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 21 to 40 of 247 Reviews
Incredibly Natural, Unhyped Sound!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Horacio Z. on Reverb
The SM7B, with its flat, natural sounding frequency response, is incredible for vocals, podcasting, voiceover, and even instruments, while providing great isolation from the environment due to its dynamic nature. NOTE: A cloudlifter is an absolute must to get the best, richest sound with a low noise floor. This one on Amazon is what I always tell people to get: https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Microphones-CL-1-Cloudlifter-1-channel/dp/B004MQSV04/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=13AHB24P0CYYB&keywords=cloud+lifter+cl1&qid=1585664858&sprefix=cloud+lifter,aps,151&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=hzambrana02-20&linkId=e1a83d709878b4ad5748d20653052547&language=en_US Don't get one on Ebay or other sites that might not be the real cloudlifter and not work so well. If you don't get the cloudlifter you'll find yourself cranking the gain all the way up on your preamp/interface and introducing noise, and also the sound won't be as detailed, warm, and thick as it could be. Trust me a cloudlifter is a game changer for the sm7b. ... 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
Amazing is all I can say!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Karl on Guitar Center
I can't say enough about this Mic! I cant treat my room to be able to record properly, so this mic makes it possible to record Vocals, Guitars and anything I can think of. I love how my vocals standout without me having to mess with placement, enclosed spaces or anything else! Just plug it in and record what you like! Highly recommended!!!!
Magic Bullet
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Dayton A. on Reverb
Apart from our isolation booth which usually has a drum set in it, our smallish rehearsal space is not terribly quiet; we hear jets and trucks when they go by. This microphone is doing exactly what I had hoped; sounds great for live rehearsal recordings and rejects much of the incidental noise. There are also no more issues with feedback during rehearsals. When used in the booth, it is a better, more focused sound than my condensers. If I had a silent, large recording studio, I might sometimes want to hear more of the room in which the recording is being made, but in 95% of my work, the super presence of the voice without interference is what I need. This mic does that perfectly. I'm looking forward to using it live and making board recordings. Running it through a Cloudlifter into an Allen & Heath WZ3, recording with MOTU 828 mk3. ... More
Shure Excellence incarnate. Not new, not fancy. Just good!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Vincent on Guitar Center
The Shure SM7B needs no introduction. Fantastic voice microphone it makes me sound the best I can. I have an annoying slight pushiness in the mid treble with this microphone tames so well. I want to use this for voice over and Podcasting work. In conjunction with my Cloudlifter CL-1 and dbx 286s processor microphone preamplifier, I am able to create a product that is "professional" in sound. The build is typical Shure. Bullet Proof. Tank like. The heavy built chassis and mount make me a believer that it will outlast and outlive me. This microphone is worth all of its asking price. Prepare to spend allot more to beat it. The Electro Voice E20 was considered too, and that was not a good fit for me. Your mileage may vary, but the one constant is the SM7B. It will do its job. You just furnish the talent. ... More
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So fresh and so clean
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Jose on B&H Photo Video
The Shure SM7B sounds incredible... when appropriately used. The first important thing to note is that this microphone is very quiet, so it needs about 50-60db of gain to get its signal up to usable volumes. Not all audio interfaces are created equal in this regard, so make sure yours has enough juice to power it. I needed to max out a Focusrite 18i8 (2nd gen)'s gain to get audible sound from it. Cranking your preamp's gain up so high may come with a price, and that's a low humming sound. It is possible to remedy this by providing the needed gain digitally or by adding a gate to the signal that targets and removes the hum, which is how I first heard the true potential of this microphone and became enamored by it. However, I ultimately opted to get a Cloudlifter CL-1 to do away with said hum and get a clean signal from the get-go. It works perfectly now. I can't recommend it enough. ... More
Impressive microphone
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Dave on B&H Photo Video
I have a RODE NT-1 Condenser microphone, which is a very good microphone, with a very nice sound for human voices. However, I was having to use the NT-1 in a room that is not sound proof and the NT-1 is VERY sensitive to background noises. After much research I decided to order the Shure SM7B and I am very pleased. I combined the SM7B with a FetHead inline preamp feeding into my RODECaster Pro. The signal is very clean, dramatic drop in background noise pickup, and the SM7B has a superb sound for voices. Add in the form factor on a boom arm is much less intrusive in front of the face than the NT-1 with the pop filter in place is and it makes using the SM7B much nicer when the camera is turned on. All in all a very positive purchase, would not hesitate getting a second (or third) SM7B if I needed to do a multi person web cast, or recording. ... More
Great for male vocals and spoken word.
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I use the SM7B for recording male vocals and, occasionally, to do a podcast. This microphone has excellent presence and is very forgiving when used for vocals. The bass and the middle are smooth, and the highs are exact without being unpleasant. Little tweaking is needed to make it sound good. Highly recommended for similar uses!
Great All Rounder Mic
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Michelangelo on B&H Photo Video
Since I've gotten this mic I've used it for various things including talking online with friends, recording vocals for songs, and recording acoustic guitar. Works great for all of them although I'll probably stick with a condenser mic for acoustic. The mic is a bit on the darker side which helps my nasally voice. Background rejection is pretty good which is nice since my room can get a bit noisy with AC/fans on. Combined with Waves WNS I can eliminate 99% of background noise in my recordings. This is a gain hungry mic and I did need a fethead to get it to proper levels with my Audient EVO 4. I don't make any money off the content I make so this mic was definitely an impulse/splurge buy, but I love it either way. Looks great and sounds great, but I don't think I would recommend it to anyone unless they were serious about what they do or they got money to burn like I did haha. ... More
Sounds great, but noise issues from cloudlifter
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
Bought this for my fiancee who hosts a radio show and is recording from our apartment due to covid. We were hoping the microphone would pick up less background noise which it definitely does and we are very pleased in that regard. She also loves the way her voice sounds through the mic. However the cloudlifter which promises noiseless gain is not living up to that promise. There is quite a bit of noise when using the cloudlifter (which is definitely needed with this mic. I have checked all the cables and done any diagnosing i can think of and noise is still there. Fortunately the denoise in adobe audition has been able to remove it without problem and we are happy with the SM7B so she is continuing to use it over her old setup. We are just looking for an alternative to the cloudlifter. ... More
Get a good interface, forget the Cloudlifter!
