Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

The Shure SM7B is a legendary dynamic microphone with a massive reputation in the broadcasting, podcasting, and music recording industries. It’s often considered a standard for capturing vocals due to its unique combination of features.

Key Features and Highlights:

• Dynamic, Cardioid Polar Pattern: Unlike condenser microphones that are highly sensitive and pick up a lot of room noise, the SM7B is a dynamic microphone. It’s a “workhorse” that works best when you are close to the microphone. Its cardioid polar pattern focuses on the sound directly in front of it and rejects unwanted sounds from the sides and rear, making it an excellent choice for untreated rooms or environments with background noise.
• Flat, Wide-Range Frequency Response: The SM7B provides a smooth, flat, and wide-ranging frequency response that is ideal for both music and spoken word. It captures the natural sound of a voice or instrument with minimal coloration.
• Bass Roll-Off and Presence Boost Controls: On the back of the microphone, there are two small switches.
  • Bass Roll-Off: This switch allows you to reduce low-end frequencies, which can help eliminate rumble from a desk or HVAC systems.
  • Presence Boost: This switch boosts the mid-range frequencies, which is perfect for adding clarity and “presence” to vocals and speech.
• Superior Rejection of Electromagnetic Hum: The SM7B is exceptionally well-shielded against electromagnetic hum and broadband interference generated by computer monitors and other electronic equipment, ensuring a clean signal.
• Internal Air Suspension Shock Isolation: The microphone has a built-in “air suspension” shock mount that virtually eliminates the transmission of mechanical noise, so you don’t need a separate shock mount.
• Built-in Pop Filter: The large, detachable windscreen acts as a highly effective pop filter, eliminating the need for an external pop filter, even for close-up vocals or narration.

Important Note on Gain

The SM7B is a low-output microphone. It requires a significant amount of clean gain—typically +60dB or more—from a microphone preamp to get a strong, usable signal. Most entry-level audio interfaces do not provide this much gain on their own.

To use the SM7B effectively, you will likely need one of the following:

• A High-Gain Audio Interface: Look for an interface that specifically states it has high-gain preamps, such as the Focusrite Scarlett 4th Gen, Solid State Logic SSL 2, or interfaces from Universal Audio.
• A “Cloudlifter” or “FetHead”: These are inline preamps that connect between the microphone and your audio interface. They provide a significant boost in gain (+25dB or more) and are a very common solution for users who want to pair the SM7B with a standard audio interface.