Upcoming Artists: The Truth About The Shure SM7B
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- In this video, Hayden Jamal reviews the Shure SM7B based on the myriad of projects that he has actually created with it. This take is more from a practical, home studio, upcoming artist perspective and not one who has huge recording budgets.
Within this video, you will find references to Logic (the rapper), the breakfast club, Michael Jackson, Sampha and many others. The main problem with this microphone is the microphone hiss. Because the Shure SM7b is a dynamic microphone, it requires a lot of gain to power it adequately. Most preamps that you can buy from a guitar center will not possess the necessary gain for this microphone, thus the hissing gets into your hiss.
Hayden Jamal talks about how you can achieve a quality sound with a Shure SM7B with the use of a cloudlifter. A cloudlifter is definitely worth it if you have the money, but if you are looking for home studio recording, you can put that same amount of money into a different microphone altogether and don't have to worry about the microphone hiss.
Other things talked about in this video are gain staging and noise floor. Remember, no microphone will sound good unless the area has some treatment.
=======================================
Song (WILL):
Purchase ► bit.ly/2mv5XcV
Apple Music ► apple.co/2zIpJGM
Soundcloud ► bit.ly/2A3ehGE
Available on Google Play, Tidal, Spotify, Napster, Deezer & More for Streaming!
=======================================
Directed & Edited by Hayden Jamal
Subscribe! ► bit.ly/2zwUGO5
Email List ► bit.ly/2yKM2rQ
=======================================
Connect With Hayden Jamal:
Facebook ► / haydenjamalmusic
Twitter ► / haydenjamal_
Instagram ► / haydenjamal_
Website ► HaydenJamal.Com
RUclips ► bit.ly/2z7JSa3
Booking: ► HaydenJamalbooking@gmail.com
For Questions/Concerns Regarding Home Studio Equipment/Music Consultations ► MotifLegend@gmail.com
=======================================
Connect With Motif Legend (The Movement) on Social Media:
► Instagram / motiflegend
► Twitter / motiflegend
=======================================
About Hayden Jamal- Recording Artist & Consultant
Matthew-Jamahl Hayden (born August 3rd), known mononymously as Hayden Jamal, is a Black-American rapper, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. Hayden Jamal initially gained recognition as a rapper and video blogger on youtube in the mid-2010’s creating videos about home studio equipment. Intent on pursuing a career as a rapper, he releases songs on a semi-weekly basis. Hayden Jamal is also known to have coined the term “Igloo” and “Little Igloo” for the state of Minnesota.
=======================================
My Camera Equipment:
Camera: Canon T5i
Microphone: Rose Videomic Go
Music Featured In Video:
Hold On by Joakim Karud / joakimkarud
Creative Commons - Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported- CC BY-SA 3.0
creativecommons....
Music provided by Audio Library • Hold On - Joakim Karud...
Other microphones I would recommend:
Rode NT1A : www.amazon.com...
Neumann TLM 102:www.amazon.com...
CAD e100S: cadaudio.com/pr...
AKG Perception 220:www.amazon.com...
Basically, if you're planning on getting this mic, add another 100 to it, and include a cloudlifter, or fethead. That makes it more expensive. But if your studio setup isn't as well treated, having a dynamic mic instead of a con sensor would be a huge help. It's all about planning out your budget.
Cloudlifter...Easy fix. Problem solved.
I did actually, I made the comment before the end. :)
yes
WOW...Dick Much?
Nah hes just repeating what his parents told him when they kicked him out.
+Derb 😂 😂 😂
Please don't listen to this guy. Just but a Fethead when you buy the mic.
Whats a good priced fethead?
Is the fethead better then the cloud lifter ?
@@toxichatter8387 it's not better, but it's more convenient and cost effective for me
@@vuze6075 I got the Fethead Regular on amazon for $90 amzn.to/3jvmKqt
Works great. I would not bother with the sm7b without it. The signal is very low without it. I like the fethead over the cloud lifter because it is small and no power cable
I had a similar experience as you so i returned my SM7B and bought a TLM 103 and Apollo Twin Interface. I like the 103 but it's very sibilant and my room is untreated. Bought a SM7B again to see if it would work better with the apollo twin and now i love it. I'm actually liking it more than the TLM 103 in an untreated room. I also don't need the cloudlifter as Apollo Twin has enough clean gain.
100% agree, same here!
This comment is actually why we came to this video thank you so much you just saved us so much money !
I think some of you are being unfair. To a great extent, he isn't wrong. If someone shells out $399 for this mic simply because they hear everyone saying it's a great mic, may well encounter the issue he has described. Yes, a Cloudlifter solves the issue, but that's another $149 to get the best performance out of this mic. For many, an investment of nearly $550 is just going to be too steep.
