SM7 - Let's chat about this thing...

I always use the big sock windscreen on vocals straight into my ID14. Since I've started recording and mixing at 88 khz, I don't have to do a whole lot of de-essing or eq solely for harsh vocal frequency curbing. The other day I just did a comparison between the A7ws, the thin windscreen, and no windscreen. With no foam, you will prob need a pop filter as it gets a lot of air blasts and hissy sounds from your voice. The thin screen stops this stuff quite a a bit and the A7ws big sock screen stops stuff even further. I'm not really going for a modern sound, like all these hit top 40 records where you hear every breath, lip smack, hiss, etc from the singer.

I can use them on anything....and do....except I don't cut drums here, so....bass amp, guitar amp, Leslie---I was doing a demo the other day and it was "up" and so I pointed it as at the acoustic, fully expecting some clangy "dynamic acoustic sound" and have to replace it later--but, it did shockingly well--lacking some of the airy picky stuff of an SDC, but....shockingly even.

I use it without the windscreen more than with....FWIW. Flat more than color EQ switched.....but, I don't have issues with the sound of those switches....I'll use the mid bump on amps sometimes for a solo guitar.

I saw a vid a few years ago putting up anSM7 and a 57 pulled back a few inches so their capsules were in line. On that vocalist the results were amazingly similar. Always meant to do that simple test myself but never have. Anybody out there tried this?

I bought mine around '95 or so. Because at the time, RE20s seemed to be everywhere and I wanted something different. So, now I have the same mic everybody else has, but mines an A version.

Mostly use on vocals. Guitar and bass cabs. Way back when I tracked drums I had an Atm 25? That got floor Tom duty, but the Sm7 or 421 would see rack Tom or kick. I preferred the 421 in both those applications, but I had to use what I had.

Cheers,
Geoff

I just got one of the originals (not B). Been using it on guitar amp cause it was laying around. Surprisingly great sounding. At some point I'll get around to pulling it off the amp and trying it elsewhere....

I've punched 57 vocals into an SM7b track.  They're extremely similar sounding.  57 has more nasal bite to it, SM7 is smoother.  A little....

I have a great deal of experience with this microphone... I used it yesterday to record vocals whilst playing the acoustic... 8) .. thats my sum experience... 8)

It worked really well in that role... which is one of the reasons I bought it, other than curiosity after popmann waxing lyrical about it so much 8)

I wanted to see how well it did in the role of main vocal mic.. so if it was really good, I could A) stop putting my fantastic old U87 up for people to sing through... and in the role of vocal mic on singer/acoustic guitar players..


Will start to try it on other things soon


cheers

Wiz

Well, your 87 in Fig8 will be the better choice for the person playing and singing at once....by the nature of the pickup pattern.....but, the sm7 will do fine. Just syaing--two Fig8 mics--positioned to get the nulls pointed at the guitar and vocalist's mouth.....will tend to get the most isolated--other than if you've got a hyperC to use for the guitar than you can point "down to" the guitar....the issue is rarely getting too much acoustic in the vocal mic--it's the opposite, no? It's having so much vocal in the acoustic....HyperC pointed DOWN at the 12th fret'ish.....

I will point out again that if you have a tube mic preamp....even a cheap TOOB one....the Sm7 loves them, IMO/E. I feel like I could leave it plugged into the LA610 full time. But, I've used them through ART TubeMPs and variations (ProMPA.....DPS DIO etc)....Groove Tubes BRick....there's something that just....it's a nice marriage-sm7+tube preamp.

Virtually a necessity to have a quality dynamic within easy reach for "quick" things such as guide vox etc and large transient stuff such as percussives ( clap sticks, cowbell etc).

If i had a choice and the finances, I'd rather a Sennheiser 441 but the SM7 along with the RE 20 and 441 are studio staples for a reason; they all do a similar quality job albeit with different flavour.

The others which may float your boat but don't have quite the versatility IME are the 421 and Beyer M 88.

The filter switches can be handy and yes they do sound like a similar voiced but bit better 57 ; I too have used them on acoustic with success depending on the sound i was after as the bottom end is controllable.

Cheers, Ross

Reddirt Recordings
Alice Springs , Australia

I picked up an SM7B from GC about a year ago to see if it was a good match for my voice with a Dizengoff D4. I returned it after a few weeks.  It was OK. Of the condensers that I tried on my voice, it may have been the best but it still didn't WOW me. It delivered some warmth, but felt too constricted and didn't deliver the immediacy and depth I was looking for. In a similar price range, I think I liked the Warbler MKID a bit more for openness, but the Warbler didn't deliver in the lower range and was on the strident side with my esses - and that was pretty much the point at which I set my sights on one of the LCD big guns.

Thanks Anton,
The proximity might kill it for me.  Just another reason to kick myself for ever selling my RE20.

>>if your not directly in front of it it will ignore you

I'm a Dad, so I do know that feeling 

I've never felt a really pressing need for an SM7, especially since I have RE20s*, D12s, and an M88. I suppose that all the hype about it over at the Purple Place may have been a factor in turning me off a bit.I suppose that I should probably pick one up sooner or later - they're pretty cheap - but I'm in no hurry.



* - and Re10s and 11s as well.