Microphone Dillema: Keep a Shure KSM32 or get a Shure SM7B?

[traumerei1838]

ksm, but I might sell it and try to get a multi pattern mic. but save the dough cause you know something else is gonna pop up soon. free always wins.

[Seventh Knight]

Originally Posted by traumerei1838

ksm, but I might sell it and try to get a multi pattern mic. but save the dough cause you know something else is gonna pop up soon. free always wins.

You got a good point. I'm still learning the mic as I was dead set on getting a dynamic mic because of my room however it seems that it didn't pick up too much of room like I thought it would in a bad way. I didn't hear any echo (I don't have too much echo anyway) but I'll do some test recording to make sure.

What setting should the mic be on? Flat or use the rolloff switches. I'm guessing I should use the flat setting and then use EQ to do some rolling off of the bass freq. I know I'll need to play around with it to find out my position and proximity effect. I have a pop shield as well.

Thanks

Seventh

[prizebeatz1]

you can probably get away with the KSM if you set it up in a corner with some treatment. Your body will deflect some of the sound from echoing behind you. The SM7b has a distinct flavor to it in a good way. It's not for everybody. Some of its advantages are that it is relatively low maintenance and you pretty much don't have to worry about room treatment as much vs a condenser. The tradeoff is that you need a good preamp. How are you in that department?

[Seventh Knight]

Originally Posted by jdomini00

you can probably get away with the KSM if you set it up in a corner with some treatment. Your body will deflect some of the sound from echoing behind you. The SM7b has a distinct flavor to it in a good way. It's not for everybody. Some of its advantages are that it is relatively low maintenance and you pretty much don't have to worry about room treatment as much vs a condenser. The tradeoff is that you need a good preamp. How are you in that department?

I've got the Focusrite Pro 24DSP Audio Interface if that helps.

Seventh

[prizebeatz1]

Ahh. That interface has particularly quiet preamps. I know because I have the Saffire Pro 24 without the DSP. I don't know if there is enough gain to drive an SM7b though. You'd probably have to crank it up to the max. Maybe you could use a Fethead to give you some extra boost. You're really going have to experiment a little bit until you find something that works for you.

[Seventh Knight]

Originally Posted by jdomini00

Ahh. That interface has particularly quiet preamps. I know because I have the Saffire Pro 24 without the DSP. I don't know if there is enough gain to drive an SM7b though. You'd probably have to crank it up to the max. Maybe you could use a Fethead to give you some extra boost. You're really going have to experiment a little bit until you find something that works for you.

Good point. I'm still researching but I'll see what happens. I've done some test recordings with the KSM but they seem muffled for my taste and I seem to clip in Cubase when getting up close to it even with a pop shield.

Thanks

Seventh

[guitarboy94]

They're both great microphones.

I've used both. The sm7b is less open sounding and has a darker character then the KSM32.

[Unclenny]

I think that the KSM32 is an amazingly versatile mic....kind of a modern day classic.

Is it the best vocal mic? I used it for years on my voice. But it has it's limitations in that area.

You obviously need to have both.

[changeng]

I'd say the KSM - fabulous mic. Plus, it might force you to find creative ways of bettering the sound of your room. The SM7 (to me) is fairly limited in use. The KSM always sounds good.

[Seventh Knight]

Originally Posted by changeng

I'd say the KSM - fabulous mic. Plus, it might force you to find creative ways of bettering the sound of your room. The SM7 (to me) is fairly limited in use. The KSM always sounds good.

Understood. Unfortunately, there's not much more I can do to my area since it's not a dedicated room...only part of a room which is our den. I'm in the corner (I'm facing the corner and my computer and studio monitors are facing out into the room) and although my corner walls are treated, the open area behind me is not as it's also our den/family room. The best I can do is maybe close myself in my corner with some blankets hanging on divits. My voice is heavy (think Chuck D from Public Enemy) when I rhyming and when I'm working on voiceovers (think James Earl Jones/Barry White). I haven't found a good fit with the KSM yet whether I'm close or away from it so far.

Thanks

Seventh

[sonic dogg]

The KSM is a fairly 'neutral' mic and will reflect more on the tone of your preamp/interface. The SM7b has more of a built-in vibe which could also mean its not suited for your particular use.

You want to control the reflection in front of you more so than the space behind. The space behind can be your friend in giving you more of an impression of a larger spacial area . The condenser will be better for this in every way.

I would experiment a lot with the KSM as far as gain-staging and changing the on/off axis to how you are orienting yourself to the mic while doing your thing. A simple twist of only a few degrees of a good condenser in its basket can make the entire difference in a capture. Tipping the mic up or down makes a difference too. Experiment. What have you got to lose?

Get the mic really hot and stand off further. Open the mic pre just a crack and open the channel on your program to unity. All sorts of things make a huge difference. Some so much so that you'd never guess it is the same gear in the same space.

[Unclenny]

Originally Posted by sonic dogg

All sorts of things make a huge difference. Some so much so that you'd never guess it is the same gear in the same space.

That's a good post right there.

[Pezz]

the sm7b is an great mic, especially for rapping. I once used one for a freestyle competition at radio 1 and that was the mic they had there.. in your face sound with amazing clarity but also with bundles of warmth.

[edva]

Right up front I'll say I am no expert on rap, but I have used the KSM32 and the SM7b a fair amount, and personally I can't imagine why anyone would want all the high frequency in the KSM 32 on a rap vocal. The SM7b on the other hand sounds like rap sometimes even on non-rap vocals, so it would seem to be a better fit. But, just my opinion, YMMV.

[Seventh Knight]

Good points. I'ma do some more tests and kinda change positions and see how it works. Free is really speaking to me now as far as keepin the KSM is concerned!

Seventh