First you grant us your insight into why this mic is worth buying, plus the tip of using a mic activator with it for interfaces that don't have as much gain. So I bought it, and put it to use. Now, with this video, you ensure that those of us who have followed your advice know exactly how to avoid the rookie mistakes one can make with the SM7b. Bandrew, I can't thank you enough!
@@Podcastage - I'm a radio talk show host who had to bring his talk show home when the pandemic hit, and this microphone makes it sound like I'm back in the studio.
I was experiencing clipping in my recent videos with my SM7B - cloudlifter - zoom h5n and came to youtube to figure out why. Used the visual audio meters on the Zoom to get my normal baseline voice to -18dB and voila! you're a genius, this was so helpful THANK YOU.
@@haiziliy5252 I had this problem. I connected my SM7B to Zoom H5 directly, without cloudlifter. And if I turned the gain dial on Zoom H5 to 7 or higher, the I got the white noise. What I did was to turn the dial to 6.5 or 6. I can always boost the volume in post. The white noise may be caused by the pre-amp of H5.
I got mine last year but I still watched this lol. I have the MOTU M2 though and have to ride the gain pretty damn near maxed but totally workable. Lovely to see people that dont shove fetheads and cloudlifters down your throat btw. Thank you for the video ^-^
Having that MOTU M2 nearly maxed can actually be a blessing in disguise. Julian Krause made an excellent video on amps performing better with signal-to-noise ratios when turned way up towards max. If you're interested in the video, it's called USE YOUR GAIN! The TRUTH about maximum gain setting >>and it's just all around an interesting video :)
@@thexophros fantastic video, highly recommend that one too. I also have a MotuM2 thanks to Julian, no issues with any microphone whatsoever, even 6$lav mics sound good on it :D incredible
I'm really grateful that you answered every single question I could imagine with this video. Most videos leave a few details out that then keep bugging me forever (for example your comments on the pros and cons of the bigger filter). Masterful!
Yet another extremely helpful piece. You manage the trick of explaining without either patronising or assuming people know more than they do. Nga mihi nui
I was almost convinced i NEEDED a cloudlifter. Thanks for this! I was having so many issues with it, now i know it was me all along! LMAO! As soon as i get home, I'm implementing all of the steps you showed us. Thank you!
Thank you soooooo much I swear every other TH-camr won’t tell you nothing he’s the best I’m subscribing instantly ‼️I was gonna cry bro this the mannnnn !!! Sorry guys I’m venting but bro I love this dude
This is a highly educational video, very well done, Bandrew! And it's still entertaining at the same time,.which makes your videos and podcast even more outstanding 👏
very helpful! Especially when this mic is known to have a very low gain, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who's turning up the gain so much on my Focusrite Scarlett. Thanks!
I bought an SM7b, it took me 3 hours to figure out it was totally out of function. I was so frustrated and returned the SM7b, then I watched this guy's video, I found that as a beginner, shure SM58 fits me more. So I bought the new mic with only half the price and perform very well.
This video was extremely helpful and insightful. You were straight to the point and did not talk for too long about each subject. Thanks for putting the video together!
Man I wish this video was there for me when I bought my first mic + interface, before I completely embarrassed myself by not knowing what boosting in post was or how gain worked. I thought my mic wasn't getting enough phantom power, funny cuz it was a dynamic mic.
i don't even have the SM7b but i just love your videos B] is strange to say to others that i see videos about microphones as entertainment i speak spanish, sorry if i said something wrong i learn English just by watching videos so i can't really speak it
I really love the Shure SM7B mic for my podcasts. It great great sound and very happy with it. I do run mine with the cloudlifter CL1 activator and it is a great combo. I really love the video on your channel. I love all the detailed demos showing how things sound in various configurations. TY for all you do my friend.
Actually found this looking up "best audio interface for vocals" when I came across this. About to invest in a Shure SM7b, thanks to your review. Was intrigued on if you would talk more about your interface, but realize that's not the point of this video. Still watched it all, thanks for the insight!
Very interesting. With modern interfaces having noise as low as they do, for recording I don't necessarily think it's necessary unless you're recording quiet sound sources or recording extremely far from the mic. In those cases, I think the SM7b might not be the best choice for that application though.
@@Podcastage I live 45 minutes west of NYC in a very wealthy area. Everyone who has a Mac is a producer or artist. Sm7b flow like Shure Sm58’s. Universal audio and Focusrite are the most popular interfaces. These “ producers “ are typically clueless and lazy. They think holding the mic and running around is how rap and hip hop are made. Mic technique? None. The amount of education it takes just to get them up and running is unreal. They think everything should be easy. Tempo what ? Key what ? Gain what ? Signal chain no chance. Following basic directions ? Almost impossible. MacBook Pro’s everywhere. I need the M1D1 common. And get me the Protols. Post recording gain ? Lol Correct input level not a consideration. You did make an excellent video though 😀
I knew it was a pretty good Mic. I’ve been wanting to get one, but I needed confirmation that I could plug directly into my focusrite and get the gain that I needed without getting a high noise floor. I didn’t want to have to buy an additional phantom powered preamp. And I see that I probably won’t have to. Thank you for the review. Update: bought the mic. Didn’t sound any different than an old hundred dollar mic that I’ve been using. I mean I literally could not hear the difference. Certainly not worth $400. I returned it today.
was the gain with just the focusrite fine? iam wondering about the same. currently i have a Rode NT1A and my new room has more echo and reverb so i want to switch to a dynamic mic.
