Battle of the Broadcast MIcs - Shure SMB7 vs EV RE20 vs Senneiser MKH416

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[toploadtele]

OOPS! - It's an SM7B... NOT an SMB7 - A Cloudlifter is highly recommended for the SM7B.

[AdamElteto]

Today's reading will be performed by our special guest: Mr. Barry Johns!

There are a few sources that confirm it; it was actually Quincy Jones who picked the SM7 (along with other mics) for Thriller. Of course, no guarantee that if you record your vocals with an SM7B you will sell tens of millions of records and rake in loads of Grammy awards, but I would say Quincy Jones definitely knows a thing or two about producing music, so no harm in following his wisdom in gear selection, right? (Bruce Swedien's book "Make Mine Music" talks about the mic selection.)

As far as getting a deal on used mics goes, a few things I tend to NOT buy used include cameras and microphones. Image sensors and diaphragms can have damage and wear and tear that can be hard to detect or quantify. It is better to get a new device with a warranty and a reliable merchandise return chain.

[TomCawoski]

I am also an SM7B user but I also use it with a Cloudlifter to get the gain. I use it primarily when I'm on a Zoom meeting or a Skype call for the better quality sounding audio than what I get from the mic on my computer monitor. The Cloudlifter gives me that extra gain so that, I too, can have my mic not in the view of the camera. I also picked the SM7B because of versatility. I will also use the SM7B when recording a singer. Yes, Michael Jackson used the SM7B microphone but there are other famous singers who also used the SM7B as well. Your comparison of the three mics is also a good comparison. I don't think anyone can go wrong with any of the choices presented here however, as you stated, everyone's voice is different and may have a different use or purpose for their choice. I appreciate your channel Barry!!! Keep up the good work!!!

[LoveIsWhoWeAre]

Great channel! I’m learning a lot. I vote for a video discussing best thunderbolt 3 docking stations for MacBook pro / air home studios. Also, I’d love to know your thoughts on specific cameras / lights for those branching out into video production. God bless

[jaycranmer]

What audio interface did you use in this video

[oldtreefarm]

Just keep in mind that the Sennheiser is a condenser mic and not dynamic. They inherently respond differently. Condensers are way more sensitive. Back when I was doing video production, the 416 was the go to boom mic for on-location work. Its a great mic no doubt. Funny thing though, there is a VERY inexpensive shotgun condenser out there made for on-camera mounting that would shock you at the performance for the price. Not as directional as the the Sennheiser and not even comparable in build quality, but you could buy 20 of them and be happy for podcast work. Look up Takstar SGC-598 if you're interested.

[DmonYT]

Must say your findings between the re-20 and Sm7b confused me a little. The SM7B tames the high end which makes it better for nasally or higher pitched voices, where as the Re-20 doesnt have the same dulling/taming effect and has better sounding bass so deeper bassier voices get the clarity in the high end and emphasised bass aswell as don’t lose the bass if you’re not right up on the mic like the SM7B due to their whole design for proximity effect.

It would of been nice if you had the MKH416 the exact same distance from your mouth as the previous two mic’s to provide a fairer comparison aswell.

Great video besides that. Cheers

[pianofortestudios]

One more thing - if you are using a good external mic pre, there's no need for an inline pre-preamp like the CloudLifter. I actually lost some audio quality with mine inline with my external preamp. Just spend the money on a good mic pre in the first place. The overall noise isn't going to be better than an MKH-416 but you can get two SM7Bs for the price. I'm a fan of the high-boost switch setting on the SM7B but it's definitely not in the same weight class as the 416.

[carlosserrano]

I got a Presonus PD-70 and is fantastic, I paid $100 for it, has a very similar sound to the Rode Podcast.
But if I'm gonna make a another purchase for a broadcast microphone it will be the SE Dynacaster.

[frankpaws]

For a boom mic, you don't really need to spend 1k on the 416. That is really more for location shooting. There are many in the sub 400 range that would serve the same purpose.
The boom is going to be stationary. The expensive ones are really design for location.
And for broadcast/podcast, if you don't mind the mic per person, then the SM7B wins.

[mylifeisbroken]

Hi. My friend and I are planning to start recording podcasts together, but we can't agree on whether the quality difference between expensive and affordable microphones is really necessary. I suggest buying at least an RE20 or an SM7B, while my friend prefers microphones in the Podmic price range. Do you think the difference between these two microphones would be noticeable for listeners? Do you think we should go all out and choose established, high-end products, or would more budget-friendly microphones suffice? Thank you for your recommendations. Please help me, I've been sleepless for four days, researching only this topic. I admit that I am overly obsessed, but I want to do my job properly and cleanly. I am very talkative and warm-hearted, never hesitant to laugh, and I usually laugh a lot. I used to do Twitch streaming before, so I have knowledge about how to gain viewers. Now, I want to sleep, please tell me which microphone and sound card I should get. :(

[pianofortestudios]

Has anyone done a count of how many times he says SMB7 instead of SM7B? Moving on. I've tried 14 different mics and for getting the mic out of the camera with a good clean signal I'm using a Sennheiser MKH416, also. The best sounding mic I tried was a large diaphragm vacuum tube condenser mic but it's too unwieldy for a desktop mic not to mention overkill! I would probably go with something like a U87 if money and space were no object but they always are. One caveat about shotguns indoors is you do need a treated space like Mr. Johns has. Don't expect good results in a garage or a modern hard-surface area due to the interference tube phase cancellation. These mics were designed for outdoor ENG with no reflections and v-shaped to overcome small field recording tape and small TV speakers but they end up being just right in today's crispy+bassy audio era. As well, the self noise of these is not top-tier but they also generally don't need a pop filter which is nice. If you're looking for an even cleaner, slightly better mic, try the TLM 103, but you need to have close to a sound booth level of sound treatment to avoid room ambience. I process audio for a couple of weekly podcasts that are running three to four RE320s. The real limitation there becomes also needing the pop filter and the megalithic shock mount. On the podcasts I help produce, they're just on desktop mic stands on a hard table and you hear absolutely every table noise the guests and hosts make. My producer friends won't fix the issue so just be aware every mic has its limitations and there is no such thing as a perfect broadcast mic.

[pat-enz]

Schmitt is not pronounced Smith;.) ShmeTT. Many great guitar players are called Schmitt like Dorado and Tchavolo Schmitt, from France. I think your invisible mike is best, because you won't have issues with lip smacking and the like because of the distance. Great video, thanks.

[streetrockusa]

Are you shure you have a real SM 7b? they don't have a white sticker on them. The real broadcast mic is the SM 7B not SMB7.

[rollerdragon]

as i thought... the re 20 is better, because of the features not used: the low cut, the pad and the sheer bulletproofness... y'could bang nails building the booth with an re-20 then use it to record in it.... tanks... mind you the sennheiser sounds amazing, out of range and while great sounding, limited..

[pedrodepacas]

Another annoying I know everything video. It’s an SM-7. I want to hear what UA thinks you should do. 🤦‍♂️

[benperry]

SM7B NOT SMB7 your vooice sounds better on the sm7b compared to the EV and the Sennheiser is much better for your voice timbre wich seems to be very mid rangy