SM7 on Vocals... Am I doing it wrong?

[biasvoltage]

Try removing the foam windscreen and using a pop filter instead - this has really opened the mic up for me.

[ott0bot]

I really like sdc's in omni for this...

Hmmm, something new to try...

not sure if you're razzing me, but it works good for me because I can position it to where the is zero sibilance yet still has presence. I've been using a modded mc012 with a wind screen. Whatever works right.

[???????]

I've had the mic for years now. It's most often the midrange/low midrange that is troublesome to me. Seems as though I'm always doing a bunch of subtractive eq'ing to get it to "slide" in there and clean the mud out.

Well, it IS an announcer/broadcast mic--one that's often used for "voice of God." It's also fairly low output, so there's a tendency to want to get right up on it--which excites the proximity effect inherent in the directional characteristic.

Maybe it's just not the best for what you want. Do you have a Sennheiser 441? If you're wanting the sound of a dynamic on vocal, that's another option that might give you more of what you want.

Just guessing.

[Gregg Juke]

>>>>Sennheiser 441<<<<

This has compared very favorably for me to many LDC's, but it's so dang easy to over-drive hat microphone!

GJ

[Snarl 12/8]

Are you sure your 7 is representative of the species?

[tonewoods]

I really like sdc's in omni for this...

Hmmm, something new to try...

not sure if you're razzing me...

No way!!

When I read something on these pages, I'll usually give it a go....
Love to try new stuff....

[signorMars]

sounds like a mic placement issue to me. try it a little further away, maybe all the way in my mic cabinet. i think that would sound pretty good.

[shedshrine]

I'm realizing lately that I just really don't like the sounds I'm geting, using my SM7 as a vocal mic. No matter the genre, gender, type of singer... it always comes out sounding tubby in the lowend, and exhibits way too much "honk" in the 500/1000hz range.

I've tried different preamps, eq'ing, mic techniques... Heavy EQ gets me there eventually, but I still feel like I'm missing something.

am I doing it wrong? Are there some tricks with this thing? I know so many love this mic on vocals, and some of my favorite recordings feature it... I just don't know what I'm doing that makes it sound like shit.

I dig my TAB modded 57 more in many cases.

Have you tried multiple preamps? I was experimenting around with mine and found that if I run it through my MP20 to get the level up then run it into the line in on my Meek VC3 and add a touch of the enhancer you get a nice full present signal that still sits really nice. I run it through a distressor on opto. The rest is playing with the two gains and proximity. My 2 cents.

[T-rex]

I sold my A12 a while back, but I will probably build another one because I always found that to be an amazing combination. Tons of gain and it just sounded right on vocals and guitars.

[mr. nick]

i use an sm7 quite a bit for vocals. usually, i run the sm7 through an RNP (really nice preamp) into my u/a 176. if i need to clear out a little low mid, i will, through a toft eq before the compressor. i typically have on the hpf and i have the foam off, and some singers feel like the mic has a sweet spot a little off axis, and i feel like that helps with proximity effect. i use this mic when i want a rich or rugged sound to fit in the mix. if the music requires more air, i may also throw up an LDC to have options later. good luck!

[Recycled_Brains]

Appreciate the insight.

I think it's a simple matter of taste for me. I really dig the mic on so many things... just rarely on a vocalist that isn't screaming.