And if that is too steep for your home studio budget, I'm guessing you're also not working in a well treated studio, which means that even with a Cloudlifter, you're still not going to get the optimal benefit of this mic. So yes, I would agree, that for many people setting up a home studio, dropping nearly $550 on this microphone and a Cloudlifter, you may not get results that seem that much better than a cheaper microphone.
To be clear, I'm not bashing this mic either. I have one, and a Cloudlifter, and I'm very happy with it. But it isn't going to be a magical game changer for everyone, especially those on a tight budget.
Totally agree I have a new sm7b with the same "issues"
The sm7b is a forever purchase but you shouldn't buy it without researching, knowing what comes with it, and of course don't buy if you don't have enough money
@Benji Feliksa hows it work?
The noise isn't from your microphone bud it's from your pre.
+Ghost in the Machine I know this. My other mics work very much fine with the same pre though.
It's all good i was just pointing out that you kept saying the hissing was coming from your mic. You other's mic don't need to be driven as much as the sm7, still doesn't change that it's on your pre, not the mic to get it up to level, and when it comes to the shure it's definitely done intentionally. I enjoyed your review, and I'm glad you posted it! I just don't think you should be pointing people away from a very solid mic just because it requires a good pre. In my eyes that would be like saying someone shouldn't buy a good guitar cabinet, just because you need a good amp to make it shine. Just my opinion, thanks again for the review
+Ghost in the Machine thank you for your kind words and objective criticism.. My whole point of my channel is to simply educate through my experience. What you are saying makes complete sense and I'm not disputing that, but the whole point is that you do need a really good mic pre for your mic to shine.. And that's a problem for how much money it costs in my opinion. Of course it's a great microphone, it sounds great, my most successful song on Soundcloud was recorded with it.. But considering that I can grab a low budget audio interface, grab a Condenser mic for a fraction of the price, and rock out, means for a person looking to save as much money (an upcoming independent artist which is what my channel is dedicated too primarily) as possible, it isn't worth it in my opinion. The
i mostly agree. Although the only thing i would take issue with is even if investing in a sm7b setup costs you a grand.....i really don't think there is another mic that will get you near the level of quality you get with the shure. Plus having god mic pre's is nevvvvvver a bad thing if you actually care about producing solid tracks. But yes, if this was directed ONLY for those that are wanting to stay at the level of just playing around, then yea it probably isn't worth the investment. But then again, almost nothing would be worth investing in if all u wanted to do was buy a scarlett 2i2 and play around with a daw for fun.
+Ghost in the Machine Ghost thanks for the dialog. I'm sure it'll be instrumental for someone browsing this video. The only thing I'll add to what you said was that when one is adding simple vocals over a two track instrumental, accompanied with the right engineer, you won't need more than a focusrite and a sub 100 microphone to make sellable music. If you want to win awards and such of course you'll need better..
I definitely appreciate the love and perspective you have brought to the channel. Much respect my dude.
It's no secret the SM7B needs a lot of help given it's low output. I decided to pick up an SM7B and dropped a chunk of money on a good preamp. I can easily get usable levels with that setup with little or no noise. A Cloudlifter alone doesn't provide enough gain for an SM7B. You still need other devices in the chain to boost the signal and do so with proper gain staging as to not fuck up the signal to noise ratio. I'm very happy with the SM7B and now I can see why it's as popular as it is. Thanks for the video!
You’ve obviously never heard of a 512c preamp! Trust me this mic is golden, but you need an adequate signal chain! Rap, Narrating, Radio, Podcasting for the most part is all I would use for this mic. Dude it’s a Dynamic mic like you said so don’t compare it to a diaphragm mic.
You can pair this with the SSL 2 or 2+, I have this combo works good if the sound is good. Gain isn't a problem, plus you get a converter better than UAD Apollo (tested) as it has more body and less thin sounding plus you get quite and plenty of gain, setting 9 of 10.
What a bad review for a legendary, and standard mic in the music industry still today. The whole argument is based on a simple problem that can be easily resolved with today's sound technology. Any good review has pros and cons. This is a great reliable mic still used today in dozen of recordings not just broadcast. You can use it everywhere from home recording in a untreated room to a side street recording session if you want.
Rapper here.....Thing i'm afraid of is getting a Fethead for my SM7B & the noise floor rising (like u stated). I'm doing home recording also with not the greatest treatment in the world. Would u suggest selling the SM7B and getting the Rode NT1 Kit? It's about $270 on Amazon
I have an SM7b and I think it is a great mic. I use a Rupert Neve 5012 preamp which supplies plenty of gain, which is what it needs. The advantage of this mic is that it picks up less of the room and is great for home recording.
+Paul Allen I agree that it sounds great. And yes that's the advantage of dynamic microphones in general.
I love my SM7B!
I use it for all my songs.
Do you need an amplifier? Thanks
I understand what he's saying, though. It isn't said outright, but he's looking out for those who haven't really made a stable living out of music yet.
