Shure - SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone

Hard disagree. It's not a brand thing it's a brand model thing. AKG is not the company it once was, the modern mics have nothing to do with their old legendary microphones. Shure SM7B should have made the list, it's my favorite shure mic. I have so many models. KSM8 is good if you have vocal cord damage and it suppresses those frequencies. I know of no studio sennheiser for vocals. They make good handhelds for live music though. Similarly Neumann TLM103 is overly bright and harsh and great for foley and perhaps modern narration but not necessarily good for singing

The Shure SM7B is a very versatile, and popular microphone for several reasons. It works fine with most voices, and is multifunctional. There's a reason (besides the obviously very successful marketing strategy) it's a "standard" for most podcasts, radio-programs, streamers and some voice-overs. It can also be used for singing. *However* - not every voice is the same, and there's no real way to advice *the* perfect microphone to any voice (just by a written post). You'll learn by trying (in stores or other studios for example) and by your own experience to identify what *you* think is lacking from your current mic. Like with practically anything in life: buy what you think is good as a starter-thing (mic in this particular example), and once you get more proficient/experienced, you start to learn what the limitations are, and where you could improve. For example: if you're starting out playing guitar, it's a waste of money to buy a $5000 guitar. Buy a cheaper guitar, learn to play, figure out what you're missing - test more expensive models, and after a while you'll learn what you're looking for, and which (more expensive) models you can upgrade to. Same goes for mics. The Shure SM7B is very versatile, *and* a professional mic already, so *most* people can use this for a very long time without a need to replace it.

a) SM7b may sound slightly better in the mids (imo), esp for male voice b) SM7b looks cooler (also imo), which is important to OP. he suggested the price range so i just filled it in. But if cash is an issue, yeah i'd say get a 58.

The way I see it is RE20 is the euro version of SM7B as it became more popular there. RE20 is definitely a nice mic and I recall Kerim Lechner (Krimh) call it the elephant dong. Definitely nice to have. I noticed SM7b works better with lo-z capable preamps as that surprisingly causes the volume to jump up 5-10dB!

Yeah, dynamic mics (like the SM7B) pick up less background noise, but there's always a chance it'll pick up a barking dog for example. Better treat the room first and foremost, or invest in a vocal booth if you need real clean recordings. For example: when I stream, I don't need to use my booth or anything - I just slap on a noise gate, and I'm good to go. I have a fairly loud airfilter in the studio, but you don't hear it on stream. However, if I'm *recording* for my podcast or voice-over work, the filter is turned off *and* I use the booth, just to get the recording as clean as possible for mixing.

Yeah, for sure. Shure is a major brand with tons of authorized dealers across the whole world at least, though I do understand (as I said above) that the cost of an SM7B is a lot to a lot of people.

best of the cheaper options is an SM7B plus an Apollo Solo.

Seems like many people really enjoy working the other way around, enhancing a dark SM7b instead of fixing a bright microphone. I absolutely agree with this , and this is the same reason i kept it. I don't have an ideal room and to be able to bring it to a friend and record is worth a lot! Just fire it up and go. Thank you, and you too! 🙏

Ugh, yeah, don't get me started. An SM7B should last at least half a lifetime. Just buy it from an authorized dealer. The cost savings aren't worth it over such a long lifespan. If you can't afford the mic (totally understandable, $440 is a lot to the average person), then get a cheaper dynamic microphone, of which there are many great options, especially for these use cases.

Then we pretty much gave the exact same experience then. I've tried different setups but always come back to this microphone just because it's forgiving and easier to work with. As you say, when you get an idea you power on the microphone, record it, and it you can use it for you final production. Next day you can bring it to a friend and continue record and it will still work given you're in the same vocal shape as yesterday. Maybe Is this the SM7B curse. Hate that it works so well but still leaves me missing.

Look if you have a boss katana don't even bother micing. Just use the output. Then get a mic for vocals. You can get an sm7b that's a safe smooth choice that works for some genres.

