Shure brings its microphones to the big screen with Elvis Presley

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

Elvis, The latest film by Baz Luhrmann, which is currently being 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 microphone models he used in his performances.

After receiving several photographs of Elvis singing, Shure identified the microphones it 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 a variety of Shure microphones are used in the film, some that Elvis used throughout his career stand out, 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 556 It is a unidirectional moving coil dynamic microphone, supercardioid type, that provides high-quality, wide-range sound reproduction". This one-way feature, achieved thanks to the single-phase principle (uniphase), Offers reliable operation in harsh acoustic conditions, where a conventional model could not be used.

Shure Unidyne I 556 -depicted on the special edition of Elvis stamps, issued by the U.S. Postal Service. USA. in 1993- It has a new acoustic-mechanical circuit, consisting of a moving coil that, By working in combination with a high-flux magnet, achieve greater efficiency and a smooth, peak-free response 40 to 15.000 Hz.

The response at the back is reduced approximately 15 dB thanks to unidirectional single-phase acoustic network. The new voice coil unit is equipped with a double windscreen to ensure quiet operation outdoors. To avoid capturing mechanical vibrations, The unit is suspended by a spring inside the microphone housing, which in turn floats on rubber inside the support.

Model 525 Omnidirectional Moving Coil Dynamic

The technical specification sheet of 1954 of this Shure product describes it as "a dynamic moving coil microphone with a slim design, Custom-made for high-fidelity voice and music reproduction, with an omnidirectional pattern".

It is a versatile and reliable microphone, that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Its wide and uniform frequency response, as well as the fidelity of the 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 magnetic materials and circuitry has made it possible for this microphone to, although small, Achieve maximum operational efficiency, with a robust construction that withstands intensive use and is not affected by variations in temperature and humidity.

SM53 and SM54 models

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

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

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