If this helped you make a decision, I earn a small percentage from buying from these two links. It's a nice way of supporting the channel :) If you hated the review definitely don't buy from these links. Amazon: NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK SM7B - amzn.to/3lL4REV Sweetwater: NT1 - imp.i114863.net/oeaZVO SM7B - imp.i114863.net/QOx3A3
Gonna get sm7b next month (if all goes well) saving the link :) really good video and a solid explanation thank you! Any recommendations for a Preamp? I was looking at the GOXLR as an option for streaming.
@@lidorori Glad to help! Thank you for thinking of the link :) I've never tried to GOXLR actually, its more tailored toward streaming audio than music audio so its not really in my world. If I had the choice to go back and buy a small preamp though, I would problem go with the Motu M2
Not in the same price range, really. I love my NT1, even live as long as it is a solo type of performance, but I am looking to get the SM7B as an "upgrade" from an SM58 in noisier live conditions. I agree with you and do not see why people would even compare these mics. For a studio environment, I'd think an NT1 would offer the cleanest and fullest range recording for an audio engineer to work with in post, but I recognize there is a "flavor" aspect that has value when it comes to a musician's artistry. Will always love my NT1, but it's always nice to have choices!
Definitely! I was just pointing out the difference between the two because I think they serve different purposes. Still a new channel and didn't realize this would garner in views, didn't mean to offend, sorry if I did!
@@AudioHaze no offense taken. Always awesome to see new folks uploading educational audio content to UA-cam. More opinions, more samples does nothing but help people researching this stuff. Your video was very well formatted and provides great info. Keep it up.
Im really bothered by people turning microphones that have specifically functions to caption singing voices to podcast. This is a pest now with this amount of podcasters and Shure and Rode. Speaking voice is not necessarily showing all that the microphone is prepared to manage like harmonics as the singing voice. Still you managed to do a review of a proper singing voice and the singer took the time to show high notes and low notes as well as dynamics. I am tired of looking for reviews and only seeing podcasters podcasters and podcasters, not considering at all male singing voices or female singing voices with all their variety. Thanks A LOT!!
Glad I can help! Yeah I try to have both female and male singers to have a diverse set of voices when I do my mic comparisons, and its true recording vocal and podcasts are completely different :)
Rode crushed it on classic vocals. That "air" makes all the difference. I have an NT2A, and it's great, but as stated in the video, you need to manage room reflections. A reflection filter really helps if you're mobile or on a budget.
I’ve watched several videos on this comparison and this is the first where the presenter is actually talking rather than declaiming into the microphone. This was a pleasure to listen to because for once I could properly hear the differences for VO and narration. Thank you.
as a singer I'll take a condenser any day of the week. far more detailed across the EQ spectrum, a much sweeter top end, no bass bloat of the SM7B and less post-production treatment needed. its about priorities. a dynamic may be more rugged, but I'm not playing catch with my mic's. they sit in their shockmounts, attached to mic stands. they get treated well. as for background noise, this issue is overstated and more about marketing than anything practical. drop a vocal into a mix and any background noise gets completely hidden. hell, I did my last vocal take with a condenser and my air con running. its not even a thing once in a mix.
The Rhode NT1 is definitely a more "musical" microphone superb for instrumental and musical voice. The Shure is definitely more vocal oriented in as much as broadcast or speaking applications such as podcasting or rapping. Just my take away. Both are fantastic and can be used with alot of versatility. Always experiment with your setting and use your plug in chain to find what best suits your needs.
Excellent explanation of what & why, without being biased toward either, while backing it up with a tasteful objective demonstration. This is how all UA-cam videos should be done
The self noise reduction of the NT1 is phenomenal! It's a perfect all-rounder with a good sensitiveness and smooth characteristic sound. I think it is more usable for spoken word ( especially overvoices) and singing/instruments.
Great video, I love properly done comparisons like this. One nitpick though: The Sm7B has a huge thick chunk of foam covering the actual diaphragm. The NT1, like most vocal condensers, doesn't. The thin plosive screen doesn't provide nearly as much high end attenuation as a 2 inch thick piece of foam. A more fair test might be to remove the SM7B capsule foam and put the same plosive filter in front of it that's being used on the NT1. Just a small nitpick though. They are both great sounding mics and like you pointed out, they are made for different things.
It is quite thick! Yes one of my audio professors uses his SM7B without the shield on it. I considered doing that but came to the conclusion that most would be using it with the pop shield on, so it would be more accurate to the buyer if it had the shield on. But yes it does cut some of the high end for sure :)
I just purchased the SM7B...still looking at reviews maybe because I still have doubts LOL! I'll use it for voiceover projects. When you mentioned that the Shure is better for untreated rooms, you sold it for me. It's precisely the mic I need. I treated my booth as much as I can, but of course is not as isolated as a regular studio...and at night, the crickets of my garden drive me crazy, so I hope the sensitivity of this mic won't capture them. Thank you for your review, and congrats to the wonderful Spanish singer. Beautiful voice and sentiment!
Hi everyone! Been getting a few comments about how much gain is required in order to bring the SM7B to proper gain levels. In my experience, I have not needed to use a cloudlifter in order to get the SM7B to the desired range of minus 18-12dB. My interface has 60dB of gain. The trouble areas are typically anything below 50dB of gain on interface preamps (Scarlett 2i2s are an offender of this) , so check yours! Be sure you know the difference between an increase in noise floor and microphone hissing, as some of the noise you may perceive may just be due to the increase in gain and therefore room sensitivity. Happy recording everyone :)
I use a cloudlifter or other device (DBX 286, etc) to add gain to my SM7B. The inline gain boost makes it easier for the mic to pick up subtle sounds like quiet talking and still maintain 2 inches or so distance off the end of the mic to minimize plosives.
Great comparison! I just picked up the NT1 and am using it in an untreated room for my YT videos. I have to cleanup the reverb in adobe, but I am quite happy so far! SM7B probably would have performed better but the NT1 AI1 kit came with all I needed. I believe I would have needed a SM7B and an AI to record and the cost for me was out of budget.
@@AudioHaze Thanks! I am definitely brand new to everything audio and appreciate the suggestion! I'll see what I can learn about working with the EQ. Audio is so important and I wan't to try to make it sound as good as I can for my audience. 😀
I heard it in many of your excellent vids and NT 1 is very friendly with beautiful intimate vocals and instrumentals. When Carolina sings in the first clip, it’s just like heaven sent ❤️
For people who are recording in a bedroom, living room, or a room thats not acoustically treated well, I would highly suggest an sm7b. Even in this video the condenser mic picks up so much reflection noise which can destroy a recording especially after mixing, trying to eq out the reflections will more than likely kill the vocals.
Brilliant review. I have an untreated room, so it's the Shure SM7B for me, after years of tracking with an NT1-A and having to set up ad hoc vocal booths with boxes, foam and doonas.
Same! Randomly. Well done video. The NT1A and the Sure are the two mics I've been looking at and have landed on the Sure due to research. But I was also guessing. It was good to know he's been to school and even read from his notes. This made me confident in my decision and reasons I had for choosing the SM7B. Great job here!! Don't forget to purchase the cloud lifter for the Sure SM7B
I'm surprised by your number of subs compared to how often these videos are being watched. Your videos are very informative and have helped me improve my audio immensely.
Pretty good comparison, it was interesting to watch and helped a lot. But definitely, I stayed as well for Carolina, her voice and her technique are incredible ¡Enhorabuena Carolina, tienes un nuevo fan!
you can tell she likes the rode nt1 more, i think you can hear yourself more clearly and put emotion into performance with condenser, her mimics shows.
The nt1 is like half the price of the sm7b after getting the clean gain amplifier. But I will say the sm7b is very adjustable with the two foams and it’s switches in the back for low cuts and presence boost.
Thank you so much! Bought the sm7b a few months ago but I haven't been able to use it properly. The singing aspect of the review was just what I needed.
I think I prefer the NT1 honestly.. and you have to be SO close to the mic on the SM7B.. if I'm trying to do a clothing & style youtube video... I don't want to be forced to be that close to my mic and I may have to move around, for this reason NT1 would be a better option for my scenario.
Absolutely, I can see in your case why the NT1 would be better. I think in pro audio we're so concerned with noise rejection we're happy to put a microphone right up to our face. By for other forms of content, having the rode a little farther away is going to work great!
I think that the SM7B is better for "normal" speech, especially in an untreated room. For singing, I definitely prefer the NT1, where I like the additional details.
Great comparison, thanks. The condenser on vocals was, airy, detailed and 'prettier', while the dynamic lacked fine articulation and generally 'chunkier' in tone.
I have a lower, almost bass voice. When I sing, I like to sing in baritone at least. The Rode was 100% the choice for me. The Shure may have been better for people in general for talking and commentary because it gives that low boost to your voice. But if you have a lower voice like me, you want something a but more flat so you can take the subs out when you're singing or doing voice over work. 👍 that's just me though. It's really hard to choose a microphone because it depends on your interface, the program you're using and what you're doing with it. Singing (which is what I use mine for) is much different than talking. So that's the first thing you need to figure out. You don't want one for both. And if you're doing instruments like guitar or piano, that's a whole different ball game. Good luck 😎👌
to be honest, Podcastage did a comparison because NT1 and SM7B are both used for singing and podcast usage, Moreover I think that Bandrew Scott knows very well the difference between dinamic and condenser microphones.. ;-) but your explanation could be useful for newbies. That being said, to drive the sm7b you need of a very powerful and silent preamp, that's why often it is not recommended to buy it if you have a very low budget audio interface. And a cloudlifter introduce noise in your recording. Thus, to have a very good result also in a podcast usage, the nt1 could be a very good solution, less expensive! Anyway, Good job with the mix, it sounded pretty good, also the guitar!
