Did I buy a fake Shure SM7B? This is how I've checked... Let me know what you think?

[@czfidde]

As an owner of a fake one, i can safely say your collection is genuine.

[@leo_hoang]

Where did you purchase your one from? Are you planning on getting yourself a genuine one?

[@czfidde]

@@leo_hoang I bought it from Facebook marketplace, so I don't think I can do anything about it. I guess it can function as a piece of art or something. A genuin one is already on its way.

[@leo_hoang]

@@czfidde where did you order the new one from? What are the tells on your fake that you see out of curiosity

[@PoorPinataVODS-bj5qr]

@@czfidde did the fake one work? How'd it sound if it did, compared to a real one?

[@czfidde]

@@PoorPinataVODS-bj5qr It was noisy. Picked up a lot of HF noise from electronics. The real one does not suffer from this, luckily.

[@Charles64]

These are both Legit. Got mine 3days now. From Music store Germany 🇩🇪. I've checked it too. I considered mine is legit. Coz of wiring etc. That you showed. ❤

[@justsomeone953]

I think all of them are genuine but their ages are way different. If still in doubt you can send pictures of your SM7Bs to shure and they can tell you if you have real ones. Take as many pictures as possible and open up the mics and take photos of the interior too. They will not tell you how they figured out if they are real or not for obvious reasons ...but they can tell you if they are real or not. I bet they are all real ones. They sound great btw xD Love that sound ... the reason I bought a SM7B myself.

[@leo_hoang]

Thanks for watching and the feedback. That’s exactly what I did in fact and I sent images off to Shure. I did a follow up video where I touched on this story but yes, basically all said to be genuine but different ages or different subcontracted manufacturers… I’m having tough time deciding between this and the EV RE20… it depends on the day for me lol

[@justsomeone953]

@@leo_hoang So sound of the SM7B is so nice. But I think it sounds so good to so many people (including me) is because so many content creators use the SM7B so everyone is so used to the sound.

[@leo_hoang]

@@justsomeone953 very true, but each persons unique voice will respond different to each mic… have you tried many other mics? I fell down a mic rabbit hole lol… I’m actually predominantly a photographer and here I am reviewing mics! lol

[@justsomeone953]

@@leo_hoang I tested some mics. But I desired the SM7B sound. If you want the SM7B sound you need one. You could use an EQ to get there but why should I fiddle around with one to get the desired sound if I could get the real deal instead? The SM58 was nice too - same capsule but I never got the SM7B sound with that one. Well, might be all in my head of course xD

[@leo_hoang]

@@justsomeone953 this is an upcoming video of mine to test… I have a special edition black sm58 coming soon… I will look to do a video to see how close I can tweak them to sound the same

[@Steizem]

All the microphones you have are original... there is also another very obvious proof, the capsules of the fakes protrude further into the grille, so they are closer to the mouth and in all the ones you show it is located the same... which is As it should be when it is original. The issue of the anti-pop foam, in the fake ones it is really of poor quality, it is very noticeable, in all the ones you show, although the color varies a little, it could be due to the passage of time, I have several, some old, some new and it may simply be that the material has changed a little so that it lasts longer. From the data I have, tests (the same ones that you have done and the one I told you about in the interior capsule, you can see videos) it is clear that your microphones are genuine.

[@leo_hoang]

Thanks for the feedback on this. I just assumed the colour difference could be them being replaced by third party cheap replacements but you have a very valid point and it could have just faded…

[@WolfmanMadden]

It's funny your vender used the same story mine did when I bought my fake. Said he was done teach a vocal class and was selling them.

[@leo_hoang]

Who was your vendor? UK based?

[@prometheuseleutherios8645]

Nice collection!!! Fake or not fake, don't worry, these are all good microphones!!!

[@leo_hoang]

Thank you - since making the video I’ve determined they’re all genuine just manufactured at different times or factories. I basically did a very similar updated video where I shared some emails I had with Shure. Thanks for watching!

