The Shure SM7B microphone is a rare find in the world of music technology. It is a product that doesn’t have many real competitors and is almost always rated as the best at what it does. You could spend a lot of money to get slightly better results, but this is one of those products that aims for the best balance between price and performance and hits it right on the head. Totally.
The Shure SM7B is hard to miss because it has a big enamel aluminium and steel housing and a dark grey windscreen that stands out. The microphone hangs from a yoke that is part of the design. This yoke has a three-pin XLR jack and a threaded nut for mounting on a stand.
On the back of the microphone are a visual representation of the frequency spectrum and two switches that let you choose between low-frequency roll-off, mid-frequency boost, and flat response.
This mic feels pretty solid when you hold it; it doesn’t feel fragile or off-balance. The Shure SM7B is on the heavier side at just over 1.5 pounds and 7 inches in diameter. It needs to be supported by a microphone stand with a good counterweight and isn’t made to be used by hand. Its built-in threaded nut makes it easy to attach the mic to a stand, and it’s nice not to have to keep track of a separate mount or clip. However, it’s easy to overtighten the nut, which makes it a little harder to take the mic off a stand.
The Shure SM7B is all about accuracy and consistency, which it does in spades. This mic can pick up sounds from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which is the whole audible range. It has a slight scoop in the low-mids and gentle shaping on the high end, which makes it a good choice for most musical and vocal sources.
It can also handle a maximum sound pressure level of over 180 decibels, making it a great choice for putting in front of the loudest guitar amps and on the drum kits of drummers who hit hard.
It can be scary to spend money on a microphone because you don’t know how well it will work. The SM7B is very flexible because it has two tone controls. This passive EQ has two bands that can be turned on and off, and it has controls for low cut and presence boost.
Flat or with the low cut, the SM7B is a great mic for male dialogue and vocals. With a switch, it can also be a great mic for bright sounds and vocalists with a lot of sibilance. It can also handle up to 180dB, which makes the SM7B a great choice for loud guitar and bass cabs and bass drums that really hit.