Amazing review! Been researching vocalist mics past couple weeks. you have THE best video by far! absolutely love how you gave the quick 101 on mechanics for nerds like me without becoming boring. It's important for serious artists like myself to understand basics of how these mechanics works so we can choose the best option for our use cases. Secondly, getting right to various test cases was brilliant! I don't understand microphone specs very well (they seem soooo advanced/scientific), but my ears are great at hearing nuances. was certain which mic i wanted after acapella female singer. After blind test (amazing guitar piece by the way! would love your tabs!!!!) the little uncertainty I had vanished! Rode has a slightly more muted sound (but perfectly maintains sound quality and natural feel) without this harmonic resonance I hear in the higher frequencies on the Shure. It sounded like two guitar strings out of tune....that whumm whummm whummm sound. Thanks for putting this together so well! off to buy my Rode now
NT1 sounded fuller range, crisper, but yes more sensitive so you can get unwanted sounds. The sm7b sounded smoother and more "resistant" but also a touch muddy.
funny enough I own both a SM7b and a NT1 - both excellent mics for VO! but.... yeah.... fundamentally different kinds of mics that you have to approach in very different ways, though in my case both subject to the same "well treated" room (it keeps evolving, but the only surface that still needs work is my ceiling, yeah, staring at you ceiling...) Great breakdown and comparison of what makes each of these what they are
My voice is like hers. High pitch and not so deep, not so full of dark. On the lows it really needs a good captions otherwise it quality sound is lost. I think I will have to go for Rode NT01. But maybe it depends also on the music style. I have been struggling with my sennheuser a895.
This information wasn't new to me, but I watched as I was curious about how you would explain it and you did it well and provided the information in a condensed and digestable manner without a bunch of extra nonsense that could confuse someone who is new to microphones.
Enjoyed this comparison, thanks! I think the SM7B might be better for me personally at the moment given my circumstances. I'm currently recording in my car so would you agree the SM7B would be the mic to use for this type of recording location and acoustics? I'm fine with upgrading my current mic and spending anywhere from $250-500 but I'm just unsure which type of mic will work best recording in my car. I must say though, its actually pretty quite other then random cars every once in awhile.
haha yeah I definitely think so! Cars can actually be pretty nice acoustic environments believe it or not, but yes 100% if your in your car its safer to go with the SM7
Her voice is amazing 😱 Thanks for the video. I have a Shure sm7b but I've been struggling to get it to sound clean when I record songs. Definitely going to change to a condenser mic 👌
Getting an SM7B to sound clean is an enormous undertaking. It's worth it to me, personally, but I actually enjoy fiddling with gain and gating and eq settings for hours on end. The other thing to consider is the listener - everyone has a little hearing damage and where that damage is does a lot to affect how they feel about sound. Anecdotally, people who are younger (with more awareness of lower frequencies) tend to prefer the sound of dynamics because the lows sound less muddy/muffled to them and the brightness of condensers can overwhelm the low detail.
@@jakeroth675 Wow I didn't know that thanks 👍 I just bought a condenser mic and I much prefer the sound now, there's alot less eq cuts and boost I have to do with it. I've only just started mixing and I find mixing my vocals with the Shure sm7b takes up to much time. I enjoy mixing but my main priority is to release more music and the mixing side is taking up alot of my time. I also have 3 kids and a full time job so my time for music is limited lol.
@@clayytz2645 The boosting with the SM7B is necessary, yeah. I didn't know how important careful gain staging was to managing floor noise until I had to deal with it. It's a skill. If you didn't return the SM7B keep it handy, play around with it when you have time. Remove the foam and go light on the eq. Grats on finding something that more closely fit your needs though!
Very helpful for musicians. I keep seeing podcasters review the SM7B which is cool, but they compare it to other mics for podcasting and not recording music. Would love to see you do a comparison between the Shure and an Ev RE20
compared those when singing, i feel like there is something missing in the dynamic mic. like there is noise gate on it. Feel like the NT1 sounds much more natural. Obviously the NT1 is not good for podcasts and streaming, as it picks up the keyboard sound and anything what happens around. I have the NT2-A and its great, but not good for streaming.
And it didn't take long for the myths to sneak out: • At matched ouput level & distance (and it's not even needed actually as long the source doesn't move), dyn & cond will have the same dynamic properties, especially within the vocal range of pressures, they only get somewhat non linear at very high pressure (that you can't reach with your voice, and it's just distorsion at that point) this is an acoustical/mechanical reality, so if you scream in one mic or the other, the delta is gonna be the same electrically because it's the same acoustically, and it's gonna be percieved the same (minus maybe some minor psychoacoustics due to the frequency response). This is an incredibly bad myth to spread as mics react to sound pressure level changes in an analog way to reality, it's their whole engineering purpose and they have ratings for that (sensitivity@1Khz & Relative Frequency response), it doesn't matter the technology, Dyns don't have an "expander/compressor" effect as you seem to imply else they'd be incredibly unreliable and it would create some insane crossover distortion. Those are very basic acoustics & electronics principles and I certainly hope you didn't learn the opposite at school. • For the same reason, with polar pattern matched (here cardio and very similar) they're gonna have the same ratio of ambiant noise vs signal, this is perhaps the most annoying myth. Any difference will be user & measurement confusion/erros around the distance, gain matching, bias etc and your demonstration here is a perfect manifestation of it: The reason your voice drops off so quickly with the SM7B when you get further away is because you set your gain while being right in front of the mic, so when you're gonna get further away, the inverse square law is gonna kick faster as doubling the distance will be easier (which hope may have learned in audio school). The exact same thing would happen with the NT1 at the same distance, which clearly is not the case here, you're miles away from the NT1. Distance should have been the number 1 factor to control in your demo yet here we are. All of this are properties of acoustic waves, nothing to do with the mic's technology. I can't link it here but i've researched that extensively in lab & studio, because people would swear on their ancestors that the myths are true (which they are unfortunately not), and it pains me to see this repeated everywhere, as you seem very passionate about audio and music yet you hinder yourself by believing falsehoods and spread them to thousands of people on top of that. If you're interested in advanced audio on the engineering side of things and to read the research I'm talking about find me on twitter at my name, I'd be glad to share, you might take a lot of things from it and this would probably speed up and improve your workflow (and save you some money?).
Hey Leo, First off, I want to say I'm always open and willing to have a conversation about audio. I hope I've demonstrated that in my 95% response rate to my commenters, including those who are critical of my work. And thank you, a lot of what you said was very informative. I would love to read your research, email it to me. I post my email in every new video I make. However, your essay you've written here doesn't exactly smell of someone who wants to have a conversation. It seems more like someone whose sole goal is to accuse me of "propagating myths", and you do so in a rather condescending manner. If you do actually want to talk, and not just make accusations, please extend a little effort to be polite. All I'm saying is to use a dynamic to reject room noise, if you have an untreated room, condensers will pick up room reflections. I hope you don't disagree with that statement, it doesn't exactly seem controversial. If I understand you right, to bring the SM7B to the same level as that of an NT1 would require much more gain than what is offered on most consumer preamps. The alternative is bring the NT1 closer to your face,,and turning down its preamp gain. Doing so would increase the bass response causing an inaccurate image of what the NT1 sounds like, thus voiding the whole review. On top of that, bring a condenser close to your face increases the likelihood of plosives, and increases the sibilance, further causing an inaccurate depiction of the microphone. Uploading videos is difficult, you open yourself up to nameless "experts" who furiously type their responses to your very public opinion. If you want to have a genuine conversation about this, email me, let's talk. If you want to put yourself in my position, upload your own video. I promise its more difficult than leaving your opinions on another's content.
