The Joy of Recording #10: SM57 vs SM7b

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In spite of the SM57’s ubiquity for recording electric guitars, I like to tell people to check out it’s slightly larger cousin, the SM7b. You’ve probably seen this mic on live performance videos or sitting in front of a radio personality. It’s known more as a vocal/voiceover microphone, but I love it for electric guitars. It’s no slouch on snare drum, kick drum, and in a pinch I’ve even record a whole drum kit and acoustic stringed instruments with mine!

If I could only have one dynamic microphone in my arsenal, this one would be it.

The interesting thing is, I’ve never done a direct comparison between the SM57 and the SM7b. I mean, sometimes we gotta challenge our assumptions, right? So I made a short song and recorded a set of doubled guitar tracks with both mics…and I made it all into a video so that you can hear the difference. I found it pretty interesting!

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[ivocacak]

SM7B more balanced sound, but with SM57 guitar instantly sits on right place, dont have freq from other instruments in this mix.

[cvat]

Great comparison. I think you labeled both of the fuzz passages as SM7B; but I agree, the SM7 shined in all examples except maybe the last. Even there, where the SM57 highlighted fuzz character, the SM7 was no slouch.

[TheStudioFreq]

Just two cents here. I am concerned that the reason you say you like one mic over the other is based on frequency. If you speak to Shure You will discover there are more identicals and similarities between the two mics than differences electronically. The additional flexibility is in EQ shaping, and of course the integrated yoke and basket for broadcast use.
The other thing that concerns me is there was no conversation of gain structure. The SM7B actually requires gain boost through a cloud, lifter or similar to perform properly. Without it, the frequency response isn’t where it is designed to be. And what was the gain structure behind your SM57.
Ps if you have a cloudlifter etc type circuit available, plug your SM 57 into that and watch how even the 57 comes to life beyond what it can do through a lower gain traditional audio interface or mixer preamp gain stage path.

Regardless of what you used, these are super important points, because it lets us know if the microphone is being used as designed or outside of that. Dynamic range, polar pattern and SPL and other factors are more critical in mic choice than EQ, which can simply be adjusted and can make a big difference to someone’s wallet if they can make a few EQ changes versus buying a mic that is designed (and charging you) for the physical broadcast capabilities. I appreciate your comparison, Vet I hope people watching it did not make a purchase decision based on the EQ differences between the two

[Jesse-uxld]

Whoa! The SM7B sounded way more like what I want my guitar tracks to sound like. I wonder how much time I typically spend EQing my SM57 to sound more like an SM7B.

[claytondean]

I was really hoping to prefer the SM57 for my wallet's sake, but unfortunately I agree... The SM7b does sound better in each section (to me). I liked the 7b more for the fuzz section, as well, although the 57 was giving me nostalgic In Utero vibes.

[spiltmilk]

“Venerably ubiquitous.” Shure should turn that into an ad.

[mattg]

For me depends on the amp!

I have a bright Tone King Sky King Amp. It sounds fine with either or, but to tame treble the SM7B will sound fuller, and less shrill. With the 57 you can get rid of the shrill moving it to the side of cone, but not as much low mid.

Enter my Ampeg VT40…this is a notorious amp that’s been said hard to record in a studio. A lot of people use 3 mics for this. Usually a 57, SM7b on the back and a room mic. For that amp if I want the lower mids it’s known for, I go with the SM7B up front to capture that, as well as a 57 to capture the higher freq. But it’s such a weird beast, I’ll dime the high mids recording with it.

Either way I think both would work, and dark amp or bluesy stuff maybe I’d use a SM7B. For rock in a mix, the 57 cuts and works great. Depends if you want low mids more in the mix.

I just find with the SM7B I don’t have to put it at a 90 degree or off axis to reject shrilness…but on a 57 it’s always off to the side or off axis for me…otherwise way too shrill.

Also pre amps! I use a Great River and API512c. Those preamps make those mics sound like a million bucks, and gets every ounce. Before I had those pres, I felt meh about the mics. Then I using nice preamps, I was I awe just how good a $99 mic can sound! I wouldn’t hesitate to cut a full album with those pres with either or mic.

With good pres I could get a great recording with a bunch of 57s, and a kick drum mic. That’s really all that’s needed. Hell even a 58 run through a Neve on Male rock vocals sounds great.

[rist]

Guys, if you look at the picture, the mics arent in the same spot even. This is a bad comparison. The mics should be on the same radius from the center of the cone. The sound will be too different cos of the different placement on the cone.

[wladdaimpala]

Switching between the two mics, in time, is a surprisingly cool dynamic. It's like you're kicking on a Rat pedal (for the 'nasty' 57 sound), Greenwood style.

[trent]

Sorry to disagree with everyone, but to me the SM57 is more fidel to the guitar sound. SM7 is maybe interesting for the voice but totally lacks the high frequencies

[thomaswhudson]

Why did you do this to me... Now i have to get a SM7b.. the sound was amazing and night and day difference. Thanks.

[Olli_Morris]

Both sound good. I think what should be remembered is not what it sounds like on it’s own but when paired with everything. The 57 clearly is quite a bit brighter but also less “smooth” sounding in comparison to the 7b. Most mics you can EQ in or out stuff or change that on the source/tuning/placement to sound similar to others. However it’s all about workflow and speed. The less work the better. With top engineers it’s mostly about how can I get to the end result fastest. If you are getting paid £200/300 to record a band/mix a day. You aren’t gonna have time to “fix it in the mix” also just a terrible way to work haha and that’s why as you mentioned, just like a good builder would. You use different tools for different applications for different outcomes. (Also nicely shot video btw, quality of everything was decent. Keep it up man!

[ikigai]

haha I have those same headphones! Drummer phones made by the drummer of the Steve Miller band, for drummers. He stuck Shure internals into hearing protection cans. Nothing blocks out noise like those! But I never thought of using them for recording guitar tracks. I love my comfy Beyerdyanmic DT770s. Your guitar sounds amazing btw. I honestly can't tell which I prefer. I want to say 7B but you had the 57 sounding pretty damned good especially on the clean single notes.

[bigbluesigh]

Great job Dan. Thanks. Curious tho...do you prefer the SM7 to a ribbon? Cascade Fat Head for instance?

[livpraz]

if only one, the SM7b sounds better because it sounds more full. the SM57 sounds more narrow and doesn’t capture a natural low end. personally, i think the 545SD sounds a touch better than the SM57 for that. but in the end, i could actually see both of these mics complimenting each other well in a two-mic recording setup.

[RasCuban]

I’ve been dying for stainless steel Where did you get your pair from, love them to death?! Thanks for the comparison video btw👍🏽 There is a video where you can eq the 57 to sound more like the 7b.

[Heirarc]

I Can't quite make out the settings on the SM7? I presume it's flat with no roll off? Do you mess with the settings at all and if so, for what purpose? Any problems with it's low output?

[brianbannock]

SM7 seemed if you would you suggest for Bass, especially higher end Active basses, Alembic, Fodera....etc. I usually record isolated with direct AND Mic'd on the SM7 still a good Thanks

[hood]

Did you mention what mic pres you’re using here?

[dimodugnoalessandro]

Hi, I have a question, I'm a beginner in guitar recording and I recently bought an SM7B for vocal recording, but I'm not able to use it properly on my guitar amp. Do you think that the room (a bedroom of medium dimensions, in this case) influences the guitar tone so much with a mic like this or it is just a matter of proper position?
Thank you if you will answer!