SM7b for morons

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laptoppop

Musical Technogeek
OK, I've heard Harvey say that he likes the SM7. I tried it. Never really liked it. Had to boost the volume way way way up, and it just didn't sound as good as I was expecting.

But Harvey likes it. What am I doing wrong?

Kept trying. Still no luck.

But Harvey likes it -- its gotta be worth SOMETHING. This sound is not good at all!

oh.


wait.


On the Shure website, on the FAQ for the microphone.... "This is not a side address microphone" (good to know I was not the only moron)

Because of the mounting bracket, it just seemed most natural to use it like a large diaphram condensor -- from the side. Now I know to point it, like a 57. Tried on a guitar cabinet -- solid sound, extremely similar to the 57 next to it. Much more signal!

Of course the microphone sounded bad off axis like that. Its a sweet microphone that was being messed up by my technique.

So now I'm liking it a lot more - glad I stuck with it. I'm posting this just in case someone else might make the same mistake.



-lee-
 

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Yea ... I know where you're coming from.

Harvey told me once that he liked to pour beer on his corn flakes ... and try as I might, it just never seemed to taste any different than regular corn flakes.

Then, silly me, I realized that I had to take the cap off of the beer first.

Then, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. Yummy. Beer & corn flakes. You should try it.
 
Throw it all in a blender and you have the power drink of champions.
 
Did Harvey say that? I can't possibly try something unless I know Harvey likes it.
 
What?????? So this could also be construed to say that singing into the end of a KSM44 doesn't give you as much level as singing into the side of it??? What a crappy mic....
 
chessrock said:
Yea ... I know where you're coming from.

Harvey told me once that he liked to pour beer on his corn flakes ... and try as I might, it just never seemed to taste any different than regular corn flakes.

Then, silly me, I realized that I had to take the cap off of the beer first.

Then, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. Yummy. Beer & corn flakes. You should try it.
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I don'r drink beer, and I like my corn flakes with 1/2 and 1/2, not milk.

And since I often get to look at a lot of unreleased products first, and often posted my opinions here, some of my opinions may be of value to some people here.

If a lot of my opinions happen to coincide with your evaluations of the same equipment, you might be interested in things I've liked that you may not have heard. If you don't think my opinions match yours generally, don't listen to what I have to say about anything related to specific equipment - it's really that simple.
 
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Hey Harvey,
Everybody around here values your opinions and expertise. Thanks for all the advice abd counsel
 
Lol Harvey I am pretty sure they are just joking. Everyone appreciates you being here. :)

That was pretty funny laptoppop. :D
 
chessrock said:
Did Harvey say that? I can't possibly try something unless I know Harvey likes it.
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Awww, c'mon. My point wasn't that at all. I'll try lots of microphones that I haven't heard opinions on from this or that person.

In Harvey's case, he's steered me toward some inexpensive microphones that sound very good, and I appreciate it. I value his opinion highly enough that I felt that there was something wrong with the off-axis lousy sound I was getting from the SM7. Turns out, its a pretty darn good microphone, and I'm liking it more all the time. "57 on steroids" is about the best description. Seems like if you had enough money, you might use all SM7s, and never even use a 57!

I tried to say it with humor, poking fun at myself -- but with the post at the Shure website, I'm not the first person to think that this was a microphone you used from the side. When you mount the end on a boom, it hangs that way naturally. Now that I know better, its easy to use properly -- but I am hoping to save at least one person from my mistake.

-lee-
 
I guess that with more and more hobbyists getting into buying good mics (because the rest of what it takes to record does not cost a fortune) you will get more people who fail to realize that the B in the SM-7B stands for BROADCAST, as in radio, and that the mounting bracket is the way it is because the mic is intended to be placed on a swing arm.
 
chessrock said:
Yea ... I know where you're coming from.

Harvey told me once that he liked to pour beer on his corn flakes ... and try as I might, it just never seemed to taste any different than regular corn flakes.

Then, silly me, I realized that I had to take the cap off of the beer first.

Then, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. Yummy. Beer & corn flakes. You should try it.
Click to expand...

Amazing. :D now did he tell you to go with a fine summer ale for the sweetness, or a hoppier porter to contrast with the sweetness of the cornflakes? :p
 
And again, Harvey, you are very, very greatly appreciated being here. I think that some of your posts have led me to spending very wisely where otherwise I wouldn't have (for example, buying two pairs of your headphones rather than shelling out $100 a pair on Sennheiser's, which, IMO, don't sound as good!). Everyone takes away a lot from learning from you!
 
chessrock said:
Harvey told me once that he liked to pour beer on his corn flakes ... and try as I might, it just never seemed to taste any different than regular corn flakes.

Then, silly me, I realized that I had to take the cap off of the beer first.

Then, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. Yummy. Beer & corn flakes. You should try it.
Click to expand...


Ive tried beer in rice crispies...its pretty good...but cocoa pebbles are disgusting.
 
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