@@waynemiller6070 yeah accoustic treatment would probably be ebough. But a dynamic mic is a fast fix. Wqntwd the Mic for years so i consider to bite now
@@12P14D22C I ended up buying the SM 58S. The one with the switch, just because I like to be able to shut the mic off if I turn the monitors are pretty loud. I could not tell the difference between the two mics fidelity wise.
True, you understand the point though, right? So people can see the distance of the mic from my face. I understand if the mic is intended to be out of frame, it would not be placed like that.
Absolutely! I just assumed you were also trolling the folks who hide their mic and pay with audio quality in the process. It made me chuckle either way. 😅
@@mblackman1170 try messing with your cables, your connection has to he grounded for there not to be any feedback like that. Sometimes you just gotta wiggle your cables around/unplug replug. Sometimes having too many things plugged into one outlet or connection can also cause this.
You should also do a video on how to actually record audio and what software to use. Would've loved to have that at the end of this video. Great content though.
I know I'm a year late on this one but I just bought the sm7b and I'd love to get a similar sound signature to the Lex Fridman podcast, I just love the low/warm/high presence in their voices, not even for podcast purposes, I just really like the way it sounds, my sm7b and yours sound way brighter in comparison (even when really close to the mic) and I'd love to tweak that
Ihaven't listened to that podcast so I don't know how it sounds. Most podcasts have a bit of compression on it which will give it more of that podcast sound. Try adding some compression to your vocal recordings to see if that helps you achieve the sound.
Hello from Japan. After watching your video I decided to buy the SM7B after struggling with the Telefunken M80. I think you hate the sticker too much, but thanks for all your meticulous work! I will keep watching your videos.
@@mjodr That's a general rule for mics in general. If anything, this mic is actually better at rejecting background sounds from speakers and such by nature of it being fairly quiet. My old Blue Snowball sounded like death when I accidentally left it to play on speakers and it looped, something that I've yet to be able to actually replicate on the SM7b. I imagine I'd have to turn up my volume to unreasonable levels to get it to happen.
@@DragonEdge10 I wouldn't say it's a rule for mics in general because think about live music applications. Speakers blasting everywhere and mics all over the place. If you do it right, no feedback.
You got me with the slaps, I flinched! Excellent video, you are the man for anything audio.. I've watched countless videos from you looking for the perfect setup for a newly affiliated Twitch streamer. You are funny, informative and very easy to follow along with. Keep it up, keep us informed! I'm torn between the Quadcast and the MV7B. I like the simplicity of the Quadcast, but I also want to feel more involved with my content and have a better presence interacting. It's been 3 days now and I still haven't decided. The FiFine K688 also seems like an excellent option, but I hate being cheap about a hobby that I enjoy. Your thoughts? XLR seems really expensive in my opinion because I'm not a full-time streamer and do it casually to share my gaming experience with others expecting really nothing in return.
I got mine SM7B just a week ago, and did the same thing that described here because im watching your videos. And now i confident that i did it right! Thank you so much Bandrew! Also im afraid of eq this mic, and leave as it is with only slight compression. Because i dont want it to sound less than 400$ after i mess with eq, haha
From what ive be seeing this is the go to mic for metal vocals as well and i was just watching this to see how and what i need to set it up. Thanks for the info and the video after the first few minutes i was able to get all i needed. So expensive though!! Hopefully i can get a decent deal on ebay for one
You might want to say explicitly to newbies to NOT use phantom power, unless using a cloudlifter or other actuator. You mention it only when you say to turn it on for an actuator. I remember when I first upgraded to dynamic mics from a condenser USB in 2012 (I use this or an RE20 for recording online lectures) I spent a long time figuring out what to do with the phantom power. I had purchased used equipment without manuals. Just a suggestion. As always, you do a great job. Thanks.
Phantom power will not damage a dynamic mic, you can just leave it on. Also, changing from a condenser to a dynamic is not an upgrade. Most condenser mics are much better than dynamics!
@@officialWWM Thanks. Changing from my $90 AT2020 USB to the RE20 at work and SM7B at home office sure improved things for me. Neither environment had much acoustic treatment. But, hey, I'm very much an amateur at sound.
@@WilliamSnyder well, both the Re20 and SM7b are excellent dynamic mics and a great choice if you don’t have any room treatment. For the most part, usb mics sound pretty crappy because there’s lots of noise and the computer preamp is rubbish. However, a decent condenser, plugged into a good preamp in a treated room sounds amazing on spoken voice.
I know that this mic sounds so amazing, but as a TH-camr, I can't place such big thing in my view. It is just too large. I am going to try sm57 instead. Thank you for your video. Always learn something new.