@@AudioHaze Thanks for the reply and I'm sorry if I came across as rude, It's hard to convey the right tone when you're not a native english speaker, still I need to keep in mind that the people I talk to don't know the amount of bs I've been through in the audio world and the amount of times I had to write this message. I'm also very surprised if this is what they teach in school. I'm so used now to speak with snarky ego driven gearheads that I lost my way and you're somehow paying for my frustration and you shouldn't, this is 100% my fault and I need to work on all that. I hope the fundamental technical message is not lost in all this. To answer your reply, your statement is far from controversial and it's why it's such a widespread myth, unfortunately (truly I wish it was true) it is technically false and due to user error, and I'll email the research to you and I encourage you to do the controlled test by yourself as it's fairly easy. You know what to hell if this gets filtered, here's one of the experiments (re-fromatted just now) : ems.gg/dynvcond And some cool other simplified links: www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/15-popular-audio-myths (SOS) www.shure.com/en-US/performance-production/louder/debunking-common-audio-myths (shure themselves !) If what you say was true, directivity and sensitivity ratings would make no sense and be indicative of nothing. Dyn and Cond capture the sound pressure differences as they are in real life, they're measuring tools, the mic has no way to know if a low pressure wave is background noise or your voice and even if somehow it could, it would not be able to mechanicaly discriminate one and not the other. The only thing that could change this if directivity was different (canceling side ambiant noise for example) but in both cases they're cardio and close the cardio standard, and let me tell you, ambiant noise comes from everywhere so a mic's directivity has very little influence on its background rejection especially in an untreated room. A NT1 or any other mic is not particularly made to be used at a given distance, the proximity effect will also be present in both dynamic and cond mics as is a byproduct of directivity, not technology. Recording real close to the NT1 would be an accurate image of what the NT1 sounds like up close, which is a common usage in broadcast and if you try it you'll realise it's not so different in terms of proximity effect as a dynamic mic (again this is a directivity thing, not a mic tech thing, unless you do this on a RE20 which has a special tech to counteract this). Plosive rejection is also barely factored by mic tech, your SM7B (or any dynamic mic unless it's a 57) has an integrated pop filter/foam screen and grid inside that prevents this, it's a bit like what's outside of your NT1, but you could put a Cond capsule in a SM7B body (that's what an Icon Pro, a BCM104 or a Rode Broadcaster basically is) and it would be the same. A plosive is an acoustic pressure and as stated before, the mic is just a linear translator of acoustic pressures between its self noise and near max SPL. I will upload my own video and much more when I have time, I'd love to talk about all this even on discord if you're down as you seem like a very nice bloke ! And again sorry for my tone, I swear I'm not a douchebag ! (maybe sometimes)
@@Leonidas909 Hey no problem man! Tone is hard to convey over next, let alone in a second or third language. Sorry if I came off too strongly as well! I can get a little defensive in the comments some times. Thats really interesting and good to know! I'll choose my words more carefully next time I compare a condenser and a dynamic together. The RE20 is one fo the microphones I'm considering for the next purchase by the way, thats a cool fact to know :) I would love to know more, and just talk shop on microphones if you like. Unfortunately I don't use discord, I need to get better at that. I do have instagram @realaudiohaze if you'd like to talk :) I'll also check out those links sometime in the next day or so!
"Condener Mics are more dynamic" - THAT'll confuse someone ;) But seriously nice breakdown ;) Now I know there's a regualr SM57 insert in there, I'm prob just going to use 57's & 58s though :)
I record at my desk but my pc fan currently gets picked up in the background as it's kinda loud. That's the only background noise I really get though so I remove it from my audio and I've tried to reduce my mic sensitivity but I lose some sounds that I want to keep in the track. Should I go for the SM7B for this reason?
Again.... your voice sounds so good with the NT2 hands down... It's actually super interesting, because I truly thought that both the vocals and the acoustic guitar sounded so much better the the Shure SM7B~
Been looking arround for Sm7b reviews and must say this is one of the few I've found that I gave me something! Excellent review and kept it interesting throughout! Kind of split what I want to go for, kind of want both, sm7b for clean audio despite poorly treated rooms but I also like the clarity of the Nt1 (probably the more condenser-mic characteristic overall) Either way, earned a thumb up!
I really like your videos. Many people post these "this is better than this" type when comparing. The truth is that it's all in the desire of the owner. Everyone swears by the SM7B so I bought it and ended up sending it back. However, it sounds great for many people. I was stunned at the fact that I didn't love it. In fact, I figured there must be something wrong with it. But every voice is different, and everyone desires a different sound for different applications. I got the NT1 and it works better for me. Why? Because because my natural signing voice is very low, and the SM7B just gave me lower frequencies, mainly. It's a sexy mike for people who want that deeper male sound, but when you start with a lower sound, it just gets all muddy. I needed a microphone that had some dynamics, including a bit of a high end bump, but was clean enough to edit on my DAW. So, the NT1 worked better. The points that you made about they differ were spot on. And, in all honesty, these microphones are completely different in so many ways. The one way they aren't different is price, and that's why they get compared. The other issue is image. So many people think the SM7B is amazing because they see other people using it. Shure is such a smart company. There are images of SM7Bs all over the place. It looks big and bold. My guess is that a lot of people just buy it because they see and hear the hype. Oh wait, I did as well. Great review. Keep them up.
Thank you for the compliments! And yes I actually prefer the sound of the SM57 on my voice to the SM7B, so it doesn't work for everyone. Some of it is just the hype around the microphone, lots of people on social media use it
I think there's a bit of a reputation for self noise with the SM7B because it needs more gain to boost the signal to the proper dB levels. But that isn't really self noise so much as it is just heightened sensitivity due to the increase in gain. Just be smart in how you record it! I ran it into my Scarlett 18i20, which has plenty gain to get the SM7 to the proper gain levels without cranking it. No other treatment because I wanted both mic's to be as honest as possible with their sound. If you really need to boost the signal, consider some tricks with audio compression before going straight to cranking up the preamp :)
@@AudioHaze I’m running it with an Antelope interface, the preamp are really quiet, when I record a singer it’s ok, because I aim for a -20/-18db, but for broadcasting, where I need to reach -10dB, the mic itself is noisy.
@@PaulBds dang, best I could recommend is to compress the signal a bit to bring up the quieter parts. If you need to crank the preamp and you get some noise, you could do some EQ-ing in order to try and cut out the hiss.
@@SpottedFin you don’t NEED it no. You can set it to peak around 18db or so and it won’t hiss. It won’t be as loud as other microphones, but you can boost the signal in post to avoid preamp gain on the incoming signal. Even still, on a standard focusrite , while it’s a bit noisier than other microphones, the noise isn’t overly distracting at all. I made a few videos on this, check out the “Shure SM57 vs SM58 vs SM7B” :)
@Yippee Skippy I appreciate the the long breakdown but the nt1 and al1 have been doing great I do all the post processing in adobe audition and my clients have been very positive with the vocal quality
@Yippee Skippy I appreciate it, truly but as it takes off I've found that studios pay for studio time on projects, as an actor working from home was just a luxury
Do you have experience with Oktava MK-319? I like it more than NT1, just that Russian engineering is something to think about, that microphone rings and resonates so badly without a shock mount I am not sure what to think now.
I must say. I started investing when I thought that the condensers are more premium and therefore bought one. I think I like the warm sound of the dynamic microphone a lot better, especially for the guitar recording, although I can see that a lot of people would like this "airy" vocal sound condensers can give (which you can probably also acomplish partially with EQ tbh).
Interesting video loved the comparison tests but more than that thank you for introducing me to Carolina Alabau, what a beautiful voice. Will definitely listen to more of her, she sounded great on both but I think the Rode just pipped it.
Just finished an audio class (I am the lecturer ;) and I can tell that MANY people don't have clue and don't care about the tech. They just compare the mics.
I don't have Shure SM7B, but I have EV RE20 (which is obviously better than SM7B) and Rode NT1. When I compare them in my room, which is very small and lot of soft surfaces, so practically no echo or reverb, the Rode NT1 is better than EV RE20. It's sound is more steady, more stable, better balanced, smother, definitely less artefacts and more natural. Both connected to Zoom F3.
Today I plugged my red Rode mic cable into my SM7b and it livened up the Shure a lot! I use good cables but this time I was surprised by the extra detail and clarity in my ears. Won't use any other mic cable with my trusty SM7b now. Happy accident, highly recommend :)
I am so glad I found your comparison video on this new Rode NT1 and shure SM7B. I like the 5th generation Rode because I want the portability of using the mic with my iPad. I like the experience of the TLM 103 and SM7B shure elsewhere But it is cumbersome to connect focusrite. Do you think that a condenser mic is managed with just a larger surrounding sound screen for voice-over or singing? Thank you so much for the video and hope I hear from you before I make any decisions. I know how hard it is to build a channel so Also very impressed with all you have accomplished
I been weighing these two mics for over a year lol. I have the NT1A and i always wanted the SM7B. I dont feel like the difference in quality in my situation is worth $400 but i think its still the credibility the SM7B carries that makes me want it so much haha. Great video. Thanks.
If you've been using the NT1a for while I think the SM7B is a great upgrade! But don't feel like you need to upgrade unless you truly want to, the NT1a is a great mic, it'll get the job done no problem. By the way I also have a video about the NT1a vs the NT1 if you want to compare those specific mics :)
@@Shortjamesp hahaha Don't burn money where you don't have to! Honestly, when you want to buy another mic I would get an SM7B and keep the NT1a, that would be a killer duo
@@AudioHazewhat should I buy bro I’m a producer and an artist I sing and rap I want a mic that will get my job done and I’m planning to working more remotely with other artists as a producer. I’m planning to treat my space a bit so I can enjoy mixing but this will be the last thing if I make enough money through the hustle. What do you recommend bro. My vocals do song similar to the weekend not completely but that sounds
Confused between SM7B, RODENT1A and AT4040. Will be using it for rap vocals/ smooth R&B. Which one would you recommend ? SM7B with Cloud filter is 589, AT4040 299, AND THE NT1A pack is around 340.
Its really difficult to say without seeing the environment you're recording in, if its an untreated and highly reflective room I would try the SM7B and hold off on the cloudlifter. Test the microphone out and see if you find it to be too noisy or hissy, if so order a cloudlifter. If you're working in a nice acoustic environment, I find Audio Technica's have a nice midrange response to male vocals, sometimes the NT1a can get a little glassy. Hope that helps!
Awesome take.Just want to know your opinion about some claims that sm57 with a windscreen will be almost the same sound quality with sm7b(having sm7b with better low end) but at a fraction of a cost(less than half).
i vote for sm7b because the vocal is more dead / drier with super minimal echo / room sound, also its easier to tweak the tonal using eq than removing echo in post, IMO
Hi! Very insightful video! So I am now planning to start small vocal recordings in my studio flat - so I understand correctly that SM7B would be picking up less background noise (fridge or whatever) than the Rode? I also heard the Shure needs a mic amp - have you found that proved to be true?
