Description
The SM7B dynamic microphone has a smooth, flat, wide-range frequency response appropriate for music and speech in all professional audio applications. It features excellent shielding against electromagnetic hum generated by computer monitors, neon lights, and other electrical devices. The SM7B has been updated from earlier models with an improved bracket design that offers greater stability. In addition to its standard windscreen, it also includes the A7WS windscreen for close-talk applications. Popular radio and TV mic features excellent shielding against electromagnetic hum. Plus mounting bracket. Impedance: 150 ohms for connection to microphone inputs rated at 19 to 300 ohms.
From the brand
From the manufacturer
An Audio Icon
Simply the First Choice for Voice
Whether it’s big-time broadcasting, professional podcasts or critical studio recordings, this powerful dynamic microphone delivers smooth, warm vocals every time. The SM7B captures and enhances the finer details of the human voice while blocking out all the distractions.
Setting the Standard
How Vocals Should Sound
Why do popular podcasters, legendary rock stars and next-gen streamers all adore the same microphone? Because they can rely on the SM7B to connect to their fans when it counts most. There’s a reason it’s become the industry standard for vocal applications.
About Shure
Our History
With a passion for innovation stretching back to 1925, Shure has been making people sound extraordinary for nearly a century. Devoted to making the best microphones and audio electronics possible, the company continues to set industry standards for quality and reliability.
ShadowMax –
No regrets. Not one bit. Love this microphone.I purchased the Shure SM7B a few years ago and have been extremely impressed with its performance. As a professional discord talker, streamer, and gamer, I was in need of a high-quality microphone that could capture crystal clear audio, and the SM7B did not disappoint. I wanted to sound like all the professionals out there. Not knowing how it would turn out. I loved it. The comments I’ve had with this mic has been surprising to how much others like the sound it produced with my voice.The build quality of the microphone is excellent. It is made of durable metal and feels solid and well-constructed. It comes with a standard XLR connection, which is compatible with most audio interfaces and mixers. The internal shock mount is a nice touch and it helps to reduce unwanted vibrations and noise from reaching the microphone.The sound quality of the SM7B is fantastic. It has a wide frequency response (50Hz – 20kHz) and a high-pass filter that helps to eliminate unwanted low-frequency rumble. It also has a mid-range boost switch that allows you to increase the clarity of vocals and spoken word. With this microphone, I am able to capture high-quality, professional-sounding audio.One of the standout features of the SM7B is its ability to handle high SPLs (Sound Pressure Levels) This means it can handle high volumes without distorting the audio, which is great for recording music or anything else with louder sources. Also its built-in pop filter and internal air suspension that helps to reduce popping and sibilance, which means less post-processing is required on your end, overall saving time.The only downside to this microphone is that it is not USB, so it needs a XLR interface to connect to a computer. And also its price point, it is an expensive microphone, but it is worth every penny if you are serious about capturing high-quality audio. I use a cloudlifter in between the mic and my Rode Rodecaster Pro sound board.Overall, I highly recommend the Shure SM7B to anyone looking for a professional-grade microphone for streamer, gamers, podcasting, voiceover work, or music recording. It is built to last and will give you the best sound quality possible, which makes it a worthwhile investment.