The 57 is very similar to the 7b, you may want to try a condenser or something generally more sensitive as long as there isn't a ton of ambient noise in your room.
Maybe look into a Rode nt5 for an out of shot indoor dialogue boom mic. It will pick up a lot of noise from echos in the room if your room is empty but very nice sounding mic for the price if you treat your reflection points in your room.
A condenser microphone with a tighter polar pattern might help, so that you can keep it farther away from your face, without picking up as much of the room.
quick psa: This video is not necessarily a recommendation for the Focusrite 2i2! Even though it is a decent xlr-usb hub for the price, I have heard way too many stories about the windows drivers being abysmal to recommend it (unless you're on a Mac which I've heard is a different story). When the product was launched some years ago it was one of the first "cheaper" desk hubs that could provide 48+ volts phantom power. But now, the market has a lot of these hubs, that I would argue are better for either the same price or just a little extra!
Hey, thanks for the tutorial😁 I didn't know that the sure SM7B had 2 Microphone heads. I really live that Microphone. I now know how to use it. Thanks Podstage
Thank you bro! I didn't even know i can remove the first layer of the microphone, as in the square filter and also didnt know about the switched in the back !
ha this is perfect, im getting this microphone in like 2 days for my 18th birthday, I'm so excited. this video was very helpful. i just have one question; u need a pre amp for this mic, right? what are some good cheap pre amps?
Depends on the interface you’re using it with. Most modern interfaces don’t need it. Focusrite Scarlett stuff, Motu M2, Solid State Logic SSL2+ for example do not need any additional preamps.
I know it's not a Focusrite review per se, but I wish you would've covered the "AIR" button on the Focusrite (my Solo has that and even tho I'm using it I'm not sure if it's hurting my setup or not). Also as a note to anyone wondering, on my Focusrite solo with a Cloudlifter and presence booster on I need to set my gain to 1:30 in order to hit -18db so it DOES make a difference (speaking 4 fingers away from microphone on an angle [as showed])
Thank you so much for this! I have a question: I am recording live sound healing baths and frequencies. I am looking to purchase this to up the quality of my videos however this is all new to me! My question is: The red USB connector that you plugged the microphone into. What is that called ? Additionally once that is plugged in can it be connected to a computer? Or how does this connect to the computer for recordings ? With gratitude, Jade
Hi thanks! At 3:40 when you get loud... do you have a compressor or limiter running that you didn't mention? I was surprised to hear how flat the response was between the talking and yelling.
As he described, just plug it in and go. Either way, you should aim for the same volume levels in your computer. The boost just lets you use a lower setting on your gain control.
Me: Uses the SM7B for the last year, getting a ton of muddy bass garbage Also Me: I wonder what these switches on the back are for Fantastic video. Cheers.
Running a SM7B-Cloudlifter-scarlet 2i2 and have a real bad hiss that is heard no matter what I’ve tried to do I can’t seem to solve it. Only thing that worked was doing the hiss elimination on equaliser APO and the drawback is at times the voice sounds like a alien with random buffer noises. Pretty shitty feeling after getting a shire and cloudlifter and scarlet 2i2
It Seems they all have an inherent hiss just past 1.5k Hertz. It's minimized very well in this video for some reason, I'm not sure how or why? I tried not using a Cloud-Lifter and just setting the gain to where he has it but that does not seem to mitigate the hiss, It is still present even with the exact same gear He's using, I even tried Mogami cables and they don't make it any better. Because of that hiss and the 4 years I spent trying to fix it ,Sadly, I can actually point out anyone who's using an SM7B and it just drives me up a wall when I hear that sound and I just know they're using one. Couple that hiss with the boxy sound of the SM7b's and you get what I can only describe as identical to placing a red solo cup over the end of a Sennheiser MKH 416. It sounds like a trash can with a copper coil in it... P.S. I for real did some testing with a solo cup over my MKH 416. You would never be able to tell the two microphones apart. Not me, not my friends, not anyone.
You have great videos, thanks so much! Just purchased the SM7b. arrives in a few days. trying to hunt down a boom arm now have to hunt down whether you have a boom arm video. again, thanks so much.
I got a RODE PodMic with an Arturia MiniFuse 1 instead. Trying to figure how best to position it and everything else on my desk. But I do have one question. How would I determine if I'm going to need an in-line preamp. The MiniFuse is already turned up 4:00 to 4:30 on the dial, which lets me hit that -18dB mark. But I also see a bit of noise just above the -60dB mark on the Control Center.
I just want to confirm that a cloudlifter is NOT needed to use this mic effectively. I own a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (not sure which gen - likely 1 or 2). The video leads me to believe that I wouldn't need a cloudlifter. I always boost gain in post, so it's no extra hassle to do that. As long as it sounds good, that's all that matters. I'd also like to know if a cloudlifter would improve the sound at all? I'm not 100% on how everything works yet
Dude!!! This really helps me a lot! I really needed this tutorial from you. I only have one question about the Cloudlifter or preamps, i saw a lot of tutorials talking about if its needed or not, but i want to know your point of view about if a preamp is a "Must have" to use the Shure SM7B.