Absolutely, the SM7B will pick up much less of the room. The Shure does not necessarily need an amp no, it all depends on your interfaces preamp. In general, I've found any preamp above 50-55dB will get the SM7B where you need it, BUT not all preamps are the same, some may introduce more noise than others. In general, there are much cheaper dynamic microphones that will be just as quiet and way cheaper. The Shure SM58, Shure SM57, Rode Procaster, or Rode Podcaster are all cheaper microphones and you won't need to worry about a mic amp, and they're just as quiet :)
@@AudioHaze thank you for the time with giving me an answer xx I am absolutely getting confused with complexity of it all and have no idea where to begin no matter how much I read! I will look into the ones you recommended and maybe achieve something this year!
This is just a perfect video. Can you tell me wich mic stand do you use for the Rode because i still looking for the good one for it ? Best from France.
I absolutely loved this video it was very informative and helpful. My only question is did you have a cloudlifter on your sm7b? And how necessary is on in your opinion. Some people talk as though its an absolute must and others don't. Thank you! :)
Hey! No cloudlifter in this one no :) I've stated in many videos that you don't need a cloudlifter, its nice to have, but by no means necessary. I've got a few vids that display how to get a better sound out of the sm7b without a cloudlifter at all actually
The difference in sound is kind of like dynamic headphones vs electrostatic headphones. Being a bit of a Stax headphones fan head: I prefer Rode NT1 by a large margin. Ah: for all you microphone fans (musicians): try listening to your recording on a higher level headphones - You will hear microphone captures more then you knew (if you listen to mid level headphone): A few hundred euro microphone records a sound that is worthy of a two thousand euro headphone, is what I am trying to say.
True, and even when I'm working on recording and mixing on these videos and music, headphones tell you so many things that monitors don't, and vice versa. Two different worlds!
I think its a good upgrade! Being "worth it" is sort of a up to you. If I were running a podcast and wanted to upgrade my NT1a, I would go for the SM7b for sure. But don't feel like you NEED to upgrade, your nt1a will sound great with some room treatment :)
Yes, they are. Also most of the recording studios use the SM7b without the foam, because it absorbs most of the high frequencies. They put a pop filter in front of it instead. I personally prefer the sound of the SM7b without the foam on, it's really musical and unique. But for this singer's voice probably a TLM103 would be a better choice than those two.
Which audio interface or signal chain are you using to record the SM7B? It looks like you might have a Focusrite Scarlett of some kind. The newest models have 56db of gain. Is that enough to get levels of -18db to -12db for vocals or acoustic guitar? Shure themselves state that you need 60db of gain, so it seems like the Scarletts won't be enough. But there are other videos on UA-cam (Julian Krause) saying you can just max out the gain on a Scarlett (without using a Cloudlifter) and the preamp noise floor is still very low even after you normalize the audio. Thanks!
Yes so I'm using a Scarlett 18i20 Gen 3. I just ran a few quick tests and looked back over the project file. At her loudest, Carolina (The vocalist in this video) was peaking just right at -12db. This is with the preamp set to around 7, no issues with noise floor at all. There was no compression or anything on her voice, so during the quieter sections she dropped below -18dB, but no issues reaching the desired levels at all! The preamp seems to boost dB a lot between 8-10, this is also where I began to hear a noticeable noise floor. I couldn't find the exact specs for the Gen 3 18i20 for the preamp gain, but pro tools is telling me the preamp has about 56dB of gain. Hope that helps!
@@AudioHaze Great, thank you! Have you seen the videos that show how to eq a SM57 to be very similar to a SM7B? Curious if you think that is the case or if you still find owning both a 57 and a 7B to be useful.
@@tvboxify The 7B wasn't actually mine, it was Carolina's, but if you have the budget for those two it wouldn't hurt! In my opinion, you can get 90% of the tones from a 7B with a 57 though. I will definitely make a video comparing those two mics in the same style as this video in the future :)
@@AudioHaze Cool, thanks, looking forward to the comparison! I have a 57 and 58 but I'm still interested in a 7B. Now just need to decide if I want a Focusrite 3rd gen or maybe a MOTU / SSL / Audient :)
@Yippee Skippy Ah, very interesting! For other people reading this thread, I ended up getting a SSL2 which I use with a Macbook. It powers the SM7B just fine and since it supports Core Audio, it doesn't require any extra drivers or anything.
As long as the take is clean, you can do a lot with both, but if the take is not clean for the NT1 then yes. I think its more about ease of use when it comes to getting a clean take, which is easier on the Sm7B
Which one would you reccomend for voice actors? The ones who might be working from home, and they need to perform both soft, and screaming scenes. :D The video is very informative, but i still cannot decide! 😭
Hi Markov! I would probably go with the SM7 just because its going to take the screaming a lot better and it won't pick up the room as much :) hope thats helpful!
@@AudioHaze Thank you!! I ended up buying the SM7B with cloudlifter and sound card. 😄 I am still learning how to use it properly, but i think it will serve it’s purpose very well! Thanks again!!
If this helped you make a decision, I earn a small percentage from buying from these two links. It's a nice way of supporting the channel :) If you hated the review definitely don't buy from these links.
Amazon:
NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK
SM7B - amzn.to/3lL4REV
Sweetwater:
NT1 - imp.i114863.net/oeaZVO
SM7B - imp.i114863.net/QOx3A3
Gonna get sm7b next month (if all goes well) saving the link :)
really good video and a solid explanation thank you!
Any recommendations for a Preamp? I was looking at the GOXLR as an option for streaming.
@@lidorori Glad to help! Thank you for thinking of the link :)
I've never tried to GOXLR actually, its more tailored toward streaming audio than music audio so its not really in my world. If I had the choice to go back and buy a small preamp though, I would problem go with the Motu M2
Not in the same price range, really. I love my NT1, even live as long as it is a solo type of performance, but I am looking to get the SM7B as an "upgrade" from an SM58 in noisier live conditions. I agree with you and do not see why people would even compare these mics. For a studio environment, I'd think an NT1 would offer the cleanest and fullest range recording for an audio engineer to work with in post, but I recognize there is a "flavor" aspect that has value when it comes to a musician's artistry. Will always love my NT1, but it's always nice to have choices!
I compared them because people asked me to compare them because people seem to frequently be deciding between the two of them.
Definitely! I was just pointing out the difference between the two because I think they serve different purposes. Still a new channel and didn't realize this would garner in views, didn't mean to offend, sorry if I did!
@@AudioHaze no offense taken. Always awesome to see new folks uploading educational audio content to UA-cam. More opinions, more samples does nothing but help people researching this stuff. Your video was very well formatted and provides great info. Keep it up.
@@Podcastage Thanks man! I actually watched your Rode NT1/NT1a comparison as a reference when I made my first mic comparison, it helped a lot :)
@@AudioHaze You should check out Bandrew's more recent reviews. Now he compares each microphone he reviews to every other microphone known to man.
@@SoundSpeeds I have! Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to do that one day haha
Im really bothered by people turning microphones that have specifically functions to caption singing voices to podcast. This is a pest now with this amount of podcasters and Shure and Rode. Speaking voice is not necessarily showing all that the microphone is prepared to manage like harmonics as the singing voice. Still you managed to do a review of a proper singing voice and the singer took the time to show high notes and low notes as well as dynamics. I am tired of looking for reviews and only seeing podcasters podcasters and podcasters, not considering at all male singing voices or female singing voices with all their variety. Thanks A LOT!!
Glad I can help! Yeah I try to have both female and male singers to have a diverse set of voices when I do my mic comparisons, and its true recording vocal and podcasts are completely different :)
@Yippee Skippy that is the old NT1, not the one in this video!
Rode crushed it on classic vocals. That "air" makes all the difference. I have an NT2A, and it's great, but as stated in the video, you need to manage room reflections. A reflection filter really helps if you're mobile or on a budget.
Exactly, that air is a double edged sword, room noises are more likely but its lovely for transient response and detailed coloration :)
All condensers will crush a dynamic mic, even a Shure, anytime.
But, he left the windscreen on the Shure - it cuts from the highs a lot...
Well said, bruh...
@@WEHAVETHISDREAM wrong
@@ojvic7297 care to elaborate?
I’ve watched several videos on this comparison and this is the first where the presenter is actually talking rather than declaiming into the microphone. This was a pleasure to listen to because for once I could properly hear the differences for VO and narration. Thank you.
That means a lot thank you! I'm glad I could be of help :)
as a singer I'll take a condenser any day of the week. far more detailed across the EQ spectrum, a much sweeter top end, no bass bloat of the SM7B and less post-production treatment needed. its about priorities. a dynamic may be more rugged, but I'm not playing catch with my mic's. they sit in their shockmounts, attached to mic stands. they get treated well. as for background noise, this issue is overstated and more about marketing than anything practical. drop a vocal into a mix and any background noise gets completely hidden. hell, I did my last vocal take with a condenser and my air con running. its not even a thing once in a mix.
The Rhode NT1 is definitely a more "musical" microphone superb for instrumental and musical voice. The Shure is definitely more vocal oriented in as much as broadcast or speaking applications such as podcasting or rapping. Just my take away. Both are fantastic and can be used with alot of versatility. Always experiment with your setting and use your plug in chain to find what best suits your needs.
