Shure brings his microphones to the big screen through Elvis Presley

In order to achieve the greatest historical accuracy for the film about the mythical singer, Shure has advised in the production on the models of microphones that he used in the performances and throughout his career.

Elvis, the latest film of Baz Luhrmann, which is currently shown in Spanish cinemas, leads the life of the mythical artist Elvis Presley to the big screen. To maintain the highest possible historical accuracy, Warner Bros. went to the audio manufacturer Shure to advise him on the models of microphones he used in his performances.

After receiving several photographs of Elvis singing, Shure identified the microphones he used and suggested alternative models when needed., helping film production companies, as on other occasions, to identify and find those that fit the time.

Although the film uses a wide variety of Shure microphones, highlight some that Elvis used throughout his career, as the model Unidyne I 556, one of the most recognizable that the artist used at the peak of his career.

According to the technical specification sheet of this shure product from 1947, "the model 556 is a dynamic one-way moving coil microphone, of supercardioid type, that provides high-quality, wide-ranging sound reproduction". This one-way feature, achieved thanks to the uniphase principle (uniphase), offers reliable operation in adverse acoustic conditions, where a conventional model could not be used.

Shure Unidyne I 556 -represented in the special edition of Elvis stamps, issued by the U.S. Postal Service. USA. in 1993- has a new acoustic-mechanical circuit, consisting of a moving coil which, when operating in combination with a high-flow magnet, achieves greater efficiency and a smooth response without peaks of 40 to 15.000 hz.

The response in the back is reduced approximately 15 dB thanks to the unifase unifase acoustic network. The new moving coil unit is equipped with a double windshield to ensure quiet outdoor operation. To avoid picking up mechanical vibrations, the unit is suspended by a spring inside the microphone housing, which in turn floats on rubber inside the support.

Model 525 dynamic omnidirectional moving coil

The technical specification sheet of 1954 of this Shure product describes it as "a dynamic moving coil microphone of thin design, custom-built to play voice and music with high fidelity, with an omnidirectional pattern".

It is a versatile and reliable microphone, that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Its response in wide and uniform frequency, as well as the fidelity of reproduction are largely due to the new design of the diaphragm, attached to a high-sensitivity conductive coil suspended in a magnetic structure.

The use of materials and magnetic circuits has made it possible for this microphone, although small, achieve maximum operational efficiency, with a robust construction that withstands intensive use and is not affected by temperature and humidity variations.

SM53 and SM54 models

According to the technical specification sheet of 1970, "thanks to its reliable performance, its characteristics and its elegant appearance, The SM53 and SM54 models are very versatile and ideal for many demanding applications in television, radio, recording, films and sound reinforcement".

The performance and design of both models are very similar, while the SM54 microphone " is specifically designed for use in difficult conditions, when the microphone gets very close to the mouth or handheld, due to their immunity to plosive and breathing sounds".

Elvis used these Shure microphones, brand that markets Earpro, in the decade of 1970, mainly because they do not increase the response of bass due to the proximity effect.

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