Depends on what you're recording day to day. If you're recording drums then at a minimum a kick mic (d112, Beta52a, or D6), 4-5 sm57s, and a matched pair of neutralish overheads. For vocals a tube LDC and non-tube, and an SM7b. A stereo pair of SDCs for other instruments. For me, aside from dynamics for the drum mics, that'd be a matched pair of 414 style LDCs, a matched pair of KM184s, an SM7b, and a u67/u47 (real or clone) plus like a u87. I also like ribbons on lots of sources, but I wouldn't call those staples.

I use both the Shure SM7B and the Rode NT1 depending how I want the vocal to sound

1. DAW = Logic, Cubase, Studio One honestly any DAW is pretty good. I use logic. 2. Audio Interface = Audient ID24 hands down. ID4 is cheaper and good enough but you won't be able to connect an external mic pre. 3. Microphone = Shure SM58 or SM57. With a popfilter and a mic stand. Shure SM7B if you can afford one. 4. Any XLR cables. Shorter the length the better theoretically, but honestly it's okay. 5. Headphones = Audio Technica M50x. 6. Mic Preamp = This one is overlooked, but if you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend one. Focusrite ISA one is an excellant preamp, but honestly anything would be better than the preamp that is built in your audio interface. Also two balanced trs cables are necessary if you're buying a mic pre.

Seems like you want it for voice (gaming, group chats etc) and bragging rights so your friends don't clown on you anymore. If this is the case, you want the ubiquitous Shure SM7B , end of discussion. $400 new, $300 open box or lightly used on Reverb. No one will say shit because every youtuber and their mother has one.

So as I have no personal experience with the SM7dB, and my current SM7B doesn't need a replacement, I never looked at the reviews/comparisons between the two. I have now. [Here's a review mic where he talks about the differences.](https://youtu.be/4O_yCjaE55Q?si=rHi7ze00EoqdGmEi) Now, this video smells a little bit like it's a paid promo, but it doesn't appear so - I never watch paid promo videos, because *of course* that product will be superduper fantastic amazing... That being said, with my knowledge about what he's talking about, the SM7dB sounds like the upgraded version of the B - I think if I were to get a new setup now, without having a mic already, I would probably go for the dB, but not with full conviction tbh. My thought-process: \- The B is older, yes, but it's also proven. There's a reason it's the industry standard. \- The dB is from late 2023; but we're two years down the line and *still* everyone is talking about the B, instead of the dB; why is that? It makes me wonder. Are peole simply holding on to the concept of "The B worked just fine, don't need no improvements"? \- The B is from 2001. Yes, it's *that* old. The original (Shure SM7) is from 1973, and in 1999 they finally released an update (Shure SM7A), which they quickly replaced with the Shure SM7B in 2001. The model hasn't had the need to get updated for almost 25 years; it's *that* good. Granted, the mic was amied for professional use, so the "issue" of needing more power and not having a built-in pre-amp was not an issue: professional studios, radiostations etc had mixers with enough power to utulize the B to perfection. The "need" for the pre-amp became evident when streaming and home-studios became more accessible for Regular Joe; now that you and I could build a studio at home (and with "studio" I mean "a laptop and some speakers" in 99% of the cases) they faced the issue that the interfaces/mixers the consumers (like you and me) were using, weren't professional grade, and lacking the power needed. \- Okay, so the B is older, pretty old. We don't know when it's going to be end of life (so when support stops), but my educated guess is that you still have a loooooong time before this happens. \- Why isn't everyone raging about the *HUGE* quality difference in the audio between the two mics?! The dB is almost 25 years older, it *MUST* be better? Right?! Well, you don't hear anyone about this, because there just isn't that much difference. The audio quality is very much alike. \- The dB is initially a bit more expensive than the B. Though, if you need the pre-amp for the B (which you do), the difference isn't that much. \- I'm never a big fan of newer device being crammed with all sorts of different technology (I'm old fashioned lol). Now, in this case I'm fairly positive it won't impact the mic as much, but let's say you have the B with the separate pre-amp, and the pre-amp breaks down, you can simply replace it. If it's built in, like with the dB, you have to bring your mic back to the store/manufacturer and have it replaced/repaired. If you're out of warranty, you need to buy a complete new mic, setting you back more than if you just had to buy a new pre-amp. So for me personally, the advantage of having the dB be the same size *as the B without the pre-amp, and thus smaller than the B WITH the pre-amp*, doesn't outweigh the disadvantage of having to replace the entire mic if the internal pre-amp in the dB malfunctions. So all in all I would still prefer the B over the dB. I would say, if you're concerned about future upgrades of the *external pre-amp*, yeah, the B is the way to go. With the dB you're kinda 'stuck' with what they made.

