Shure SM7B Review
Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
- Detachable Windscreen
- Bass Roll-Off and Midrange Controls
- For Professional Voice-Over Applications
- Dynamic, Cardioid Pickup Pattern
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 212,638 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Shure SM7B. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Shure SM7B. For example, 95% of 103,176 users who have commented on the Sound quality of the Shure SM7B have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 247 Reviews
Voiceover and vocal champ
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by David Vasser on Guitar Center
Worked in radio for 36 years and the best microphones I ever used were Shure SM7B's. I have used all kinds of microphones, some of which cost more than the SM7B. Name a microphone and I've probably worked at a station that had them. You can keep the tinny sounding Sennheiser MDU421's, boomy RCA 77DX's and 44's, stow away the overly sensitive Neuman U87's, wimpy sounding EV RE anythings and the sterile AKG anythings. Any other Shure microphone, other than the SM5, just is not the same either! I have no idea why the EV RE20 and RE27N/D seemed to have gained wider acceptance at radio stations. I guess because the Shure SM7B is less expensive people think it must be inferior. Yes, it has a slightly lower output than some other mics, but most broadcast and recording consoles have clean beefy preamps with lots of gain headroom and you will obtain a usable level with no outboard preamp required. Where you would need a preamp would be with a cheap mixer or when trying to use it live with a typical PA mixer. Compare the 1000 Htz specs of the EV RE20's 57 dB output at 1.5 mV to the SM7B's 59.0 dB at 1.12 mV and you see there really is 2 dB more audio signal delivered but at a lower voltage. So try it before ordering a preamp you may not actually need. If you do need one just a little boost is required and you can get that from an ART preamp for very little money. This microphone is natural, warm and rich sounding with absolutely no EQ applied and it never sounds boomy or muffled like some ribbon mics do when compressed. If God needed a microphone, he'd probably use this one. It comes with the integral shock mount cushioned stand mount and two windscreens including a close talking one. The thing about the SM7B I like most is the way it converts emotions into audio. It is easier for me to get a good take with one of these. There are adjustable EQ switches under the plate on the end of the microphone. It really comes with everything you need to start using it immediately except the stand and cable. This is the microphone Quincy Jones used to record Michael Jackson's vocals for "THRILLER." Also it was used when Bruce Springsteen or Pearl Jam made their hit recordings. For close talking applications there is nothing better as it has a very natural and smooth sound that compliments all voices. For recording or broadcasting the human voice, the Shure SM7B is tool number 1 for me and I've learned nothing else is close. By the same token the SM7B is not a general purpose microphone. So long as you use it for broadcast or recording studio voiceover narration or musical vocals you will be tickled to death. It has a nice and controlled proximity effect. This basic microphone design has been around for ages and is a descendant of the SM5 and SM5B which are discontinued but still in demand on the used market by voiceover artists. The early SM7 did not have the magnetic shielding that today's SM7B has. This microphone is a gem in noisy control rooms or home studios and equally at home in high end recording studios. Shure stands behind their products and offers full service if you ever need it. Avoid buying one used as there was a recent upgrade of the yoke/shock mount assembly. ... More
Worth every penny and more...
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by George Byers on Guitar Center
Several years ago I had a Rode NT1-A with a Focusrite MK2 Producer Pack preamp (that's a $2,200 preamp coupled with the world's quietest condenser microphone!) and the quality I was getting was awesome. As time progressed and things got harder I ended up selling my two babies and several years later I recently purchased a new home studio on a smaller (much smaller!) budget. My newer studio was/is equipped with a PreSonus Channel strip and an MXL-V63M (that's a combined price of $400). An experienced audio engineer such as myself can still manage to get some pretty rockin' quality recordings out of this set up, but it was nothing compared to what I had in recent years. Finally I got sick and tired of spending so much time focusing on the technical aspect of things and not enough time on the creative side, so I decided to visit my local Guitar Center. Several guys there pitched the Shure SM7B to me so I picked it up and when I got home I was blown away!!!!! This thing ROCKS!! What had taken me hours to achieve previously I could now record and track with dry takes and little EQ (if any). Comparing my mixes to my earlier years is like day and night. This microphone is worth every penny. Every "serious" musician, sound engineer, broadcaster, etc. needs to have this microphone in their arsenal. If you want to compete with commercial recordings, then this microphone along with a decent preamp (make sure the preamp has at least 60db+ of input power) would make a great weaponry choice. This baby is also durable, comes with a bullet proof pop filter/plosive shield (nothing gets through!). Also keep in mind that microphone is delicate enough to NOT NEED PHANTOM POWER. It does a great job at eliminating unwanted low end frequencies, but I found that by using some subtractive EQing techniques you'll really get a bang for your buck: -4db at 600Hz (remove honkiness -Mid Q) -5db sharp cut at 170hz (extra low end rumble, great for male vocals) +2db or -2db at 7K depending on how bright you want your sound (the SM7B's presence boost does work great at times, but I found vocals to sound more pleasing with a flat top response and -2db at 7k) ... More
The SM7B is a great mic
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Dave on Guitar Center
I just bought my 2nd SM7B last week for the podcast shows I'm doing. These work great for recording. They are shielded, so it blocks out any noise from computers, lights, etc. which works out great for my home studio. What I also like is you need a ton of gain to get the levels up, which means the mic doesn't pick up everything in the room when recording, just your voice. My condenser mics would pick up computer noise as well as any fans I had going. The SM7B doesn't pick up any of that noise and comes in crystal clear. ... More
If Batman had a mic in his utility belt, this would be the one.
