Shure SM7dB Interface Recommendation

[rolltide]

Hello friends - I have a job interview from home on Microsoft Teams in a couple weeks that I'd like to sound my best for, so I need a mic and audio interface to connect to my Mac Studio. If I get the job, I would use the equipment in Teams meetings working from home three days a week (two in office). This will be my first mic and audio interface, and I won't be recording music or podcasts. My budget is $1,500. Some options I found (certainly open to others):

Mics:

• Shure SM7dB
• Earthworks ETHOS Broadcast Condenser Microphone

Audio Interfaces:

• Audient iD4 MKII
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB-C Audio Interface (4th Generation)
• RME Babyface Pro FS
• Universal Audio Volt 276

What mic and audio interface would you recommend for my job interview? Thanks!

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have used a Babyface Pro FS with a ribbon mic only a couple db more sensitive than the SM7b from Shure. So I don't think you'll have an issue with it.

Julian Krause who reviews dozens of interfaces on youtube always shows what it does with an SM7b. There is a proximity effect with cardioids. This means the bass response is elevated the closer you get to the microphone. So with the SM7b you'll want it close to get good volume, but that might not sound clear if you have a lower pitched voice.

A less expensive mic option I think is the Shure SM58. It has a very similar response to the SM7b and is a little more sensitive while being less expensive. It was designed for vocals.

I definitely suggest you get what you think you will use and get some time using it to see if it suits your desires for sound quality. Also that you know how to route and use it with Teams.

It also would help if you had an interface with some built in compressor capability. A bit of compression makes your voice heard more clearly and allows you to keep background noise in check.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have not used these, but they are worth considering. Lewitt Connect 2 and Connect 6. They don't have stellar specs though they are okay. What makes them good for your purpose is they have built in compression and gating. Some other nice features too as these seem aimed at podcasters. Compression if activated in the Connect 2 is fixed. In the Connect 6 you have control over it though the fixed version is fine for your needs. The Connect 6 also has some limiting which is sort of in the Connect 2, but again a fixed version.

 

[SuicideSquid]

Hello friends - I have a job interview from home on Microsoft Teams in a couple weeks that I'd like to sound my best for, so I need a mic and audio interface to connect to my Mac Studio. If I get the job, I would use the equipment in Teams meetings working from home three days a week (two in office). This will be my first mic and audio interface, and I won't be recording music or podcasts. My budget is $1,500. Some options I found (certainly open to others):

Mics:

• Shure SM7dB
• Earthworks ETHOS Broadcast Condenser Microphone

Audio Interfaces:

• Audient iD4 MKII
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB-C Audio Interface (4th Generation)
• RME Babyface Pro FS
• Universal Audio Volt 276

What mic and audio interface would you recommend for my job interview? Thanks!

What's the job? If you're just attending office meetings and the like and aren't recording your voice for broadcast this is all massive overkill.

A Shure MV6 USB mic is a stripped-back version of the SM7b with a USB connection so you don't need a separate audio interface. Even it is a better mic than you likely will ever need for Teams meetings, and depending where you are it can be had for $150-$200.

 

[rolltide]

What's the job? If you're just attending office meetings and the like and aren't recording your voice for broadcast this is all massive overkill.

A Shure MV6 USB mic is a stripped-back version of the SM7b with a USB connection so you don't need a separate audio interface. Even it is a better mic than you likely will ever need for Teams meetings, and depending where you are it can be had for $150-$200.

It's just a standard corporate office job where I attend meetings, I won't be doing anything advanced like recording my voice for broadcast.

I was wondering if this is massive overkill, so thanks for confirming that it is. Happy to go with a Shure MV6 and connect it via USB-C.

I just didn't know if there was a huge difference in going from a USB mic to an XLR mic with an interface.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Blumlein 88]

You also might consider a Shure MV7 microphone. Often when you see videos thinking they are using a Shure SM7b what you are seeing is an MV7. It was made as a similar less expensive SM7b for podcasting. It can work over XLR or USB. So you might not need an interface just the microphone.

https://www.amazon.com/Shure-MV7-Microphone-Certified-Podcasting/dp/B0CTJ7PVN1/ref

I also agree for what you need the MV6 is likely plenty. Has built in gating (called denoise), auto level and should be more than good enough.