421 with a good sounding drum and preamp I think sounds great on a tom, but those sound best an amp paired with a ribbon. Re20 sounds good on a kick, great on a floor tom, particular vocal, or bass cab. Sm7b through a dbx160 makes all the difference. SM58 as a talkback drum mic squashed can sound great. I've made a lot of records and those mics are work horses for a reason.

SM7b is better for untreated rooms, but needs a good preamp. It rejects more background noise than an SM58 as they are designed for live stage use, big open areas.

57's,47, 87, sm7b, good pair of SDC's, coles or some other nice ribbon pair. 421's

Oh I know, but convince the masses that they don't need the same mic all of their favorite streamers are using that they copied from other streamers.

It will depend on your voice type and any room treatment you may or may not have. The AT2020 is popular but in my room for my voice it makes everything a thin mess and highlights lots of the weird parts of my voice. I found the SM58 sounded better for me personally, I've eventually settled on the SM7B but that's probably out of your price range.

SM7b, SM57 or RE20 for mics. They are industry standards, multi purpose and you will use them for decades. Buy cheap interface with lots of preamp gain and sell it next year for better one.

In addition to what everyone else suggested, I'd definitely recommend you use the legendary Shure SM7B for recording. It's not the cheapest microphone but defo not expensive for what you get, it's a real workhorse. It's dynamic, so more directional, and picks up less ambient noise, while delivering condenser-like quality recordings. That's the one I use, with very little insulation in the room and a a noisy street outfront, and it doesn't pick up too much rubbish.

Test engineer for a gaming peripherals brand here. SM7B, not because it isn't a great mic, but because it has now become the "grail" mic for amateurs who don't know any better. It's just the blind leading the blind. This is more of a streaming/Podcasting thing than the audience here, but I still feel like it's worth mentioning as it's practically become a meme at this point. I'd love to see a bit more variety open up in the space. The RE20 is the obvious choice. I'm sure the combination of the most common color being that ugly grey that doesn't look good on-camera (in a typical streaming setup at least), despite the black version costing the same amount, and the fact that Electro-Voice just isn't as well-known outside of the pro audience as Shure, which makes a good variety of products that lean more towards consumer audio than pro audio.

Not a problem! And I understand how a wife "works" - that's why I only stream once a week, and that was a well fought battle haha! So this is my setup: **Mic**: Shure SM7B **Audio interface**: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 **Pre-amp**: Triton Fethead **Cable**: random XLR-cable (don't fall for the "you need really expensive XLR-cables!"-trap) You plug the Fethead in the mic, cable in the Fethead, cable in the Scarlett, Scarlett in the computer. Now, what is what, and why? **Mic**: Self-explanatory. **Audio interface**: You can't plug the SM7B directly into a computer, you need an audio interface (or alternatives, like a mixer of sorts). To keep it simple: the audio interface "translates" the incoming signal from the mic to the computer, so the computer knows what to do with it. I personally use the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, because it suits my personal needs. If you're only ever intending to use just one mic, you can look for slightly cheaper alternatives, like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I vouch for this brand, but that's my own experience. Other people will recommend other brands, you can't go wrong really if it's 'just' for streaming (I work with audio and do VOs professionally, so I can't really fuck around). **Pre-amp**: Even though the Scarlett is a good interface, it lacks a bit in power. The Shure SM7B is an amazing mic, but it needs a bit more "oompf". So, without an extra pre-amp, your mic will sound less loud (up to the point maybe that it's actually really quiet), and you'll need to crank the input for the mic all the way up, which can (and probably will) cause a bit of 'hissing'. To give a simple example: record 'silence', play it back, but turn up the volume; all of the sudden the silence becomes hissing, like white noise. That's what happens when you crank up the input; it will add some hiss. A pre-amp, like the Triton Fethead, is a weird little thing: it basically tells the interface "You know this audio that the mic is giving you? Yeah? Nice, just crank it up 15dB." And then the interface does exactly that, oddly *without* adding the hiss. This results in you needing less input, thus keeping that cleaner audio. **Cable**: So you need an XLR-cable (male to female) to connect the mic to the audio interface. It really doesn't matter which cable you get, honestly. Most interfaces come with a USB-cable to connect to a computer, so don't worry about that either. Now, typing this, I can hear you think two or three things (maybe even four): 1. "Fuck me, can't I have something that I can simply plug into the computer?" Short answer: yes. There are USB-mics (even Shure has one, I think it's the Shure MV7) that you can plug in directly into your computer. I personally have no experience with these, so I can't rightfully recommend this. I'm sure it works just fine - but I can't vouch for it :-) 2. "So wait, if I *don't* use the Fethead, and crank up the input, I'll hear a hiss. But if I *do* use the Fethead, *which cranks up the input itself*, I *don't* hear a hiss? But why?!" Short answer: No clue, it just does, embrace it lol