Excellent explanation of what & why, without being biased toward either, while backing it up with a tasteful objective demonstration. This is how all UA-cam videos should be done
Thank you for the kind words Dan!
The self noise reduction of the NT1 is phenomenal! It's a perfect all-rounder with a good sensitiveness and smooth characteristic sound. I think it is more usable for spoken word ( especially overvoices) and singing/instruments.
Great video, I love properly done comparisons like this. One nitpick though: The Sm7B has a huge thick chunk of foam covering the actual diaphragm. The NT1, like most vocal condensers, doesn't. The thin plosive screen doesn't provide nearly as much high end attenuation as a 2 inch thick piece of foam. A more fair test might be to remove the SM7B capsule foam and put the same plosive filter in front of it that's being used on the NT1. Just a small nitpick though. They are both great sounding mics and like you pointed out, they are made for different things.
It is quite thick! Yes one of my audio professors uses his SM7B without the shield on it. I considered doing that but came to the conclusion that most would be using it with the pop shield on, so it would be more accurate to the buyer if it had the shield on. But yes it does cut some of the high end for sure :)
Hold on .. If you want a 7B without the screen, try an SM57 (without its transformer) its pretty much the same Mic inside!
I just purchased the SM7B...still looking at reviews maybe because I still have doubts LOL! I'll use it for voiceover projects. When you mentioned that the Shure is better for untreated rooms, you sold it for me. It's precisely the mic I need. I treated my booth as much as I can, but of course is not as isolated as a regular studio...and at night, the crickets of my garden drive me crazy, so I hope the sensitivity of this mic won't capture them. Thank you for your review, and congrats to the wonderful Spanish singer. Beautiful voice and sentiment!
Glad I could help! And I'll let her know you enjoyed it :) have fun recording cricket free!
Hm..i thought voiceovers uses primarily condenser due to the broader sound.
Great video. You can clearly hear how the NT1 condenser picks up much more reverb in your untreated room.
Yep, the unfortunate reality of most recording spaces
bro i know this guy lol
Hi everyone! Been getting a few comments about how much gain is required in order to bring the SM7B to proper gain levels. In my experience, I have not needed to use a cloudlifter in order to get the SM7B to the desired range of minus 18-12dB. My interface has 60dB of gain. The trouble areas are typically anything below 50dB of gain on interface preamps (Scarlett 2i2s are an offender of this) , so check yours! Be sure you know the difference between an increase in noise floor and microphone hissing, as some of the noise you may perceive may just be due to the increase in gain and therefore room sensitivity. Happy recording everyone :)
I use a cloudlifter or other device (DBX 286, etc) to add gain to my SM7B. The inline gain boost makes it easier for the mic to pick up subtle sounds like quiet talking and still maintain 2 inches or so distance off the end of the mic to minimize plosives.
What's your interface?
Great comparison! I just picked up the NT1 and am using it in an untreated room for my YT videos. I have to cleanup the reverb in adobe, but I am quite happy so far! SM7B probably would have performed better but the NT1 AI1 kit came with all I needed. I believe I would have needed a SM7B and an AI to record and the cost for me was out of budget.
totally understandable! Just clean up the EQ a little in adobe and I'm sure the NT1 will do amazing for you, its been great for me :)
Also I just listened to your video, your audio sounds great! I don't think have anything to worry about my friend
@@AudioHaze Thanks! I am definitely brand new to everything audio and appreciate the suggestion! I'll see what I can learn about working with the EQ. Audio is so important and I wan't to try to make it sound as good as I can for my audience. 😀
I heard it in many of your excellent vids and NT 1 is very friendly with beautiful intimate vocals and instrumentals. When Carolina sings in the first clip, it’s just like heaven sent ❤️
Thank you so much!! She can make any mic sound good to be fair lol
Beautiful voice. I think the NT1 does her more justice - the SM7B adds a low-frequency drone that takes away some realism.
That seems to be the consensus :)
For people who are recording in a bedroom, living room, or a room thats not acoustically treated well, I would highly suggest an sm7b. Even in this video the condenser mic picks up so much reflection noise which can destroy a recording especially after mixing, trying to eq out the reflections will more than likely kill the vocals.
Brilliant review. I have an untreated room, so it's the Shure SM7B for me, after years of tracking with an NT1-A and having to set up ad hoc vocal booths with boxes, foam and doonas.
Your vocal forts will be no more my friend, enjoy your SM7B! :)
Do you have now the SM7B and did you use it since your comment 10 months ago in your untreated room? What are your experiences with it?
@@masse64 yes. It's great for getting a signal without room noise. I'd recommend it.
@@LesThomas Thank you for the info, then I will go for it ✌️
This was randomly in my recommendation to watch on youtube, but this video is AMAZING!!! Keep up the great work!!
I really appreciate that dude!! Genuinely thank you so much :)
Same! Randomly. Well done video. The NT1A and the Sure are the two mics I've been looking at and have landed on the Sure due to research. But I was also guessing. It was good to know he's been to school and even read from his notes. This made me confident in my decision and reasons I had for choosing the SM7B.
Great job here!! Don't forget to purchase the cloud lifter for the Sure SM7B
This was very helpful! I feel like the SM7B has a more overall balanced sound. Lots to consider though.
I was a little surprised by its presence too! Its a very very good mic
I'm surprised by your number of subs compared to how often these videos are being watched. Your videos are very informative and have helped me improve my audio immensely.
Thanks! To be fair, my channel is super new, not too long ago we were under 1k :) hopefully with some time it will grow!
Pretty good comparison, it was interesting to watch and helped a lot. But definitely, I stayed as well for Carolina, her voice and her technique are incredible ¡Enhorabuena Carolina, tienes un nuevo fan!
I'll let her know you said this!
you can tell she likes the rode nt1 more, i think you can hear yourself more clearly and put emotion into performance with condenser, her mimics shows.
The nt1 is like half the price of the sm7b after getting the clean gain amplifier. But I will say the sm7b is very adjustable with the two foams and it’s switches in the back for low cuts and presence boost.
Thank you so much! Bought the sm7b a few months ago but I haven't been able to use it properly. The singing aspect of the review was just what I needed.
So glad to help!
Nicely done. I appreciated your quick technical discussion of how the mics worked differently.
Thank you!
I think I prefer the NT1 honestly.. and you have to be SO close to the mic on the SM7B.. if I'm trying to do a clothing & style youtube video... I don't want to be forced to be that close to my mic and I may have to move around, for this reason NT1 would be a better option for my scenario.
Absolutely, I can see in your case why the NT1 would be better. I think in pro audio we're so concerned with noise rejection we're happy to put a microphone right up to our face. By for other forms of content, having the rode a little farther away is going to work great!
You are making some very detailed but also concise reviews! You definitely should have more views
Thank you so much! Its a new channel, hopefully we'll grow in the future :)
Are you kidding me, this video is excellent. Thank you for the words, thank you for the singing.
And thank you for your kind words!!
I think that the SM7B is better for "normal" speech, especially in an untreated room. For singing, I definitely prefer the NT1, where I like the additional details.
I can see that, I think I agree
guter punkt Flunky xd
@@Latzi, och Lasse.
Great comparison, thanks. The condenser on vocals was, airy, detailed and 'prettier', while the dynamic lacked fine articulation and generally 'chunkier' in tone.
I have a lower, almost bass voice. When I sing, I like to sing in baritone at least. The Rode was 100% the choice for me. The Shure may have been better for people in general for talking and commentary because it gives that low boost to your voice. But if you have a lower voice like me, you want something a but more flat so you can take the subs out when you're singing or doing voice over work. 👍 that's just me though. It's really hard to choose a microphone because it depends on your interface, the program you're using and what you're doing with it. Singing (which is what I use mine for) is much different than talking. So that's the first thing you need to figure out. You don't want one for both. And if you're doing instruments like guitar or piano, that's a whole different ball game. Good luck 😎👌
Same. Thank you for your observation.
to be honest, Podcastage did a comparison because NT1 and SM7B are both used for singing and podcast usage,
Moreover I
think that Bandrew Scott knows very well the difference between dinamic and condenser microphones.. ;-) but your explanation could be useful for newbies.
That being said, to drive the sm7b you need of a very powerful and silent preamp, that's why often it is not recommended to buy it if you have a very low budget audio interface. And a cloudlifter introduce noise in your recording.
Thus, to have a very good result also in a podcast usage, the nt1 could be a very good solution, less expensive!
Anyway, Good job with the mix, it sounded pretty good, also the guitar!
Excellent video. And Carolina, what a voice!
Amazing review! Been researching vocalist mics past couple weeks. you have THE best video by far! absolutely love how you gave the quick 101 on mechanics for nerds like me without becoming boring. It's important for serious artists like myself to understand basics of how these mechanics works so we can choose the best option for our use cases. Secondly, getting right to various test cases was brilliant! I don't understand microphone specs very well (they seem soooo advanced/scientific), but my ears are great at hearing nuances. was certain which mic i wanted after acapella female singer. After blind test (amazing guitar piece by the way! would love your tabs!!!!) the little uncertainty I had vanished! Rode has a slightly more muted sound (but perfectly maintains sound quality and natural feel) without this harmonic resonance I hear in the higher frequencies on the Shure. It sounded like two guitar strings out of tune....that whumm whummm whummm sound. Thanks for putting this together so well! off to buy my Rode now
NT1 sounded fuller range, crisper, but yes more sensitive so you can get unwanted sounds. The sm7b sounded smoother and more "resistant" but also a touch muddy.
