Guide to Vintage Shure Elements

Random post of May:

(I aplogize for the formatting of this message. The forum formatting has me stumped.)

The Shure CM's and CR's are excellent elements with that "brown sound" - anything from the single impedance CM on up is very, very good. Here's the chronology: 

1949–Model 520 introduced - “R5” element ( “Black Label CR”) 1954–switched to (“White label CR”)

1960 - switched to R7 single impedance CM with opaque epoxy (“Premium CM)”) 1963-  switched to single impedance CM with translucent epoxy (“Single impedance CM”) 1980–Model 520D introduced. R44 element. (“Dual impedance CM”) 1997–Model 520D discontinued. 1997–Model 520DX introduced. High/low impedance. Not a CM at all.

The older the element, the better it is, in MOST people's opinions, and that means "for getting a big fat warm blues tone through a tube amp."

Let me try to describe the difference this way. The difference between a black label CR and a dual impedance CM? Anyone can hear it. The CR is warmer, fatter and grittier. Between a white label CR and single impedance CM? Most good players can hear it. Between any two adjacent models? A really good player can hear it - but the variation from one element to the next of the SAME category is as big or bigger a difference. In other words, moving from one model to the next improves your odds, but may or may not result in an appreciably better element. The price IS driven by both tone AND scarcity which is why the price begins to get really steep. I put single imepdance CM elements in my wood mics by default and they are very, very good elements. (In fact, the difference between the single and dual impedance CM's is a good deal greater than any other interval.)

Remember that your cupping technique is the biggest single factor, by far, in how good ANY mic sounds. A tight cup reduces brightness/harshness. But it has to be tight! That means sealing off the unplayed holes on the front of the harp as well as sealing the rear of the harp to the mic. You can prove this to yourself, and learn where you are leaking (both in front and in back) by temporarily sealing off parts of the harp with masking tape. If that helps fatten the tone, then you were leaking where the tape is now.