He's talking about entry-level artists who are still finding their bearings. It really is irresponsible to buy an SM7B if it's not within your budget. There are cheaper, decent options. The mic alone costs just about as much as a cheap beginner setup.
If money isn't an issue, then this all need not apply.
Probably the best take on the SM7B I've seen ... and I love that mic. All comes down to whether the user is comfortable with the price + Cloudlifter and has a great-sounding room in which to use it. Plenty of other mics deliver great consumer-pleasing sound for half the price ... and again, I love the SM7B. Good video.
+Ben Brown Thanks so much for your compliment on the review. And yeah, I've used it with the cloudlifter but still, it didn't just WOW me. Thanks again
Had my first SM7B mic and absolutely love it, I really don’t have any issue with it, I recorded many songs and still do! I engineer my own music and never really had that “floor noise” in my audio; yea I use alot of gain for it but with plugins stuff you can get that industry sound to your songs, the plug in “Noise Gate” will be your friend for this microphone cutting that noise from your preamp
Thank you.. noise gate has awesome results when used properly.
@@robertmedina3982 let me know if you have any questions I still use the same from 2 years ago, it help make my record go number 2 on radio charts back in May 2021
@@TheEffex thanks… that is so cool.
This is the most creative introduction ive seen in a long time.
I went with the EV RE20 because it has the best sound to compliment my voice. I’ve been on the radio for almost 20 yrs now and why fix what’s not broken. For those of y’all bashing this guy, don’t forget he’s actually talking into an 800 dollar mic, lol. To each is own. Try it and if it works use it. If not then return it and move on.
Good video.
I will add that I use the SM7B for loud Vocals in a less than perfectly silent home studio.
Where a phantom powered condenser mic will pick up every little sound because it is so sensitive, the SM7B will only pick up what is directly in front of it.
Loud vocals are isolated and no background noises are added.
A much less expensive alternative though is the Sure sm57 with a windscreen.
That's what I use for a live mic because of the foam windscreen over the metal screen of the Sure sm58.
The smaller slightly elongated foam cover I think works best and seems to add a little bit of range for picking up sound directly in front of the mic.
Great for playing an instrument and singing at the same time.
do you have this mic? I have it and there is definitely a good bit of background noise
LizaLavolta possibly from ur interface not handling? (If you have the cloud lifter in your chain) seems it could only be interface... what interface you using?
There is nothing 'prosumer' about the SM7b it is a pro mic through and through.
He never said that , in fact he said the opposite. The gear most of us have at home is prosumer (I hate that term BTW) and it doesn't have enough power that the mic requires to operate correctly.
@@weschilton That's how you know the people who are jumping down his throat are bandwagon musicians. They didn't even listen to what he was actually saying. most everything stated in the video is true.
Thank you for making this honest review onnthe SM7B. I ended up getting an Electro Voice RE20 to use with my Rode Rodecaster Pro II. I appreciate this alot. There are so many mixed reviews and most of the ones i seen were from individuals who got the product sent to them free of charge and thats such a gray area man. 🙇♂️🙏
Wow dude you are spreading some 2016-level misinformation. The mic sounds weak since you don't have a preamp. Get a preamp and problem will be solved. No reason for a "strong" preamp. Just a preamp.
He's talking facts here.
Point of the video is, If you want to buy sm7b, make sure that you buy some good interface or pre amp for it because it is a gain hungry mic and increasing the gain in post will also increase the noise levels of your mic and interface.
Example, generally you should be able to get a signal around -12 to -18 db with gain knob below 75%. With cheap interfaces you'll get -20/-30 db of signal out of sm7b at 100% gain. Which is bad, you can't fix that in post.
I returned my cloud lifter and presonus interface. Now I’m running my sm7b straight off my Mackie profx6v3 mixer and I’m a happy camper.
Which one would you prefer for Shure SM7B, SSL2 or ID4 and why?
Honestly, the SM7B is worth it for me, because I don't have the best treatment in the world. It tends to reject of a lot of the BS. With a decent preamp, the microphone hiss isn't really an issue.
Yes.
Next question.
(Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder tracked with it for a reason).
Just sold my Shure SM7B today to get the akg c214 was having way to many issues with the sound being too low I bought the cloud lifter but it just brought out a hissing noise in the back of my recordings. If you are gonna get this mic make sure you have a good audio interface because my focusirte 2i2 was not enough apparently
I am using an MXL 770 mic with a ProFXv2 mixer with onboard phantom power for internet broadcast and studio recording. I wan to upgrade the mic. Do I still need the cloudifier?
+Say's Grooves the phantom power will be useless with an SM7B. A cloudlifter will give your microphone a boost. I would say yes you will need it if your buying a 7B.. Thanks for the question bro. All the best
did the neumann price go up in 3 yrs time?
Get the SS1 by The Simply Sound Company and you are sorted! The SM7B works like a dream with that and its only $50! Best vocal mic in my opinion when paired with that!
