Shure Mic Showdown | SM7B vs. SM58

[@sweetwater]

It's a clash of the titans! Do you prefer the SM7B or the SM58? 🎤

[@quiquepriore]

Sm7b

[@SM57]

SM58

[@JeremyHalterman]

SM57 + A2WS 🙃

[@Sool101]

SM58 because its the one I have but you signing surprised me, took me off guard it was really really good. I'll have to let somebody else make "I'm gonna make you a star" comment for now though.

[@NoQualmsTheArtist]

I find the SM7B is only usable for singers who sing in higher registers, otherwise it's just too muddy in the mix. SM58 is much more versatile.

[@dougp7545]

I have shure 58. Works perfect on stage.

[@kniferideaudio]

I own both of these mics and if someone asked which one to grab my answer would be "doesn't matter" The differences in the results you get from one or the other are tiny and easily adjusted for with minimal eq if you want to match them. Always thought the SM7B should have been called the 57 Pro and been like maybe $50 more at best. There are way more exciting mics in the same price range (Beyer M88, Sennheiser 421, Telefunken M80, Sennheiser e935 etc...) that are a better option to a SM58 and don't look as ridiculous in front of your mouth as a SM7b does, and don't require 20dB of extra gain. KZbin and Tik Tok has made these mics way too popular in the last few years and I hope people get over it.

[@merjaymermanph]

Sm58 - my first ever mic gifted by my Mom on my bday… i love it, i didnt expect that its popular

[@gayhiphoprighthandmaniwill7274]

W mom

[@sinplemistakes]

I own and like both… I find the 58 sits easier in a mix (and sounds ‘cleaner’) but is difficult to get consistent recordings with, as minor variations in source distance will have dramatic effects on levels… the sm7 produces meatier recordings, with more ‘dynamic range’ (could just be the bass) and sounds warmer, but also introduces marked distortion higher up (this could be comb filtering from my untreated room)… I’m unshure which is better, but I do wish I had bought the 58 first… 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@exhaust4246]

I have to make that choice now bro... after 3 years of using my entry level mic i wanna upgrade, which would be fine for vocal recording?

[@grandeura3001]

Underrated pun

[@glenshirley5779]

You just expanded my MIC collection. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE....

[@thepaintpeople]

Bruh... chills. Pitch perfect! @3:45

[@Johnny_Fox_Show]

I have used the SM7B, SM58, Behringer XM8500, and countless other mics and i'll explain why the 7B is the best one. Its not even a sound thing because with EQ you can make all of them sound good and incredibly similar. The SM7B is a foolproof design. With the big windscreen (not the skinny one u see here) its incredibly hard to plosive into the mic. This makes it great for people who don'tw ant to have to worry about angles and adjusting the mic constantly and messing with it to get rid of plosives and keep the tone. The SM7B gives you the ability to just put it in front of you, and work. It also allows guests who have no microphone knowledge to just talk into it and not have plosives or harsh tones from it. Guests don't want to spend 20 minutes learning about how to talk into the mic and how to use it for best effect. The SM7B "just works" without the headaches that cheaper mics bring due to their designs. And it just sounds great.

[@DonaldMerrit]

I have both microphones sm57 and the sm7b. Both microphones have their place, but for recording vocals and other stuff in the studio, the sm7b wins hands down and is worth every penny. A cloudlifter is not necessary for the 7B. I get a perfectly adequate signal with the gain on my recording console. However I almost always run it through a Neve preamp before it hits the recording console. However if you don't have any preamps to run the sm7b through, a cloudlifter may be necessary for some to get a good signal. I have a nice bunch of microphones in my music studio including sm57, sm58 Audio-Technica, Sony etc. but my Go To Mic's for vocals and other is Neumann U-87 and Sure sm7b. For a $400 price tag I highly recommend Shure sm7b.

[@iloveeverything4380]

What's a preamp and cloudlifter are one of those an audio interface

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Nice info. I love my Beta 58a - I think it compares more-favorably with the SM7B. Shure makes fantastic Mic's. You can't go wrong with either-one.

[@WaypointOverland]

I have both and agree.

[@VoiceOverHQ]

​@@WaypointOverlandgreat, and how many "db's" for the preamp gain?...

[@mattunger3578]

I love my Sm7b and my 58 but my Telefunken m80 is my go to these days for a dynamic.

[@johngregory7329]

Excellent demonstration. It is great information to know on the great uses of both of them. Well done. Stay safe and well and keep Rocking. Signed John Gregory (Zepbass) from Munster Indiana.

[@wdsyalyn]

This was an amazingly helpful video in my decision making process for a new mic. Cheers.

[@DojoOfCool]

Going way back to my recording days wasn't the SM7B Shures answer to the EV RE20 that was became popular when Stevie Wonder used it on Talking Book and Innervisions albums. Both albums recorded at same time, but released at different times.

[@U2WB]

I know the SM58 sounds decent for most vocalists - not bad, not fantastic either. Just a good overall inexpensive mic. I’m partial to Beyerdynamic, Telefunken (love the M80) or even the Shure Beta 87.

