Why the Shure SM7B + Cloudlifter Setup Makes No Sense (Save $500 with This Mic) - Microphone Review

I use the SM7B for a lot of the same things I’d use an SM57 for. The SM7B sounds great as a cab mic or a snare mic. I’ve even used an SM7B as an outside kick mic and it sounded unique, especially when blended with the 91A I had in the drum and using parallel compression.

Having said that, I’d take an RE20 or RE27 over an SM7B any day as a vocal mic.

I have the sm57, the volume for calls or streaming is always a problem, the volume is low, even if you turn the volume up on the audio interface or from the system... any solution?

3 year late to the party. But can you please tell me if there is an SM57/58 with built-in interface? (Like MV7, but lower price) . Thanks.

It cracked the tile. let that sink in... It cracked the tile. 😆 it is the best allaround/cheap mic for those who plan on using it for self-producing. I do generally prefer SM58 on my voice, but it depends on the song. Edgier and louder songs like SM57 better. pop filter and foam absolutely necessary. only pop filter for SM58. Cheers!

As someone with the SM7B + Cloudlifter setup




whoops

save me money, thanks

too late.
Bought it used though. Was like 150.

I just got my SM57 and a Scarlett 2i2. I wanted to use it for Podcasts and recording instruments like a Kalimba. I'm new to all of this and I am concerned that I need to set the gain knob to almost maximum (let's say 9/10) in order for it to blink green when talking into the mic at 10cm distance. Is that normal?

They’re all just tools. Use what you have or have access to. If the tool isn’t as good, it just means a little extra work to make the end product sound right. Still doable. Great (and successful) recordings have been made on every mic listed here.

If you’re working with an SM58 etc and things aren’t fitting into the mix right, try an EQ that doesn’t have a visual element to it (so you’re forced to solely use your ears) and adjust more elements of the mix around your voice with that mic.

I have a lineup of cheap to super spendy mics and it’s never a sure thing which one will sound best for the job. I’ve had a vocal on an SM7B beat the vocal on a Telefunken ELA M 251 E. And of course we went with the SM7B vox on that one.

They’re just tools.

The PodMic is the same price as the 57, looks cool, and works great for vocals and gutar cabs. It's a great alternative. Indestructible as well.

The poll is hard sm57, 7b, re20 are all incredible. Literally do whatever you want mics. I would probably go re20 though. The re20 just has the most flat sound and I have always loved working with that mic. BUT if I am having to pay for this mic every time then I am 100% going with the sm57 or sm58 if the swap is allowed.

Yoooo thanks. Im on a budget and wanna produce some music and you have now changed my mind :D thanks dud

One thing this video leaves out sadly is the increased amount of electromagnetic caused frequencies that the Shure SM57 picks up compared to the SM7B. I have bought a SM57 and it has arrived today and for me it is unusable, as the humming it produces (because of the electrical devices in the building I live in, which I btw. cannot control) is just really distracting, so I'm getting a refund currently. Make sure you check for this before buying!

thank you, sir

Been telling people this for years. The SM57 is an incredible mic, with a great price and solid build quality.

Sure the SM7 is a great sounding mic, but im a musician, and amature audio engineer, so the SM57 fits in everywhere.

However, I do encourage people to experiment with other mics if available. You never know when you will find a mic that is gold for a specific situation.

I definitely bought the re20 for aesthetics (also because I saw Radiohead record with it) but I have a few 57s as well and I love them equally

don't care im still gonna buy an sm7b
ive wanted one since i was 12 years old and as an adult i bought one

Just found this. Thanks, great video. When I bought my first mic as a newb home recorder the guy in the shop insisted I should get a SM57. In his words "you can hammer in nails with this mic and it will still work!". Hope you've replaced your tile by now.

The CloudLifter doesn't reduce noise for typical short-cable-run studio applications if your interface is good to begin with. I've tried both ways going into various Sound Devices hardware, and there was no measurable improvement.

What a CloudLifter does do is to allow longer cable runs without interference in live settings. It's also useful in its original intended application with ribbon mics, both to enable longer cable runs and to avoid frying the mic with stray +48V for the more careless/ADHD among gus.

I bought the sm7b 99% based on the look. It's all black with incredibly minimal branding etc. which matches my aesthetic. sure it cost pretty much with the interface and a good xlr cable and a boom arm but they will last a long time so i see it as a good purchase

well i already bought it lol trying set it up now

I have both, but let’s be honest. The SM7B looks so much better on camera.

Great video! Love your content!!
I recently started using my sm57 a lot more and realized how much I like it.
I have an sm7b I use with a cheap presonus preamp that I like a lot but definitely realizing the 57 can do everything I need and more.

