Shure SM 7 B Reviews

One of the best

I bought this microphone for recording loud and extreme vocals. It's interesting that there was no sound of my bad (acoustically) room in recordings. So i'm glad to use this microphone to record all types of vocals. And it has a very good sound for dynamic mic.

perfect choice

this is the perfect choice for my voice. i bought it without testing before but much better that i thought. the mic has a little compressor effect and smoothing the spikes in the recorded sound that much more easier to set the expected volume. the original windshields a little smashes the sound but if you use a simple popfilter instead the result much better. other important thing is the volume level. you will need a lot of power for it. i have an apogee and an apollo audio interface as well and they have enough gain to record without mic preamp but most of the cheaper interfaces that use directly pick up too much noise. it's a dynamic mic with cardioid characteristic but plenty collect outer noises. not like a condenser mic but i think you will can not use on stage.

a year ago I bought an apogee element interface and realized that the uad apollo interfaces has not enough gain for it and the sound a little bit drowned because the element get me a surprisingly better results (on element able to set +75dB gain instead of the apollo's 65dB and the apogee one's 62dB) the noise completely disappeared and the sound much more opened. so my opinion is if you don't want to buy a preamp the only solution an apogee interface like duet 2 or better (didn't found any other interface that more than 65dB)

Shure SM 7 B

Great Mic for Recording vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitar amps.

It great for even in the rooms that doesn't have a good acoustic is doing this very well!! I really love this mic!!

great mic

best mic for rock vocals! be aware that you need a soundcard or preamp that can put some extra gain in there, as the signal is weak.

Nice microphone

Great for vocal and hihats

very solid mic

really warm sounding mic, fits in the mix straight away in the songs that i use this mic for. nicely fit box to protect the mic as well, easy to stock. one of the best mics you can get for that price!

Very good microphone

Great on vocals and electric guitars.

Its most used as a broadcast mic but it can be very helpful for harsh vocals.

Does everything you need it to

Works excellently on Vocals, Snares, Hi Hats, and Guitar and Bass cabs as well. They're just the things I've tried it on. This mic is an excellent all-rounder. If you only buy one mic make it this one.

I especially like the 2 EQ options on the mic. The HPF helps to remove low end rumbles on vocals and guitars and the high mid boost adds some bit to your guitar tones when you want it to.

Sure SM7 B

One of the best microphones ever made. Really a great mic for vocals in untreated home studios, really keeps the background noise down. Suggest to use a pre amp to boost the signal. It gets into the sound quality of a high priced Neumann without the expense. Many singers have recorded with this mic. Michael Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne etc... Easy to find the best setting for recording vocals.

More than deserving of its legendary status

Everyone knows that the Shure SM7B is the microphone that was used to record the vocals on Michael Jackon's Thriller; and some might argue this is all you need to know. If you're looking for a robust and responsive vocal microphone this is a great choice. Unlike more traditional Large diaphragm condenser mics, and just like it's little brothers the SM57/58; the SM7B is a dynamic mic. This is great for bedroom producers who want to get quality recordings but struggle with acoustically untreated rooms and background noise. This has also made it a favorite for use on podcasts and radio shows. However the SM7B is more than just a vocal mic. It is brilliant at capturing low frequency content, making it a perfect kickdrum mic; but likewise has great response to highs and mids, recording resonant full-bodied acoustic instruments. In terms of features it comes attached to a mount, allowing for easy re-angling of the microphone; and on the back it has switchable high and low EQ shelves for shaping the frequency response. The only shortfall is that the mic needs a lot of gain to get a good signal, likely due to it not taking phantom power.

Soild mic

Used to record vocals with apollo twin

Pros:

- great for male vocal

- not annoyingly bright

- balanced sound

- excellent build quality

- fantastic build quality

- superb...

- good resale value

cons:

- none, could be cheaper, but everything could be cheaper.

I used it with audient id22 at first, it was dull and uninspiring. not a audient fault, it is a awesome interface, this mic needs to be pushed. great with hot signal and compressor.

Great on the right source

I use this to track vocals, electric guitar and bass cabs, floor tom, kick and misc percussion instruments. It does very well in all these applications, it's a real workhorse. Plus, it impresses the clients.

It's not the most neutral mic, it has a 'sound'. Warm and vintagey, I suppose. Not as detailed as a condenser, but still surprisingly detailed for a dynamic mic. On the right source, it often sounds 'right' straight away, I guess that's because I've been listening to it on countless records all my life! It takes EQ and compression well in the mix, and usually sits really well with a minimum of pulling and dragging.

It doesn't work on everything, I've found it to be pretty poor on acoustic guitar for example, and it often loses out to LDCs on vocals. BUT, on the right voice, it's terrific.