[@homesickskymusic]

That is why I love my SM58. 🥰

[@epiphonium]

The SM7B has a removable outer windscreen the SM58 has a non-removable internal windscreen and an external one can be added. The SM7b is about $400 and the SM58 is about $100. The SM7B was introduced in 2001 and the SM58 was introduced in 1973. The SM7b was designed as a studio mike and the SM58 was designed as a live handheld mic that can sit in a stand. I have 2 SM58's that I have used since '74. Apples and oranges.

[@NigelLeonard]

Didn't realize how the design makes so much of a difference on two mics with the polar pickup pattern until I watched this video.

[@Zildjian_DW]

I only use Shure microphones. My entire 7 piece drum kit is set up with them. No problems ever! Thank you Sweetwater for the comparison video.

[@sweetwater]

Thanks for checking it out! 👍

[@PurpleMusicProductions]

Based on this demonstration I preferred the sm7b.

[@sagersound]

I hope this is a new video series from Sweetwater…super interesting

[@ramencurry6672]

I heard a comparison of the SM58 and SM7b with other expensive condenser microphones. The Shure microphones sounded just as good in a song mix for singing.

[@pedrosilvaproductions]

Any microphone does with the right amount of mix. Thing is, expensive microphones sound great out of the box and require less editing and mixing to sound good

[@jjrusy7438]

I have heard the SM7b in other podcast mic shootouts. it has a pleasing sound. nicer detail and richer. understandable why basically everyone uses them for speech. I believe the sm58 is the same inside as the SM57 and the 57 can really get in close proximity, but also plosive danger.

[@joekelley5121]

the 57 and 58 only differ in that the 58 has a pop filter. Many singers do go for the 57 because it has higher output with the lows and highs above 5khz. I prefer the 57 as well. I never had too much of a problem with 'plosives.

[@jjrusy7438]

@@joekelley5121 ok thx, that's what i thought. I have experimented with my sm57 making super deep bass vocals which are very quiet and ended up with the sm57 set up from the side, so that i sang across the top. all the plosives blew right by , so to speak, but plosives are very easy to make on that mic. I actually eventually got an EV mic for regular vocals. the mic sounds clearer and better with my voice. but i would still use the 57 for special vocal stuff and of course everything else.

[@Aspirintax]

The sm7b and the sm58 are also virtually identical, with the exception of a transformer on the sm58. Other than that it’s practically the same mic outside of aesthetic design.

[@DonaldMerrit]

I have a lot of Mike's to choose from in my studio in I use the sm7b a lot for a singing vocals. You see a lot of people using the 7B in podcast, but it excels with the singing voice as well. If you want to record singing voices sm7b cannot be beat for the $400 price tag I highly recommend it.

[@folkstudiokashmir6236]

I love sm 58 always

[@superblondeDotOrg]

Should have performed a vocal comparison with the filter/screens removed on Both. Then any sound difference between the cartridges would be clearly heard.

[@RobertSaxy]

Stepping up the video production a little bit there, nice

[@atomicmark]

the ssm7b is my dream mic for recording yt videos and stuff like that ive always wanted one but i realized recently through doing resurch that the sm58 is 99.9% of what the ssm7b is recording voice overwise the sm58 is almost the same as the sm7b with some very very very small differences so ima get a sm58 instead of the sm7b and save myself $300

[@regmonmusic]

Nice voice Mr J. D. 🗣🎤👍🏽

[@JeremyHalterman]

I’ve never been a fan of the SM58’s midrange and end up EQing it more heavily than most other mics. The SM7B beats the SM58 every time for my ears. That said, the _SM57_ can do the job of the SM7B in a lot of applications-especially on the human voice. For speech, the SM57 with the A81WS sounds almost identical to the SM7B. For singing, with the A2WS it sounds better than the SM58 on almost any voice and better than even the SM7B on some. Of course the SM7B’s switches make it more versatile than the other two, but with one of those windscreens and an A55HM or A55M shockmount, you’ve got 95% of an SM7B for less than half the price. It’s way easier to drive too, so depending on your setup you may also be saving money on an inline preamp.

[@Scott__C]

I've never been a huge fan of the SM7B for radio/podcasting most folks don't engage the low rolloff and end up with too much low end on the voice. I do like the high end response though.

[@justdavidjin]

you have a great voice!!!

[@75ajw]

Surely it's a just a matter of which one looks better on KZbin? :)

[@Tovega]

Fantastic video guys

[@xEvannnx]

Y'all should really look into the Beacn Mic and especially the software with it. I don't see it having many musical applications, but it will be VERY good for live streaming and podcasting.

[@benjiang9789]

Why do I still have plosives when using SM7B?

[@BukanIbuMu]

3:43 I'm hearing some Jeff Buckley vibes here

[@1KriticalShoota]

I truely prefer the SM7B but I’m still trying to find the best sethings for my vocal recordings ..

[@simplyb.8959]

This video is gold!

