The AM Forum

I came across a very nice Shure microphone. SM7B A nice smooth response and really makes some nice positive peaks compared to the Marshall condenture mic. I can tap on the desk stand and not a sound out of the mic. Has some sort of shock mounting built-in. Nice to fiddle with the little eq switches on the back.

Well it kinda moved into the Fred Flintstone studio for my shortwave music show. I think WBCQ got the Harris transmitter back on the air.

The Blue Spark condenser mic found its way into the Ham shack...Glen Beck likes the Blue Spark mics. This one is RED, though
Fred

Hi Fred,

My friend Fran-W3SCC loves the SM-7B mic and his friend Stan - W3YGC likes his as well. 

I have been looking at an SM-5B which is long out of production, but has a great reputation.  Very pricey in the used market though. 

So I may spring for a SM-7 and see how it compares to my RE-27 which I like very much. 

All of these mics have their own signature and its fun to hear how they compare. 

73,
Joe, GMS

Got a SM7b in April alomg with a DBX286 in a package deal from BCWhilrwide.
Found that I didn't need the DBX's preamp when running directly into the K3, rear panel, (gain high, no bias )  people tell me in the forbidden mode that it sounds ok. Rf compression and EQ available through the k3.  
Oh, the SM7 has low output compared to most dynamic mikes.

Haven't tried the combo yet on AM yet. -Just to Easy to fire up the 32v with d104/FET follower; what I talked to you with the other day on 40 Joe.

I think you'll like it and as Fred says, the built in shock mount, cardioid pattern, etc . Makes it nice for simple desk mounting. Mine's on an old Heath stand with PTT switch, flat black painted to match the mike. Oh, and on the rear of the mike are two switches, one for bass roll-off and one for treble boost.  Four ways to switch your response before it ever leaves the Mike. Full curve graphs provided, of course.  Great for eliminating booming and unused super hi's on rhe radio.

Thanks for the great user report Rick.  You can't have to many mic's in the mic locker!

Joe, GMS

Just added pix above. Yeah, sweet mike.
Oh yes, trick pix too. Just noticed on review.  Um, Where's Waldo the QS1R?

I got the SM7 from eBay, new, from a music store, for $268. The Electrovoice has always had my respect for broadcast audio and reliability. It would be interesting, Joe, if you get an SM7 that we could hear an on-air A-B test. RE27 vs SM7.
The SM7 is a heavy microphone. And as Rick pointed out, has low output. Shure recommends at least 60dB gain. I had to adjust Symetrix 528 mic gain full clock-wise. There was enough amplification to compress and give adequate output to the radio transmitter. Shure warns the user that most pre-amps have only 40-50dB gain for the HOT output of condenture mics.
I think the high-boost on the SM7 might copy what an RE27 is all about. That was a slightly brighter sounding mic.
Fred

A few years back when I was the (un-retired then) CE for KJZZ & KBAQ FM in Phoenix, we did a major studio build-out. 

A shakedown between the SM-7 and the EV RE-20 yielded more votes for the Shure by the talent using them.

22 studios all told, so I bought some 60 SM-7's.  All of 'em went through API pro preamps, I agree on the lower output dB.

I wish they still built the SM-5, a better mic in my opinion.

Over the years, I've seen the RE-20/27 bail-type mounts fail a lot, the rubber bands die and that mount is necessary to get around the physical noise coupling issues.

73DG

ps...anybody remember "Northern Exposure", with the radio station and the SM-7 with no windscreen?

Hunh-huh, haven't seen it.  Don't need a windscreen using the fat foam on the SM7, heh. heh.

Oh Fred, That would be a nice comparison from Joe's "professional" station. He has neat stuff.

When I've run my SM7 thru the dbx, I've set the preamp gain at 30 db feeding another approx. 30db(?) in the K3, about a "9 or 10" on a 0-60 gain setting.  When I run the SM7 directly into the K3 rear panel (hi) l, I need "25 to 35" mike gain setting on the 0-60 control.

As you can see in the pix, I've set the SM7 rear switches to bass cut and treble boost since my K3 filters cut the highs off anyway compared to an all audio application. Otherwise I've been told I sound kind of muffled.

I'll probably cut the mike highs going into my unfiltered HB 813's by 572B's transmitter since it plays everything out 10kc each side if I don't watch it.
If I use the DBX, I'll let it cut the highs.

Neat box. preamp, compressor, de-esser, enhancer, expander/gate and line output amp/gain all in one.

Here's a YouTube vid showing the 286s with the Shure SM7B.  Kuhl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrbCT5J7fWM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrbCT5J7fWM)
Please forgive the unboxing and elementary connector segment.  Just fast forward a bit on the slider.

Dennis,

I get a couple of years out of the rubber bands and that's it!  Totally agree about the shock-mount issues with the RE-20/27.  I do like the 27 due to the rising mid-range boost it has and the output level is good.  I think the 20 has a bit flatter response which generally is not quite as good on voice work.  I find I have to do very little EQ'ing with the RE-27.  Flat mic's just do not work well for Ham Radio applications.  My 27 certainly out shinned a Sennheiser MD-421 at least with my voice.  My standard mic preamp is a Symetrix 528E which I like.   

I anxious to give the SM-7B a try and may also take the plunge and get an SM-5B.

Joe, GMS

Folks:

For me the SM7 is OK, I prefer the SM5B. Silky.

Dan

SM-5's are getting really pricy. :(

What's it been, 25 years since the last one was made?

Dennis