Ah yes, the dilemma of the decade haha
Wow - she is good!!!!
Great video. The sound quality was amazing and the blind test was done really well!
Wow.. great video again!
Thank you for this fantastic explaining.
I bought the SM7B because Carolina sings the way she sings
She would be so honored haha
Wooow! Thanks? Jajajajja 😍
funny enough I own both a SM7b and a NT1 - both excellent mics for VO! but.... yeah.... fundamentally different kinds of mics that you have to approach in very different ways, though in my case both subject to the same "well treated" room (it keeps evolving, but the only surface that still needs work is my ceiling, yeah, staring at you ceiling...)
Great breakdown and comparison of what makes each of these what they are
Glad you enjoyed! Sound like you've got the best of both worlds :)
Nt1 has the advantage of being more sensitive for this particular vocal.. in my opinion it over all sound better on her voice..
NOT. Rode NT1 always flawless victory. Shure SM7B was always overrated for an absurd patriotic question
My voice is like hers. High pitch and not so deep, not so full of dark. On the lows it really needs a good captions otherwise it quality sound is lost. I think I will have to go for Rode NT01. But maybe it depends also on the music style. I have been struggling with my sennheuser a895.
This information wasn't new to me, but I watched as I was curious about how you would explain it and you did it well and provided the information in a condensed and digestable manner without a bunch of extra nonsense that could confuse someone who is new to microphones.
Beautiful singing! I love SM7B!
Enjoyed this comparison, thanks! I think the SM7B might be better for me personally at the moment given my circumstances. I'm currently recording in my car so would you agree the SM7B would be the mic to use for this type of recording location and acoustics? I'm fine with upgrading my current mic and spending anywhere from $250-500 but I'm just unsure which type of mic will work best recording in my car. I must say though, its actually pretty quite other then random cars every once in awhile.
haha yeah I definitely think so! Cars can actually be pretty nice acoustic environments believe it or not, but yes 100% if your in your car its safer to go with the SM7
Thank you for the awesome explanation buddy!! Good bless you!! 🙌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Her voice is amazing 😱 Thanks for the video. I have a Shure sm7b but I've been struggling to get it to sound clean when I record songs. Definitely going to change to a condenser mic 👌
Enjoy the new mic! And I'll let her know :)
Getting an SM7B to sound clean is an enormous undertaking. It's worth it to me, personally, but I actually enjoy fiddling with gain and gating and eq settings for hours on end. The other thing to consider is the listener - everyone has a little hearing damage and where that damage is does a lot to affect how they feel about sound. Anecdotally, people who are younger (with more awareness of lower frequencies) tend to prefer the sound of dynamics because the lows sound less muddy/muffled to them and the brightness of condensers can overwhelm the low detail.
@@jakeroth675 Wow I didn't know that thanks 👍 I just bought a condenser mic and I much prefer the sound now, there's alot less eq cuts and boost I have to do with it. I've only just started mixing and I find mixing my vocals with the Shure sm7b takes up to much time. I enjoy mixing but my main priority is to release more music and the mixing side is taking up alot of my time. I also have 3 kids and a full time job so my time for music is limited lol.
@@clayytz2645 The boosting with the SM7B is necessary, yeah. I didn't know how important careful gain staging was to managing floor noise until I had to deal with it. It's a skill. If you didn't return the SM7B keep it handy, play around with it when you have time. Remove the foam and go light on the eq. Grats on finding something that more closely fit your needs though!
@@jakeroth675 Thanks I still have it 👌
Very helpful for musicians. I keep seeing podcasters review the SM7B which is cool, but they compare it to other mics for podcasting and not recording music. Would love to see you do a comparison between the Shure and an Ev RE20
thanks Gafar! And I have actually, I made an SM7B vs RE20 video a few months back :)
@@AudioHaze I’m gonna go watch it then!
compared those when singing, i feel like there is something missing in the dynamic mic. like there is noise gate on it. Feel like the NT1 sounds much more natural. Obviously the NT1 is not good for podcasts and streaming, as it picks up the keyboard sound and anything what happens around. I have the NT2-A and its great, but not good for streaming.
The NT1 is great for that natural sound, as are most all condensers compared to a dynamic :)
And it didn't take long for the myths to sneak out:
• At matched ouput level & distance (and it's not even needed actually as long the source doesn't move), dyn & cond will have the same dynamic properties, especially within the vocal range of pressures, they only get somewhat non linear at very high pressure (that you can't reach with your voice, and it's just distorsion at that point) this is an acoustical/mechanical reality, so if you scream in one mic or the other, the delta is gonna be the same electrically because it's the same acoustically, and it's gonna be percieved the same (minus maybe some minor psychoacoustics due to the frequency response). This is an incredibly bad myth to spread as mics react to sound pressure level changes in an analog way to reality, it's their whole engineering purpose and they have ratings for that (sensitivity@1Khz & Relative Frequency response), it doesn't matter the technology, Dyns don't have an "expander/compressor" effect as you seem to imply else they'd be incredibly unreliable and it would create some insane crossover distortion. Those are very basic acoustics & electronics principles and I certainly hope you didn't learn the opposite at school.
• For the same reason, with polar pattern matched (here cardio and very similar) they're gonna have the same ratio of ambiant noise vs signal, this is perhaps the most annoying myth. Any difference will be user & measurement confusion/erros around the distance, gain matching, bias etc and your demonstration here is a perfect manifestation of it:
The reason your voice drops off so quickly with the SM7B when you get further away is because you set your gain while being right in front of the mic, so when you're gonna get further away, the inverse square law is gonna kick faster as doubling the distance will be easier (which hope may have learned in audio school). The exact same thing would happen with the NT1 at the same distance, which clearly is not the case here, you're miles away from the NT1. Distance should have been the number 1 factor to control in your demo yet here we are. All of this are properties of acoustic waves, nothing to do with the mic's technology.
I can't link it here but i've researched that extensively in lab & studio, because people would swear on their ancestors that the myths are true (which they are unfortunately not), and it pains me to see this repeated everywhere, as you seem very passionate about audio and music yet you hinder yourself by believing falsehoods and spread them to thousands of people on top of that.
If you're interested in advanced audio on the engineering side of things and to read the research I'm talking about find me on twitter at my name, I'd be glad to share, you might take a lot of things from it and this would probably speed up and improve your workflow (and save you some money?).
Hey Leo,
First off, I want to say I'm always open and willing to have a conversation about audio. I hope I've demonstrated that in my 95% response rate to my commenters, including those who are critical of my work. And thank you, a lot of what you said was very informative. I would love to read your research, email it to me. I post my email in every new video I make.
However, your essay you've written here doesn't exactly smell of someone who wants to have a conversation. It seems more like someone whose sole goal is to accuse me of "propagating myths", and you do so in a rather condescending manner. If you do actually want to talk, and not just make accusations, please extend a little effort to be polite.
All I'm saying is to use a dynamic to reject room noise, if you have an untreated room, condensers will pick up room reflections. I hope you don't disagree with that statement, it doesn't exactly seem controversial. If I understand you right, to bring the SM7B to the same level as that of an NT1 would require much more gain than what is offered on most consumer preamps. The alternative is bring the NT1 closer to your face,,and turning down its preamp gain. Doing so would increase the bass response causing an inaccurate image of what the NT1 sounds like, thus voiding the whole review. On top of that, bring a condenser close to your face increases the likelihood of plosives, and increases the sibilance, further causing an inaccurate depiction of the microphone.
Uploading videos is difficult, you open yourself up to nameless "experts" who furiously type their responses to your very public opinion. If you want to have a genuine conversation about this, email me, let's talk. If you want to put yourself in my position, upload your own video. I promise its more difficult than leaving your opinions on another's content.
@@AudioHaze Thanks for the reply and I'm sorry if I came across as rude, It's hard to convey the right tone when you're not a native english speaker, still I need to keep in mind that the people I talk to don't know the amount of bs I've been through in the audio world and the amount of times I had to write this message. I'm also very surprised if this is what they teach in school. I'm so used now to speak with snarky ego driven gearheads that I lost my way and you're somehow paying for my frustration and you shouldn't, this is 100% my fault and I need to work on all that. I hope the fundamental technical message is not lost in all this.
To answer your reply, your statement is far from controversial and it's why it's such a widespread myth, unfortunately (truly I wish it was true) it is technically false and due to user error, and I'll email the research to you and I encourage you to do the controlled test by yourself as it's fairly easy. You know what to hell if this gets filtered, here's one of the experiments (re-fromatted just now) : ems.gg/dynvcond
And some cool other simplified links:
www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/15-popular-audio-myths (SOS)
www.shure.com/en-US/performance-production/louder/debunking-common-audio-myths (shure themselves !)
If what you say was true, directivity and sensitivity ratings would make no sense and be indicative of nothing. Dyn and Cond capture the sound pressure differences as they are in real life, they're measuring tools, the mic has no way to know if a low pressure wave is background noise or your voice and even if somehow it could, it would not be able to mechanicaly discriminate one and not the other. The only thing that could change this if directivity was different (canceling side ambiant noise for example) but in both cases they're cardio and close the cardio standard, and let me tell you, ambiant noise comes from everywhere so a mic's directivity has very little influence on its background rejection especially in an untreated room.