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Greg Strope on Guitar Center
Since working in broadcasting the past 6 years, I've come across the usual mics; The RE20, MD421, etc. Those are not bad mics by any means. But every voice is different and some mics will sound better than others depending on YOUR voice. So I decided to pick up a new mic for my home studio and I already knew what I sounded like through the other mics and wanted to try something different. After hearing myself through the SM7B? I'm sold. This mic fits MY voice like a glove. Smooth response through all the frequencies, great noise rejection from the back and let's not forget; she's a sexy piece of metal. My favorite part? The fact that there are no "rubber band" style shock mounts to deal with. Screw it on and it's ready to roll. If you've ever seen an RE20 shock mount that's getting old, you'll know what I'm talking about. The internal shock mounting on the SM7B is quite good. You can move this mic around on a boom and it really doesn't pick up much movement noise, if any. I'm used to having to address these broadcast-style mics from the side to reduce popping. Not with this baby! I can speak directly into the front and get little to no popping. The mic itself seems to be built like a small, black Sherman tank with a windscreen. I don't feel as if I have to handle it like a newborn baby. I can't attest to how this mic performs when it comes to recording musical instruments, but as far as vocals go? Do yourself a favor...get this thing. ... More
Easily the best mic I've ever heard my own voice through
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Jason Buckingham on Guitar Center
So you know how your voice sounds different through a mic or recorded than it does in your own head? The SM7B is the only microphone I have ever used that makes my voice sound like it does to my own ears. This mic needs no introduction, but in case you've never heard of it, here goes: all of Michael Jackson's vocals on the Thriller album, and Anthony Kiedis' vocals for every Red Hot Chili Peppers album, were captured with this microphone. Any mic that can faithfully reproduce such a wide variety of vocals (compare and contrast "Pretty Young Thing" and "Suck My Kiss") has to be something special. The thing is built like a tank. The capsule has an integrated shockmount, so you don't need an external one. The diaphragm is a few inches from the front of the mic, so you most likely won't need a pop filter other than one of the included foam mic covers. My voice is very loud and has a lot of low end. This mic has built in equalization that eliminates the usual problems associated with micing my voice. By using the built-in low end rolloff and the presence booster, I can get a recording of my voice that sounds "like me," rather than "like a recording of me," and I don't have to do a lot of extra EQ work on the vocal track later. If you get this mic, be sure to get a good preamp to go with it, because the mic is known to require a lot of clean gain (up to 70 dB)to produce good results. ... More
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Amazing, everyone should own one
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Andrew on Guitar Center
That user on this review page that titles their review of this mic as: "quality, quality, quality" wasn't joking. After being frustrated and having touch and go/hot and cold experiences with cheap made Chinese mics, i figured since this is an industry standard mic but is at a budget price because it's been around for a while..it would be a steal. I was a little hesitant about spending money on a dynamic mic thinking that only condensers can bring you that wide open full sound. Man was I wrong, this mic is great, records with a nice even response, no unwanted frequencies anywhere that make your vocal quality sound hay-wire or too harsh/hissy. I boost up the high-end switch on the back of this mic (it's either depicted as a hi-pass filter or low-end cut) to cut out the natural bold/bassy fullness of this mic mic yet it still maintains that fullness with a nice crisp bite to it. I am so happy with the improvement of my sound, since I'm not looking to splurge on another more expensive industry standard anytime soon, this will be recording my whole album. The mic is so dynamic (no pun intended) that in my case at least..it seems you can work it around any project. ... More
Great mic, however unremarkable
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Robert on Guitar Center