It's decent on floor tom, although it seems to pick up a lot of spill from the rest of the kit, snare and hi-hat especially.

If a band want to track a song live, I tend to use the sm7b on the lead vocals as it sounds great, but doesn't pick up as much bleed as an LDC would. For the same reason, it's great for recording in untreated rooms.

I like it a lot on guitar and bass amps, much more than the sm57.

For vocals, I use it with a GAP Pre73 mkiii that provides more than enough gain. For loud sources like drums and amps, my Focusrite Scarlett and Presonus D8 preamps have provided plenty of gain when the Pre73 was on other duties. It sounds 'darker' through the Pre73 than the other preamps.

For me, this has been a worthwhile investement. The only problem is now I want more large diaphragm dynamics!

Pros - versatile studio workhorse with a classic sound. Great on the right source.

Cons - requires a preamp with plenty of gain to reach its full potential.

I now understand the hype

This is a perfect first serious mike for an amateur studio.

Very versatile, records well and easy to achieve a great sound, no matter your studio acoustic insulation.

I used in vocals, acoustic guitars, amps, cabs, drums, cymbals and vertical piano - always a superior sound!

As very often recommended, I bought it with a cloud lifter cl1 and I appears to be a match made in heaven.

All in all, a very good purchase.

It's industry standard for a reason.

Sounds great in a wide range of applications and is sturdy and well made as you would expect from sure. It requires quite a lot of gain for most situations so you will require a decent mic preamp to get the best from it.

Quality mic at a great price

Go to mic to record vocals, my apartment has a lot of natural reverb so I needed a mic that wouldn't pick up quite as much of the room noise but still give me beautiful, crystal clear vocals. There's a reason its an industry standard.

Best microphone for the studio or live!

I have used this mic for nearly a year now, recording a wide range of vocals and instruments and it never fails me. From male to female it just plain works.

This Mic is great for just about everything.

If your budget can stretch, get two and you have two fantastic tom mics. Use it on the inside of a kick drum, a snare drum, guitar cab, vocals, brass and just about everything else.

I can have an acoustic guitar playing right beside this mic with a very minimal amount of bleed over. The side rejection is fantastic. Makes the mixing process a lot easier. Great separation for the sound engineers.

I have nothing bad to say about this microphone other than, i would recommend investing in a cloud lifter to get the most from it. With the Cloud Lifter you can get enough gain from the microphones without having the need to push your mic pres too hard.

Pros:

Great Response

Flat and natural tone

Can take very high S P L levels

No need for a pop filter with the included foam cover

Cons:

You need a high end preamp or cloudlifter to get the most out of it.

The mic that doesn't mind getting yelled at.

I love this microphone. If you have the money available and you're into heavier music stop reading here and just buy it.

Now that the people that, in my opinion, this mic is perfect for are gone, let's get down to business.

This mic is clean, rich and very reliable. It not only feels sturdy, but it will usually avoid any background noise while recording, even when holding it in your hands, something a lot of heavy vocalists feel they need to do. This stops those headaches that can happen when you're in your home studio, you do the perfect vocal take and bam, someone closes a door half way through and it's ruined.

You may have guessed I use this mic for vocals mainly and you'd be correct. The music I write is usually aggressive, loud and this mic is perfect for it. However I have used it on pop tracks, grunge tracks and other lighter/moodier music and it also shines through there.

I've seen this mic used for micing guitar cabinets with high success although the sound is very niche so I wouldn't buy it just for that. Same with micing Toms. One of the main things I love about this microphone is because it feels so sturdy you're not afraid to use it anywhere and just see how it sounds.

I'm trying to find a negative about the mic and can think of very little. The wires on the side sometimes feel flimsy? But they've never broken or come loose and this mic has been beaten up royally by some vocalists.

Honestly if the good points I've brought to you perk your interest, just buy this microphone, you won't regret it.

I use this mic in my home studio and it's perfect.

The quality is great and the recorded voice sounds clear.

Good for recording Radio ads, hip hop vocals and percussions.

I can warmly recommend this to musicians who need just a laptop, soundcard and a microphone.

Solid

Good, solid mic. As you'd expect from Shure. A tad expensive for what it is but teamed up with decent preamp or cloudlifter it should be part of your studio setup.

The Hidden Gem of Vocal Mics

Wow. Where do I start. This has to be one of the best vocal mics ever. I have used it succesfully through all sorts of pre amps but NEVE has always been my preference for most things. It has a silky smooth response that really compliments the voice of both male and female vocalists. It has a U47 type nice thick middy sound that sounds just awesome. Some people refer to it a a cheap man's U47. I can really see why. I have used it both live but mainly for recording. The first time I heard myself through this I remember saying Wow! hence my opening line. Incredible mic for an incredible price. If I had to choose one mic for vocals this would be it.