I want the shure 7m7b with a cloudlifter but here in Canada that will cost me $710.75 and the fethead doesn’t sound as good as the cloudlifter so can you or someone please recommend me a better dynamic mic for vocals than the shure since I’m going to be spending this kind of money anyway?
I don't have any problems with my SM7B, I'm definitely loud enough without using too much gain. You just need a very good preamp, that's it!
How would you feel about the SM7B if you ran it through a better preamp Hayden? Microphone aside, wouldn't a better preamp make all instruments sound better?
I'm using a Shure SM7b in my home studio. Going directly into a Roland Octa Capture. And live onstage directly into a TC Helicon Voicelive 3. I'm not using a cloudlifter etc. Never had a problem, and no hiss! The sound is great.
+Paul van Huet - Vanhamuziek I'm glad your getting really good sound out of it bro!
I had no idea that this video would get over 10k views! Thanks everyone for watching and commenting, even if you didn't like the video. I appreciate all of the support and it has motivated me to make more videos. Let me know what you would like to see. If you have any suggestions for videos you would like to say, i'm almost always on Twitter- @haydenjamal_ (please follow me). Also, if you would like to check out any of my music, please head to your favorite streaming app (apple music, spotify, etc) and type in Hayden Jamal. Thank you all!
Hey Hayden, This msg. runs long (sorry). Your reply sounded earnest so I feel compelled to be earnest too. I've resubscribed based on rewatching this today (liked it weeks back) & you saying you're motivated to upload vids more consistently. Good wishes with that. I don't upload but imagine it takes quite a bit of work, esp. if you get into post production. I think you'll have lots to educate many of us. As a neophyte I appreciate & respect your experience. I like your style--warm, real, info is to the point, not hitting us over the heads with spastic energy, plus you have a great voice (& being handsome is never a drawback, LOL). My 2 cents' worth: the feedback you've rec'd, about ensuring you title vids carefully so they truly correspond to content, & staying on topic...yeah, I agree with that commentary. (I'm sure it's challenging but us folks are looking to be edified on specific topics. I've been spending hours upon hours upon hours trying to 'get an education' on all this stuff, & time is at a premium (for all of us), so keeping vids on-topic, tight, & still engaging...it matters. It's why we viewers come back.) I'm not a rapper (nor recording any music genre): I'm a newb trying to understand the interrelationships (mic, pop filters, accoustic treatment, frequency response graphs, ohms & what devices can drive which headphones, which cans are optimal for which devices, plug-in power, phantom power, gain, noise floor...). There's a hell of a lot to learn (lots of things delving into sound engineering is just beyond me), budget is of course a hugely significant factor, & there is also a LOT of contradiction, BS frankly, & misinformation (plenty of people who fancy themselves experts & ....aren't.) Then we newbs have to second guess what's legit from people who are partnering & receiving loaners or free gear to review. Just letting you know: your vids got a bit into the interplay of accoustics, noise floor, gain...& that was the 1st time I've come across some much-needed explanation of that interplay (I've been surfing YT for weeks on this now). So thank you for that. You asked what we'd like to see? All those aspects of recording & producing I mentioned are of interest to 'all of us': aspiring rappers, podcasters, RUclipsrs, voiceover artists--we're all clueless in the beginning, & trying not to get overwhelmed, & way (way way way) in debt. I know you plan to cater to aspiring rappers in home studios so I understand if you figure it might hurt your channel to get too far-afield in terms of target audience. Anyway (& finally!) best wishes for your channel.
TechWhirl, thanks so much for your candor and honesty, also thanks for the compliments. Thank you for your constructive feedback and criticism of the title of my videos and the content as well. Doing this is very new for me, so thanks for not hitting me over the head lol. I don't really know if I have a target audience yet, I can only speak from my own personal experience so maybe the rappers in home studios would be it, but I don't have anything conclusive as of yet. There is a hell of a lot to learn and I just aim to break it down very simple and easy for the average consumer. Uhm, I will do my best to cater information to all different fields of content creation (rappers, podcasters, RUclipsrs, voiceover artists) and being that you truly appreciate what I have done, I'll make sure I never lose sight of the overall goal, and i'll also make sure i'll give unbiased opinions and information based on the real life practical use of something.. If you have any questions about anything technical, please reach out to me on Twitter @HaydenJamal_ and send me a DM. I may not know everything about frequency response graphs and such, but microphones, pop filters, treatment, phantom power and things like that I probably can help. I ramble lol. Thanks once again for your subscription.
Hey Hayden, Thanks for replying & offer to field questions. Keep it real & follow your own path. Again, best wishes with this channel.
+TechWhirl thanks so much for your kind words. I will. 💯
Brilliant and clear explanation. $400 for the mic then another $150 for Cloudlifter. Gets expensive!
im scared that my interface does not work anymore someone said his interface stopped working so he bought a new one and this made me think man this is a really important peace of equipment. and i watched a video where people said theese microphones last you for years does this mean microphones can Break Fast ?
but its good for talking to people, right? also can you explain what the phantom thing and cloudlifter thing is?
