Mics
Shure SM7B
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(312 reviews)
The vocal/podcast standard for a reason
by studio_rat · May 2026 · ✓ Verified purchase
I've owned this mic for three years across two studios. It needs a lot of clean gain — without a Cloudlifter or a strong interface preamp you'll be disappointed. Once you give it what it wants, it's bulletproof.
Off-axis rejection is excellent for untreated rooms, and it flatters a wide range of voices. It's not a 'finished' sound out of the box; it likes a little high-end EQ. For the money, nothing else does this job as reliably.
Pros
- +Incredible noise rejection
- +Flatters most voices
- +Built like a tank
Cons
- −Needs lots of clean gain (Cloudlifter/strong preamp)
- −Heavy, needs a sturdy arm
Specifications
- Type
- Dynamic (moving coil)
- Polar pattern
- Cardioid
- Frequency response
- 50 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sensitivity
- −59 dBV/Pa (low — needs gain)
- Connector
- XLR (balanced)
- Best for
- Vocals, podcast, untreated rooms
- Note
- Cloudlifter / strong preamp recommended
Discussion (2)
Sign in to comment…Sign in- Vvocal_v5d ago
Pairs great with a Apollo too, the Unison preamp gets it there without a lifter.
- Ppodcast_jo2d ago
The Cloudlifter note is so true. Wish someone told me before I returned my first one thinking it was broken.