Shure’s new SM7dB XLR vocal mic for streaming and podcasting is the iconic SM7B with in-built preamp

The new Shure SM7dB with preamp switches on its rear-panel (Image Source: Shure)

Shure has just launched the SM7dB XLR microphone, an updated version of the iconic SM7B that improves upon its gain-hungry predecessor with a built-in preamp for up to +28 dB boost in the output signal. The SM7dB remains unchanged in terms of its design, signature sound and EQ controls, and at US$499, costs US$100 more.

Fifty years after introducing the SM7 series, Shure is releasing an upgraded version of the beloved SM7B studio XLR microphone – the SM7dB.

The SM7B, already the favorite of radio presenters for decades, gained further notoriety as Michael Jackson’s vocal mic on the iconic Thriller album. Recently, it has become the vocal mic most sought-after by podcasters and streamers, thanks to its excellent vocal reproduction and inherent ability to reject off-axis sounds, vibrations, electromagnetic hum and plosives. If it had one chink in its armor, it was the need for a high-gain preamplifier to get adequate sound levels from it.

With the new SM7dB, Shure has finally addressed that issue with a built-in preamp for up to +28 dB of boost in the output, while ensuring that the beloved SM7B sound remains completely unaltered. The preamp is powered by 48 V phantom power from the interface. One can select either +18 or +28 dB of gain, depending on how loud the sound source is, or choose to bypass the preamp altogether.

The SM7dB (left) with the older and nearly identical SM7B (right) (Image Source: Shure)

Up until now, if you wanted higher output from the SM7B, you had three options: one, turn the input gain way up on your interface (at the risk of increasing noise); two, upgrade to a higher-end interface with more gain and quieter preamps. The third and most common workaround was to get a small inline preamp to boost the signal, the most popular one being the Cloudlifter from Cloud Microphones. Interestingly, the SM7dB’s in-built preamp is actually based on licensed technology from Cloud.

Over the years, the SM7B has had countless imitators (including Shure’s own MV7 and MV7X) trying to emulate its signature look and/or performance with varying degrees of success, yet never quite matching the real thing. The SM7dB is not one of those. It has the same Unidyne III cartridge and housing for enhanced low-end, the low-cut and presence boost EQ switches on the back, and the integral mount and pop filter. The only discernible difference (apart from the preamp switches) is a darker black color (versus the older dark-grey), and large ‘Shure’ branding on the body, arguably well-earned after 50 years.

Shure says the SM7dB is “designed for podcasters, streamers, and vocalists”, and while it’s equally suited for professional studio recording and broadcast, the higher-end consoles typically found there would have no need for the extra gain, making the SM7B a better deal. Priced at US$499 (up from US$399 for the still available SM7B), the SM7dB is great value if you consider that the Cloudlifter preamp costs US$150 on its own. You can buy the Shure SM7dB on Amazon now

Vishal Bhardwaj – Tech Writer – 48 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2023

I’ve always been interested in technology, but it was my passion for music-making and photography that led me to dive deep into audio and imaging technology and understand all the tools that had fascinated me. I hold degrees in electronics engineering and business management, and have worked as a software developer as well as in marketing. Apart from being an amateur musician and photographer, I enjoy reading books, being outdoors, cooking and lately, running.

Vishal Bhardwaj, 2023-09-29 (Update: 2023-09-29)

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