The Shure SM7 story really begins with the SM5 broadcast microphone – a unidirectional dynamic boom microphone introduced in 1964 that was designed for television and film studios. It was a beast, measuring over 10" in length and weighing in at a hefty two pounds. In the late 1960s, Shure set out to develop a new microphone designed especially for recording studios, radio stations, and voiceover work. A group of Shure microphone engineers started with the Unidyne III SM57 element and transformed it into a voiceover mic.
First released in 1973, the SM7 was built to be the best professional broadcasting and voiceover microphone possible. The SM7 diaphragm is optimized for increased low-end response by being thinner, and therefore more flexible. The housing of the SM7 allows for a larger volume of air behind the cartridge, which also extends its voice-friendly low-end response. To increase the output level, the voice coil employs a smaller diameter of wire and has three times as many turns as an SM57 or SM58 voice coil. The thinner diaphragm and heavier voice coil affect the natural resonance frequency of the SM7. All these factors combine to provide the rich low-end response preferred by voiceover artists.
The original SM7 was replaced in 1999 by the SM7A which offered a more efficient humbucking coil to counteract computer monitor noise (those CRT monitors were a big problem in studios as computer recording started to dominate). The SM7B replaced the SM7A in 2001, adding a larger accessory windscreen. The SM7B has come to dominate pro podcasting and streaming, while remaining indispensable in the world’s best recording and broadcast studios. The SM7 line has a storied history, trusted by the most innovative entertainers, artists, and creators for five decades.
"In the history of audio, very few microphones have delivered the sound of as many generations of entertainers and creatives as the SM7 family," says Eduardo Valdes, Associate Vice President of Global Marketing, at Shure. "The fact the SM7B continues to be adopted by new creators, artists, and broadcasters is a testament to the Shure engineers who designed the microphones and all those who have relied on its pioneering audio quality."
The Signature Edition SM7B will feature the engraved signature of S.N. Shure, the founder of Shure Incorporated, as well as a set of five custom backplates adorned with vintage Shure logos from 1925 to the 1960’s. The box set will also include custom packaging, a limited-print SM7B poster, heritage booklet, and alternate screw set emblazoned with the classic Shure logo.
In 1969, Shure introduced six in-line audio adapters dubbed the A15 Series of Problem Solvers. The larger housing of the SM7 made it feasible to include two A15 functions: The A15HP (High Pass) filter attenuates bass frequencies below 300 Hz, while the A15RS (Response Shaper) attenuates treble frequencies above 1,000 Hz. Two slide switches on SM7 rear panel enable or disable the equivalent A15HP and A15RS circuits. A metal cover plate is provided to hide the switches if desired. This gives the mic four different frequency responses curves – flat, bass roll-off, presence boost, and bass roll-off/presence boost. With this feature, broadcast stations were able to match the microphone’s frequency response to the vocal characteristics of specific announcers or voiceover talent.
While the SM7 line hasn’t changed much over the years, it continues to be adopted by those shaping culture and has left a legacy all its own. Learn more about the SM7B’s historic impact on audio in our LOUDER blog post, “50 Years in the Making: The Rise of the Mighty SM7B.”
Click here to sign up for the Signature Edition SM7B sweepstakes until August 21, 2023.
See a video of the Signature Edition SM7B Collector's box set here.
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