Shure SM7B Undressed

[@MrNicknayme]

Gold playing only makes sense in installations where connections stay untouched. Corrosion can build up and cause bad connectivity, which can be avoided with goldplating.

[@tom_k_d]

Hi Anton, if you look at the SM7b schematic, presence boost 'on' and low cut 'off' is actually the direct path to the Unidyne capsule. It's not a 57 capsule, though: as the transformer is missing, capsule impedance is different - plus a hum bucking coil was added in the a and b revisions of the SM7. This sadly did degrade openness of it's sound - 'Thriller' was recorded with the old version, the one without hum bucking coil. Presence boost 'off' is introducing a passive presence (not treble!) bandstop filter into the signal path, to smooth out the intrinsic presence boost that comes with every Unidyne capsule. So if you compare with SM57, best do it with presence boost 'on'. Looking forward to your sound samples.

[@AntonBrowne]

Hi Tom, thanks for the info. I am yet to play with the options but it does sound a bit lifeless/contained, with the 'flat' setting that I briefly auditioned with.

[@tuskedbeast]

I'm Shure is right this minute patriotically changing their outsourcing business model to "bring it all back home", and US mic consumers are patriotically eager to spend whatever it costs with their dramatically increased buying power... sarcasm.

[@AntonBrowne]

We've got used to so much for so little that 'Made in the USA' or 'Made in England' will be a tough call.

[@tom_k_d]

@@AntonBrowne Still a bummer that the SM7b production was obviously recently outsourced to China. My samples (3 and 5 years old) were both 'Made in Mexico', a well established plant for decades, close to the US border, with good manufacturing quality. I had very bad experience with China made SM57 when Shure switched it's production location a few years ago - I returned them, and chased some remaining Mexico stock for higher prices from small local music stores instead to complete my mic locker.