 

[rolltide]

You also might consider a Shure MV7 microphone. Often when you see videos thinking they are using a Shure SM7b what you are seeing is an MV7. It was made as a similar less expensive SM7b for podcasting. It can work over XLR or USB. So you might not need an interface just the microphone.

https://www.amazon.com/Shure-MV7-Microphone-Certified-Podcasting/dp/B0CTJ7PVN1/ref

I also agree for what you need the MV6 is likely plenty. Has built in gating (called denoise), auto level and should be more than good enough.

OK perfect, the MV7 sounds great. Thank you!

 

[Geert]

I was wondering if this is massive overkill, so thanks for confirming that it is. Happy to go with a Shure MV6

Since YouTube influencers became popular people have lost it with these large diaphragm type microphone. You only need that type of microphone if you are a DJ, voice over actor or when working in a noisy environment or room with very poor acoustics. What I’ve been using for 5 years for Teams calls is a Lewitt lct 040, directly mounted on a gooseneck that sits just above my computer screen. That mic is no bigger than your thumb, with the way it is mounted it takes zero space on my desk and it's not visible for others. I spend multiple hours a day in team calls, often giving presentations to large audiences. (Note that the lct 040 requires an audio interface with 48V phantom supply, which in my case also acts as my IEM amp for Teams calls).

 

[SuicideSquid]

Since YouTube influencers became popular people have lost it with these large diaphragm type microphone. You only need that type of microphone if you are a DJ, voice over actor or when working in a noisy environment or room with very poor acoustics. What I’ve been using for 5 years for Teams calls is a Lewitt lct 040, directly mounted on a gooseneck that sits just above my computer screen. That mic is no bigger than your thumb, with the way it is mounted it takes zero space on my desk and it's not visible for others. I spend multiple hours a day in team calls, often giving presentations to large audiences. (Note that the lct 040 requires an audio interface with 48V phantom supply, which in my case also acts as my IEM amp for Teams calls).

MV7 isn't a large-diaphragm condenser mic, it's a dynamic mic.

IMO even the MV7 is overkill - if you're doing podcasts or twitch streams it's great, but if you want something good and reliable for office meetings the MV6 is all you'll ever need and more.

 

[Geert]

MV7 isn't a large-diaphragm condenser mic, it's a dynamic mic.

I said large diagram type (style was a better word I guess), and I didn’t say it was a condensator mic. If it really matters, Shure describes it as a a medium size diaphragm mic.The total diameter of the mic is 9 cm, which is huge compared to the alternative I suggested.

 

[DVDdoug]

The SM7B is a dynamic mic and Audio Interfaces typically don't have enough gain with dynamic mics unless you are recording a drum or with the mic in front of a guitar amp.

The SM57/58 is also a dynamic mic with similar sensitivity. Studio condenser mics typically have 20dB more signal.

A lot of people use a Cloudlifter with the dynamic mics.

 

[AnalogSteph]

What I’ve been using for 5 years for Teams calls is a Lewitt lct 040, directly mounted on a gooseneck that sits just above my computer screen.

In fact, a small-diaphragm condenser with a nice consistent cardioid pattern is one of the better options for an application like this. It can be placed fairly inconspicuously just outside the frame (which is never going to happen with an SM7b) but close enough for directivity to do a decent job keeping diffuse sound at bay, while avoiding too much sound coloration from narrowing dispersion as common e.g. in shotgun mics. You tend to have a lot of diffuse sound going around indoors, so a neutral off-axis response becomes quite important. As it happens, that's exactly what's required e.g. for X-Y stereophonic recording, where SDCs are commonly used.

Don't expect to be saving much, mind you, I would expect to be spending in the low-mid hundreds before noise, directivity and low-frequency response along with build are reasonably well sorted... I might consider the range somewhere between a Lewitt LCT 140 AIR and Neumann KM184, maybe focusing on the AT4041 / Sennheiser e914 / Shure SM81-ish area.

Interface choice may come down more to ergonomics and drivers than anything else in this range. Controls on top may be handy depending on setting but command a certain premium. Encoder-only affairs (e.g. Audient) may have issues with settings retention over reboots or unplug/replug that would need to be investigated. Can't happen when it's a bunch of pots, but those aren't going to be quite as accurate and repeatable. System gain shouldn't be too stingy for a spoken word application but doesn't need to be extremely high either. Monitoring facilities and driving headphones may still be a concern.