[@teslastellar]

They're all original. Other than the color difference of the wires, the fake ones I've seen use thicker gauge wiring.

[@leo_hoang]

Thicker wiring but same colour? Or different colour and thicker wires? Have you seen any fakes use the brass plate? Thanks

[@Cuenca-co6bk]

Son originales los de Ud

[@nickloss2377]

as an audio engineer and by using common sense, the things that people have told you to check to ensure it is genuine make no sense. they're talking about the materials used in manufacturing these mics. the grommets, the colour of the internal wires, brass plating etc.. these are not things that are impossible to fake. if someone wants to sell a really good fake unit that they're going to take into account these minor material differences. it's not like it's impossible to obtain the right colored wires or have the correct materials used in the machining process. the actual circuit board should be checked and compared to a genuine known unit. the microphone capsule is the important components but makes it almost impossible for a non-engineered to check this stuff.. the best thing I would suggest you do is to do some frequency sweeps using a calibrated measurement microphone and compare it to the sweeps you can find on the short website.. that's the number one and most important thing you can do to confirm it's a genuine unit. you can't fake a frequency measurement. it's the culmination of the components in the unit that determine how well it performs. the materials being used could vary from one fake manufacturer to the next. there isn't just one person or company out there trying to fake these things. they're being fake from china, Vietnam, India.. basically whoever has the facilities for machining could fake a unit and toss in a capsule from some no name brand. I've seen really really well done fakes out there.. at a glance and on inspection with your eyes or comparison with the genuine one, it's almost impossible to tell what's a fake and what is genuine. it also doesn't take into account that there are different production runs of products from genuine manufacturers. there may be incremental changes from run to run.. this all depends on supply chain issues or even change in manufacturing locations that could determine small changes to a genuine unit.. doesn't make him any less genuine but it does eliminate any real possibility of using a visual inspection to determine genuine or fake units. "performance" is the only way to determine this.

[@leo_hoang]

Of course these physical parts can be replicated and faked to match colouring etc. this is why I also included the audio samples throughout the video. The physical checks are a good way to start and by no means am I claiming they’re a definitive way of checking. I am not an audio engineer, so can you help with advising me on how I can check the performance and whether there’s any more specific kit or software needed?

[@UHMedia-u2h]

You have said it all. Some experts have also said that the one called fake is also from Shure who made them from cheap labour factories to beat down their prices.

[@alanx216]

The XLR socket needs to be smooth and rounded, if like you said there are sharp drop offs then it is probably not genuine

[@garyanderson5609]

They are all real... You needcto understand as years go by they make minor changes! They fine ways to make them cheaper

[@leo_hoang]

Thanks for the feedback

[@Vagrant1PSN]

You have a real one, things your describing are for older models

[@leo_hoang]

Thank you - I actually received an email from Shure where they explained sometimes factories subcontract work due to capacity so the chrome interior could be a result of that… but otherwise no flags indicate it is counterfeit… so that’s good!

[@ikigai47]

Registered trademark doesn't by default mean it's fake. They used to do that

[@leo_hoang]

Yeah - I’m sure mentioned that in this video? Or it might have been my follow up video. But you’re right, the Trademark R could just be an age thing, but I do believe it’s for much older variants so that in itself could be part of your purchase decision. You are either buying a very old one or a fake.

[@HasanNiz]

I bought one back in 2019 and ever since thinking to buy a second one just cause, but if I ever buy another one it'll be from a reputable audio store that is listed on Shure's website, too many fakes flooded in the market, and I'm paranoid in nature :D

[@leo_hoang]

Yeah it’s rough out there… I feel comfortable enough knowing how to check if I needed to buy a used one… but I think if I were to ever buy again, I’d just get a fresh one from an authorised retailer… so I totally get it…

[@claudioagmfilho]

🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷👏🏻, Unscrew the back of it, see if it's copper colored or silver, green, yellow, black and white wires. If silver it's fake! They all sound great tho!

