IN PRAISE OF THE SM7

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joninc
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IN PRAISE OF THE SM7

Post by joninc » Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:03 pm

i know it's no secret that this mic rules and works at many things. it can often hold it's own against vocal mics 10x the price.

it's great on guitar and bass cabs. and acoustic guitars.

I have used it as a mono overhead and snare mic and hi hat to great effect. i am sure it would be good on toms.

but this past day it is kicking my ass as kick drum mic!!! KICK! tight. snappy. punchy! and still has some low end!

i bought an RE20 this year and have spent a fair bit of time with it. for the price it should destroy the sm7 on many fronts. it doesn't. it's solid as a kick mic but it doesn't capture the snap like a sm7 does. when you want more top without going crazy metal on it.

what can this mic NOT do? tell me your stories of amazement.
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Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Sat Dec 05, 2015 6:03 am

Yep. It's a go-to safe vocal mic for 90% of the singers i encounter. Maybe not always the best but always good and usable. Unfortunately my voice falls into in the other 10% and it makes me sound a little too sibilant and nasal (I am both naturally).

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Post by honkyjonk » Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:10 am

Me too. Doesn't work on my voice for the same reason. However, it's commonly mentioned as an antidote for that very thing. Oh well. It is pretty rad at other things.

I always forget what the default settings are on it. Low end flat with hi boost on? Or just flat all around? With or without the foam?

Doesn't matter I guess. I usually just leave it flat with the foam on. But if I've been watching Northern Exposure, I usually have an urge to take off the foam.
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Post by honkyjonk » Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:10 am

double post
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Post by kslight » Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:18 pm

I've had good luck with it in bass cabs, but I definitely don't subscribe to it being a more than an average wonder-mic on everything. Doesn't work on my voice at all, works all right on some other folks I've put it on, but oftentimes prefer a decent LDC (usually KSM44 or Fet U47). Wish it was a little more sensitive (yes I've pulled the sock off too). Didn't love it on bass drum last time I tried.

Yeah, I personally know a very respectable rock star that uses it though they can afford anything, but?their voice range and style is definitely much different from my own, or most of the other folks I work with.

To each their own?but since I've only used studio owned SM7's instead of having one on hand all the time, and I've always had other choices, I guess I haven't been left with no choice but to try to find its sweet spot before.

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joninc
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Post by joninc » Sat Dec 05, 2015 6:10 pm

to each his own.

to my ears it just seems to get most of the important stuff. it won't work on every voice
but it does work on a lot.

i think it shines in a surprisingly large amount of other sources too. surprisingly.
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Post by vvv » Sat Dec 05, 2015 11:31 pm

You inspired me to use it on vox, today. Into a Eureka, smoove, no artifacts, sounds great!

(EDIT: That song is here.)
Last edited by vvv on Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Recycled_Brains » Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:20 am

It's basically the only vocal mic I've used over the past few years. I stopped worrying about having some high dollar condenser after I got it. If it doesn't immediately work, EQ always gets me there.

Also like it quite a bit on guitar cabs, bass cabs (I do prefer an RE20 here though), toms... whatever really. It's like a 441... just put it up and record.
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Post by roscoenyc » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:57 am

I loved the SM7 till I heard the Telefunken USA M-80.
Oh my goodness.

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Post by T-rex » Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:45 pm

Best guitar sound I think I ever recorded was my SM7 through a SCA A12 pre-amp. That was my go to for a long time on rock guitar.
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Post by Jim Williams » Wed Dec 16, 2015 8:09 am

I'm more of a RE-20 guy. I like the wider frequency response, the flat curves and the lack of proximity effect. A SM-57 with the internal transformer removed does have SM-7 qualities, especially in the low end that is missing from the SM-57 stock.

Through a fast SS mic preamp the RE-20 does exhibit condenser qualities. Selecting the right preamp allows for it's exceptional qualities to be fully heard.
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