shure sm7 -- shure ksm32

cat-eggs

New member
is the ksm32 more detailed sounding than the sm7? does one have more bass to it or something?

i use a sm57 on everything and i want something different sounding. i don't have phantom power anymore so the sm7 looks good as far as me not having to buy a preamp goes

thanks,
mike helstrom
 
If you buy the SM7, you will need a preamp with a good amount of clean gain. It will work from a decent console but I wouldn't hook it up to a cheap portastudio or anything. What are you recording through?
 
Check out a Beyer M88 instead. Or if you're looking for a condenser sound, there are a few that will run off of batteries, or you can buy a phantom power supply.
 
i'm confused......

wouldn't the sm7 be a big improvement over the sm57 even if i still go through my 4-track? or does the sm7 require an expensive signal chain or something? i get good results with sm57 through the portastudio. i just want something a little better

it seems like the net difference would be equal to that of any preamp. i just wouldn't be maximizing the quality, right? or is the quality ceiling on my 424 so low that it wouldn't make a difference?

i kind of have it narrowed down to these 2 mics. i appreciate the other suggestions, but i'll go nuts if i consider any more mics. i think at some point you have to say NO! i'm getting THIS one or THIS one!
 
Both mics are good mics to have in your arsenal. Your 424 will be a limiting factor on just how much either of those mics will sound. They will sound quite different through different preamps. Since that isn't an option though I would reccomend the KSM32. I think the KSM32 will make a more noticable impact on your recordings from the little I know of your setup. When using not so nice preamps a hotter output is a small advantage since you won't have to push those little preamps as hard. It will also offer a larger contrast to the sm57 in my opinion. Check to see if your portastudio offers phantom power. If it does not then you will have to buy a phantom power supply as well. The good news is that you should be able to get one for around $30. Good luck:)
 
cat-eggs said:
or does the sm7 require an expensive signal chain or something?
I was similarly confused when people said the same thing to me. Well, now I own an SM7 and I understand exactly what them mean. Here's the scoop: the SM7 sounds great, but it puts out a very weak signal. Much weaker than other dynamic mics I own. Because of this you need to have a preamp that you can turn way the hell up without adding a lot of noise. I've never had a problem with my decent preamps, like my Summit Audio 2BA-221 and my FMR RNP. However, the SM7 is unusable on vocals going into a Bellari MP105 because you have to turn it up so loud that there is too much noise added to the signal.

So my recommendation is this: if you get the SM7 and you want to use it on vocals or another quiet source you need something with tons of clean gain. A DMP3, for example, is fine, but my guess is your portastudio pres are not.
 
cat-eggs said:
does the sm7 require an expensive signal chain or something?

Expensive is not a must, but lots of clean gain is demanded. The DMP3 would do fine for example, but I don't believe any portas has that kind of performance when the gain is all the way up. Also, they may not even provide enough gain.

If you go that route however, the SM7 is a fantastic mic. I haven't yet heard a source that it doesn't get at least a very usable sound out of. And quite often, I find it stunning.

I've recorded male and female vocals, guitar and bass cabs, percussion, snare, horns and many other things with the SM7 and it never fails to amaze.
 
I was doing female vocals last night with my new SM7 and I dig it. I am still working out my favorite positionings and comp settings, but the sound has been delivering. I run mine through a Hamptone HJFP and it does take a good amount of gain, luckily the Hamptone is pretty much dead-silent!

It has also worked really well as a guitar amp mic for me.

I just bought a 424 for my house (recording fun and goofy stuff, NOT my band) and the pres in it are not good at all, esp. when cranked. I don't think it would be any good with the sm7. I have been using a Beyer Soundstar II with it for most things.
 
The gain staging in this scenario is what will be the problem.The 424 pres will not take very much input before trying to spew distortion onto the tape,and the SM7 requires a good swift kick to get it to its best performance level.However once this is reached this is one of the best sounding dynamic mics available.A KSM 32 is an entirely different animal.It does have more detail but in a subtle way.It has a proximity effect that would be much more pronounced than the SM7 if you used both mics in the same way.The same effect on the SM7 is very desirable, while maybe not so much on the KSM32.But then, this is one of the main differences in condensers vs dynamics.Both are excellent and yet both have their own niche.For a vocal I'd be more apt to use the SM7 but thats just me.
 
The output of the SM7 is -4.5dB compared to the SM57. However given that the SM7 might be used at a greater distance, that could cost you a few more dB.
 
Md 421 Re20

I am currently in a similar situation. However I am using a grace 101 mic pre for the vocals. Does any one think the sm7 would be an improvement over the md or re mics? I'm looking to purchase one or two of the three and wan't the one that will be best when driven with my grace, but have the least amount of off axis sound captured. suggestions? or is there an even better mic for this situation?
 
:) Look at Behringer B-2 pro (and look at the price!) It's very similar in aspect (and in sound!) to the classic Neumann, but it is very cheap. Behringer produces also beautiful mixers and preamp with phantom power for condenser mics like the B-2 pro.
 
Just exactly how is it that the Behringer B-2 sounds like a classic Neumann? Have you ever used a "classic Neumann"? What exactly does a "classic Neumann" sound like? I wasn't aware that of a classic Neumann that had a thin harsh grainy top end. I have also yet to see a beauitiful Behringer mixer or even hear a decent Behringer preamp or mic.

As far as the Grace 101 goes, that would be a pretty decent preamp to drive a low gain mic with since the gain in the Grace is pretty clean almost all the way to the top. RE-20's and sm-7's are fairly similar in sound. One might work better for you than another, but that really depends on what you like and what you are going to be using it for. Personally, I am not a big 421 fan so I would go with the RE-20 or the SM-7. However, 421's can be very useful, I just find that really aren't any better than a lot of other mics that cost much less. It's always good to have a couple floating around, but if budget is tight there are many other mics that would fit the bill just as well without costing as much. Do you have any condensors? You might want to consider a decent condensor or two before buying 2 similar dynamic mics. Just a thought:)
 
B-2

I was referring to the U87. I have a B-2 and it's very clean, natural especially in the panoramic response. In panoramic mode it is also vey insensitive of mechanical noises, it's incredible! The only output noise is the "acoustic" noise produced (i.e. with a hand) on the body of the mike!

The body is heavy, brass with a champagne finish. Internal electronics are spectacular. Mechanical precision is incredible... and I think the capsule, with gold sputtered diaphragms (double diaphragm), is a "discard" of Neumann... (2dB out of characteristics? :) )
 
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