I dont get it? your recommending the A Neumann Tlm 102 which would be more expensive than the SureSM7b with the cloud lifter? why is this?
+Quincy Pinola my point was, if you buy a Shure with a cloudlifter, you then enter into a different price segment, 500 bucks or so.. You then could make the argument that a Neumann 102 is the better value for that money with a standard focusrite or something like that. Thats all.
Im sure the Neuman 102 is good. Doing reserch i like the sound of the SureSM7b, but now its seems i have to get the cloudlifter, because I have a Focusrite with phantom power. With out regard to price which one do you like better the Shure or the Newmann and why?? Im resarching the newman next but I have a NT1 rode thats pretty good and the Shure is dynamic so i thought it would be good route to go since I all ready own a condeser mic.
+Quincy Pinola the sound is really good on the shure but you have to keep in MIND that it's a dynamic, meaning the closer you are the better. For some, that's really good, but for me, I like some distance from the mic cause I have a voice that can be really deep. And what's wrong with the NT1? that's a good mic if you ask me
Aww the Nt1 is a great mic nothing wrong at all, it was a step up from the sterling I began with, It will still get use for sire, Iwas just looking into getting a new mic, so the shure seemed like a good choice because i would have a diifernt type in my studio. I was leaning toward the NT1ia , but i think the NT1 is good not too much differnt, its just flatter. Next i will get a tube mic from Rode the NTK
+Quincy Pinola the NTK is a fantastic microphone. If anything happened to my Neumann that's what I would use.
While i do think the 7b is over rated these days, your reasoning for not using it makes no sense
Should I choose SM58 over SM7B For home studio recording ?
My previous mic was an MXL 770 which is a pretty decent condenser mic for the price. My core interface is a Behringer UMC204HD. I just picked up a used SM7B and looking for the right set up. Anybody had any experience with the DBX 286s preamp processor? I've watched videos where the DBX really does an amazing job in terms of removing background noise, hissing, etc.; as well as being able to compress and transform the sound into what you're looking for. The Cloudlifter is around the same price and doesn't do the same job. What would you recommend?
Rapping, Singing, & Podcasting.
Love the practicality of what you share. So, do you have a Dynamic you recommend for home office voice overs and video recording? I love the dynamics for this application because of the external noise rejection in a less than perfect recording environment. SM-57?
Personally if you can catch a CAD e100s on Massdrop or on sale, I'd go that route. Love that mic. The Shure is still a great mic though. And THANKS mane
Pleas what's the track name at the end of the video ? it's dope !
what about powerful pres in the box like the neve 1073 that you can get with ua interfaces, will that drive it ?
Hey can you tell me what the dude lew later who does unbox therapy what type of microphone and pop cover he using ??
I got it recently and you 100% need a cloudlifter unless your very very loud. You gain knob will need to be turned up around half way or more depending how loud you are. I'm personally quiet so I go around half or more.
What would be the best in home studio mic for rap vocals if I don’t have a booth?
I can agree with you, you need a mixer to get the best out of shure sm7b, you need a good mixer to get rid of the mudd in the microphone so you get a good clean vocal. You have microphones like the tlm 103 or u87 ai that is perfect just plugin right in the interface but with the shure sm7b, there gonna be alot of mudd and bass from the microphone if you not have a mixer with equilizer like soundcraft or something connected to it.
1.) SM7B is a known mic and you can sell it easy if you need cash
2.) You are pretty much never going to have no use for this mic even if you get others
3.) Even if you don't like it, other people know the sound of this mic and will like how it sounds
4.) It's easier to get a decent sound without filling your room with insulation panels for condenser
Just consider the cost of cloudlifter as part of the cost of the mic.
If you are super starterpack econosave, just get an AT2020 or an NT-1, or an SM58.
This is massively helpful! I have an SM7B and it is SO quiet! I thought there was something wrong with my audio interface cause I knew the mic was supposed to be awesome.
+kendalljones99 glad you liked the video!!
you’re probably not gonna reply but what preamp are you using, also can u link me to a song u recorded using this microphone thanks
Whoever is reading this please I beg you do not listen to this guy. All you need to get the gain up is a quality mic preamp and these days they make quality ones for a great price.
I can’t believe he is recommending a TLM 103. Especially because he’s a rapper and the SM7b is by far the best mic I’ve used on rapping or percussive type vocals. The 103 sounds cheap. I’ve owned a lot of mics and the sm7b is by far the best mic for its price and for rapping especially. Also love to use it on certain singers.