This is a great dynamic microphone. I'm sure you already know everything you need to know about this mic already and are waiting for confirmation bias to help you make that purchase decision. However, for my usage, i found this mic unremarkable. I own many microphones and this doesn't really stand out in anyway from others i own. I primarily do voice overs, or recordings and I'd rarely reach for this mic over what i already owned, almost to the point of just returning it as it doesn't have much utility for me. This mic does require a beefy pre-amp, it is a darker mic, will add coloration to your voice, fairly heavy and will require more EQ or post work to fit your usage. However, once its dialed in it is fine, just not amazing in its own right. Due to its requirement to have additional equipment or support to function properly its not as attractive of an offer compared to other microphones. I noticed a large majority of people looking at this mic are would-be streamers, or the novice. YOU DO NOT NEED THIS MICROPHONE. For the vast majority of you the equipment you already own is more than enough for your uses and owning this mic WILL NOT improve your quality to that "High Production Recording" you're looking for (ie: Talking, Streaming, etc.). I would look at other options that fit your uses before considering this mic. Improving your mic setup and everything else in your signal chain should be higher on your priority list. As always, try out the mic and see how you sound before buying if able. Do your research. I'm hoping to prevent a vast majority of you from buyers remorse. All is not doom and gloom. The included windscreens, replaceable back-plate, integrated mount, and build quality are great. I especially like the mounting nut on the mount itself as it doesn't require any washers to properly orient itself unlike other microphones i have used. As mentioned earlier, i would highly recommend other less expensive options or mics that can deliver what you're looking for without the added hassle or effort. ... More
Shure SM7B
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Verdict on Guitar Center
I got this mic for some recording projects I was doing with a few metal bands because I heard that it was good on vocals. They weren't kidding. Needs no eq at all if the vocalist is whithin a foot and the presence and bass cut are engaged. Very warm and great midrange. I ended up using this for a lot of tracks, which I didn't expect. It sounded awesome on the kick and easily competes with my favorite kick mic, AKG D112. I set up two mics on the guitar amps, an SM57 and an SM7B, and the side by side comparisons were incredible. The SM7B sounds like an SM57 but just with more balls. Very thick tone from the amp. I could go on and on, but I've found that there hasn't been one sound source that I've tried that I didn't love the recorded sound from this mic, and I've tried it on everything from bass cabs to hi hats. Great value. ... More
Best Dynamic Mic!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by JOHN REICHOW on Guitar Center
We have all read the references to Michael J bla bla bla. I bought this mic for my home studio with a specific task in mind. I needed a studio quality practice mic for vocals that had the ability to reject background sound. I'm not referring to studio noise floor. I'm talking about my 2 guitar amps that were bleeding into the vocal mic and creating false harmonies of the guitar amp through the vocal processor (vocalist live pro). My mic is located directly in front and between two mini stacks with the rear of the mic facing the amps, as I like to practice facing my amps. I run a pretty extensive vocal chain: mpa gold preamp, digitech vocalist live pro, two Roland side chain rack delays, side chain lexicon reverb and an inserted tube compressor when desired. I was immediately shocked at how well this mic rejected my amps from the vocal chain. This sm7b is a great sounding mic as well. It will rival many LD condensers but is not quite as open sounding. I don't have a great voice and I felt very comfortable and inspired. I only bought this as a practice mic but it is certainly going to get used for some tracking. I haven't yet felt the need to insert the compressor either. This mic has a nice natural compression. I will give that a try at some point. I gave it a quick try on acoustic guitar on its own and I didn't much care for that. Perhaps paired with a condenser to open it up a bit. Overall this mic is a must have for any studio especially if you have the need for isolation. You will need a beefy preamp. The vocalist preamp was incapable of properly driving this mic. I will try it on amp cabs, drums, etc. and probably purchase more as needed. ... More
SM7B is Legendary for a Reason
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Eric on B&H Photo Video
The Shure SM7B is an awesome XLR mic with that unique podcast or radio talk show sound. There's a reason that this is so. If you take the wind muff off (it comes with a second, bigger one also), you'll see a cage over the mic element. This cage keeps the user from talking or singing too close to the mic's front element, which eliminates plosives which is the distortion that comes from the wind coming out of your mouth as you speak aP or sing loudly. This mic is capable of handling very loud sounds from your voice without breaking up or distorting. I have my SM7B connected to a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 and a Cloudlifter. The Focusrite is strong enough to drive it alone. I opted to use a Cloudlifter because it drastically reduced the need for too much gain and subsequently lowered the noise floor. My gain went from 2 o'clock w/o the Cloudlifter to 10 o'clock with it. If your