Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
A customer emailed in to say that their Shure SM7B was too quiet and we realised that we hadn't actually yet done a guide for getting the best results with one of the finest end address microphones.
The SM7B is so good for broadcasting, streaming and podcasting because it sounds incredibly rich, is unaffected by plosives and has amazing off-axis rejection of other sounds in the room and low sibilance. Unfortunately because it's got such a long cage and foam on it (which is exactly why it handles plosives so well), the capsule is further back from your mouth by a couple of inches, compared to a handheld mic. This means that the signal is quieter and it needs more gain, but extra gain on most interfaces means bringing up the noise floor, or what you would call hiss.
There are two solutions to this, either use an in-line preamp to boost the signal (preferably connected to the mic itself, but this can be difficult due to the sm7b design and certain stands) such as these below. you power the preamp with phantom power, then it boosts the signal cleanly without loads of hiss.
Cloudlifter
scan.co.uk/products/cloudlifter-cl-1-mic-activator
Fet Head
scan.co.uk/products/triton-fet-head-in-line-preamp-boost-your-microphone
SE Dynamite
scan.co.uk/products/se-electronics-dm1-dynamite-class-a-low-noise-active-inline-preamp-plus28-db-transformerless-design
------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere:
Official Website: scan.co.uk/proaudio
Tech Channel: youtube.com/user/scanproaudiotv
Guitars Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCDWkCK6BzBm2nigGZJS4CdA
Facebook: facebook.com/scanproaudio
Twitter: twitter.com/scanproaudio
Instagram: instagram.com/scanproaudio
A customer emailed in to say that their Shure SM7B was too quiet and we realised that we hadn't actually yet done a guide for getting the best results with one of the finest end address microphones.
The SM7B is so good for broadcasting, streaming and podcasting because it sounds incredibly rich, is unaffected by plosives and has amazing off-axis rejection of other sounds in the room and low sibilance. Unfortunately because it's got such a long cage and foam on it (which is exactly why it handles plosives so well), the capsule is further back from your mouth by a couple of inches, compared to a handheld mic. This means that the signal is quieter and it needs more gain, but extra gain on most interfaces means bringing up the noise floor, or what you would call hiss.
There are two solutions to this, either use an in-line preamp to boost the signal (preferably connected to the mic itself, but this can be difficult due to the sm7b design and certain stands) such as these below. you power the preamp with phantom power, then it boosts the signal cleanly without loads of hiss.
Cloudlifter
scan.co.uk/products/cloudlifter-cl-1-mic-activator
Fet Head
scan.co.uk/products/triton-fet-head-in-line-preamp-boost-your-microphone
SE Dynamite
scan.co.uk/products/se-electronics-dm1-dynamite-class-a-low-noise-active-inline-preamp-plus28-db-transformerless-design
------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere:
Official Website: scan.co.uk/proaudio
Tech Channel: youtube.com/user/scanproaudiotv
Guitars Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCDWkCK6BzBm2nigGZJS4CdA
Facebook: facebook.com/scanproaudio
Twitter: twitter.com/scanproaudio
Instagram: instagram.com/scanproaudio