Don’t waste your money on an overpriced mic (103) use that to buy a decent mic pre and you will be blown away with the sound you achieve
+The Real Brandon Scott don't listen to me?? I that's rich. I like the Neumann 103. If you don't like it, then that's YOU. I never said the SM7B sounds bad, my exact quote is it "sounds great". My objection wasn't because of sound, it's because someone has to invest in a higher priced pre to get sound out of it. That is the whole point. And I said, IF your going to buy a SM7B, you need a higher quality pre, which some cannot afford, so to ME, it isn't worth it when you can buy a 200 interface, a 200 mic, and get quality sound out of it for the same price as a SM7B, .. I've owned lots of mics too, so this is my opinion.
It is completely depended on what type of voice you have or the artist you are recording. For my voice the TLM103 really fits. I have a great pre amp in combination with it; isa 220 from focus rite.
Boom.
Motif Legend I meant no disrespect, I should have worded it differently. When I said not to listen to you I meant not to listen to you saying that you shouldn’t buy this mic.
And I understand what you’re saying. But if you can buy a TLM 103 for $800 new you can spend that money toward the sm7b and and decent external pre and get a much better sound all around.
I’ve learned this by mistake, I’ve bought a 103 when I first started and learned my lesson.
My thing is for rap vocals I put the sm7b up against $3,000 condenser mics and every time it sounds better.
Can you say the same for the 103? No because the sm7b is half the price and it sounds better.
Of course this is only if you get an external pre. Which I would recommend for anyone. Even a cheap one like the black lion or some 73 clone
I enjoy your videos and respect your opinion but I have to disagree.
I think everyone should go buy the sm7b.... like right now lol
MCinsayno I would say the ISA 220 is okay ish... I’ve had one and it just collected dust. The phoenix drs1 is about the same price and sounds 1000 times better, it has a 73 type circuitry but sounds clean
It doesnt pump the 48 volts into the microphone. It just utilizes it inside of the box. If it was pumped into the microphone, then that wouldnt make any sense as to what that would be helping.
Also, the buzz isnt from your mic, it's from the stress of the pre amp.
I just bought it becuase of the reviews, and was wonering why I couldn't get it to record anything decent. It wouldn't pick up the fine sounds of my voice and you literally had to shout into it, now I know why, money I didn't need to spend! Your video was informative, I am a novice trying to get my voice and music heard and no idea what I am doing :(
Buy a cloudlifter, it'll fix everything
I’m just looking for a good mic to buy can someone tell me what mic to get. I got a rode nt2a
AT2020 All the way. It sounds sooo much better, theres not too much difference but to me it sounds alot flattter and with the Shure it sounds like its a bit muffled in the high end and a very curved frequency response vs the flat requencey response the AT2020 has. The Rode NT2A is actually really good too if you had the money and already got a rode then you made the right choice. If you needed a cheeper mic that sounds way better than the shure then the AT2020 is way better just for 99$
@@OTSCasper oh ok yeah man I got the rode and the Shure sm7b too I think the rode is way better some people thought my mic was bad and I was using the rode but my mixing quality was ass 😂 I gotten better and people thought I recorded all my new songs with the shure but nope just one song and that was blast off not trynna promote myself but I feel like people don’t know anything cause my friend kept saying “you need a good mic like the blue bird” I’m like bro it’s my mix for one and you don’t know anything about the rode then if you think it’s a bad mic. You ever heard don’t by Bryson tiller he recorded that song with the rode nt1a and got drake like quality so how can the rode nt2a be a bad mic? It’s all about mixing. I want the Neumann tlm103 but ima keep working on the rode first to find my sound
@@OTSCasper do you know any mics for deep male vocals?
@@OTSCasper oui I got a better idea not trynna promote myself again but could you listen a little bit to my tracks called “Vibe Aries” and “Blast Off” for me please and tell me what I mic would work for that style? I’m still trynna explore with different mics to see what’s better
Wouldn't you agree the hiss your reference is more the result of using econo preamps?
Im wondering if i should get this mic or not. I have the Rode Nt1, and it doesnt sound too much different from my MXL 990. These mics take lots of bass out of my voice, and dont pick up all of my syllables. I dont even wanna record anymore because of this reason, but i really wanna record.
Any recommendations?
Practice your pronunciation. A great mix and a great song start first with a great recording.
The neumann tlm 103 is a BEAST! Just need a well treated room as it picks up everything. I don't so the sm7b is a better fit for me
So I just picked this mic up and I have a dbx 286s. Thought should be more than enough power for the mic, correct?
Well was it enough?
Thanks for this video. I learned about the hiss factor on this mic the hard way. Preamp required
+Doug Sheridan me too Doug.. Me too.
A preamp is required for any microphone. Condenser or Dynamic.
Had to turn it off when I saw you using it with a reflection filter...yikes.
🤣🤣
I use a cloudlifter, into an Apollo. I get ZERO hiss, well maybe some increased room sound if i jack up the gain considerably. But my signal is quiet AF until you sing/talk.
