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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 29, 2016 7:45:38 GMT -6
Everyone loves the SM7 right? Let's talk about it.
Does anyone ever use the windscreen with it? Other than vocals, where do people like them? I've heard about people that dig them on snare. Any good on horns? What else?
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Post by svart on Aug 29, 2016 8:13:02 GMT -6
Not really sure. The bodies on them have a distinctive "ping" that can happen around loud sources like guitar amps. I haven't really tried them on snare though.
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Post by viciousbliss on Aug 29, 2016 8:40:35 GMT -6
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.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,961
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Post by ericn on Aug 29, 2016 8:42:19 GMT -6
Always used the foam screen because otherwise it always seams to get lost or attract dirt like a magnet.
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Post by popmann on Aug 29, 2016 9:02:48 GMT -6
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.
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Post by EmRR on Aug 29, 2016 9:17:56 GMT -6
Mine lived on vocals forever in my more rock band era, probably used 95% of the time. They work on rock singers more frequently than anything else I have, even though they may not be 'the best' choice they virtually always do a good job and you can move a session forward. They work pretty well on just about everything. Screen always on, 99% of the time EQ flat.
IME they can sound totally broken on some singers, though rare and confusing, and not a thing I experience with other mics. I remember them not playing well the times I tried using one as part of a two mic scenario on guitar amps.
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Post by geoff738 on Aug 29, 2016 9:43:35 GMT -6
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
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Post by schmalzy on Aug 29, 2016 9:47:43 GMT -6
I really dig my SM7B.
Vocals. Guitar amps. Bass Amps Kick Drum inside (much more natural-sounding than something like a D112 or Audix D6). Snare Top. Close Drum Room.
I've liked it in all those places. It's a shame I only have one. It often ends up going through my Chameleon Labs 7602 MkII X-Mod (Neve-style preamp with 1073-style EQ) when it's available because I like the top end EQ on it.
I've also heard of some guys using it as a mono/middle drum overhead to add some meat on those drum bones.
I'll often use it opposite something tracked with the Heil PR40. Dual lead rock vocals? Yep. Two guitar tracks? Yep. Kick vs. Snare? Yep (except I'll use a 57 instead of the PR40 on the snare more often).
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Post by drbill on Aug 29, 2016 9:56:27 GMT -6
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....
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 29, 2016 9:57:57 GMT -6
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 have a mint B at home, but just got a second unit, which is an original. That's why I was looking for secondary uses.
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Post by ragan on Aug 29, 2016 10:19:08 GMT -6
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'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....
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Post by geoff738 on Aug 29, 2016 10:34:18 GMT -6
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.... A few months back somebody here posted a link to a comparo running 16 different mics tracking a reamped guitar. So, same performance, mics placed in the same place. I did a quick and dirty listen, and the SM7 one was my fave. Not what I would have expected. But, nothing had eq, and the mic placement maybe been kinder to certain mics than others. But still, given that tests methodology, I preferred the SM7. cheers, Geoff
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Post by wiz on Aug 29, 2016 15:03:16 GMT -6
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
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 15:12:33 GMT -6
I don't know that I'd have a musical need for the SM7, but I'd love to have one for voiceovers, interviews and so on. It seems to be the mic of choice for a lot of podcasts. It flatters all kinds of voices and seems that it would be a lot easier on the mic stand than an RE20. But never actually having used one, I wonder what someone can say about the amount of proximity effect. A strength of the RE20 was the mechanical labyrinth that controlled the amount of boom. You could work the mic without causing the windows to rattle. How's the SM7 in that regard?
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Post by popmann on Aug 29, 2016 15:18:36 GMT -6
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.
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Post by wiz on Aug 29, 2016 15:36:43 GMT -6
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. 87 is on the guitar.. in fig 8 ... 8) but I hear ya... interesting on the tube preamp... don't have a tube preamp... I keep waiting for a 'funk-en to fall from the sky 8) Actually one of the better results I got was using the single U87 recently when I was doing a test on the Stam SA2A.. I just placed the U87 carefully and used it to capture the voice and guitar at the same time... worked really really well.. cheers Wiz
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Post by reddirt on Aug 29, 2016 18:09:53 GMT -6
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
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Post by dandeurloo on Aug 29, 2016 20:57:07 GMT -6
I finally got one Like DrBill. I love it and use it a lot. Mostly vocals with the foam off and the filters in engaged. It sounds really nice.
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Post by M57 on Aug 30, 2016 4:58:27 GMT -6
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.
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Post by henge on Aug 30, 2016 6:18:10 GMT -6
I don't know that I'd have a musical need for the SM7, but I'd love to have one for voiceovers, interviews and so on. It seems to be the mic of choice for a lot of podcasts. It flatters all kinds of voices and seems that it would be a lot easier on the mic stand than an RE20. But never actually having used one, I wonder what someone can say about the amount of proximity effect. A strength of the RE20 was the mechanical labyrinth that controlled the amount of boom. You could work the mic without causing the windows to rattle. How's the SM7 in that regard? The SM7b has a very pronounced proximity effect. The rejection is killer on it, if your not directly in front of it it will ignore you...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 12:38:51 GMT -6
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
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Post by M57 on Aug 30, 2016 13:16:52 GMT -6
The SM7b has a very pronounced proximity effect. The rejection is killer on it, if your not directly in front of it it will ignore you... That's one of the reason's I was hoping it would be a good fit for me. My room is pretty well-treated because it doesn't sound great. That and I have a few noise sources that can come into play, like a HD etc. The off-axis rejection would have been a plus for me.
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Post by johneppstein on Aug 30, 2016 13:21:52 GMT -6
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.
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Post by indiehouse on Aug 30, 2016 13:26:51 GMT -6
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 So true.
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Post by indiehouse on Aug 30, 2016 13:28:03 GMT -6
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. 87 is on the guitar.. in fig 8 ... 8) but I hear ya... interesting on the tube preamp... don't have a tube preamp... I keep waiting for a 'funk-en to fall from the sky 8) Actually one of the better results I got was using the single U87 recently when I was doing a test on the Stam SA2A.. I just placed the U87 carefully and used it to capture the voice and guitar at the same time... worked really really well.. cheers Wiz That's real nice, man! Bricasti in the mix here?
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