Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Studio Vocal Microphone

The SM7B is a cardioid dynamic microphone with a smooth, flat, wide-range response that has made it a fixture in recording studios, radio booths, and podcast rooms. The cardioid pattern stays uniform with frequency and symmetrical about the axis, giving maximum rejection and minimum coloration of off-axis sound, so a voice comes through clean and natural whether it is a lead vocal, a voiceover, or a kick drum. Switchable bass roll-off and mid-range (presence) boost settings let you shape the tone at the mic before it ever hits the console.

What sets the SM7B apart for spoken word is its shielding: it rejects the electromagnetic hum thrown off by computer monitors, neon, and other gear that plagues home and broadcast studios, and an internal air-suspension shock isolation all but eliminates mechanical rumble. It uses a standard three-pin XLR output but runs at a low -59 dBV/Pa level, so it wants a preamp with at least 60 dB of clean gain. It includes the A7WS close-talk windscreen alongside the standard windscreen, and a swiveling bracket with an integrated stand adapter.