It’s been 50 years for the reason that iconic Shure SM7B was first unleashed upon the music world. Since then, this microphone has gone on for use on numerous million-selling albums and appears to be the microphone of alternative for practically each profitable podcaster.
Now, half a century after its introduction in 1973, Shure has added a brand new member to the SM7 household. This newest microphone model has been designed with podcasters, streamers and vocalists in thoughts.
The all-new SM7dB XLR dynamic vocal microphone has the identical unmistakable sound produced by the traditional SM7B, however with an energetic preamp built-in for a simplified audio workflow. This implies further inline amplification is not required.
Regardless of its iconic standing and being a favourite with audio engineers, the unique SM7B has at all times been a tough dynamic mic to drive and wishes loads of achieve. Now, the SM7dB supplies creators and audio engineers with the identical rugged building and unmistakable audio high quality of the unique SM7B however with the addition of a phantom-powered, built-in preamp designed by Shure.
The brand new built-in preamp inside the brand new SM7dB supplies a supplementary +18 or +28 decibels (dB) of unpolluted achieve, eliminating the necessity for a separate preamp. The upshot of this growth is a discount within the hiss and noise that some third-party audio interfaces introduce when their preamps are pushed to the sort ranges mandatory to offer sufficient achieve for the SM7B.
I’ve had a quick play with the brand new SM7db and my first impressions are that this new model is a game-changer. The SM7B has at all times been a favourite with podcasters and musicians, but it surely does require the achieve stage being cranked proper up. That may usually introduce hiss into the sign. With the SM7db’s new built-in preamp, you get the traditional SM7B efficiency with further amplification on two ranges. The distinction is implausible and properly value having. And when you have gear that doesn’t want the extra achieve, you may swap it off utilizing the bypass swap.
The brand new SM7db is right for customers of all expertise ranges, plus the microphone’s further achieve brings it as much as the sensitivity ranges that can go well with most of the typical audio interfaces at the moment available on the market. The brand new preamp ensures sufficient achieve for capturing audio with most readability, whether or not recording, broadcasting or streaming, whatever the interface getting used. You don’t want costly {and professional} preamps to get one of the best from the SM7db.
For conditions the place the extra achieve isn’t required, customers can set the built-in preamp to “bypass” to revert to the unique SM7B efficiency. With the SM78db, you might be getting two microphones in a single: an unique SM7B and a model with its personal Cloudlifter inbuilt.
As a result of the SM7db can ship the sleek sound of the traditional SM7B, the brand new microphone has a frequency that’s properly suited to capturing singing, spoken phrase and podcasts, in addition to loud sound sources, together with drums, loud vocals and amplifiers for guitars, and many others.
The SM7db has the identical EQ controls as the unique SM7B, so the SM7dB’s bass roll-off and presence enhance will be utilized to finest match the sound being recorded and the surroundings by which the sound is being captured.
Just like the SM7B, this new model is a dynamic microphone that includes a cardioid polar sample designed to reject off-axis audio, guaranteeing the voice is heard clearly, with out distractions. The microphone’s air suspension, shock isolation know-how and pop filter eradicate undesirable noises and breathiness within the vocals. Superior electromagnetic shielding defeats hum from laptop displays and different audio gear.
Eduardo Valdes is affiliate VP of International Advertising and Product Administration at Shure: “During the last 50 years, the SM7 microphone household has been adopted by the world’s finest recording and broadcast studios, entertainers, artists, and creators. The SM7dB removes the necessity to purchase a further preamp, making it even simpler to realize the outstanding Shure sound that has come to outline the final 5 many years of audio.”
Verdict: The brand new Shure SM7db is a major evolution within the lifetime of the SM7B. The addition of the built-in preamp makes this a microphone that’s as straightforward to drive as any. You continue to get that very good, traditional SM7B sound, however now you don’t have to crank up the achieve or add a Cloudlifter. If you happen to hesitated about investing within the Shure SM7B, now there is no such thing as a want.
Pricing & Availability: The Shure SM7dB microphone might be obtainable from at this time at Shure.com and choose retailers, priced at $499 / £519 / €599.
Extra data: www.shure.com
Tech Specs:
- Sort: Dynamic (shifting coil).
- Polar sample: Cardioid.
- Frequency response: 50Hz to 20kHz.
- Output impendence: 150Ω in Bypass Mode 27Ω in Preamp Mode.
- Sensitivity (at 1 kHz, open circuit voltage) [1] 1 Pa=94 dB SPL:
- -59 dBV/Pa[1] (1.12 mV) Flat Response Bypass Mode.
- -41 dBV/Pa[1] (1.12 mV) Flat Response +18 Preamp Mode.
- -31 dBV/Pa[1] (1.12 mV) Flat Response +28 Preamp Mode.
- Polarity relative to Pin 3: Constructive stress on diaphragm produces optimistic voltage on Pin 2.
- Internet weight: 837g.
- End: Black enamel aluminum and metal case with black foam windscreen.
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