A NT1 or any other mic is not particularly made to be used at a given distance, the proximity effect will also be present in both dynamic and cond mics as is a byproduct of directivity, not technology. Recording real close to the NT1 would be an accurate image of what the NT1 sounds like up close, which is a common usage in broadcast and if you try it you'll realise it's not so different in terms of proximity effect as a dynamic mic (again this is a directivity thing, not a mic tech thing, unless you do this on a RE20 which has a special tech to counteract this).
Plosive rejection is also barely factored by mic tech, your SM7B (or any dynamic mic unless it's a 57) has an integrated pop filter/foam screen and grid inside that prevents this, it's a bit like what's outside of your NT1, but you could put a Cond capsule in a SM7B body (that's what an Icon Pro, a BCM104 or a Rode Broadcaster basically is) and it would be the same. A plosive is an acoustic pressure and as stated before, the mic is just a linear translator of acoustic pressures between its self noise and near max SPL.
I will upload my own video and much more when I have time, I'd love to talk about all this even on discord if you're down as you seem like a very nice bloke ! And again sorry for my tone, I swear I'm not a douchebag ! (maybe sometimes)
@@Leonidas909 Hey no problem man! Tone is hard to convey over next, let alone in a second or third language. Sorry if I came off too strongly as well! I can get a little defensive in the comments some times.
Thats really interesting and good to know! I'll choose my words more carefully next time I compare a condenser and a dynamic together. The RE20 is one fo the microphones I'm considering for the next purchase by the way, thats a cool fact to know :) I would love to know more, and just talk shop on microphones if you like. Unfortunately I don't use discord, I need to get better at that. I do have instagram @realaudiohaze if you'd like to talk :)
I'll also check out those links sometime in the next day or so!
Hey folks, would love to see your conversation continues.
@@iromanovsky your trial has expired you'll have to pay 9.99$ /mo for the full experience
"Condener Mics are more dynamic" - THAT'll confuse someone ;)
But seriously nice breakdown ;)
Now I know there's a regualr SM57 insert in there, I'm prob just going to use 57's & 58s though :)
I record at my desk but my pc fan currently gets picked up in the background as it's kinda loud. That's the only background noise I really get though so I remove it from my audio and I've tried to reduce my mic sensitivity but I lose some sounds that I want to keep in the track. Should I go for the SM7B for this reason?
I'm thinking the same thing, but I hesitate because I like the natural sound of the NT1.
@@matsudakodo got this sm57 in the end and it’s definitely good enough for now and does a good job at limiting background noise. Super happy with it.
Again.... your voice sounds so good with the NT2 hands down... It's actually super interesting, because I truly thought that both the vocals and the acoustic guitar sounded so much better the the Shure SM7B~
Broooooo!!! This lady singing…Majestic AF!
Hahah I'll let her know :)
Been looking arround for Sm7b reviews and must say this is one of the few I've found that I gave me something!
Excellent review and kept it interesting throughout!
Kind of split what I want to go for, kind of want both, sm7b for clean audio despite poorly treated rooms but I also like the clarity of the Nt1 (probably the more condenser-mic characteristic overall)
Either way, earned a thumb up!
Good luck with your decision! And thank you so much for the kind words, glad I could help out :)
I really like your videos. Many people post these "this is better than this" type when comparing. The truth is that it's all in the desire of the owner. Everyone swears by the SM7B so I bought it and ended up sending it back. However, it sounds great for many people. I was stunned at the fact that I didn't love it. In fact, I figured there must be something wrong with it. But every voice is different, and everyone desires a different sound for different applications. I got the NT1 and it works better for me. Why? Because because my natural signing voice is very low, and the SM7B just gave me lower frequencies, mainly. It's a sexy mike for people who want that deeper male sound, but when you start with a lower sound, it just gets all muddy. I needed a microphone that had some dynamics, including a bit of a high end bump, but was clean enough to edit on my DAW. So, the NT1 worked better. The points that you made about they differ were spot on. And, in all honesty, these microphones are completely different in so many ways. The one way they aren't different is price, and that's why they get compared. The other issue is image. So many people think the SM7B is amazing because they see other people using it. Shure is such a smart company. There are images of SM7Bs all over the place. It looks big and bold. My guess is that a lot of people just buy it because they see and hear the hype. Oh wait, I did as well. Great review. Keep them up.
Thank you for the compliments! And yes I actually prefer the sound of the SM57 on my voice to the SM7B, so it doesn't work for everyone. Some of it is just the hype around the microphone, lots of people on social media use it
Its crazy how you don't get any self noise with your sm7b, what is your chain ?
I think there's a bit of a reputation for self noise with the SM7B because it needs more gain to boost the signal to the proper dB levels. But that isn't really self noise so much as it is just heightened sensitivity due to the increase in gain. Just be smart in how you record it! I ran it into my Scarlett 18i20, which has plenty gain to get the SM7 to the proper gain levels without cranking it. No other treatment because I wanted both mic's to be as honest as possible with their sound. If you really need to boost the signal, consider some tricks with audio compression before going straight to cranking up the preamp :)
@@AudioHaze I’m running it with an Antelope interface, the preamp are really quiet, when I record a singer it’s ok, because I aim for a -20/-18db, but for broadcasting, where I need to reach -10dB, the mic itself is noisy.
@@PaulBds dang, best I could recommend is to compress the signal a bit to bring up the quieter parts. If you need to crank the preamp and you get some noise, you could do some EQ-ing in order to try and cut out the hiss.
@@AudioHaze Thanks for the comment helping me choose. I have a 18i20 are you saying you dont need a cloud lifter or fethead to boost the gain ?
@@SpottedFin you don’t NEED it no. You can set it to peak around 18db or so and it won’t hiss. It won’t be as loud as other microphones, but you can boost the signal in post to avoid preamp gain on the incoming signal. Even still, on a standard focusrite , while it’s a bit noisier than other microphones, the noise isn’t overly distracting at all. I made a few videos on this, check out the “Shure SM57 vs SM58 vs SM7B” :)
Really helped me out on my voice over mic debate, appreciate it I have officially subbed keep up the amazing work.
Thank you man! Means a lot :)
@Yippee Skippy I appreciate the the long breakdown but the nt1 and al1 have been doing great I do all the post processing in adobe audition and my clients have been very positive with the vocal quality
@Yippee Skippy I appreciate it, truly but as it takes off I've found that studios pay for studio time on projects, as an actor working from home was just a luxury
Very nice comparison right to the point! thanks so much and good luck!
Do you have experience with Oktava MK-319?
I like it more than NT1, just that Russian engineering is something to think about, that microphone rings and resonates so badly without a shock mount I am not sure what to think now.
Unfortunately I don't have any advice, never tried it. They look cool though!
I must say. I started investing when I thought that the condensers are more premium and therefore bought one. I think I like the warm sound of the dynamic microphone a lot better, especially for the guitar recording, although I can see that a lot of people would like this "airy" vocal sound condensers can give (which you can probably also acomplish partially with EQ tbh).
Interesting video loved the comparison tests but more than that thank you for introducing me to Carolina Alabau, what a beautiful voice. Will definitely listen to more of her, she sounded great on both but I think the Rode just pipped it.
Beautiful singing.
Just finished an audio class (I am the lecturer ;) and I can tell that MANY people don't have clue and don't care about the tech. They just compare the mics.
Your Guitar playing are very soothing
Thank you!
What a stunning voice Carolina has!
this was super helpful, thank you!
I don't have Shure SM7B, but I have EV RE20 (which is obviously better than SM7B) and Rode NT1. When I compare them in my room, which is very small and lot of soft surfaces, so practically no echo or reverb, the Rode NT1 is better than EV RE20. It's sound is more steady, more stable, better balanced, smother, definitely less artefacts and more natural. Both connected to Zoom F3.
Today I plugged my red Rode mic cable into my SM7b and it livened up the Shure a lot! I use good cables but this time I was surprised by the extra detail and clarity in my ears. Won't use any other mic cable with my trusty SM7b now. Happy accident, highly recommend :)
I am so glad I found your comparison video on this new Rode NT1 and shure SM7B. I like the 5th generation Rode because I want the portability of using the mic with my iPad. I like the experience of the TLM 103 and SM7B shure elsewhere But it is cumbersome to connect focusrite. Do you think that a condenser mic is managed with just a larger surrounding sound screen for voice-over or singing? Thank you so much for the video and hope I hear from you before I make any decisions. I know how hard it is to build a channel so Also very impressed with all you have accomplished
It makes a lot of sense to compare them. People usually compare things that are different, not similar.
that woman singing WOW !! tears in my eyes AWESOME!! thank you. btw I have purchase the SM7B mic with a boom harm ;)
She's great! and congrats on the new mic, enjoy it :)
I been weighing these two mics for over a year lol. I have the NT1A and i always wanted the SM7B. I dont feel like the difference in quality in my situation is worth $400 but i think its still the credibility the SM7B carries that makes me want it so much haha. Great video. Thanks.
