Shure SM7dB dynamic microphone: features and spec-based rating

Shure’s SM7dB is a cardioid dynamic microphone with XLR connection.

A dynamic microphone is tough and picks up little surrounding sound. It suits streaming and recording vocals at home in a room whose echo is a problem.

In this article we rate it on 4 criteria using only the specifications the manufacturer publishes, and show how it ranks among the 17 dynamic microphones we compare.

Disclosure: This site takes part in affiliate programs. Specifications are as of the date we checked them and can change.

Figure: SoundBounty

Summary

Among the 17 dynamic microphones, SM7dB is rank S. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and S is the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5) gives 4.3.

Strengths

• Ease of getting enough gain (28.2 mV/Pa, 5 points): Even an entry-level audio interface is unlikely to run short of level.
• High-frequency range (20,000 Hz, 5 points): It records the high end of the voice clearly.
• Features (3 of 5, 4 points): It is well equipped, with connection options and switches on the body.

Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want to record without gain trouble, even with an entry-level audio interface; people who want to record the high end of the voice solidly; people who want to use features of the body such as the connection options, switches and headphone jack.

Main features of SM7dB

Built-in preamp with +18 dB / +28 dB

It has a built-in low-noise active preamp. A switch adds either +18 dB or +28 dB of gain. To use the preamp you need 48 V phantom power.

Low-cut and presence switches

It has a switch that reduces low sounds and a switch that brightens the midrange.

Frequency response of 50 to 20,000 Hz

It is cardioid, with a frequency response of 50 to 20,000 Hz. The EIN with the built-in preamp is published as -130 dBV (A-weighted, typical).

Where it is useful

• Recording a voice with a dynamic microphone even on an interface with little gain

Rating by criterion

Ease of getting enough gain: 5 / 5

Whether you can get a good level without turning the gain knob of the audio interface up too far. USB models raise the level inside the microphone and get full marks.

SM7dB: 28.2 mV/Pa. That is a high rating among the products we compared. Even an entry-level audio interface is unlikely to run short of level.

High-frequency range: 5 / 5

How high a sound it can record (the upper limit of the frequency response).

SM7dB: 20,000 Hz. That is a high rating among the products we compared. It records the high end of the voice clearly.

Rejection of surrounding sound: 3 / 5

How little it picks up sound from outside the front of the microphone (everyday noise and room echo), decided by the pickup pattern.

SM7dB: Cardioid. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.

Features: 4 / 5

How many features of the body it has, such as USB and XLR connections, a low-cut and a headphone jack.

SM7dB: 3 of 5. That is a high rating among the products we compared. It is well equipped, with connection options and switches on the body.

The gray marks in the figure below (the dotted line on the pentagon) show the average of the 17 products we compared. Price is not part of the score.

How we score (Dynamic microphones)

Criterion	Basis	5 pt	4 pt	3 pt	2 pt	1 pt
Ease of getting enough gain	Sensitivity at the XLR output (USB models have a built-in preamp and get full marks)	≥2.5	≥2	≥1.6	≥1.3	<1.3
High-frequency range	Upper limit of the frequency response	≥20000	≥18000	≥16000	≥15000	<15000
Rejection of surrounding sound	Pickup pattern	Supercardioid / hypercardioid	—	Cardioid (unidirectional)	—	—
Features	USB, XLR, low-cut, presence, headphone jack	4 to 5	3	2	1	None

Scored only on the body specifications published by the manufacturer. Price and accessories are not part of the score. "Ease of getting enough gain" answers the common question "do I need a preamp (booster)?". Over XLR, the higher the sensitivity (mV/Pa), the less you need to turn up the gain on the audio interface. Models that can also connect by USB have a preamp inside the microphone, so there is no worry about running short of gain and they get 5 points. Rejection of surrounding sound is decided by the pickup pattern: supercardioid and hypercardioid, which pick up little from outside the front, score highest. Weight is shown in the table for reference.

SM7dB connection and getting started

Connection	XLR (3-pin)
Power	48 V phantom power when you use the preamp
Other	Weight 0.837 kg

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on October 17, 2026.

Compared with other dynamic microphones

Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.

Before you buy

• It connects by XLR. You need an audio interface or mixer. It is a dynamic microphone, so it does not need phantom power (+48 V).

Read next

• BETA 58A: features and rating (rank A)
• e 945: features and rating (rank A)
• SM7B: features and rating (rank B)
• e 835: features and rating (rank B)