I'm a vocalist and having this discussion with a producer who is not world renowned or anything, but he is very technically capable ans been doing this for 25 years. He can produce very well, mix very well, is a sound designer and an audio engineer. I am a vocalist, pretty decent and have been recording back and forth for 15 years. We started recording songs together (synth wave style with rock elements). I've always had the SM7B because it has always worked. I do more aggressive rock vocals sometimes, belting etc but also sing very soft. I'm kind of in the same vocal style and harmonic register as Chester Bennington or Jared Leto. The SM7B handles this really well, and the end result of the productions is very good. The discussion: - the producers point: says the microphone has really minimal effect in the end after the vocals have gone through the treatment and the SM7B is good Enough . I really respect him and think he has a very strong point because really, who hasn't seen thousands of comments of gear reviews with people being extremely biased over fancy gear. - I on the other hand is still left feeling some harmonic qualities and "details" in the SM7B are missing. I don't "feel" like the best qualities of my voice is being captured and it still doesn't sound quite like AAA vocals. I'm starting to believe this can't be enhanced in post treatment; because I believe it isn't fully captured in the first place. There's just so much treatment to make the vocals pop in a mix, and I guess I have a problem with that. Because from what I read the SM7B might not pick up all the details, even though it's very forgiving to work with because you can just pretty much eq and compress anything to make it work. The premise here is of course that I sing well enough and we record this with good settings, great microphone technique etc. I believe these points are ok. The whole discussion is basically about what is really captured with another/more high end microphone and what can be enhanced afterwards, and to which degree this really matters. Can you help me change my mind? I really want to be wrong because right now I'm looking at microphones that can replace the SM7B for me, and these options that behave similar but better (AEA KU5A etc) seem to be expensive. I want answers from people who are really critical about gear and don't romanticise beautiful equipment and just re-iterate what others say about it. Edit: this really blew up so I'm having a hard time going though the responses quick enough but I'm on it. I'm very grateful for all responses.

I've always liked the NTA one. As well as the sm7.

i used a blue yeti microphone for 6 years, it did everything i needed it to and lasted me so long, the only reason i ditched it recently was simply for an upgrade. The blue yeti is a fantastic affordable microphone, i just recently upgraded to the Shure SM7B because I could finally afford to upgrade the quality, and i'll likely be using this mic for years and years to come

The NT1 is one of the more balanced condenser mics money can buy and is a real contender in its price range. The SM7b will just sound like someone on a podcast is reading the book. That mic is very familiar sounding at this point. I think what you need to focus on more is which interface you're going to get. The SSL2 is, to me, leaps and bounds better than a Focusrite (especially if you're on Windows) More flexible, cleaner pres and AD/DA conversion, and rock solid stable drivers. It scales with mics. I have a first gen SSL2+ and a Neumann MT48 and the difference is truly negligible as far as quality of recordings goes. I've personally done the shootouts with thousands of $ of mics. You're going to have to get an interface regardless. Going with the NT1 will just save you almost $250.

