Recording - October 2020 - 35

it's very right. Adjusting the dip switches on the back helps
to further tailor its response, such as engaging the presence
boost (which raises the high-mids +3dB from 2-4kHz), or the
400Hz bass roll off (-3dB at 200 Hz).

Get up on it

The capsule itself is recessed a few inches into the
body, so when a vocalist sings right on the mic, or 'eats'
the mic, that's where I find the best results. In a recent
session, a vocalist's eyes lit up when I told him that one
of his heroes, Anthony Kiedis, has used it as his primary vocal mic across most of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
albums. It didn't end up being the right choice for his
voice, but he had fun auditioning it nonetheless, and for
many singers it fits the bill nicely.

A little help from its friends

body can be tricky to place with precision, especially if you're used
to small, light dynamic mics like an SM57. I recommend a stand with
a counterweight balance and a sturdy base to place it confidently.
The SM7B has a fixed cardioid polar pattern, and as previously mentioned, superb off-axis rejection. I like to use it in applications that need
to minimize bleed, such as a singer/songwriter who sings and plays at
the same time. It also comes in handy for miking hi-hats, which is a tricky
source to capture with any amount of isolation. It's a viable option all over
the drum kit though-I've used it on the snare and kick as well, both with
good results. [It also makes one heck of a bass cab mic. -Ed.]

Conclusion

After 47 years of production, the SM7 still isn't showing signs of slowing down-on the contrary. The SM7B has been solidifying itself as
a studio staple and it's becoming a go-to choice for home recordists,
podcasters, and beyond.

The SM7B is famous for its low sensitivity. It measures
in at just 1.1 mV/Pa, lower than most passive ribbon
microphones. This can pose a challenge for home recordists, as it requires a significant amount of clean gain
to get a usable signal. A good rule of thumb is using a
preamp with a least 60dB of gain, but there are other
options to help bridge the gap. Inline signal boosters
such as the Cloudlifter or Royer dBooster pair great with
the SM7B. I wouldn't recommend this mic for recording
quiet sources without either a booster or a preamp with
a lot of gain. Also be aware that its 7.48" x 2.52", 7 oz.

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Recording - October 2020

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