Raggy –
Excellent but largely misunderstood microphoneI’m a musician/singer/songwriter and produce/engineer my own music with 3 album releases, yet being independent I have no claim to commercial funding so every piece of equipment I buy is a precious investment. I bought my SM7B after much research and have done numerous audio tests in my studio, with some preliminary recordings for a planned new album. (I put in this boring self-description so you can judge where I’m coming from in writing this review).I believe many/most people buy this microphone without fully understanding what they are buying. The Shure name and the hype about Michael Jackson recording with it tends to cloud the judging process, so for many it’s a quick decision to buy. But a more detailed analysis reveals more characteristics and with better understanding you can put aside the hype and probably appreciate theSM7B for what it truly is : a fantastic Dynamic microphone with a SM58-like character that works for robust studio-recordings IF you have a high-quality high-gain preamp to use with it.Being a dynamic microphone, it does not have it’s own preamp and is thus not as sensitive as a condenser mic. It’s therefore not very useful for recording delicate singing voices, it’s just not sensitive enough. But it will handle loud,screaming vocals easily, the capsule is robust enough to take in all that high energy. This is just the physics/science of microphones: dynamic mics handle loud sounds better, condensers handle delicate things better.But the SM7B is not like the Shure SM58 dynamic mic, it’s capsule elements are thinner and much more sensitive, so it’s sensitivity does lean towards the condensers, but being a dynamic mic this sensitivity comes at the expense of it only being able to produce a weak signal, so it needs a preamp with plenty of clean gain before the signal can be used…..if you really think hard about it, it is thus trying to be like a condenser mic, but whereas a condenser mic has a built-in preamp, this SM7B needs an external preamp! In-between, that’s where it is.But the story gets more interesting. The SM7B has “character”… the audio pattern mimics the legendary SM58’s presence-boosting curve, so the SM7B can give your recorded voice the classic Shure SM58 “live” character if you know how to use it right (though again you need to keep in mind that it’s never going to be as delicate as a condenser mic, still if you know what you’re doing you might find it a worthy trade-off to get great character with the loss of some delicate-ness. Post-recording engineering, a bit of compression and you’re back in the game.)Misconception: There is a presence-boosting switch. Nope. What the switch does is take away the presence to give you a flat-response curve, i.e. in its natural state the presence is already boosted, the switch is misleading, the flat-response is the altered state.Misconception: The pop-filters (windscreens) provided give you a natural sound. No they don’t. They filter off the high-frequencies, giving you a flatter sound. This is perfect for podcasting, and you can speak with your mouth close to the mic without having pops (use the thinner or thicker filter, depending on how robust your POP-ing is getting), but for singing you want to take off the windscreens, leave the metal grill exposed, and use a proper external POP filter.For recording of a singer, the magic comes with a proper external POP filter, no need for a super-expensive one, but one with at least a double-grille and larger (6inch minimum) diameter. Shure sells such a POP filter, good enough for the task. Once you’re using a proper external pop filter, you can place it really close to the metal grille front, have your SM7B switches without bass-cut and with the presence-boost on (as I said it earlier this is actually a no-presence-cut position rather than a real boost)…and you can record your singing in all it’s glory, your voice gets recorded as if you were winging with a Shure SM58 on steroids, i.e the “character” of the mic is there. There is no need to switch off this presence, you can always do so in the mixing stage. You thus end up recording with a high degree of sensitivity yet having a very low noise floor (the advantage of a dynamic mic).The is not much proximity effect with this mic, the metal grille extends far beyond the capsule element so your mouth cannot get really too close to the capsule. (Hats off to the Shure engineers for this bit of idiot-proofing). Imagine a super-sensitive SM58 with a Blues singer planting his lips of the grille and you’re recording his voice in a studio, and you’re in ‘POP hell…now you appreciate the engineering :)Apologies for the lengthy review, but I do believe I’ve given an honest description of the important details. PODcast users may find this mic overkill but hey if you have the cash then flout it, though you could get the same audio with a cheap condenser with a big windshield and some EQ work. Recording vocalists with a more dynamic vocal range is where the SM7B will probably shine, and especially with louder vocalists, or for recording alongside other instruments being played simultaneously, where the bleed from other sounds is significantly reduced with such a cardiod-pattern dynamic mic.I’m very happy with this mic, have done tons of audio tests with it. I’ll use it for my more rocking vocals, leaving the delicate ballads to a condenser mic. Hope this review helps you decide what’s best for you, make the best use of your hard-earned $. Cheers.
Jay417 –
Buy Once, Cry Once.I have learned very quickly with microphones, you get what you pay for and there are no exceptions to be found. If you buy an $80 microphone you will not be satisfied with the audio of your product. If you buy a $150 microphone, it will sound better but you will still hear that little humming, or some other little imperfection that will have you resenting your own product. This is the microphone that will give you that professional sound you enjoy from your favorite podcasters and YouTubers. I have no financial interest in this company, I’m only speaking from my own recent experience setting up my studio.
Lani –
XLR Newbie’s Guide for the SM7bThe SM7b has been my dream mic and I was so happy to finally get it. However, if you are just switching from USB to XLR mics for the first time like me, it is a lot more of a journey/expense than you may think!It has a beautiful build and the most attractive mic out there by far. Very boomy and I have a deeper voice for a woman so I did sound pretty nice with it. However, to fully make use of it you need to have a Cloudlifter as the SM7b is notorious for having extremely low gain.Materials needed/What I got:For basics you need a sound mixer, XLR cable, and optional but highly recommended, a cloudlifter.I got the Elgato Wave XLR (rn $159.99) but for the XLR cable a high quality one is recommended. Cloudlifter is $149 rn and the SM7b is $399.99. A popular mixer that is also used is the Focusrite ($179 rn).Therefore $159.99 (mixer) + $399.99 (sm7b) + $149 (cl) = $708.98+ starter price not even including the XLR cable.So keep this in mind if you plan on using this and that you are ready to jump into this investment. It is worth it if you have the money/resources needed!