If you've been using the NT1a for while I think the SM7B is a great upgrade! But don't feel like you need to upgrade unless you truly want to, the NT1a is a great mic, it'll get the job done no problem. By the way I also have a video about the NT1a vs the NT1 if you want to compare those specific mics :)
@@AudioHaze Ugh now your making me want to buy it hahaha
@@Shortjamesp hahaha Don't burn money where you don't have to! Honestly, when you want to buy another mic I would get an SM7B and keep the NT1a, that would be a killer duo
@@AudioHazewhat should I buy bro I’m a producer and an artist I sing and rap I want a mic that will get my job done and I’m planning to working more remotely with other artists as a producer. I’m planning to treat my space a bit so I can enjoy mixing but this will be the last thing if I make enough money through the hustle. What do you recommend bro. My vocals do song similar to the weekend not completely but that sounds
Confused between SM7B, RODENT1A and AT4040. Will be using it for rap vocals/ smooth R&B. Which one would you recommend ? SM7B with Cloud filter is 589, AT4040 299, AND THE NT1A pack is around 340.
Its really difficult to say without seeing the environment you're recording in, if its an untreated and highly reflective room I would try the SM7B and hold off on the cloudlifter. Test the microphone out and see if you find it to be too noisy or hissy, if so order a cloudlifter. If you're working in a nice acoustic environment, I find Audio Technica's have a nice midrange response to male vocals, sometimes the NT1a can get a little glassy. Hope that helps!
@@AudioHaze Thank you so much ! It def did help.
Hi! Thanks for the video! I got curious about the song Carolina sings. So beautiful! The first one, with the guitar. Which song is it? Cheers
Awesome take.Just want to know your opinion about some claims that sm57 with a windscreen will be almost the same sound quality with sm7b(having sm7b with better low end) but at a fraction of a cost(less than half).
Hey! Yeah I have a whole video about it called “Why the SM7B + Cloudlifter makes no sense” haha, with the right EQ you can get near identical :)
Also, the voalist sings calm parts on one mic, but ruff parts on the other. She should sing calm on both then rough on both, for a true comparison.
i vote for sm7b because the vocal is more dead / drier with super minimal echo / room sound, also its easier to tweak the tonal using eq than removing echo in post, IMO
True :)
Hi! Very insightful video! So I am now planning to start small vocal recordings in my studio flat - so I understand correctly that SM7B would be picking up less background noise (fridge or whatever) than the Rode? I also heard the Shure needs a mic amp - have you found that proved to be true?
Absolutely, the SM7B will pick up much less of the room. The Shure does not necessarily need an amp no, it all depends on your interfaces preamp. In general, I've found any preamp above 50-55dB will get the SM7B where you need it, BUT not all preamps are the same, some may introduce more noise than others. In general, there are much cheaper dynamic microphones that will be just as quiet and way cheaper. The Shure SM58, Shure SM57, Rode Procaster, or Rode Podcaster are all cheaper microphones and you won't need to worry about a mic amp, and they're just as quiet :)
@@AudioHaze thank you for the time with giving me an answer xx I am absolutely getting confused with complexity of it all and have no idea where to begin no matter how much I read! I will look into the ones you recommended and maybe achieve something this year!
@@paulinas8838 haha if you're confused, just get an SM58 I promise it will work :) and I'm sure you'll achieve what you're after if you go for it!
@@AudioHaze Thank you
This is just a perfect video. Can you tell me wich mic stand do you use for the Rode because i still looking for the good one for it ?
Best from France.
Great video, you should have much more subscribers. Hope you're doing well, keep it going!
Thank you! Hopefully with time we'll get there on subscribers :)
I absolutely loved this video it was very informative and helpful. My only question is did you have a cloudlifter on your sm7b? And how necessary is on in your opinion. Some people talk as though its an absolute must and others don't. Thank you! :)
Hey! No cloudlifter in this one no :) I've stated in many videos that you don't need a cloudlifter, its nice to have, but by no means necessary. I've got a few vids that display how to get a better sound out of the sm7b without a cloudlifter at all actually
The difference in sound is kind of like dynamic headphones vs electrostatic headphones. Being a bit of a Stax headphones fan head: I prefer Rode NT1 by a large margin. Ah: for all you microphone fans (musicians): try listening to your recording on a higher level headphones - You will hear microphone captures more then you knew (if you listen to mid level headphone): A few hundred euro microphone records a sound that is worthy of a two thousand euro headphone, is what I am trying to say.
True, and even when I'm working on recording and mixing on these videos and music, headphones tell you so many things that monitors don't, and vice versa. Two different worlds!
clear winner for me: SM7B
very good video thanks
thank you for great review
who is that girl? and the song she sing?
instagram.com/carolina_alabau/ Carolina Alabau, here's her instagram. I don't think the song is released yet.
@@AudioHaze Thank you very much :)
Damn, very informative!
Thank you!
Love the channel. Some amazing information
Thanks Anthony!
Vine buscando una comparación y me terminé encontrando una canción muy bonita
Thanks for the breakdown. Made it easy for me. Also... Where can I get this outro music?? Straight fire!
Hi mate. Thanks for this. Would you say that for podcasting it would be worth upgrading from the NT1A to the Shure SM7B?
I think its a good upgrade! Being "worth it" is sort of a up to you. If I were running a podcast and wanted to upgrade my NT1a, I would go for the SM7b for sure. But don't feel like you NEED to upgrade, your nt1a will sound great with some room treatment :)
@@AudioHaze thank you. Yeah, I just don’t want to spend the cash if it’s a negligible difference, you know?
@@NicholasPaulFranks The difference isn't negligible but trust me your nt1a will do you fine :)
@@AudioHaze Thanks...it's done us well to date but wanting to lift the game!
The Ses are so harsh with the NT1 ! That requires some treatment.
The sibilances are more pronounced that's true!
Yes, they are. Also most of the recording studios use the SM7b without the foam, because it absorbs most of the high frequencies. They put a pop filter in front of it instead. I personally prefer the sound of the SM7b without the foam on, it's really musical and unique. But for this singer's voice probably a TLM103 would be a better choice than those two.
I literally fell asleep when the lady was singing. OMG!!!
Haha I think thats a good thing?
Very helpful. And what a beautiful voice the singer has! Muy amable!
Which audio interface or signal chain are you using to record the SM7B? It looks like you might have a Focusrite Scarlett of some kind. The newest models have 56db of gain. Is that enough to get levels of -18db to -12db for vocals or acoustic guitar? Shure themselves state that you need 60db of gain, so it seems like the Scarletts won't be enough. But there are other videos on UA-cam (Julian Krause) saying you can just max out the gain on a Scarlett (without using a Cloudlifter) and the preamp noise floor is still very low even after you normalize the audio. Thanks!
Yes so I'm using a Scarlett 18i20 Gen 3. I just ran a few quick tests and looked back over the project file. At her loudest, Carolina (The vocalist in this video) was peaking just right at -12db. This is with the preamp set to around 7, no issues with noise floor at all. There was no compression or anything on her voice, so during the quieter sections she dropped below -18dB, but no issues reaching the desired levels at all! The preamp seems to boost dB a lot between 8-10, this is also where I began to hear a noticeable noise floor. I couldn't find the exact specs for the Gen 3 18i20 for the preamp gain, but pro tools is telling me the preamp has about 56dB of gain. Hope that helps!
@@AudioHaze Great, thank you! Have you seen the videos that show how to eq a SM57 to be very similar to a SM7B? Curious if you think that is the case or if you still find owning both a 57 and a 7B to be useful.
@@tvboxify The 7B wasn't actually mine, it was Carolina's, but if you have the budget for those two it wouldn't hurt! In my opinion, you can get 90% of the tones from a 7B with a 57 though. I will definitely make a video comparing those two mics in the same style as this video in the future :)
@@AudioHaze Cool, thanks, looking forward to the comparison! I have a 57 and 58 but I'm still interested in a 7B. Now just need to decide if I want a Focusrite 3rd gen or maybe a MOTU / SSL / Audient :)
@Yippee Skippy Ah, very interesting! For other people reading this thread, I ended up getting a SSL2 which I use with a Macbook. It powers the SM7B just fine and since it supports Core Audio, it doesn't require any extra drivers or anything.
NTI is best cm under budget. Se2300, STC 20, STC 2 X, STC 3 X, Mojave MA 201 fet condenser microphones are also good.
Thanks for the recommendations!
@@AudioHaze No mention.
I would assume that since the sm7b isolates the voice more you can do more with it in post
As long as the take is clean, you can do a lot with both, but if the take is not clean for the NT1 then yes. I think its more about ease of use when it comes to getting a clean take, which is easier on the Sm7B
why does dynamic mics called dynamic when condenser mics are more dynamic than dynamic mics?
Really great question and I'm not sure I have the answer, perhaps its because the dynamic mic can handle more dynamic range without clipping?
Were you using a cloud lifter for the Shure Sm7B?
I was not no, I've pinned a comment to the top of this video so you can check out my thoughts on that :)
You have my sub. Excellent breakdown.
Thanks Russet!!
@@AudioHaze my pleasure!
Hey nice video, what would be best for recording acoustic & vocals simultaneously with a nylon string you think? Thank you
Which one would you reccomend for voice actors? The ones who might be working from home, and they need to perform both soft, and screaming scenes. :D
The video is very informative, but i still cannot decide! 😭
Hi Markov! I would probably go with the SM7 just because its going to take the screaming a lot better and it won't pick up the room as much :) hope thats helpful!
@@AudioHaze Thank you!! I ended up buying the SM7B with cloudlifter and sound card. 😄 I am still learning how to use it properly, but i think it will serve it’s purpose very well! Thanks again!!
@@Markov_Productions Dude happy recording! You'll love it I'm sure :)