I want to know this as well..... I have an MV7 and the gain is much too low.....Im thinking of getting a cloudlifter for it as well. From what I studied.....if you are using it for offline recording....it is not needed.....I have verified that you are able to boost the gain in post so high that it will clip, in audacity.....without introducing noise. The problem is live.....If you want to use it for meetings and live streams.....it is hard to get it to a good enough listening level without putting your audio interface levels to 100% and introducing a loud hiss. I guess it would depend on your how much gain your interface allows......The one shown in this video does not have much gain.....I have the 8i6 and dont have much gain either.. Im leaning more towards the cloudlifter.
Same Question, I looked up a few videos about if you need a line in pre amp, such as a Cloudlifter, or not. I have a Scarlett 4i4 3rd gen. I can be soft spoken, but I mainly want to use it for singing during my live streams and recording my singing. I know the Gain from the Scarlett goes up to 56dB.
If you choose to get it, I hope it works out for you, just understand what you're buying and how it works and what it's good at. Happy recording Dickie.
Dude, I was so excited when you got to the scarlett, I could not wait to see what the scarlett hooks up to, whether it be my laptop with Premiere Pro, or whether directtly to the camera, but you left that a mystery and switched to a video on pop filters. How am I ever going to figure out how to get this damn m7B to the final place that sound is being recorded. I've been trying for over a month.
This is perfect. They should just include the TH-cam URL in the instruction manual.
Plus stickers.
thank you so much Tom
Bruh that would be the BEST plug lmao. It'd be dope to see Shure or Rhode or anyone really partner with him for real!
They have to pay him for that lol. Because this is actually useful.
I don’t think they’d like him throwing the box…
First you grant us your insight into why this mic is worth buying, plus the tip of using a mic activator with it for interfaces that don't have as much gain. So I bought it, and put it to use.
Now, with this video, you ensure that those of us who have followed your advice know exactly how to avoid the rookie mistakes one can make with the SM7b. Bandrew, I can't thank you enough!
Glad you’re getting use out of the mic and hopefully enjoying it a ton.
@@Podcastage - I'm a radio talk show host who had to bring his talk show home when the pandemic hit, and this microphone makes it sound like I'm back in the studio.
I was experiencing clipping in my recent videos with my SM7B - cloudlifter - zoom h5n and came to youtube to figure out why. Used the visual audio meters on the Zoom to get my normal baseline voice to -18dB and voila! you're a genius, this was so helpful THANK YOU.
What clouldlifter are you using if you don't mind me asking
Do you have white noise problems? my zoom gives me a whole lot of white noise
@@haiziliy5252 I had this problem. I connected my SM7B to Zoom H5 directly, without cloudlifter. And if I turned the gain dial on Zoom H5 to 7 or higher, the I got the white noise. What I did was to turn the dial to 6.5 or 6. I can always boost the volume in post. The white noise may be caused by the pre-amp of H5.
I've had my SM7B for 5 years, and I legit just learned something. Thank you
Just got a Shure SM7b for Christmas and this tutorial was super helpful! Can’t wait to use this kickass mic.
This is an incredible video. Lots of important fundamental stuff here that can be applied to lots of different mics. A great little Christmas gift!
I got mine last year but I still watched this lol. I have the MOTU M2 though and have to ride the gain pretty damn near maxed but totally workable. Lovely to see people that dont shove fetheads and cloudlifters down your throat btw. Thank you for the video ^-^
Having that MOTU M2 nearly maxed can actually be a blessing in disguise. Julian Krause made an excellent video on amps performing better with signal-to-noise ratios when turned way up towards max.
If you're interested in the video, it's called USE YOUR GAIN! The TRUTH about maximum gain setting >>and it's just all around an interesting video :)
@@thexophros fantastic video, highly recommend that one too.
I also have a MotuM2 thanks to Julian, no issues with any microphone whatsoever, even 6$lav mics sound good on it :D incredible
I have the sm7b with a Motu M2 as well and I have to put the gain almost all the way up but I find I get so much room noise because of it :')
I'm really grateful that you answered every single question I could imagine with this video. Most videos leave a few details out that then keep bugging me forever (for example your comments on the pros and cons of the bigger filter). Masterful!
Yet another extremely helpful piece. You manage the trick of explaining without either patronising or assuming people know more than they do. Nga mihi nui
I was almost convinced i NEEDED a cloudlifter. Thanks for this! I was having so many issues with it, now i know it was me all along! LMAO! As soon as i get home, I'm implementing all of the steps you showed us. Thank you!
Hope to hear that it works out really well for you.
This is one of the best explanations of mics in general, that's I've heard in a long time. Good on you mate.
The absolute best tutorial I have ever watched on this website. Thank you a ton for making this
This is a great intro to the SM7B. Wish I had this when I got mine! Great Tutorial!
Thanks so much Rod!
Thank you soooooo much I swear every other TH-camr won’t tell you nothing he’s the best I’m subscribing instantly ‼️I was gonna cry bro this the mannnnn !!!
Sorry guys I’m venting but bro I love this dude
That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you very much for watching, I hope you have an awesome day.