Is a cloud lifter something that you’d actually recommend for an sm57? I find that my vocals aren’t really that loud unless I turn the input gain all the way up on my Scarlett 2i2 which results in more noise. I don’t own a preamp, just an interface at the moment. I’m just wondering if maybe I should just consider another mic for vocals at this point 🤔

One note, that’s not a pop shield. It is a wind screen. A wind screen can achieve the same thing as a pop filter, yea, but it affects the high end of the mic, and usually needs to be adjusted with eq.

True story: Late night recording session. Drummer shows up, open his stick bag to find one drum stick. I hand bro an extra SM57 I had laying around. He used the SM 57 as replacement for his right hand drum stick. About a 3 hour recording session using this 57 as a drumstick. This was years ago. Maybe 8 years ago. Last week I was recording a rush demo for a commercial I was briefed and grabbed that same 57 to demo an acoustic guitar part. Sounded great. Wound up using that recording in the final mix and it placed... The 57 is rarely the best option... but it's NEVER a wrong option. Lmao

I'm going to say it... I think the SM7B sounds too muffled. I've listened to a lot of different mic reviews and have even listened to some of my Twitch streaming friends switch to the SM7B, and I have the same opinion of it every time: it's warm, but it's almost TOO warm making it sound muted and muffled. My next mic is going to be the SM57 for a dynamic mic, and HOPEFULLY, I'm going to try and see what I think about the PROAR mic that's been getting a lot of attention as a new condenser mic to try out. I already have a Blue Yeti (oh, you poor misunderstood mic with a bad rep... she's served me for nearly a decade, now) and an XLR Samson mic. But anyway, I feel like the SM7B is missing something whereas the SM57 almost has too much, but it's easier to reign a mic in post than to try to add what's not there in post. The SM57 is a little hot on the plosives even with the foam, but that's easy to adjust.

Hi! For a more broadcast sound for a podcast of 2 people, is the 57 more prefered over the 58? I do not really understand the difference between them! Anyone got experience in this?

Well said

Sm7b still sounds more rounded and less intrusive

SM57 4 life. Takes up less room on my desk, too.

I use a Sontronics Podcast Pro.. great budget supercardioid.. all I needed was an audio interface for the xlr. 100$ for the Mic, 100$ for the interface. 200$ total covers my needs

alr knew it was gonna be the sm57 i got mine yesterday, your videos are really helpful btw, cant wait to start making music!

So are you making an argument against this mic while using it? Maybe i need to keep watching the whole video, but ironic

Yo uso el shure sm57. No necesito mas nada

Great video, thanks! I only wish I had seen it sooner. I bought a sm7b on ebay, fortunately it was counterfeit and returned it. I then ordered a sm58 from Amazon (arriving tomorrow). I will have a great mic, but it won’t look as cool as a 57 with a foam pop filter. I guess a second mic is in my future 😊

I just got the SM7B mic yesterday. I was just using a shotgun mic before (Rode VideoMic Pro Plus). After setting it up, and connecting it to Scarlet Focusrite 2i2 4th gen (without cloudlifter), I'd say it's worth the money. I don't have to shout into my microphone just to have it pick up the sounds, it's a lot more accurate to how I sound and overall, I leave it plugged in and it works seemlessly (with a bit of a noise floor, but I just removed it in post). I'd say the biggest return I get back is the peace of mind due to it's reliability and the reduction in the amount of takes I have to do. It's just a time saver. Not saying that other mics can't work, but if you're planning on doing content full time or making a lot of content, then saving a bit here and there is not gonna be worth the hassle and you're just better off getting the one that you're gonna eventually use anyways, and spent that extra research time making content and focusing on skilling up. It's just more efficient use of your time.

Wake up call. TY. I WAS looking at the sm7b.

Because I'm going to be using it for singing, I'll still go with the sm7b but u alternating between mics all through the video- really proved a point

It is indeed all about marketing and hypes plus influencers.
Sales psychology.

Remember the Yamaha NS10 nearfield monitors for recording studios?


In the nineties a famous producer put a little piece of tissue in front of the tweeter. Because he didn’t like the high end output.

Weeks later (not as fast as the internet accelerates it) almost every NS10 owner did the same.

The question is: did it really make a difference?

Good video btw. Nice comparison.
If you will open them up, you’ll be surprised how similar they are.

Talking about milking an old concept…

one day ill buy 5 sm57 so i can out do someone with a sm7b

1.EV RE20 2.SM57 3.SM7B 4.Whatsthat

SM57 plus Cloudlifter just beautiful LOL, and if you really want to just spend more money to spend more money get a Neve 1073 preamp, or just a full 500series lunchbox setup so you can keep spending more money...

I've owned an sm57 for 10 years (was my first microphone) and now considered buying an sm7b because I need another dynamic microphone; I think I'll just buy another 57! (or a 545 SD) --- but also, in Germany the 7b costs less than 400 Euros so I won't be saving 500 dollars unfortunately.

At 2020 usb and some programs are literally the same as a Shure sm7b

Thank you! 🎤✨

I'm watching this the day after I got my Cloudlifter and SM7B