First:

• I have no experience with audio interfaces
  • ...as I have been going with USB devices for my entire life
• I don't record often
• I don't have good recording environment (untreated space)
  • I am moving out soon, therefore I find it useless to treat it
    • Despite my love for portability, I am not buying vocal booth either

People online say that this microphone has very high entry level, and it requires a ton of stuff to work as well:

• audio interface
  • ...that needs to have +60(?) dB gain
• shock mount
• arm
  • ...that will support at least 1.5 kg
• preamp
  • ...that I also don't know anything about
• XLR cable
  • ...that I don't adore due to all the audiophilic stereotypes bond to it

I have both money and time for learning it, considering the aforementioned fact that I don't record often, I wonder is it even worth it.

Price is also not THAT much of a problem, but rather the amount of experience I need to use this microphone.

Currently, I have Zoom H2n, but it's an audio recorder, not a microphone. I go with the following principle:

I was also comparing SM7B with MV7, sadly(?) being USB and I noticed it lacks higher frequencies boost. I am sick of Rode NT1 due to its noise sensitivity. Low, but still, being a major flaw in all condenser microphones.

I am not a rookie in terms of vocal processing, and I don't find challenges regarding this field very often. SM7B is too expensive in terms of preparations to lay my hands on, yet a lot of people still use it — perhaps due to lack of vocal processing experience (built-in pop-filter & de-noise (high SPL?)), but probably I am missing something.

What do you think?

 

As a dedicated voice mic- absolutely!
As an instrument or all around mic- not so much

 

"XLR cable...that I don't adore due to all the audiophilic stereotypes bond to it"

This makes no sense. If you're going to be messing around with professional grade microphones you had better get on board with XLR's... You will not find very many truly professional microphones that do not use balanced 3 wire connections i.e., XLR.

"I am sick of Rode NT1 due to its noise sensitivity. Low, but still, being a major flaw in all condenser microphones."

"Flaw" in all condenser mics? Noise occurs in all mics period. Well made condenser mics are generally less noisy because they have active electronics (requiring phantom power) in them as opposed to passive dynamics that are not powered and rely only on air pressure moving a coil inside a magnetic field to produce electro-acoustical impulses. Dynamic mics are generally used for higher db level sound sources vs condensers (and ribbons) that are generally used for lower db level sources.

If all you're looking to do is voice record/broadcast and you don't want a powered condenser mic then look at the EV Re-20. It's another very widely used professional dynamic mic in the broadcast industry for voice applications. Yet the re-20 can be used in a variety of audio studio recording applications as well. The Shure SM7 is generally used in broadcast voice applications and is not considered an "all-arounder" in an audio studio setting.

 

Last edited: May 25, 2025 at 11:33 PM

its not as complicated in practice as youre thinking. you also dont need a separate shock mount or preamp for that mic - id also get a good interface

 

A dynamic microphone needs more gain, and that means that you'll need to push the SM7B with perhaps topping out the usable quiet gain of whatever 60dB preamp that your using, of course unless you're a screamer. Personally I have a bunch of old dynamics that I'll use that are hungry for gain as well as an Electrovoice RE-20. When I use them I'll attach a Triton Audio Fethead between the mic and cable which is connected to the preamp. It gives me an extra 26dB of very clean gain to work with so I can bring down the noise floor of the chain. The Fethead is much less expensive than than a CloudLifter which does the same thing.

The SM7B is a good choice for voice, though if you want to get what I think is the best dynamic microphone overall, a Sennheiser MD441, it would be expensive but can be bought used for around 450 to 600 bucks. It would be a great choice, doing beautifully on vocals as well as an all arounder for anything you asked of it. It would be great in an untreated space because it is both a supercardioid as well as a dynamic microphone.

Good luck and have fun.

 

In an untreated room you‘ll want the mic close to the source. This will reduce your need for gain.
Imho just get an interface and a SM57. Using it for a while you‘ll get an idea if you need another mic and which kind of.
Btw. it‘s quite straightforward to use a mic, no need for extensive planning.

 

Hello @canbi, Windows or PC, which DAW do you use, which operating system?

You need a USB audio interface to convert the analog vocal signal into a digital signal.
The audio interface then sends the sound to your PC for recording and further processing.

You connect your microphone to the USB audio interface and the audio interface to your PC/notebook.

1. Audient iD4 MKII - USB 3.0 Audio Interface - €154 https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/id4/overview/
2. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen - 2-Channel USB 2.0 Audio Interface with USB-C Port - €119

Advantages of XLR: They are capable of transmitting the 48-volt phantom power required for condenser microphones. These are so-called balanced cables. The balanced wiring of XLR cables allows us to cancel out any interference picked up along the way.

 

Last edited: May 26, 2025 at 9:42 AM

I wasnt aware of audiophilic stereotypes about XLR.

Do you want a mic just for recording vocals or do you plan to record instruments as well?

A good and versatile dynamic mic is the Beyerdynamic m88TG. It is hypercardioid so rejects ambient noise on the side which can be useful in an untreated environment. But, for the same reason, it has a narrow cone of sensitivity in the back, so placing something absorbant behind it might be useful (not just behind it, but somewhere in the axis). It is good on vocals, bass/gtr amps, brass, drums/percussions,...
Its proximity effect is somewhat pronounced but its lows are very clean. It doesnt have strong bumps or dips in its frequency response. The recorded signal can be EQed very easily.
It weights less than a SM7.