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Robert on B&H Photo Video
I see a lot of people talk about how Cloudlifters are essential, but that's really poor advice IMHO. Get yourself a better audio interface, like a MOTU M4, and you'll have plenty of gain and avoid the noise issues you can end up with the CLs. I run mine into a MOTU UltraLike Mk5 at about 50dB gain, and the recordings are incredibly clean and peak at around -4dB (the UltraLite goes up to 74dB, I believe). As for the microphone itself, I did not want to like it, because I tend to dislike things that get hyped a lot. But on my voice, it's perfect. Much better than a whole slew of other microphones I've tested (with the exception of the Lewitt LCT 440, but that's a very different sound). This is very specific to your voice though, so try out a few microphones and see which one works best! ... More
The mic that made Thriller
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Sean on B&H Photo Video
If you're smarter than Quincy Jones, find something else. Otherwise, stop looking and hit the purchase button... Yes, it was the primary vocal mic used on the best selling album of all time. But for broadcasters, it's versatility is why you'll make this purchase. The clean, deep presence gives you so much assurance with your work it truly will make you better! Of course don't forget the bass rolloff/high gain switches on the back to get your mic ready for tweaking on the mixer board. ONE BIG THING: Buy a Cloudlifter cl-1 from B&H to give that initial 25 db gain right off the bat. I did, and it changed EVERYTHING. It is a dynamic mic, so phantom power won't fly with this bad boy. That's why the Cloudlifter is the KEY to this. Another thing: Believe it or not, it works awesome for your kick drum mic, too. This one means business. Stop reading and BUY IT :) ... More
Smooth!!!!!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Edward L. Mackel Jr. on Guitar Center
This microphone is a smooth alternative to the often over sensitive condensers available today. The SM7B has the ability to take an unusual voice and control it without a lot of EQ and compression. In a smaller studio setup this can be a real advantage. Just sing straight into the Mic and away you go! I also think this mic could solve a lot of problems for Hip Hop or R&B artists looking for a different sound. I use it for everything from Rap to singing and even the T-Pain sound! Smooth!!!!!
oh what a mic!
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by brandon Leitch on Guitar Center
a must have for vocals, works great on bass cabs, guitar, kick drum... its an all purpose studio workhorse, like an sm57 on steroids. so glad to finally have one in my possession, it's a really affordable way to upgrade your studio in a big way. it does take a good amount of gain to bring up the levels but if you have a halfway decent preamp it shouldn't be an issue. overall, so happy with it
More versatile than you think
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Moozgit on B&H Photo Video
This microphone is always billed as a vocal mic. I personally find it to have a ridiculous amount of other applications. horns, drums, cymbals, electric guitars, etc. I especially love it on saxophones. it gets an incredibly rich, full, yet clear sound out of them when given a couple feet of space and needs very little processing if any. a great addition to a mic cabinet. buy 4 of em!
Sounds great, cloudlifter adding noise though
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
Bought this for my Fianc who hosts a radio show but is home due to covid in the hopes it would pick up less extraneous noise (we are in an apartment building) than her previous setup. In that regard its been great and she loves the way her voice sounds through it. The only issue we have had is that the cloudlifter going into the Scarlet 2i2 interface seems to be introducing noise and is not the totally clear gain it advertises. I have not seen others complain about this issue so not sure if we have a faulty unit or something else in the setup but currently adobe auditions denoise removes it fine so it hasnt been too much of an issue. ... More
Professional Broadcast Microphone
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed by Eric on B&H Photo Video
My wife is a DJ at a local community radio station, where they use this mic in the broadcast booth. When the pandemic forced everyone out of the station she started recording her weekly show from home, using an Audio Technica 4050-CM5. While that is an excellent general-use mic, it was lacking the low-end warmth she was accustomed to hearing on her talk breaks. This mic was designed from the ground up to be used for the human voice in close proximity and it does the job like no other. The one caveat is that, like any piece of professional gear, it requires a high-quality mic preamp. I use an FMR Audio Real Nice Preamp (RNP), and the results are professional-quality talk breaks. ... More
The best mic for podcasting
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Daniel on Guitar Center
It's an amazing mic. I had the Shure MV51 for podcasting and the SM7B just raised the bar. Be aware that you need a lot of gain, so if you're using the SM7B with a Scarlett Solo, you need a Cloudlifter!
I feel like a pro
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I feel like a pro with this microphone. It just feels so sturdy and professional. I need a preamp to really get good sound but its helpful in a non air-tight room where other sounds can leak in.
great mic. I wish it had a little more natural output
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Reviewed by Murph on Guitar Center
This mic is awesome. It is heavy and durable. I see the weight as a pro not a con, but you will need a sturdy stand or boom. I have not used it much yet but the sound clarity is much better than my other mics: SM58, sm57, senheiser e35 (dynamic mics) and my blue en.core 300 (condenser). i have it directly connected to a focusrite 2 channel interface with the input turned all the way up. my little presonus tube pre is not enough to drive this mic properly - get a good quality preamp, or be prepared to turn input channels all the way up ... More