This is a highly educational video, very well done, Bandrew! And it's still entertaining at the same time,.which makes your videos and podcast even more outstanding 👏
What a PERFECT introduction to this mic. This is now the official video.
very helpful! Especially when this mic is known to have a very low gain, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who's turning up the gain so much on my Focusrite Scarlett. Thanks!
I bought an SM7b, it took me 3 hours to figure out it was totally out of function. I was so frustrated and returned the SM7b, then I watched this guy's video, I found that as a beginner, shure SM58 fits me more. So I bought the new mic with only half the price and perform very well.
Glad you were able to find the right mic for you.
SM58 isn't bad. I use an SM57, which is almost the same thing, for instruments and vocals.
This video was extremely helpful and insightful. You were straight to the point and did not talk for too long about each subject. Thanks for putting the video together!
We needed this tutorial like 1000 years ago. Thanks sir.
This is the best mic I've ever used. My favorite setting is the presence boost.
I'm really glad you've found a mic that you enjoy so much. It's one of my all time favorites as well. Happy recording Bradley!
A cable-tie without any cable in the box makes so much sense to me. 😂 But hey, you also get a fancy sticker... Wohoo!
Man I wish this video was there for me when I bought my first mic + interface, before I completely embarrassed myself by not knowing what boosting in post was or how gain worked. I thought my mic wasn't getting enough phantom power, funny cuz it was a dynamic mic.
We all have to start somewhere…
ขอบคุณครับ ผมใช้ set นี้ sm7b, focusrite 3 gen, fedhead มาเกือบ 3 ปี คุณภาพเสียงยอดเยี่ยมมาก ขอบคุณสำหรับคำแนะนำที่ยอดเยี่ยมทั้งคลิปก่อนหน้าและคลิปนี้ครับ
Hi my name is Heather and I just joined the SM7B club! Thanks for the warm welcome and helpful getting started video!
Such a timely video, just got my SM7B yesterday, thanks man!
the vibe completely changed when he asked for a like on the video lol. Very informative, thanks!
I liked and subscribed simply because of how you ended the video by slapping and hitting the camera. Love it. The video was pretty helpful too.
i don't even have the SM7b but i just love your videos B]
is strange to say to others that i see videos about microphones as entertainment
i speak spanish, sorry if i said something wrong
i learn English just by watching videos so i can't really speak it
You are better than me writing in English. ✌️
@@blessedvlogreactions thank you :D
I really love the Shure SM7B mic for my podcasts. It great great sound and very happy with it. I do run mine with the cloudlifter CL1 activator and it is a great combo. I really love the video on your channel. I love all the detailed demos showing how things sound in various configurations. TY for all you do my friend.
The title we all need! Thank you for the content!
Actually found this looking up "best audio interface for vocals" when I came across this. About to invest in a Shure SM7b, thanks to your review. Was intrigued on if you would talk more about your interface, but realize that's not the point of this video. Still watched it all, thanks for the insight!
The USA made cloud lifter is awesome. As a pro audio salesman I sell one with every interface when using the SM7B.
Very interesting. With modern interfaces having noise as low as they do, for recording I don't necessarily think it's necessary unless you're recording quiet sound sources or recording extremely far from the mic. In those cases, I think the SM7b might not be the best choice for that application though.
@@Podcastage I live 45 minutes west of NYC in a very wealthy area. Everyone who has a Mac is a producer or artist. Sm7b flow like Shure Sm58’s. Universal audio and Focusrite are the most popular interfaces. These “ producers “ are typically clueless and lazy. They think holding the mic and running around is how rap and hip hop are made. Mic technique? None. The amount of education it takes just to get them up and running is unreal. They think everything should be easy. Tempo what ? Key what ? Gain what ? Signal chain no chance. Following basic directions ? Almost impossible. MacBook Pro’s everywhere. I need the M1D1 common. And get me the Protols. Post recording gain ? Lol Correct input level not a consideration.
You did make an excellent video though 😀
Thanks, Bandrew, I bought the SM7B because of your video. I felt electrified as soon as I heard my mic connected to the Wave XLR.
I knew it was a pretty good Mic. I’ve been wanting to get one, but I needed confirmation that I could plug directly into my focusrite and get the gain that I needed without getting a high noise floor. I didn’t want to have to buy an additional phantom powered preamp. And I see that I probably won’t have to. Thank you for the review.
Update: bought the mic. Didn’t sound any different than an old hundred dollar mic that I’ve been using. I mean I literally could not hear the difference.
Certainly not worth $400. I returned it today.
was the gain with just the focusrite fine? iam wondering about the same. currently i have a Rode NT1A and my new room has more echo and reverb so i want to switch to a dynamic mic.
@@12P14D22C The gain is fine. But if you’re getting room echo you might wanna use some acoustic panels
@@waynemiller6070 yeah accoustic treatment would probably be ebough. But a dynamic mic is a fast fix. Wqntwd the Mic for years so i consider to bite now
@@12P14D22C I ended up buying the SM 58S. The one with the switch, just because I like to be able to shut the mic off if I turn the monitors are pretty loud. I could not tell the difference between the two mics fidelity wise.