interface is low noise at higher levels, the Cloudlifter isn't 100% necessary. I also bought an extender arm since the mic has a fixed XLR mount that will likely get in the way when rotating it on an arm (see photo). The SM7B is also great at isolating handling noise and background noise. You can touch it and move it around without hearing any noise in your recording. Overall, great sound and definitely a pro mic and is priced like one. If you don't need a mic that is perfect or is engineered for handling loud talking/singing with no distortion, get a USB mic for 1/4 the price. You can get a really good sound from USB mics as well, they just have a tiny cable that can come out easily but in a fixed setting, it shouldn't be a problem really. Just remember that you can only have one USB mic live at a time on your computer. So if you need multiple mics, I recommend an XLR mount mic or you'll need a mixer. The Shure SM58 is also legendary (more of a stage mic) and costs only $100. I plan to keep my SM7B forever so I don't mind the price. ... More
Great Mic
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by David l M. on Reverb
This mic has been a bit of a struggle to get the sound I'm looking for just due mainly to having so many options. I have it going directly into a Pre-73 MKII so I'm still experimenting on getting the the way I want to sound out of the mic. It's nice having the options the mic gives you with the roll off/bump switches but in my case its just taking longer because I don't have to settle for mediocre. It sounds really, really, good going through my Presonus ADL 700 which also tells me that the better your preamp investment the better this mic will sound. Not that it sounds bad going through the Pre-73 MKII, its just a lot more fickle to determine if the gain should be higher and volume lower or a higher volume and lower gain setting. I'd like to keep the ADL for my guitar rig but when I put the SM7B on it, its just blowing away the Pre-73 by a huge margin, Granted its just a better amp but the Pre-73 is not a slouch. The lack of impedance variables with the Pre-73 is what is at the root of the problem. If you have have a mic pre that can match the SM7B impedance; as the the microphone has a low impedance, with a rated impedance of 150ohms. When my Pre-73 has the the Low-Z switch out, the input impedance of the Pre-73 is 1200 ohms. When the switch is in, the input impedance is lowered to 300 ohms. And it is this fact that I think is the issue for this particular use of this mic pre, with this particular mic. If I could get the impedance adjusted variably to match at 10x the input impedance; or in some case even match, I would have an overall better sound. Mic is at its best when used on a preamp matching impedance ratio ... More
Lovely sound, very low output
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by The Colonial on B&H Photo Video
We use the SM7B as a voiceover mike, so the input level is relatively low (i.e., not drums, not screaming vocals). It has a perfectly lovely, warm sound, and exceptionally good isolation. The isolation, however, comes with a price: Very low output level. Even +60dB of gain barely brings it up to a reasonable level. (Of course, you don't have to worry about clipping anything!) Be sure to pair with a powerful, and very quiet, preamp.
Perfect For Podcasting
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Jeffrey on B&H Photo Video
I bought this for my podcasting setup in an untreated room. The cloudlifter helps to make the microphone sound louder with a lower noise floor. The boom arm does the job. I bought this with the Rodecaster Pro and Kopul 5000 XLR cables. The combination is a small, quiet setup with a lot of versatility for a beginner. The Rodecaster Pro adds enough gain in conjunction with the cloudlifter to make the mic sound clean and quiet with the noise gate. The Shure SM7B is flattering and most importantly it is quiet for an untreated room. Using the proximity effect and the noise gate option on the Rodecaster Pro, the untreated room is a complete non-issue. When I say untreated room, I mean hardwood, no furniture and nothing on the walls. Literally bare studio. You can't even tell with this setup. The mic looks good, high build quality and comes with multiple windscreens. Overall, the versatility of this setup is the perfect beginner setup for a low profile and portable podcast. I went back and forth between the Shure SM7B and the EV-RE20. I don't think there is a wrong choice between the two, but for me, the SM7B sounded slightly better in my test for an untreated setup with my voice due to the use of proximity effect and the mic being quieter. Overall, happy with the purchase, and I highly recommend the Rodecaster Pro with the SM7B. ... More
the shure way of life
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by janmichael on Guitar Center
this is the most wonderful mic ever..my vocals where awesome with out even going in my sound booth.. a very warm sound..cuts out all of the background noise.. super mic for the price... my one and only mic..love it
This is exactly what I've been searching for.