There are cloud lifter alternatives that are as good as a cloud lifter at a fraction of the price.
I have seen head to head comparisons of the U87 and the SM7B and any minor differences between the two come down to a very minor EQ adjustment, and I mean a minuscule adjustment.
Would I take a U87? sure, but I will not buy one.
Hi, just wanted to mention, that I came across an alternative to the Cloudlifter. I A/B them too, and it was only subtle differences that is not audible by my ears. The alternative is Klark Teknik Mic Booster CT 1 or CM-1.
If i have a neve 1073 preamp is sm7b then worth it?
+max larsen why wouldn't it be
You are 100% correct. I have this mic but I agree the noise floor is horrible. I even got the cloudlifter and it did give me more gain, but it raised the noise floor too. I took it back to the store. Great review, very accurate.
Where you find a tlm for 800$? I paid over 1100$ for mine lol
this guy should do voiceovers. he has a radio-quality voice.
The SM7B is more for Radio , VO work in the same class with RE20 , MD411 as you pointed out you will need a very clean mic-pre for this mic CloudLifter or FetHead if you don't have good mic-pre
Yes, definitely not the first mic you should buy for vocals if you’re just starting out. Get a decent interface, buy something like an AT2020 to get your bearings mic wise. I’d recommend a cloud lifter for any dynamic mic (I like the Soyuz Launcher for guitars). I think the moral of this video is to work your way to something like an SM7B, you don’t always need expensive gear to make great music, and when you start on the cheaper side, you ABSOLUTELY LEARN MORE about the recording process, your ears becomes more attuned to the different situations you’ll face.
Really love your video you explain your point and why you make it very well and I appreciate you explaining about the noise floor and why most home recording artists don't have the equipment to power this mic. I will say I use several of them in my home studio because they sound SO GREAT but like you mentioned I run a prosunous Studio Live 3 board so I can power them however I didn't have a lot of knowledge of noise floor and it makes a lot of things make sense now that you explained it!
Dude thanks for this video, good explanation, wouldn't know those details otherwise!
Michael Jackson didn’t use the SM7B he used the original SM7 model
Which, BTW is even noisier!
Much Worse
You can also record quieter instead of cranking noisy pres. Also, with the SM7B you don't need the costly isolation thingy. I think most bedroom studio singers and especially rappers would probably be better off with a SM58 or Beta 58, especially people with more performance than studio experience. You can just hand them the mic and let them do their thing.
I agree with you up to a point. You can basically solve all the mic's noise/level problems by grabbing a Cloudlifter. That's what seemed to fix it for me, anyway.
But love your channel though dude. Great video quality, editing, persona, everything. Great job.
I got a shure sm7b I love it
Actually, neither the Cloudlifter nor any other pre-preamp does do anything to the mike. It just takes the output from the mike and amplifies it. So basically, you’re preamping the sound twice. And the Equipment of course needs to be on par with whatever mike you choose. But that doesn’t stop with the preamps. A mike like the SHURE SM7B shines, when it’s used in a sound booth and on a descent preamp. I’ve listened to how much of a difference it makes. That makes the SM7B unsuitable for ANYONE, who doesn’t have the space, nor money nor time to build a sound booth.
Thx for this super down to earth review!!
Thank you for this great vid. though I use a Shure SM7b with a Universal Audio interface and I get no hum or hiss, its perfect!
+michael algar your welcome and glad you're having success with it bro
I would have to agree that the SM7B isn't worth it. Even among *iron* dynes, it's quiet. IMHO, if I were to get a dyne, I'd prefer it to have a neodymium magnet (like my mom's ATM63HE). The one I do have (Sennheiser e835) is still louder, and it's an iron dyne.
Is the rme babyface pro enough?
I have a focusrite 8PreX, is that enough as a preamp?
+Manuel Martins I've never used it so I cannot speak on it. Should provide enough gain being that it's a sub 800 interface.
Thank's for the help; btw what do you think about Slate Virtual Microphone System? Does it sound worth the money?
+Manuel Martins can't lie to you, I have never used it. I have to be able to use it to really give my opinion on it.
In that case, which microphones do you recommend around 1000 euros?
+Manuel Martins I'm in the United States so idk what they would equate too but if your cornering that much I'd say put about 40% of that into the mic and then put 60% into treating your studio.. If you have treatment, can't go wrong with a Neumann 103
Excellent explanation. Good posting. Thanks.
Bouta buy one right now
Most guys on here who said don't listen to this guy are bandwagoners! lol Listen to what he is saying, he said up front about 50 secs in, for the average home studio person... The SM58 sounds pretty much the same as the SM7b, but it doesn't have the shock-mount/pop filter ( and it's 99 bucks btw).
Just get a Cloudlifter. The SM7 is a great mic.
The Fethead is another great option to the Cloudlifter and $50 bucks less with a better form factor (IMO)
I have both and there's still a substantial noise floor..which is confusing
@@LizaLavolta are you using a noise gate ?