Talking about people wanting the mic out of the way while having it zero inches away from the camera is comedic gold.
True, you understand the point though, right? So people can see the distance of the mic from my face. I understand if the mic is intended to be out of frame, it would not be placed like that.
Absolutely! I just assumed you were also trolling the folks who hide their mic and pay with audio quality in the process. It made me chuckle either way. 😅
I'm amazed at how quiet this mic is. My gain is almost at max on the Focusrite 2I2.
yes so this is why no one ever should use this mic without a decent preamp its terrible shitty, buy condenser instead.
You need a cloud lifter if you wanna get the most outta this mic
@@MK-vi2cmthe cloudlifter just made the hiss louder for me.
@@mblackman1170 try messing with your cables, your connection has to he grounded for there not to be any feedback like that. Sometimes you just gotta wiggle your cables around/unplug replug. Sometimes having too many things plugged into one outlet or connection can also cause this.
You should also do a video on how to actually record audio and what software to use. Would've loved to have that at the end of this video. Great content though.
Great suggestion. I have some ideas in the works, it's just taking a lot longer to percolate than I had anticipated.
I know I'm a year late on this one but I just bought the sm7b and I'd love to get a similar sound signature to the Lex Fridman podcast, I just love the low/warm/high presence in their voices, not even for podcast purposes, I just really like the way it sounds, my sm7b and yours sound way brighter in comparison (even when really close to the mic) and I'd love to tweak that
Ihaven't listened to that podcast so I don't know how it sounds. Most podcasts have a bit of compression on it which will give it more of that podcast sound. Try adding some compression to your vocal recordings to see if that helps you achieve the sound.
@@Podcastage thank you!
I was surprised to see you connect without a Cloudlifter booster, as opposed to nearly every other tutorial out there.
Hello from Japan.
After watching your video I decided to buy the SM7B after struggling with the Telefunken M80.
I think you hate the sticker too much, but thanks for all your meticulous work! I will keep watching your videos.
Solid advice , will be watching this again once I get the mic
Hey man I had to give you a follow. Of all the TH-camrs who explained setting up a Shure SM7B, this is hands down the best video. Thank you so much.
a lot of people needs to watch this, even famous streamers lol
most definitely 'famous' steamers
For beginners, you should also mention turning off their speakers or monitors before turning up their mic gain.
Why is that??
@@jsein09 You pretty much want to use headphones while using a mic like this otherwise you will get an awesome feedback loop.
@@mjodr That's a general rule for mics in general. If anything, this mic is actually better at rejecting background sounds from speakers and such by nature of it being fairly quiet. My old Blue Snowball sounded like death when I accidentally left it to play on speakers and it looped, something that I've yet to be able to actually replicate on the SM7b. I imagine I'd have to turn up my volume to unreasonable levels to get it to happen.
@@DragonEdge10 I wouldn't say it's a rule for mics in general because think about live music applications. Speakers blasting everywhere and mics all over the place. If you do it right, no feedback.
You got me with the slaps, I flinched! Excellent video, you are the man for anything audio.. I've watched countless videos from you looking for the perfect setup for a newly affiliated Twitch streamer. You are funny, informative and very easy to follow along with. Keep it up, keep us informed! I'm torn between the Quadcast and the MV7B. I like the simplicity of the Quadcast, but I also want to feel more involved with my content and have a better presence interacting. It's been 3 days now and I still haven't decided. The FiFine K688 also seems like an excellent option, but I hate being cheap about a hobby that I enjoy. Your thoughts? XLR seems really expensive in my opinion because I'm not a full-time streamer and do it casually to share my gaming experience with others expecting really nothing in return.
What about using Audacity for this plus should you use compressor, EQ and other effects with this mic and if so what do those settings look like.
Great video. I bought exactly the same equipment and after I watched this video, I see that my decision was right.
I got my Shure SM7B 6 days after this video came out haha.. Thank you (Also great way to end the year off lol)
I got mine SM7B just a week ago, and did the same thing that described here because im watching your videos. And now i confident that i did it right! Thank you so much Bandrew! Also im afraid of eq this mic, and leave as it is with only slight compression. Because i dont want it to sound less than 400$ after i mess with eq, haha
Are you adding compression in OBS or which program?
You are a gifted teacher. Appreciate that slapping the end.
Absolutely loved your video! As a new streamer, I found it to be very helpful and straightforward.
this video made me change alot of things the way i had it setup, now its working alot better. thank you so much for posting such valuable content.
As a Shure SM7B owner, I Shure SM7B!
From what ive be seeing this is the go to mic for metal vocals as well and i was just watching this to see how and what i need to set it up. Thanks for the info and the video after the first few minutes i was able to get all i needed. So expensive though!! Hopefully i can get a decent deal on ebay for one
Great video. I just got thus bad boy in the mail and I'm super excited to start tracking vocals on it.
Happy recording!
Excellent video, wasn’t ready for the punch and smack at the end 😂😂😂
I literally got one for Christmas. I'm planning on using it for vocal recordings but need to get an audio interface for it. Cheers my guy!