Prepared Guy –
I love it so much butIt’s a great microphone, however you’ll need a cloud lighter or a preamp when using it. It can be used out of the box without one but it sounds amazing with one. I hate myself for spending nearly $400 on something that needed an additional $150 piece of equipment for it to work correctly but honestly it’s the best microphone on the market for podcasters, streamers and video creators. Totally worth it but also so not worth it. I have a blue yeti nano that isn’t too far off for sound quality so…. To each their own. If you can afford it, it’s totally worth it. If your on a budget you can be 3 simulator sounding mics for the price of this one. Do what works best for your budget and your needs.
Shawn Carey –
A true staple of audio quality.I never used to think I liked the SM7B. But as it turns out, what I didn’t like was that anyone on YouTube or Twitch who could get their hands on this microphone would use it without having any idea what they were doing. They would over process this microphone or process it in such a way to ruin all the best things about it. But before you buy it, there are a few things to consider. First, this is a very dark microphone. That doesn’t mean that it’s going to make you sound deep and commanding. Your voice will still sound like your voice, but if you were looking for something that compliments your voice in such a way, this microphone could be that. But if your voice is already very deep, this can exaggerate this detail in your voice and even ruin the experience for some listeners. Second, this microphone is particularly hard to drive, especially if you don’t have the right means to do so. Some people will tell you things like “I managed to drive it just fine with my Behringer UM2”. But let me tell you, doing so is possible but by no means practical. This will introduce extremely high amounts of “Noise” (Static), and when I tried to replicate this myself, I encountered an issue. As I turned the volume near max the volume curve made a sharp turn upward, making it very hard to control what volume it was set to. Finally, just cause this is a dynamic microphone, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t pick up any background noise. Actually this microphone picks up quite a noticeable amount of background noise. So don’t think this is going to completely remove the sound of people talking in the other room or that annoying sound of reflection from your room not having any acoustic treatment. It might be a little bit better than some condensers at this, it is by no means the best microphone for isolating. But what about what truly makes this microphone stand out? Why should you buy this microphone? First, it’s an absolute staple in studios big and small, so if for no other reason, the fact that it’s so recognizable and loved by so many. Second, this microphone offers a smooth sound like nothing else I’ve ever seen in its price range. The soft high end and flat mids, make for a smooth frequency response. In addition, the over all sonic signature of this microphone’s quality, as well as it being a dynamic microphone makes for one smooth sounding microphone. And finally, if for no other reason, the bragging rights that comes with this microphone. While all your friends have their cheap knock offs and SM7B wannabes, you can know the true feeling of owning an SM7B. But in all seriousness, the SM7B has a name and reputation to uphold so you know that sure will have to deliver when it comes to quality. I hope this answered any questions you might have about this microphone and if you should buy it.
John –
Upgraded from quad cast, first XLR mic and wow…I originally had a quad cast which I upgraded from this is a clear upgrade, I paired it with the ELGATO wave XLR which powers it and then some, sounds clean, crisp and full. For $399 and $159 for the wave xlr this is a great choice for streamers, podcasters or people who want better audio for gaming, talking to friends
Nick –
The IdealI have been using this mic for a little over half a year now and I am whole heartedly satisfied with the quality. I could gush about the individual strengths but I think it is simply most important to know that this is the mic you buy if you are looking for dynamic microphone; and you aren’t looking to spend thousands of dollars. It’s known as the premiere podcast mic for good reason.
Anthony –
Awesome mic all around, additional parts pricey as well.I have nothing but good things to say about this mic. I’ve used many mics before and all of them mostly for gaming/communication online. The mic has crisp quality on Discord and in-game chats. The only issue I can see with this mic is the cost of all the additional hardware you’ll want to get eventually.
Biologist and Business Owner –
Great Microphone But Very QuietThis is a great product, but be aware it is very quite and you will need some sort of preamp, like a Cloudlifter or other preamp product, in order to adequately use this microphone. I ordered the Cloudlifter preamp connected to a Focusrite digital interface and the microphone works great.