[@leo_hoang]

Yeah - they all have brass plates at the back, not silver… there was one which seemed different but Shure confirmed it’s just a manufacturing difference between generations or factories… I have actually since sold that one and then picked up an electro-voice re20…

[@claudioagmfilho]

@@leo_hoang I want to get a Sennheiser MKH 416 and a naumann u87, I currently own a Rode NTG3, and an AKG C414 LTD and an SM7b as well. I am torn between the TLM103 instead of the U87. Cheaper and lower self noise, but as they say, it's not about the Mic, it's about its status.

[@leo_hoang]

@@claudioagmfilho I have Rode NTG3B and as a mic out of shot I feel like I’m doing something wrong. Naturally it won’t sound good, but I don’t like the performance at all so far. Further testing to come… I wanted MKH-416 but Full-Time Filmmakers review did a comparison and I preferred NTG3 sound in his tests… I want to do my own tests but one step at a time lol… I’m drowning in podcast mics lol… I’m not even an audio person!!! I’m just trying to find a mic I like… Tbf, I like them all but just testing what I can before I make my final call…

[@claudioagmfilho]

@@leo_hoang I have never heard of the NTG3B mine is the Rode NTG3 which is a shotgun mic, is this the same one you're referring to? NTG3 is about 200 dollars cheaper, the MKH 416 is upwards of 800 dollars!

[@leo_hoang]

@claudioagmfilho NTG3B is the same mic but the “B” is for the Black Colour of the mic is all. No idea why they didn’t just call it NTG3 but then have a “Black” option lol

[@zord469]

If you take off the part of the bottom of the mic it is gold it's officially real

[@leo_hoang]

Thanks

[@fredoverflow]

Five SM7Bs? Podcast when? 😉

[@leo_hoang]

Well, 4 - I’ve sold one of them recently and purchased an RE20 instead… 😉

[@A_Pt_9298]

It looks like you've got yourself a load of legit SM7Bs 👌 lucky you, did you pay a lot for them?

[@leo_hoang]

£150 for the one with the chrome interior, £160 each for the other 3… so all very cheap… I set out only wanting one but then fell down a rabbit hole… 🤦‍♂️

[@frantotti9754]

What matter is the sound, if they sound the same, I don't mind if it is fake or original. if they look the same and sound the same but cheaper why not !.

[@leo_hoang]

At the time of me making this video, I wasn’t sure if it was sounding as it should… but it does matter also in the sense you don’t want to spend money on something you think is genuine, but is fake… I got scammed years before with the cheaper MV7 and it was very cheap and sounded good to me at the time so I wasn’t upset to discover it was fake… so I do understand your point to a degree. But I still don’t want to be deceived with a purchase of anything. Overall the general consensus is that my mics are genuine. So that’s a positive

[@NevaSweetCat2024]

Can you tell me which one audiointerface this microphone fits with?

[@leo_hoang]

There are a large number of interfaces which can support this mic, some will require an additional preamp to boost gain (CloudLifter or Fethead), but the one I have opted for is Rodecaster Pro II which can provide 76db of clean gain. The Rodecaster Duo and Rode Streamer X have the same preamps so they can also power this mic. The Shure MVX2U can also power this mic, but it does have a high noise floor which can be processed out, so not my first choice, but it can work… hope that helps

[@NevaSweetCat2024]

@@leo_hoang Thank you very much! 🙏 You are great! 👍

[@LootShaman]

The only thing to say when testing those microphones for fake is to check all of them and then say, I’m not SHURE anymore. 😅

[@leo_hoang]

I have been wanting to slap on the "Shure" logo whenever I said 'sure' lol - one day... lol

[@garyanderson5609]

Do you know anything about mics? I been in broadcasting 53 years.Did you know you can have 6 of the same model microphones and each will have a slight difference! As for the one with chrome insides is a way older model!