I bought it two months a go. I learnt a lot from you. Thanks for tutorials. ✌️
U are a very funny guy. I think you should try stand up or something like that. Great video!
You might want to say explicitly to newbies to NOT use phantom power, unless using a cloudlifter or other actuator. You mention it only when you say to turn it on for an actuator. I remember when I first upgraded to dynamic mics from a condenser USB in 2012 (I use this or an RE20 for recording online lectures) I spent a long time figuring out what to do with the phantom power. I had purchased used equipment without manuals. Just a suggestion. As always, you do a great job. Thanks.
Phantom power will not damage a dynamic mic, you can just leave it on. Also, changing from a condenser to a dynamic is not an upgrade. Most condenser mics are much better than dynamics!
@@officialWWM Thanks. Changing from my $90 AT2020 USB to the RE20 at work and SM7B at home office sure improved things for me. Neither environment had much acoustic treatment. But, hey, I'm very much an amateur at sound.
@@WilliamSnyder well, both the Re20 and SM7b are excellent dynamic mics and a great choice if you don’t have any room treatment. For the most part, usb mics sound pretty crappy because there’s lots of noise and the computer preamp is rubbish. However, a decent condenser, plugged into a good preamp in a treated room sounds amazing on spoken voice.
I love the quality of this mic
I know that this mic sounds so amazing, but as a TH-camr, I can't place such big thing in my view. It is just too large. I am going to try sm57 instead. Thank you for your video. Always learn something new.
The 57 is very similar to the 7b, you may want to try a condenser or something generally more sensitive as long as there isn't a ton of ambient noise in your room.
Maybe look into a Rode nt5 for an out of shot indoor dialogue boom mic. It will pick up a lot of noise from echos in the room if your room is empty but very nice sounding mic for the price if you treat your reflection points in your room.
A condenser microphone with a tighter polar pattern might help, so that you can keep it farther away from your face, without picking up as much of the room.
i need an entire class with you sir... i have NO idea how to use my dang sm7b and focusrite hahaha CLUEEEEELSSSS
quick psa: This video is not necessarily a recommendation for the Focusrite 2i2! Even though it is a decent xlr-usb hub for the price, I have heard way too many stories about the windows drivers being abysmal to recommend it (unless you're on a Mac which I've heard is a different story). When the product was launched some years ago it was one of the first "cheaper" desk hubs that could provide 48+ volts phantom power. But now, the market has a lot of these hubs, that I would argue are better for either the same price or just a little extra!
"I would argue are better " -- A couple of recommendations?
This was super helpful! thank you so much for such a clear and thorough tutorial! :D
Hey, thanks for the tutorial😁
I didn't know that the sure SM7B had 2 Microphone heads. I really live that Microphone. I now know how to use it.
Thanks Podstage
Thank you bro! I didn't even know i can remove the first layer of the microphone, as in the square filter and also didnt know about the switched in the back !
ha this is perfect, im getting this microphone in like 2 days for my 18th birthday, I'm so excited. this video was very helpful. i just have one question; u need a pre amp for this mic, right? what are some good cheap pre amps?
Depends on the interface you’re using it with. Most modern interfaces don’t need it. Focusrite Scarlett stuff, Motu M2, Solid State Logic SSL2+ for example do not need any additional preamps.
A massively informative vid. Thanks Bandrew and Merry Christmas from Australia where it is hot and humid.
A little late but if your to quiet I’d recommend a cloud lifter. They do wonders
Thanks! this is the most thorough & detailed review. It answered all my questions. Thank you.
This video is AMAZING. Bless you!
That's very kind of you to say. Thank you very much for the kind words.
Hey so if i have a cloudlifter, do i connect the cable from my mic into it, then another cable from the cloud lifter to the audio interface?
Merry Christmas to the review goat
✌😎✌
Thank you, this is exactly what I needed.
My SM7b is en route, thanks for the tips, good Sir - I'll be a bit more knowledgeable when putting it all together.
I know it's not a Focusrite review per se, but I wish you would've covered the "AIR" button on the Focusrite (my Solo has that and even tho I'm using it I'm not sure if it's hurting my setup or not).
Also as a note to anyone wondering, on my Focusrite solo with a Cloudlifter and presence booster on I need to set my gain to 1:30 in order to hit -18db so it DOES make a difference (speaking 4 fingers away from microphone on an angle [as showed])
Forgot to tell us how to rotate and flip the mic by removing the screws and flipping it. It's super useful.
Thank you so much for this! I have a question: I am recording live sound healing baths and frequencies. I am looking to purchase this to up the quality of my videos however this is all new to me!
My question is: The red USB connector that you plugged the microphone into. What is that called ? Additionally once that is plugged in can it be connected to a computer?
Or how does this connect to the computer for recordings ?
With gratitude,
Jade
Great video man! really simply and explained everything clearly
Hi thanks! At 3:40 when you get loud... do you have a compressor or limiter running that you didn't mention? I was surprised to hear how flat the response was between the talking and yelling.
Excellent guide. If you ever get tired of this mic, I can take it off your hands.....
Hey, thanks for the video. Could you make another video on how to use the McBoost with the SM7b? Or the McBoost alone?
