Shure SM7, the desert island microphone.

You see a lot of people asking, "If I were to buy one nice microphone for my studio, what should it be?" The Shure SM7 is my stock answer. Simply put, this microphone does it all. Like its smaller cousin the SM58, it is an industry standard. But if the SM58 were the foxtrot of microphones, the SM7 would be the Moonwalk. It's a complete mystery how amazing this mic sounds, considering a retail price under $400 USD. Part of its charm is that this is a dynamic microphone, not a condenser. The same amount spent on a bottom of the line condenser (not much choice in that price range) would probably yield less than stellar results.

If my endorsement doesn't do it for you, you can ask Michael Jackson himself, or perhaps Bruce Swedien, MJ's long-time recording engineer. He has more Grammy awards than I have spices in my pantry, and it's no secret that he used the SM7 to record the vocals on Off The Wall and Thriller, among others. Yes, Thriller, the biggest selling album of all time. I mean, he had a huge budget, and the choice of virtually any vintage condenser microphone in the world. He chose the SM7. 'Nuff said. If for some ridiculous reason you don't like the sound of "Billie Jean," you might like "Give it away" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers or one of many screaming Metallica tracks. The SM7 is featured prominently in both documentaries Funky Monks and Some Kind of Monster.

It is a very natural sounding microphone; not dull, not bright, but just right. If you need to add just a bit of midrange presence, there is a switch on the back that will give you just that. Some engineers leave that on all the time. Others never use it. There is a suspension system inside the casing and a bass rolloff switch to keep out the streetcar rumble, AND it comes with your choice of two soft pop filters so you can let fly your best beat-boxing or Bobby McFerrin cover. Don't ask me why CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi (below) is using another pop filter; he doesn't need it. The capsule is well protected by the built-in foam, a metal cage, and two or three inches of space.

This mic requires a bit more pre-amp gain than you might be used to, but that means you can also put it on very loud sources without distortion. It gives the RE20 a run for its money inside a kick drum, or on a guitar/bass cabinet. It's also excellent at rejecting off-axis sounds in a live setting, so you can easily record your vocals live off the floor, or in the control room with the big speakers blaring.

You might notice that the current model of SM7 is called SM7b. Don't sweat it; it's a just a revision that improves the RF interference protection and boosts the gain a little bit. Your time is better spent recording than hunting down an old original version. They sound the same to most ears.

Chances are, you hear this thing every day on the radio, either on the voice of your favorite radio host (I still love you, Jian), or your favorite singer (we still love you, Michael). It won't break the bank, and it's tried and true by many a great recording engineer. The SM7b is the ideal choice for your home recording studio or your desert island podcast. No matter the application, I'm quite sure you will love it.

Happy tracking.

Oh, and if you happen to be reading my blog, I'd love to hear your feedback. My email address is in the sidebar, or you use comments or the little feedback widget below every post.

[Edit Dec 14, 2009.

I have had a few people ask me about the best pre-amp for this microphone. You should know that the SM7b is designed to have a low output, and thus requires a strong, clean preamplifier to get a good signal. The general recommendation is a minimum of 60dB of gain. Entry level audio interfaces are going to come up a bit short; your signal will be noisy and distorted when you turn it up to. Check the specs of your pre-amp, and if you're shopping, try before you buy. There are lots of opinions and recommendations at www.gearslutz.com. Do a thorough search before you post; it's a commonly asked question.]