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Robert on B&H Photo Video
Lately I've been recording a lot of VO work. In the past, I've either hired professional sound when a client could afford it or captured VO with our lone RODE NTG2 when a client couldn't afford a pro. The NTG2 works great as intended (a shotgun mic) but I always spent too much time in audio post attempting to massage a good sounding presence from it. I knew I needed a mic designed for VO work and when the chance came to purchase one, the SM7B rose to the top of the list of choices. I plugged it in, put on my headphones and a big smile came across my face. The SM7B was exactly what I was looking for. The quality and the presence of what I was hearing was outstanding. I was a bit worried about what kind of preamp I would need with it. Most recommended is a Cloudlifter CL-1 which I don't own. Shure recommends something capable of at least +60dB. I do own a Sound Devices MP-1 which can add up to +66dB of gain to the signal coming from a mic. I contacted Sound Devices and asked their opinion of using the MP-1 with the SM7B and they thought it would work as long as the VO talent was very close to the mic. I record into a ZOOM H-6. The signal coming from the mic only needed +28dB from the MP-1. I highly recommend the SM7B! ... More
SM7Best?
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by C. Pena on B&H Photo Video
I bought this mic to use in my home studio. The supplied windscreen really provides great proximity. The rear controls (Flat Response, Bass Rolloff and Presence Boost) are also very useful. If you buy this mic, try different settings in using such controls. You'll need either a preamp or a mixer to get the best of the mic.
If You Are A Rap-Vocalist This Is A Must Have
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by TERRACE on Guitar Center
This mic is killer if you are a rapper period. This is by far the best mic for voice-over sound in my opinion. Forget about MJ.... (no disrespect) this is the go to mic for any rapper who hates sounding thin on some cheap condenser mic. You will need a good preamp though to great the most out of this mic however. I run mines with the apollo twin duo. But before that a Cloud lifter and the Scarlett 6i6 from Focusrite did the trick. Every emcee should have one!!!
Rock ready, versatile and with undiscovered appliances
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Felipe Giannazzo on Guitar Center
I�ۡ���ve wanted this microphone for months, and finally had the chance to buy it. This microphone is almost bullet proof, and does a great job in the studio, and in live applications. The rejection of this microphone to external sound is outstanding, something you won�ۡ���t find in a microphone of this price range. I personally love this microphone for not having the sometimes unpractical over sensibility of condensers, and still do the job. It works very well for recording strong male vocals, and loud amplifiers. But I still think this microphone goes far beyond, and has undiscovered appliances. I would have paid twice for this one, without considering it. Of course, YOU NEED A PREAMP. This is a very quiet microphone, and if you don�ۡ���t want to get headaches about it you will get one. It has mechanical noise suppression, but I would recommend a good quality microphone stand for it. ... More
Wow!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Metatron on Guitar Center
I'm so glad that I finally got one of my own. This is the best vocal and voice over mic in the world. Even if I could own any other mic in the world this mic is better. For Pod-casts and radio/YouTube if you can afford this and a pre-amp and/or a cloud lifter nothing sounds better. Even mics in the thousands will not sound as good. I use The SM7B, to Cloud Lifter, to a ART MP (with a Tung-Sol tube swap) set the gain up all the way (Gain Boost OFF with the Cloud lifter) turn on phantom power (for cloud lift to work turn off if you don't use a Lifter, this is a dynamic Mic so it DOES NOT use the phantom power, the Cloud lifter does however.) Use the output to control the level to the interface/mixer with it's XLR inputs set to LINE LEVEL, Not Mic/Inst. Use a TS cable to a line level if no line level XLR input is available in your recording setup. It might sound kind of strange the first time you hear your voice recorded this clear. Works good on guitar cabs like another reviewer said and I agree a SM/58 with bigger balls. ... More
Perfect splurge for working from home
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Roger on B&H Photo Video
OK, I'm not a musician or even a podcaster. But I was on Zoom calls all day long, even before the pandemic. While the SM7B may be overkill for video conferencing, my WFH setup isn't exactly ideal. I am in a corner of our dining area, which is between the living room and the kitchen. So there's a lot of background noise happening in my household while I'm on calls. I was using the Rode NT-USB mic, but it was too sensitive and picked up the sounds of my teenager getting water from the fridge or heating up a snack in the microwave. I needed to clean up my act and sound a bit more professional. So after watching hours of reviews and comparison videos on YouTube, I decided to splurge on the SM7B. I am pairing it with the Motu M2 audio interface, and I freaking love this setup! And I like how the SM7B gives my voice a little more bass so I can sound a bit more authoritative. Also, my wife, kids and I have been having fun recording with the mic. Just taking some karaoke tracks and laying our own (mostly terrible) vocals on top of them. This mic has ... More
