fine for many applications. And for $14 it would be a great spare mic.
Hi Shane, just curious if you have held on to this mic and if so, what do you think of it after a few years? Is it still working, reliable, etc?
For what it's worth, I think it sounded really great. If you didn't put on the screen that you were switching the mic and I was just listening with my eyes closed, I'm not sure I would have realized anything was changing besides your actual playing. When I was watching and listening, I think I heard the Pyle mic to be a little bit brighter but still very close to the Shure.
The clone I have is the Moukey MWm-04. Same price. Sounds good to me. Differences are this one has a power switch and ships with windscreen that fits perfectly. This is also a balanced mic, and so plays nicely with phantom power if you are in a situation where you can't avoid it. I understand that the Pyle is wired as an unbalanced mic, which has some limitations.
The Pyle sounded every bit equal to the Sure.
I'm not actually surprised.
This Pyle is a great budget friendly mic.
No question.
I find many microphones are good or even great for talking but not for singing or instruments. It's also a question of road worthyness. Thanks for the video. Blues On....
I think PYLE sounds really good!!!
This video is really helpful. Personally, I wouldn't but one but I have been around for a long time but if I were just starting out and on a tight budget, I would buy one for such a low sum of money.
I thought the 57 was smoother but as you pointed out, this mic is so cheap, that it's worth buying to get a newbie started in recording.
Great review mate I've used one of these Pyle mics for vocals for a couple of years and it's fine for the money you can 't go wrong. The only other downside of this mic I can think of is that the top bit is on very loose so if you drop it it will most likely break off as mine did! It still works but its gaffer taped on now! I have never owned an SM57 but I'm guessing they would withstand being dropped a few times cheers.
yhe i got it. it works well as a reserve for the real sm57 on the snare. it can even go infront of the kick and do a desent job
Holy crap....it actually sounds as good as the shure equivalent.....damm good value for 14 bucks!
"I have no more jokes." Story of my life, mate.
Thanks. Ordered 5 @ $12.50 each through your link.
Here's why the XLR cable is louder: It's not the cable. The thing with these combined XLR and 1/4" input jacks on the Steinberg interfaces is that XLR=mic input and 1/4"=line input. So by using the (unbalanced) cable that came with the microphone you're basically bypassing the UR22's mic preamp.
Yup, my FocusRite 2i2 uses a combo socket. It figures if you plugged in a 1/4" jack you are using a guitar, etc. and sets up the impedance to match. The latest iterations of the PylePro are coming through wired for balanced (mine is), so you just need to slap an XLR cable on it.
Love the idea of this series!!
Thanks mate :-)
Solid podcast mic
Hey Shane, I’m looking to get into recording but I literally own nothing for recording. Just guitars amps and pedals. Could this new series include some stuff about getting an interface and whatever else you need to start recording in protools?
The Pyle brand used to be connected with Utah and Oxford speakers some how or another many years ago before the name got sold to the Chinese. I've known them for years as a budget Car Audio company. Derek Trucks apparently has some Pyle speakers in a Fender he owns. That said, I didn't expect this microphone to sound like a real 57 however I was REALLY surprised it sounded decent enough to use. Though I've been pleasantly surprised by cheapos before. Peavey mics anyone?
Good video - for the price not bad. Definitely sounds a lot different than the 57 though. What about build quality? The weight of the mic etc? 57's are shown being run over by buses. How would this Pyle of Mic hold up? Cheers!
I scrolled down to make this a blind test. One of the mics had a bit more 'bite' and I scrolled up to find it was the Pyle! I'm off to buy one now!
EDIT: It's €50 here WTF?
Check the link from Amazon I posted in the description. It's down to $12 now. :-)
Thanks Shane. Surprisingly, Amazon.com actually delivers to Spain! I wasn't expecting that. But will probably order one on the UK site and get it delivered to a friend and then then can send it on to me. It should work out cheaper that way! ;) On amazon.es it was about 5 times the price for some reason.
Are your bucks USA or AUS? Does that include shipping? Can you include a link to where you bought it? Great series.
I really love this series Shane. Out of curiosity I purchased the mic, the better cable, the mic clip, and the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22 Audio Interface, only one question you left out for us recording novices, a good mic stand? Lol. Preferably ones in the set up you were using in this video (for smaller height, for recording guitar amps).
I know that company mainly a involves in car audio systems but never knew they made once I saw Pyle mixer.
Shane, one of the great features of the SM57 is the ability to handle high volume levels-up to 175dB. Can the Pyle get anywhere near that I wonder?
I'd say so.... its the same technology ancient simplicity!
Speaking of budget, would you consider doing a review of Harley Benton guitars?
Pancakes McGee I’ll test one at some point in time ☺️
GOOD stuff Shane. There was neglible difference between them. The Pyle had a tad more apparent volume, but that could have been from your levels settings, & it seemed to have a bit more low and mid presence, whereas the Shure sounded a bit flatter or a bit scooped, but it was VERY small!
If it ever failed, you could always use it on its name sake! ;oP LMAO!
Its funny in post I levelled them both out so they were pretty much the same volume. That said though, the Pyle had a bit more sizzle on the top end which might be what we are hearing. :-)
Possible. Whatever the actual factor was, it sounded VERY good! Punching well above its weight for $14!!!