The RE20 proposed by @saccamano is a good choice too, often used in broadcast.

You dont need a preamp in addition to the one of the interface.

 

Yep, you only need a good audio interface according to your needs, like Audient or Focusrite, and a good dynamic mic with hypercardiod or cardioid pickup pattern. Hypercardioid will pickup less ambience, but it has more pronounced proximity effect, which may even be desirable for spoken word (you get more bass). Great hypercardioid mics I would suggest are Beyerdynamic M88TG, Sennheiser MD431 and MD441, or Shure Beta58 which sounds very similar to SM58 and 7B, but it's easiest to drive.

I would also suggest a popup filter and some kind of a mic stand.

SM58 is a great cardioid alternative to SM7B and is easier to drive. SM57 is also a bit easier to drive, it's approx between 58 and 7B, closer to 58.

 

Last edited: May 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM

Even if you get an audio interface with 60-70dB of gain, it's still a good idea to buy an in-line preamp/mic booster. Some budget interfaces has preamps with a lot of gain, but they also have a noise floor that gets clearly audible at the top of the gain range. With a mic booster you don't have to worry as much about this. A Triton Audio FetHead is only $60-70, takes no space at all and they are very useful to have for various purposes.

 

Such as?

These investments will never pay off

Why not Solo 2nd Gen?

...I prefer tripods More portable

 

In Europe, the Beyer M88TG is only 70 /80€ more expensive than the SM7b.

 

99% of mic stands are a tripod system. Get one with a boom arm and fully adjustable to put the mic where you need it and out of your way.

They fold up and can be out of sight and mind in seconds.

 

For those of you looking on a new SM7B,there is a new active version out,with a built-in active preamp,just saying :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM7dB--shure-sm7db-active-dynamic-microphone

^
There are 3 versions of the MV7,one is the Shure MV7X Dynamic :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MV7X--shure-mv7x-dynamic-broadcast-microphone-black

& the other 2 :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MV7pBK--shure-mv7-hybrid-podcast-microphone-black

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MV7I--shure-mv7i-smart-mic-and-interface


if you're on a budget,i''ll recommend the classic Shure SM57 :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM57--shure-sm57-cardioid-dynamic-instrument-microphone

^
not only it is a flexible Dynamic Instrument Mic,but combined

with this windscreen,will give you a good sound for podcasts/vocals on a budget :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A2WSBLK--shure-a2ws-locking-microphone-windscreen-black

From my personal experience,you can't go wrong with the Shure SM7dB Active Dynamic Microphone,or the Shure SM57 with the
Shure A2WS windscreen,i use them both with Blue Microphones Quad Cables :

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QuadCable20--blue-microphones-quad-cable-20-foot-xlr-xlr

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Blue/Blue-20-ft-Quad-XLR-Microphone-Cable-Blue-20-ft-1275860128997.gc

 

Last edited: May 26, 2025 at 10:03 PM

The SM7B is one of the most idiot proof microphones you can buy.

 

@canbi that solo interface you mentioned will have more noise in the recording when you turn the gain up. the 2i2 plus a SM7b is like the home recording starter pack of my generation, its enough clean gain for that mic and is inexpensive (for instance the interface i have is $1k)

of course you can get the solo, doesnt affect my life in anyway; just know your vocal recordings will sound more lo-fi with that mic. when you can pay not that much for a 2i2 and be set with a simple set up for recording

 

Have a look at austrian audios large diaphragm mikrophones.
They are made by the same guys that were AKG back in the days before AKG was sold to Harman and then to Samsung.
The Austrian Audio OC16 is a dirt cheap 350 bucks cardoid mikrophone you can use for voice and for instruments.
I use two of them for stereo recordings.
All their mikrophones use made in austria capsules with ceramic membranes.
Their pricier models (OC 18 and OC181) are 100% made in AT, with the cheap OC16 its only the capsule, casing and electronics are made in china.
The 181 is dual capsule, thus it has switchable characteristic.
I'm pretty sure you won't use that very often if you don't do orchestral work or MS/Stereo.
What I love about them is that (for a large diapragm mike), they don't 'have a sound'.
Like they don't have that lower mids bood a U87 would have.
That makes them way more versatile when it comes to instruments recordings.
Another factor is: They are slim. Making them easier to set up. I don't like those huge bottles of mikes just to show off with a lot of noting inside.

https://austrian.audio/product/oc16/
edit: unless you want to start a streaming business, I would not recomment the sm7b.
It not versatile enough. Its the classic radio dj mike and it sounds like that.
For that its the best you can get, but I wouldnt use it for anything else.

(And yes, I love them because I used a lot of the original AKG C414 back in the days and loved that you could throw anything at it and it would just perform)

 

Last edited: May 26, 2025 at 11:15 PM

WTF with the xlr stuff?
"I'm not interested in that classic C12 mic, it uses xlr."

 

I have always avoided connecting the mic to the audio interface: the difference between a good voice tracking and a gorgeous voice tracking is a good preamp. So yes: a preamp is always necessary, no matter the mic used. The room in which it is used is also crucial: any mic will take the early reflection/reverb of the environment so it is better to use some kind of booth. If you're in your bedroom, the closet is fine, other option: use the inside of your car, I recorded several albums in the car

 

just make sure if you are buying one of these and especially trying to do so on the cheap; remember that a short while ago a lot of people were reporting some relatively convincing fakes from china being sold on ebay and who knows where else.