VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Okay, I finally found a deal on a Shure SM7B and for once need to find out if this mic can add more flavor other than the standard LDC's I'm using for narration and longer reads...

I figure I'll never know until I try... plus I'm moving into a new space and plan have both a booth and a boom attached outside to desk, and was thinking the boom mic being a dynamic would be more forgiving of the space.. I had an RE-20 for about a week and didnt care for it. On MY voice.. So I'm a bit trepidatious..

Am I crazy to try to run this thru the pre's on a Mbox Mini 3?

found this shootout I thought the Sm7B/Mbox Mini 3 combo rocked..

http://recordinghacks.com/2012/06/18/sm7b-audio-interface-shootout/
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Dayo · Cinquecento Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 544 Location: UK

I tried an SM7B for a while a few years ago. I do remember liking it a lot but at the time I didn't have a pre with quite enough gain, so it didn't really work out for me. Hope your mileage varies!
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heyguido · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:41 am Post subject:

You'll be a lot happier with more gain than the mini. Ninja

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Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

I've owned the SM7B - twice. Sold it both times. Really wanted to like it, but it's pretty low-fi. I prefer the RE-20 or RE-320.

In the end, I always prefer a condenser mic.

For a better version of an SM7B, check out the KEL HM2d. Similar sound in a condenser that doesn't require a bunch of gain.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

graemespicer · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:44 am Post subject:

I have an SM7b I use for narration, and really like it. Everyone is correct about gain, though. Be warned. The Mbox won't cut it. You might want to consider investing in a Cloudlifter. Also there are generic-type inline gain devices on eBay. I bought one for about $50 - it sounds great and provides about 20 dB of clean gain. I'll go and see if I can find the link.
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Benjamin Stovall · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:45 am Post subject:

I bought one about a year ago, and really like the bass response, however...

Three words: Gain. Gain. Gain.

Tried with my Mbox 3, worked, but had to put the gain up to max and got a lot of hiss.

Tried it with my Duet 2, which had more gain. Still had to turn it up quite high. Less hiss, but still noisy.

Tried it with my Focusrite ISA One. Plenty of gain to spare on that, but doggone it, it still wasn't as quiet as my condenser and tube mics that require very little gain.

Tried it with my Avalon and same experience.

I even tried it with a "FetHead." Same, same.

To sum up, I love the mic for everything but voiceover because it's my noisiest mic, but I bought it for voiceover! I have no idea how people get it quiet enough with all of the gain it needs, which I still don't understand, because it's a dynamic mic that should, theoretically, be a low noise microphone.
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Bish · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:08 am Post subject:

Ben, the SM7B is my go-to for audiobooks. I just like the sound of it (with me). I'm surprised that you found a problem with the FETHead. I had tried various options, but as has been noted quite accurately here, they all require cranking up to 11 to get the gain needed from this low-output device. The FETHead sits on the back of the mic so I'm boosting as close to source as possible (although with good cables and cable placement, I doubt that's a contributing factor). I've had no issues with noise at all. The FETHead is functionally the same as the Cloudlifter (and I suspect the same components in a different package), but I find it more convenient as it can be place in-line like a cable extender, rather than the Cloudlifter's in-and-out design.
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Benjamin Stovall · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:19 am Post subject:

I love the sound of it on my voice too, Bish. I really want to use it. Maybe I got a bum mic?

EDIT: Frank F said this in an older thread (emphasis mine):

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I just did my first audiobook with the SM7B. Overall I liked it, but noticed that even a slight change in mic position meant having to go back in post and even out the volume variations. Also even with the thin foam cover still popped a lot of Ps.

I run mine through a Safesound Tracking Toolbox which gives it plenty (72db max) of gain.

Bob Stevens · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:09 am Post subject:

Love mine. Clean gain and lot's of it is the key. I use a Paintpot or modded SX202 preamp.

No foam on mine. It is naked with a goose neck pop filter. Allows for more dynamics if you work it good. lol
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Maudio audio buddy
http://www.zzounds.com/item--THKMIMAB0

Mackie 402 vlz
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/351237.html?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleps&gclid=CN7T_KaGzrgCFQ1gMgodBjQA1w

both spec out at +60db gain...sufficient?
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Bob Stevens · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject:

Prolly not capt. Not without a cloudlifter or something.

I am dialing 62-64db out of 72 on my paintpot on avg. or almost maxed on my SX202 which tops out at 64db. The SX seems to run a little hotter than spec so it is not maxed. It is just below the the noticeable hiss threshold.

You could always dual pre it. Some, like the Mackie Blackjack pre has attenuation with unity gain that can add enough clean gain to a line in to be workable.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

that even kills a notion of a dbx286a which offers tops +60db.. I guess
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Bob Stevens · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:43 pm Post subject:

Hey Lee,

I can't speak about a 286 cuz I have never used one. I understand they are great pres for the money. Bish might be able to chime in here. I think he has an Sm7 and 286.

60db is enough to drive the mic. The problem is that a lot of pres start introducing noise after about 75% of the max gain is used.

Now, if you are a screamer, singer or put the sm7 into a bass drum you don't need all that gain. If you are conversing into it (broadcast) where the engineer will be adding compression and make up gain, you don't need all that gain.

If you are in a quiet room with a soft spoken voice you will need all that gain to do it justice.

That being said, I have recorded with mine at say 50db ( when I didn't have a 60+db pre) at a -18 to -12 and with normalizing and some noise removal I could produce decent results. The mic just really shines with more gain.
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"Dialog is the painting on a canvas of silence"