Guitar mic test (sm57+md421 vs sm7b)

[MystycalFanfare]

Hello metalheads,

I just bought sm7b few days a go as an addition of vocal microphones in my home studio. Lately in free time, I play guitar, plug in into 6505 and mesa recto cab. I hooked up my old trusty 57+421 combo. Then I try my new 7b and it just blew my mind how good this mic on guitar amp. Now I've been struggle to choose which one is good for my new production. That's why I'm here asking for some opinion.

Here's some clip:

Mixtest A
https://app.box.com/s/205fyl9qz1hlopggfta005j8drsrgwf7

Mixtest B
https://app.box.com/s/v5l67hv7clhmniy46bewjbotbxm6neoi

ps: Please don't mind my sloppy playing. It was one quick take on each track and unedited.

Each one of those clip was 57+421 combo and 7b, and to avoid bias I just name it mixtest A and B.

Are those classic combo still stand as winner on guitar amp, or will 7b beat those classics?

 

[JeffTD]

I think these clips are the same actually - they phase cancel in a DAW.

*edit* they definitely do not, that's my bad . My dumb ass dragged the 'A' track into Cubase twice and had names on regions hidden.

 

[MystycalFanfare]

I think these clips are the same actually - they phase cancel in a DAW.

Really???

 

[MystycalFanfare]

Okay if you guys hard to hear in mix, here's I solo the guitars:

Guitar A:
https://app.box.com/s/v70g80lq9x1yxgpj9qjj2d4uret28539

Guitar B:
https://app.box.com/s/uvbaplle6tk8xcp2bf7ieqoi7m9il86s


For further analysis, here's the raw without processing whatsoever:

Guitar A Raw:
https://app.box.com/s/8tx7jzasctc4fzjknhxrhoia25fhecu9

Guitar B Raw:
https://app.box.com/s/alb3ijpktpp9zlulcon96iequsorhf55

Have a nice listen guys.

Cheers!

 

[JeffTD]

So after realizing what I was doing wrong, this is what I'm hearing:

'A' sounds kind of narrow and a bit peaky like I'd expect from an SM7b (I've tried them on gtrs a fair amount), but it's also kinda honky like a 57 would be.

'B' is a bit thicker/more 'broadband' sounding, less narrow/small. It has a kind of 'bouncy' quality to the low end that makes me think of the SM7b but also just sounds bigger and more alive than I've gotten that mic to be on a cab.

Really curious as to what the answer is; I have a feeling it's A 57/421, B SM7b, but my ego wants it to be the other way around.

 

[MystycalFanfare]

So after realizing what I was doing wrong, this is what I'm hearing:

'A' sounds kind of narrow and a bit peaky like I'd expect from an SM7b (I've tried them on gtrs a fair amount), but it's also kinda honky like a 57 would be.

'B' is a bit thicker/more 'broadband' sounding, less narrow/small. It has a kind of 'bouncy' quality to the low end that makes me think of the SM7b but also just sounds bigger and more alive than I've gotten that mic to be on a cab.

Really curious as to what the answer is; I have a feeling it's A 57/421, B SM7b, but my ego wants it to be the other way around.

Thanks for your opinion, somehow I agree with you.

Hold on a lil bit mate, I need few other thoughts.

Cheers!

 

[sinquestsound]

[...] I have a feeling it's A 57/421, B SM7b

+1. And probably 80% sm57 and 20% 421

Stay Metal!

 

[TheIllusionist]

A seems to have something that immediately grabs you but as you listen through it lacks the clarity of B. My vote is with B on favourite. By clarity I mean there's a bit of low end honk going on in A that I can imagine having to filter out quite a lot of. B sounds like it's more ready to go

 

[Dobri]

Thanks for the test. But why are we comparing a combination of mics to a single mic?
I do believe that there are three broad groups of mics for guitar cabs for metal - "the factory sound" which is when the guitars sound like they are played on the background of heavy machinery (MD421 and other Sennheisers), "the bright sound" when they sound really in your face as if you are in the room with the cab (PR30 and other Heils), and of course "the spitting sound" which sounds as if the guitar player wants to kick you in the face and spit on you (SM57). To me the SM7B is somewhere in between the three sounds. Thus generally a combo of a sm57 and md421 will get you somewhere close to the sm7b.
I am torn between the two options of which clip is which mic/combo but I think that the combo is more like 50/50 sm/md or 2/1 sm/md. Both clips will fall into my classification of factory sound.
My point is - can we get all the separate mic clips? A, B and C.

 

[MystycalFanfare]

Sorry for late reply guys, been busy lately.

I wanna reveal the test, but seems like you guys have experienced ears so the guessing was completely correct. And sinquestsound really could tell exact combination of what I've done. Good job man!

 

[MystycalFanfare]

Thanks for the test. But why are we comparing a combination of mics to a single mic?
I do believe that there are three broad groups of mics for guitar cabs for metal - "the factory sound" which is when the guitars sound like they are played on the background of heavy machinery (MD421 and other Sennheisers), "the bright sound" when they sound really in your face as if you are in the room with the cab (PR30 and other Heils), and of course "the spitting sound" which sounds as if the guitar player wants to kick you in the face and spit on you (SM57). To me the SM7B is somewhere in between the three sounds. Thus generally a combo of a sm57 and md421 will get you somewhere close to the sm7b.
I am torn between the two options of which clip is which mic/combo but I think that the combo is more like 50/50 sm/md or 2/1 sm/md. Both clips will fall into my classification of factory sound.
My point is - can we get all the separate mic clips? A, B and C.

Hey thanks for comment.

The reason I'm doing this test was simply just try my new mic (which is 7b) in a front of guitar cab. To be honest that was my first experience micing 7b on guitar and I just blew away how good its sound. For all this time, I always using 57+421 (and I believe most people did) on guitar, and I was almost bias because the euphoria of new mic, thinking to start using 7b alone for efficiency, and perhaps sell my 57 and 421. That's why I recorded some simple riff, program some drum and bass instrument plugins, and share with you guys, went to know what you guys thinking about it. After spent this week, I was looking back for my trusty combo 57+421. I will using 7b on some of my next project and see if it fits.

And I am really sorry, I'm no longer have that PT session. But I will record some clip again in my spare time and post all individual mics just like what you thought.

Cheers!