The Shure SM7B is fantastic, so since your current mic is dying, I could recommend this mic. In regards to the ambient noise, here are some other tips to battle this: I'm assuming the sound from the environment is lower than your voice directly into the mic (if it isn't, you're insane for even trying lol), so nothing that a noise filter couldn't handle. Obviously you need to tweak some settings to hit that sweet spot (where your voice doesn't get cut off, but also where it doesn't pick up ambient noise. Second, just in case the noise filter isn't sufficient, I would add a (small) room divider, preferably covering it in heavy cloth. Place this directly between your mic and the direction the noise is coming from (the tv). You can position the room divider out of frame, and when you're done streaming you can store it somewhere it doesn't bother anyone. Solving your specific issue with *just* a different mic is practically impossible.

SM7b is not an all rounder.... It does some things really well but others not so much. It's great for aggressive rock or if you drive the snot out of a Neve pre with it. If you are recording ballads or hip hop, you might not love it.

I'll be that guy. If there are two of you you should both be using dynamic not condenser mics. Is your room treated? Do you have a decent audio interface? (RODEcaster Duo is top of the line IMO) As for mics. At my station I use an EV-RE20. By far the gold standard for broadcasting. After that the Sure SMB7 after that you can get away with the rode Podmic provided your room is sound treated and you have an interface like I mentioned above (focusrite is also good) Don't go cheap on the interface or mic. Sound matters

>Condensers in an untreated room turns out are bad. This so much. I wish someone had guided me on my first big-boy mic purchase. I've always had SM58's and SM57's kicking around from my live performance career, but when it came time to start building a home studio, I was swayed by the image of what I'd previously used in other people's studios. I went with an AT2050, specifically for the switchable polar patterns. Granted, that mic has been useful in a variety of applications in and out of my own studio, but if I could re-make that decision that day in 2010 at that Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks, CA with the knowledge I have now, I would have spent more for an SM7b and never looked back. And the only reason I still don't own a Royer 121 is simply cost.

Sorry I fixed a typo, I meant SM7B works better with lo-z not sm57 lol. old habits of typing sm57 over and over die hard. Guess how many SM57s I have :)

In all honesty, I can't possibly think of a situation where a room divider wouldn't be a viable option, with the exception of *maaaaaaybe* you need to have visual contact with what's happening in front of the tv - for example a child you're supposed to watch. In case of the latter I'm a bit of an asshole and say "don't stream when you're supposed to watch a kid" 😜 Anyway, you'll have reasons, so I'm not prodding anymore than I already have - I would simply suggest you to reconsider: there's a very good reason more people suggest this as an (extra) solution. In regards to you other question, I'm a bit confused as to what you mean exactly. Yes, I recommend the Shure SM7B. There could possibly be other mics out there that might do the trick, but I only have experience with the SM7B, and since I have a *very* positive experience, that's the mic I'll recommend to practically everyone who needs a good mic for vocals. Since your current mic is dying, you'll need to replace that old mic anyway, so why not an upgrade to the SM7B? There's a reason it's considered to be an industry "standard"* * There are a lot of "professional mics out there, and granted, the marketing of Shure has ensured their position within the streaming/podcasting/radio markets, but if it was a shit mic, you wouldn't see it being used that much. You can hear for yourself (countless podcasts, Youtube-videos, Twitch-streamers, even some radio shows) the quality is good. However, even with the SM7B you still need to apply a filter, the noise gate. Eventually, whether you *really* need it or not (reading your situation, you *REALLY NEED* it), it wouldn't hurt. For example: I stream from a *acoustically treated* music studio (that's what my stream is about), so the sound here is already pretty good. However, I have an air purifier running constantly, plus I live at a fairly busy road, close to a hospital. If I wouldn't apply the noise gate, chances are big (but not a guarantee in my particular case) that you could hear traffic, sirens, and the purifier. With the noise gate applied, you only hear my voice. That being said: you could probably do with a mic of lesser quality, but still apply the filter, and not worry about the background noise. The noise gate is an absolute necessity, in my opinion. Feel free to ask if you have questions!

I did a blind A/B test on a death metal vocalist and the only mic that beat it was the AKG C414 XLS. Obvious choice SM7B came in second to last out of 20 mics, go figure.

SM7B is definitely very smooth but I think the trick is to play with the EQ settings in the back to get it to "neutral" vs. dynamic neutral. But funnily enough for my last cover of punk rock music, I chose the 58a over the 7b because I wanted it to be not smooth at all :)