[@jimpurcell]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@RWKirby-gk7mk]

Great Video

[@modiddley]

i love my sm58

[@RhusserDoedee]

Thank you bro

[@yohelfernandez2611]

I loved thanks for video

[@lofi_soul_jazz]

lol i was hopin gyou would mention something about the 3.5x price diff?

[@zacharysmithingell5460]

I wanted a large diaphragm dynamic for vocal tracking (rock/metal singing) and wound up with the audio Technica bp40. It is absolutely a different animal, but I love it. Hypercardioid, high output, and the mid bump (which some people seem to not like) all fit my needs really well. And btw, high output means no cloud lifter (or similar) necessary. If you have a chance and are looking at picking up large diaphragm dynamic, take a look at the bp40 too.

[@MikeEdwardsphotography]

Well presented.

[@joeloesch1219]

Great singer!

[@sotetsotetsotetsotetsotet2379]

Is the plosive test really fair when the sm7b has a built in foam pop guard? Could have at least used a basic foam one of the sm58..

[@SoundAuthor]

Buy a $100 SM57 or 58, twist off the grill and put a $38 Shure A81WS windscreen on it. You just saved $262. You're welcome.

[@DonaldMerrit]

I have one of each and it doesn't really work that way

[@SoundAuthor]

@@DonaldMerrit Yeah, I've heard that before from people who spent $400 on their SM7B 😂

[@amanshrestha2147]

And the money for cloud lifter as well

[@ccc369]

yes

[@_FoxZ_]

Connect your Shure SM57/58 and hit record bro, no cloud filter or nothing

[@gcvrsa]

I’ve never liked the SM7B. It’s dull-sounding, and that’s why so many people use Cloudlifters or similar. And as far as the SM58 is concerned, the Beta 58A is vastly superior in every application, so I don’t understand why anyone still uses the SM58 other than inertia. That being said, microphone selection is not really about which mic is “best” in a vacuum, but which mic is best for the particular source material. For me, that is, for *my voice to my ears*, even the Beta 58A pales in comparison to the Beta 87A condenser.

[@ggleplussuxx4787]

Cloudlifter has nothing to do with dullness, it doesn't change the frequency profile in any way. But I agree that sm7b is just a 58 with bells and whistles for 4x the price. Regardless, it's good enough, and still lies in the affordable range. It's no u87. Most people are no microphone experts, and sticking with a popular choice isn't a bad strategy. People don't want necessarily the best mic, they want something definitely good enough. You can probably find better sounding dynamics in this price range (for example, some of the aston mics, or an re20), but sm7b is a very reliable choice just because of its sheer userbase of professionals. It's de-facto the standard that other mid-range dynamics are being measured against. Also, if you're a woman, the sm7b definitely works on joe roganesque type of voices much better. It's really good for deep vocal fry, but, as you say, it can muffle female voices.

[@grrodriguez839]

Cool!

[@Radio-Loud]

I have a Samson Q7, is that kind of like a 58?

[@cornbobrimlove7892]

its better than a 58.

[@wallmartkiller]

I have a sm58. Would a cloud lfter make it it better or am I good now?

[@sweetwater]

Good question! A Cloud Lifter will function with any dynamic microphone and make it much more sensitive. The SM58 is generally sensitive enough to be used without a Cloud Lifter, but if you are recording a very quiet source, or need to be positioned a good distance away from the mic, you may find the Cloud Lifter helpful! If you have more questions about microphones and gain staging, just give me a ring! Drake Sobehrad, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 3271, [e-mail]

[@Eval999]

These mics sound 90% the same.

[@DavidBrackett385]

why do some sm7b mics I see have the label on the outside and some on the inside of the yoke?

[@lilotube]

oliginal

[@princessl.d.g.]

I have the SM7B. 😀

[@1KriticalShoota]

What’s your mic settings for vocal recordings? The roll off bass etc 😅

[@princessl.d.g.]

@@1KriticalShoota Normally, I would have my microphone on flat. I can't really tell the difference between each setting on my voice.

[@1KriticalShoota]

@@princessl.d.g. Okay thanks 😊

[@princessl.d.g.]

@@1KriticalShoota no problem!

[@bluesiliconedot2190]

Diaphram?

[@GigiUK]

Why are people commenting if they don't own both mics to be able to make the comparison? Omggg! They might as well say they prefer brown bread. What? Exactly! ...pointless time wasters 😂

[@davidyoung8875]

sm7b way over priced

[@DonaldMerrit]

I have the 57 the 58 and the 7 B period when it comes to recording which I've been doing for 35 years the sm7b wins hands down it's well worth the $400 price tag. Next to my $4,000 Neumann u87 the sm7b is my microphone of choice.

[@xamxamxamxa]

🌚🖤🎶

[@pimmelpammel3688]

Both have the same capsule. Just saying

[@mojito6629]

too many fake products imitating those two (and SM57) mics on the market. Some are very similar,, difficult to tell

[@flashchrome]

Those are truly old school. Literally any other modern microphone sounds so much better unless you want that cold, screaming blueish harsh shure sound.