So you're saying that your gripe is not with the mic but with cheap preamps? Agreed. Don't lead people astray and say that the mic is not that great. It's amazing for people who don't have a treated room because of its rejection. It's would be easier to mix a vocal with a loud noise floor than a vocal with a quiet noise floor but has room ringing because of a non treated room. If you can afford to treat your room, you can afford a cloud lifter. With that info, your review is wrong. Sorry
+Jarrod Headley I didn't lead anyone astray. In the video, I clearly said that the microphone sounded great, but you have to remember the audience I'm addressing.. The upcoming musician who doesn't have access to extremely expensive pre amps, which is the vast majority of us. I made the distinction between the normal upcoming artist and Logic and Breakfast Club to ensure the listener understood that the reason they get phenomenal sound is because of the pre amps they have access too. The point wasn't to bash the microphone, which I didn't, and it was clearly to point out that this microphone isn't for everybody. With that information, my review was more than fair and reasonable.
Logic uses a SM7B! ?
Tell me. What is worse? Bleed, room ringing and room modes or a bit of hiss? The sm7b rejects the first set of examples and doesn't cause the 2nd your pre does. Just go on eBay and pickup a cloud lifter for $60. Problems solved. Your video should have been titled "the truth about using a great mic with a shitty preamp or interface." You're blaming the wrong thing in the video.
I don't think he blamed anything. The video is called the Truth about the SM7B. And, he doesn't actually call the SM7B a bad microphone. He just says that with cheaper preamps, it doesn't sound as good. It's really not that big of a deal.
I agree! untreated room vocals are hard to mix.
you can get a preamp at guitar center with enough power. you can get avalon, manley, etc. you will need to add a zero onto the end of what you are used to spending. but you can get it at gc.
What audio interface do u use
+Josiah Marshall PreSonus Studio 192
You can buy the fethead, or cloudlifter. Or you can use a Y-cable and two off the shelf preamps will do it too. You can double the tracks in your DAW, or just buy a better pre amp. It all just comes down to summing signals, or better amplification of the signal.
To be frank, if you have a decent preamp you could get by on a sm58. SM7B is a bit much for what you get.
The RE20 was one of the best mics I've ever used for rappers.
I use an instrument microphone from electrovoice and that is serving me very well.
SM58, SM57, sm55, and sm7b are all unidyne 3 design cartridges. The biggest difference in these mics are the shock mounts and transformers. The 58, 57, 55sh all have a high roll off earlier than the SM7b and for vocals are essentially interchangeable in a treated room. In an untreated room the SM7B offers better off axis rejection. The sm7b also controls electrical interference better.
Nice review and description of everything. You got to admit though broadcast microphones through a cloudlifter sound amazing! But yeah the cost is really high though.
+Dad Surviving Divorce I agree
You can get a device the same as the cloudlifter called the SS1 by the simpy sound company. Just purchased it and it does exactly the same as the cloudlifter but its more than half the price!
+Jan Bures awesome. Thanks for the information and glad your contributing too the conversation!
Jan Bures I’ll have to check that out too. If it sounds good and is clean the price is definitely right!
If you buy this mike you can afford it. Also you need PreAmp ( 286s Mic PreAmp/Processor $197.00 as of Jan 2020) This microphone is known to need 59 db boost. the 286s will do that and more. The Shure SM7B is an amazing mike
ABSOLUTELY TRUE !!!! The Shure SM7B is for the most voices Crap!! even with the Cloudfilter, i will send it back today and go Back to my Rode Nt1a, condense microphone are really 100 times better if you want a nice Sound, I will never try a Dynamic Mic again.
I just got a brand new SM7B for $299 and my UA6176 preamp can support this mic with plenty of gain with no hiss (can do 65 dB into 500 ohms). That said, I think a great alternative to the SM7B is the SM57, which isn't as "power hungry" for gain. The SM57 works with my Focusrite Scarlette USB interface with no problems.
I will take a guess that a lot of people in the comments didn't actually watch the full video after the "no" comment. You mention the cloudlifter, but I'm still on the fence about the mic.
I think the mic is a bit expensive compared to other options (Townsend L22 is a MUCH better value at $1500 even though it's more expensive, and is versatile as it can model some really nice mics), but it's still a great mic. You can get a good sound out of it with a Cloudlifter, sE DB1 or Fethed. They utilize phantom power to boost the gain by about 25-28db cleanly without increasing the noise floor too much, especially compared to cranking the pres in your interface.
sooooo... i purchased the shure before i did research (i know not cool) but im stuck with it so is my only option a cloudlifter or is there an alternative way? if not anyone wanna buy a (like new) mic lol
You still selling it like new?
@@dscotttherapper6532 i sold it already bro
The video is really fantastic! The relaxed feel meets confidence is a welcome change on YT. Love from Down Under mate :)