The Pyle is high impedance and with a good XLR cable, it's scary how close it sounds compared to a 57.
It will have just a small bit more output, but tonewise in a live situation, no one could tell which you were using.
Do a blind A/B vocal test with people and see what the results are.
@@NELZ007 I agree, it would be what we Aussies call a 'poofteenth' in it!
GREAT value!
I have a friend with a high end, boutique studio, he has mics worth $1K of, he quite openly states a few $100 Shures and sub $100 Behringers are almost as good in sound quality, & in a mix you would not know the difference with other elements combined!
He knows the tech & said manufacturing is so good now, that even hi performance equip like mics can be made for very little $! (& subsequently sold for!)
$10K Neumanns are almost passée these days! )
cool stuff man
Thanks :-)
your welcome keep up the cool vids
A mic modders paradise ;)
I just got a genuine SM58 from an online Chinese site for £2,8,I was dubious but yup shes a real one.On Pyle,I foolishly bought a Pyle "wah pedal" for a tenner a couple of yrs ago,used once,broke,binned the end.
It's not bad at all! In fact it's really a bargain! Thanks, Shane!
Time to go shopping
Your $AU14 doesn't include delivery from the US. The AU Amazon page has this item for $AU42. What was the delivery to AU?
Well, it didn't sound $14 horrible I'll give it that.
I might have to check these out.
I like cheap! lol!
Nice vid Shane.
I have a piece of kit for you to try to find. M-audio Black Box Reloaded guitar performance/recording system. Out of production ages ago, but can be found second hand for well under $50, sometimes with the foot controller included because they made a ton of them, and are worth it just for the JTM45, Plexi, and 2K Marshall style amps IMO (roll off cleans and OD/Boost pedals work like a charm), and also it's simultaneous DI tracking/reamping capabilities. First released 11 years ago (damn I'm old) it flew waaaay under the radar in the red kidney bean dominated market, but was developed with Roger Linn, and sports one of his time based effects made popular by John Mayer, as well as some groovy stereo panning and rotary options. Especially as just an effect in a stereo rig with it's amp sims turned off. Small enough to fit on a board or go in a gigbag. It's been my mobile tracking secret weapon for ever, and I'm hunting down another as we speak just to have a backup. Sleeper gear/audio interface for sure if you can find one.
I could not tell the difference. Hell of a deal!
These mics are the bomb. I honestly prefer them to my 57s. They have a brighter sound and the real 57 compresses too much on guitar midrange in comparison. You can hear it in this video. It's amazing for the price. I actually have several now.
I thought it sounded pretty good. I guess now it's a matter of how long it will last. If it last a couple of years in the studio it's money well spent. If it lasts going out to gigs on a regular basis then it's a steal. On a side note we have a large trucking company here in New England called A. Duie Pyle. Must be an American thing.
Great subject. I’m building up equipment to record and everything from pop filters to DAWs are good subjects for me. I really need some square feet - what can you do about that?
Well shane thankyou for an excellent review site
I didn’t buy one of these Pyle
PDMIC78 Microphone $14-20
I
just bought two DM57,S $57 (comes with cannon to cannon and holder) From swamp
music for One third of the price of a real Shure for my home studio .Can
you believe it there’s no excuse for not
being a home recordist on a small budget
Unless you have the elites in your ear telling you
something different mmm. If I was out on road gigging ,it pays to have
rugged equipment that’s why they standardise everything, when you gig and when
you’re in professional studios regularly it saves break down hassles and
standardisation issues, my ears aren’t living in the world of HI fidelity
buddy ,their excellent mikes for home recording
The $14 Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone Review - Music Gear on a Budget #1 - RUclips
The Shure was nicer but I was surprised how well the Pyle did. I would have been interested in seeing how it did in other scenarios like voice, acoustic and the likes.
I have no idea how any of this works and I’m diving in blind and I don’t know anything about guitar mics, so I need help. Can i plug this mic in my computer and record straight to my DAW? (Sorry again if this makes no sense)
It actually souinds very good and in my opinion is not worse sound wise, they sound different. The shure is more robust and heavier and can take a battering, but in a home studio situation you can't go wrong, they soung great on drums, i have 4 of them. They even sound good on a bass drum! I've had mine a year and so far work a treat, just use XLR to XLR and you're good. For less than 15 bucks you can't go wrong !!
How about ordering one of those $300-$400 59 Les Paul’s off eBay. Lots of colors and they look legit. It just seems crazy?
I will be doing some guitars down the road but first I am going to cover some other types of stuff music gear related. :-)
Mark I got my little sister a $270 Purple Shengze for her birthday and other than the pickups being kinda microphonic and have a few nicks in the binding the thing plays pretty well
Ya for $14 its good, but a real used SM57 is very cheap also... I guess if you were on the ultimate budget it would work just fine, but I'll bet a Behringer copy would sound better.
Great video BTW!I
How would the Behringer sound "better" LOL. Like everyone else, I don't hear a significant quality difference in these two. There is definitely a positive placebo effect of paying twenty times more for something!
Sounds great
I have a couple of these on a drum kit, they are the type of Mic that you'd let borrow to somebody that's horrible about giving back lent gear