Shure Beta 52 vs. Shure Beta 52A

[squinchy]

There may be a very simple answer to this question, but thought maybe some out there would know. I used to own a beta 52, used it on kick drums and bass amps and even found it sensitive to use for other applications such as a room mic. Then, I lent it to someone and it got stolen at a huge party. Bummer. So years later I pick up a supposedly new beta 52A on ebay and I'm finding that this mic looks the same but that I have to really, really crank the gain to get a signal. This is *not* a characteristic I remember of the 52 so I am wondering if a) the 52A is different from itsw predcessor, lower output/less sensive than the 52, or b) I bought a messed up/fucked up mic on ebay.
Thanks, all.
Squinchy

[joel hamilton]

I think you got a lemon.

I have had both. An old one and I just got a new one a month ago.

Same mic. The new one is actually a little better, less flappy, tighter, less scoopy sounding.

Doesnt sound like a d112, but also doesnt sound pre-scooped anymore so much.

Works well for certain kixxx really well.

[squinchy]

Thanks Joel,
Now we'll see if a 90-day warranty on ebay holds any weight.
Wish me luck, I'll need it.

[deadair]

hmmm. i have just gotten a beta 52a, and had just used a buddys and both have way less output then any mic i've ever put it a kick. i just assumed that was how it is. i love how it sounds, but it is quiet...... maybe its a bad batch???? maybe someone should contact shure......

[twitchmonitor]

Man, I've got a beta 52 (not sure if it's 52a or not) and mine's got pretty low output too. I assumed this was just a low output mic, but now I'm wondering.

Maybe I'll contact shure and see what they say.

[squinchy]

well now I don't know what to think...but I'm glad I'm not the only one who experienced this.
I sent an email to shure, we'll see what they say.
It is a great mic...

[twitchmonitor]

ok, I called Shure and talked to a very helpful guy in the tech department and here's the verdict:

the 52 and 52a have the same exact capsule. The changes were made to th swivel mount...and if you have the older model, as I do, you'll know why. On the older one, the rubber gromet would fall off so you couldn't tighten the mic onto the stand and it would just flop over and the threaded female hole for the mic stand was RIGHT next to the XLR jack, which means that if your stand has a tightening ring, you CAN'T get the plug in without first removing the ring....huge pain in the ass.

but I digress. So they changed the swivel mount and that's it. Now, on to output:

While I was on the phone with the Shure tech guy he looked up a couple of ratings for other similar mics that I know for comparison (AKG D112, EV RE20) and we discovered that the RE 20 has a higher output and the D112 used different measurements, so it was difficult to tell exactly, but it looked like the D112 also has a higher output than the Beta 52. Also, he said that the beta 52 has a lower output than the other mics in the beta series.

To check if your mic is cool use a multimeter. The DC resistance between pin 2 and 3 should be about 50 ohms. If it's not around that, you can send your mic back to Shure (no receipt necessary) and they'll fix it (or just replace it if they choose) for a flat fee of $55.

[deadair]

thanks for lookin into it. as far as mics i throw in kicks. it seems 421s and d112 are about the same output. atm25 is higher. and beta52 is lower.

[squinchy]

here is what Shure said in their response to me email:
That would be unusual, the BETA52A's have quite a high output level. It's higher than most other dynamic mics. There's no audio difference's between the 52's and 52A versions, only change was in the way the mounting bracket tightens.

If you think the mic is defective, return it to the dealer for a replacement. Or if you'd rather return it directly to Shure Inc.

The Shure Inc. warranty covers any problems or defects
you may experience with your wired microphone for a period
of two years from date of purchase.
You can send in your microphone with your purchase information,
to our factory service center.
Our mailing address is: Shure Inc.
S. N. Technology center
Attn: Service Dept.
222 Hartrey Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202

What I find interesting here is "BETA52A's have quite a high output level". That's what I thought...this seems a bit different than what the guy said on the phone.

[Piotr]

I don't know if this helps, but I used to think the 52 was a low output mic. Turns out I just wasn't being aggressive enough with the pre. Sounds simple to me too. What made it interesting was that over the same period of time I found that the mic placement made as much of a difference as the pre.

Using better techniques I started to get a fatter kick sound without the phasing and/or wimpy tones that plague the beginner. But no taste-testing of mics should be done until the fundamentals are in place. Without technique even the best mic can get trashed...

I would use all the kick mics you can find on as many sessions as possible and then let's hear some feedback.