Shure Sm7 gain questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wireneck
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Wireneck

Wireneck

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After much reading I have decided that I would like to pick up a Shure SM7. I have noticed in many post people have stated that this mic needs lots of gain. The pres I have right now are an FMR Audio RNP, Soundtracs Solo 24 channel console, and the built in pres in my Digi 002 rack.
I am purchasing this for general use but the main project I need it for right now is recording a female vocalist. She sings strong and consistent but not ultra loud. Where we record I can't really opt for a condenser due to surrounding noise (most condensers I have are cheap anyways and don't sound that great on her voice). I have been getting decent results with her using an SM57. I would like try out an SM7 on her but I am worried that my pres may not have enough gain. Is the FMR suitable or does it require something with more gain? I don't have the cash to pick up another pre right now, nor do I really want to at this point.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
 
Do you guys track vocals with the foam on the capsule or do you take it off and use a pop filter?
 
Ahh thanks for the additional info. Glad to see I am not the only person with that question. I felt kind of dumb for asking it but I have never owned a mic that already had some sort of foam/pop filter already attached.
 
If your pre's can boost an SM57 then you can boost an SM7
 
dualflip said:
If your pre's can boost an SM57 then you can boost an SM7
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i get what you're saying here, but it kinda depends on the sound source, no? i mean, the sm7 is almost always (and certainly in this particular application) used for vocals, and a 57 is most commonly found in front of guitar cabs and snare drums. the transients of a snare and the average loudness of a cab are gonna be WAY higher than that of the average human voice.

which means that the required gain for a 57 is typically going to be less than that of a 7.

not trying to be argumentative, just sayin'....
 
So you're sayin that if I was recording a 747 then the sm7 would need less gain than the sm57, or ..... what are you sayin'?
 
Big Kenny said:
So you're sayin that if I was recording a 747 then the sm7 would need less gain than the sm57, or ..... what are you sayin'?
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No he is saying that because the SM57 is mostly used on high-volume sources it needs less gain because the source is already pounding the mic diapraghm, though ive used the SM7 in things such as guitars and bass he makes a good point. But again what i was trying to say is that an SM57 needs a lot of gain, a mic pre-amp with 60db's of gain will be sufficient to boost an SM57 or SM7, and most pre-amps have that amount of gain available, so...
 
The only reason people run into gain issues with the SM7 is because they try to use it like a condenser. You can't have the singer 6 inches away from the mic singing softly. The mics pickup pattern is very tight, so you have to be right on the mic. If the singer moves around a lot, the volume will vary widely with distance changes.

On the same source, the SM57 and the SM7 will take about the same amount of gain.

BTW, I use 57's on vocals all the time in a live setting.
 
Farview said:
The only reason people run into gain issues with the SM7 is because they try to use it like a condenser. You can't have the singer 6 inches away from the mic singing softly. The mics pickup pattern is very tight, so you have to be right on the mic. If the singer moves around a lot, the volume will vary widely with distance changes.

On the same source, the SM57 and the SM7 will take about the same amount of gain.

BTW, I use 57's on vocals all the time in a live setting.
Click to expand...

much clearer and correct!
 
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