[@leo_hoang]

Don’t know much about mics tbh - I’m new to the game and open to learning… so cheers for your insight

[@plakugerti]

No idea what is going on. I was looking for video online because i saw many many offers from ebay who are selling for 100 euro. (NEW)🤨

[@leo_hoang]

The price sounds too good to be true… eBay sellers usually use stock images anyway, so it would be hard to judge before buying. Honestly at that price I would be too skeptical and just pass on it… unless you feel eBay will protect you as a buyer against fakes, you could give it a shot… but I’m almost certain they would be fakes at that price

[@Feragamotv]

soo wich one is fake wich one legit ? how to know ? )))

[@leo_hoang]

It turns out they’re all genuine… I’ve just uploaded another video going through the steps and checks when searching for a used Shure SM7B

[@Timosius]

nice video maybe next time blend in those numbers which you are measuring @ 12min

[@leo_hoang]

Thank you for the feedback - I actually recorded a second angle with the scales being recorded for the weight, then I realised after posting I didn’t even edit them in 🤦‍♂️ rookie mistake

[@Dracomies]

All these are original.

[@leo_hoang]

Thank you

[@Dracomies]

@@leo_hoang The biggest and best tell is the capsule. It's higher up in fakes.

[@leo_hoang]

@@Dracomies I‘ve seen some videos where the fakes are at different levels and apparently you can detach the metal mesh and simply push the capsule back down… I’ve never held a fake so can’t be sure… I actually did try to buy a cheap fake for a video, but wasn’t getting much response at the price I was willing to lose for a fake

[@ArielNixTTV]

After watching this video... I'm almost certain I've got a fake one.. I spent so much money on it. Damn it.

[@leo_hoang]

Sorry to hear. What were the points which make you feel you have a fake?

[@ArielNixTTV]

@@leo_hoang Pretty much everything mentioned in your video. The cables, there’s a red coloured cable, when I took the filter off the mic metal was rough, the grommets are easily popped out, the cable is longer 😔

[@leo_hoang]

@@ArielNixTTV I did a follow up video, pretty similar for the most part but adds a bit more regarding what I'd check if I were to buy through FB Marketplace, it might help if you choose to go down the used Shure SM7B route again... I'm doing some audio testing for myself to see what I truly like regarding the different mic options as I initially just defaulted to SM7B but there does appear to be a lot more great options for much cheaper. What made you want the Shure SM7B to begin with and how long have you had it?

[@ArielNixTTV]

@@leo_hoang I actually got mine from Ebay! My mistake though! I went with the Shure cause I was looking to upgrade from my current mic which is a RodeNT USB! I also had a GOXLR that was being unused but I've also learned that it's a dead company now so it's useless anyway haha. Shure seemed to be one of the best rated mics on the market and I was keen to get one! I've only had it a few days to a week!

[@BlueshellGamer]

Thank fk they dont make fske shurr m447 cartridges. All my shure products are genuine. Its scary how China are tapping into the market though. Whats to stop them approachine small mom and pop shops.

[@leo_hoang]

I don’t see much discussed about fake Electro-Voice RE20’s etc… I find that odd… I haven’t assume that the EV’s are made in US and the Shure’s are Made in China, so samples and moulds are probably more easily accessible to the counterfeiters in China… I have no idea though, so speculating… But yeah, def the smaller businesses may unknowingly sell the counterfeits… some maybe be knowingly and just caring about profit…

[@edsonjsantos5175]

In my humble opinion, I believe that there is no such thing as a fake SM7B. For some reason these microphones do not pass Shure's quality control and to avoid losing, they sell well below their value. Many companies buy and resell at a fair price!

[@leo_hoang]

There are definitely fake Shure SM7B’s as there are clear differences with the wiring etc… but I have heard over time the fakes have gotten closer to the originals with visual checks… but not discounting the possibility that there are some floating about sold as refurb or “open box” which may be “less than perfect” copies. I actually had an email back from Shure saying mine all look legit and the chrome interior is a difference in manufacturing age or subcontracted factory.