How to spend 300 EUR on vocal chain

[Spectivum]

Hi,
I am seeking some wisdom how to improve a low budget vocal chain, to record my own projects (death/black).
I have a E-MU 0404USB interface which is supposed to have quite good preamps and converters. I tried a Shure SM57 and Beta 58a but do not like how either sounds. the flat is rented so cannot properly treat the room and close out street noise etc, so condenser is not really an option.

I saw the SM7B is recommended as a mic that could work in sub-optimal conditions - this I might be able to get for under 300 EUR used. I hope the +65dB preamp of the EMU is enough to drive that?
Or should I get a better preamp and a SM58, although I doubt how much better a preamp I could get for 200 EUR.

Thanks

 

[Spectivum]

Further tests with the SM57 indicate the preamp gain is not quite enough for the SM7B, so will definitely need either a better preamp with more gain or an inline amp like the tritonaudio fethead.
So I guess the question is now which would give better results, an SM57 with a better quality external preamp, or a Sm7B + inline amp + interface preamp.
Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

I used a 0404 with my sm7b in my home demo-rig for a couple of years, it has enough gain in the preamps.