As he described, just plug it in and go. Either way, you should aim for the same volume levels in your computer. The boost just lets you use a lower setting on your gain control.
Me: Uses the SM7B for the last year, getting a ton of muddy bass garbage
Also Me: I wonder what these switches on the back are for
Fantastic video. Cheers.
Glad the video helped. I hope you're happier with the sound you're getting.
Thank you so much! This got me all set up with my Shure :) Appreciate you!
Merry Christmas Bandrew! I’m waiting for the annual box throwing video!
Running a SM7B-Cloudlifter-scarlet 2i2 and have a real bad hiss that is heard no matter what I’ve tried to do I can’t seem to solve it. Only thing that worked was doing the hiss elimination on equaliser APO and the drawback is at times the voice sounds like a alien with random buffer noises. Pretty shitty feeling after getting a shire and cloudlifter and scarlet 2i2
It Seems they all have an inherent hiss just past 1.5k Hertz. It's minimized very well in this video for some reason, I'm not sure how or why? I tried not using a Cloud-Lifter and just setting the gain to where he has it but that does not seem to mitigate the hiss, It is still present even with the exact same gear He's using, I even tried Mogami cables and they don't make it any better. Because of that hiss and the 4 years I spent trying to fix it ,Sadly, I can actually point out anyone who's using an SM7B and it just drives me up a wall when I hear that sound and I just know they're using one. Couple that hiss with the boxy sound of the SM7b's and you get what I can only describe as identical to placing a red solo cup over the end of a Sennheiser MKH 416. It sounds like a trash can with a copper coil in it...
P.S. I for real did some testing with a solo cup over my MKH 416. You would never be able to tell the two microphones apart.
Not me, not my friends, not anyone.
You have great videos, thanks so much! Just purchased the SM7b. arrives in a few days. trying to hunt down a boom arm now have to hunt down whether you have a boom arm video. again, thanks so much.
I got a RODE PodMic with an Arturia MiniFuse 1 instead. Trying to figure how best to position it and everything else on my desk. But I do have one question. How would I determine if I'm going to need an in-line preamp. The MiniFuse is already turned up 4:00 to 4:30 on the dial, which lets me hit that -18dB mark. But I also see a bit of noise just above the -60dB mark on the Control Center.
I'm going with the minifuse and I might buy the rode podmic in the future
This is such an amazing tutorial for this mic! Thank you so much!
You're welcome. Thank you for watching and for the nice comment.
I just want to confirm that a cloudlifter is NOT needed to use this mic effectively. I own a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (not sure which gen - likely 1 or 2). The video leads me to believe that I wouldn't need a cloudlifter.
I always boost gain in post, so it's no extra hassle to do that. As long as it sounds good, that's all that matters.
I'd also like to know if a cloudlifter would improve the sound at all? I'm not 100% on how everything works yet
Yeah, I've just got my Shure today and switch to it from my Aston microphone but Audacity barely picks my voice up.
Dude!!! This really helps me a lot! I really needed this tutorial from you.
I only have one question about the Cloudlifter or preamps, i saw a lot of tutorials talking about if its needed or not, but i want to know your point of view about if a preamp is a "Must have" to use the Shure SM7B.
I want to know this as well..... I have an MV7 and the gain is much too low.....Im thinking of getting a cloudlifter for it as well. From what I studied.....if you are using it for offline recording....it is not needed.....I have verified that you are able to boost the gain in post so high that it will clip, in audacity.....without introducing noise. The problem is live.....If you want to use it for meetings and live streams.....it is hard to get it to a good enough listening level without putting your audio interface levels to 100% and introducing a loud hiss. I guess it would depend on your how much gain your interface allows......The one shown in this video does not have much gain.....I have the 8i6 and dont have much gain either.. Im leaning more towards the cloudlifter.
Same Question, I looked up a few videos about if you need a line in pre amp, such as a Cloudlifter, or not. I have a Scarlett 4i4 3rd gen. I can be soft spoken, but I mainly want to use it for singing during my live streams and recording my singing.
I know the Gain from the Scarlett goes up to 56dB.
it's not
that ending made my slap tf out that lik-a-roonie boutonnn
How are you so clean on your gain and your sound just plugged directly to a Focusrite S 3rd gen without no cloudlifter or something!? OMG!
Seriously thinking about getting this mic. Cheers for the help. Quite expensive, but why not.
If you choose to get it, I hope it works out for you, just understand what you're buying and how it works and what it's good at. Happy recording Dickie.
Understood, and thank you :)@@Podcastage
Dude, I was so excited when you got to the scarlett, I could not wait to see what the scarlett hooks up to, whether it be my laptop with Premiere Pro, or whether directtly to the camera, but you left that a mystery and switched to a video on pop filters. How am I ever going to figure out how to get this damn m7B to the final place that sound is being recorded. I've been trying for over a month.
Smart of you to realize that many people were probably gifted/bought themselves one of these for Christmas. I see you
I’m gonna Steel one from Tom Buck
This video will help ‘in-shure… that you get the best out of your new microphone.
Also, Merry Christmas Bandrew