Using software like a Voicemeeter variety may be advisable.

 

[JSmith]

What's the job? If you're just attending office meetings and the like and aren't recording your voice for broadcast this is all massive overkill.

Agree... I'd just be getting a basic headset with inbuilt mic, does exactly as needed for $8;

JSmith

 

[Blumlein 88]

The SM7b perpetuates something of a myth. The myth that insensitive dynamic mics pick up less room sound. What it really does is pick less room sound, vocal sound everything. So you end up placing it much closer to be heard which gives you an advantage of your voice vs the room noise. If you turn down the gain, a condenser can work just as well at the same distance. Here is a 9 minute video demonstrating that.

Now it is true a dynamic is not bothered by plosives, which is when with some condensers your breath can cause them to pop like when you say Peter Piper Picked a Pickle. Especially an issue with pencil condensers. You can move them a bit further away and/or use a pop-shield. Also as mentioned by AnalogSteph you can use a directional condenser to keep the mic out of the picture, and its better sensitivity will still pick up your voice.

This is a pretty good 14 minutes video showing several kinds of microphones, where you need to place them and other considerations. The AT 2021 condenser is one worth considering to use just out of frame the way AnalogSteph is describing. I might consider the Rode Video Mic shotgun too though I rather don't like shotguns.

Finally if you just like the SM7b sound here is a vid by Julian Krause showing how you can EQ an SM57 to mimic the SM7b.

 

[kemmler3D]

Tend to agree with the others that a USB mic like MV7/8 makes a lot of sense for something like this.

I do a lot of video calls for work and I have been "that guy" with a podcast-ready setup on Zoom. Everyone can hear the difference, the downside is nobody cares that much, and once in a while the interface acts up, so you end up with slightly more moments in which your mic isn't working. I have fallen back on just using the built-in mics on my Mac. Nobody complained, my boss still likes me.

I don't think it hurts to show up to work with a nicer mic, but you won't get promoted over it either.

I will say It's good to have if you ever actually appear on a podcast as part of your job (happens occasionally at mine) or you want to pre-record or present something for a large group in the company, like a townhall or whatever.

I think the part of your "work setup" you might also want to upgrade is a good background, i.e. the back half of whatever room serves as your office. Lots of people use fake backgrounds or blur the background, but I think the real flex in these remote roles is to have such a nice home office that you can actually let people see it. My QRD diffuser is right behind me on calls, and people get really impressed by the look of it. Our sales guy sits / stands in front of a nice wooden room divider. My old CMO had really dramatic floral wallpaper. And I swear one guy I work with must be a streamer or youtuber after hours, he's got the LED accent lights in his room, and a high quality webcam and everything.

People with really nice or unique Zoom backgrounds are more memorable... generally a good thing at work. Sounds incredibly petty and shallow, I know, but that's what occurred to me reading this thread.

Last piece of advice is, while going through a job interview process, don't get too attached to a role before the ink is dry. I don't know how much experience you have with job hunting, maybe you already know all this, but the emotional rollercoaster can really knock you back after a few rounds of interviewing. I find it's best to just focus on nailing the next interview, the next interview question, the next talking point, and not start counting your money from your first hypothetical paycheck.

 

[L5730]

RME Babyface Pro FS has a nice advantage over some other interfaces in that it allows for applying a few EQ filters to the input signal before it gets recorded. Yes, it's expensive compared to other interfaces, but it's got very stable drivers on Windows at least, and takes load off of the CPU.

A cheap interface might be OK, coupled with some software routing to add EQ.

The Behringer XM8500 sounds OK and with some EQ it sounds quite similar to a 7b. Add a long pop filter/wind shield and keep it at a slight angle, not directly pointed infront of the mouth to prevent those plosives. Julian Krause also looks into this solution for a low cost.
Edit, yeah it's been posted above....doh, sorry.

 

[Blumlein 88]

The Lewitt devices do eq and compression inside the unit at lower cost. Not that anything is wrong with the Babyface. I have one myself.