This article shows you how to set up the Shure SM7B dynamic microphone with the Rode Rodecaster Pro 2 Audio Mixer to get the best results. We’ll show you what you need and don’t need in this high-level setup for your podcast.
Quick Answer: Mount the Shure SM7B onto the Rode PSA1+ boom arm. Position the mic 2″-3″ away from the mouth. Connect the mic to Rodecaster Pro 2 with an XLR cable. Scroll the presets menu and select the SM7B preset. Dial it in by leaving post-processing turned on. Click the presets button and choose podcast studio.
Price & Specs
- Shure SM7B Dynamic Microphone: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
- Rode Rodecaster 2 Audio Mixer: https://currentprice.io/rodecaster2
How To Setup Shure SM7B With Rodecaster Pro II
How To Setup Shure SM7B With Rodecaster Pro
Total Time: 5 minutes
Connect Rodecaster Pro II To Power
Turn On Rodecaster Pro II
Connect Shure SM7B To Mic Stand
You have two options:
1 – Boom arm: https://currentprice.io/psa1_plus
2 – Tabletop stand: https://currentprice.io/desk_stand
Connect Shure SM7B To Rodecaster Pro II
Using XLR Cable: https://currentprice.io/xlr_cable
Position Shure SM7B within 2-4″ From Your Mouth
For best results.
Select Channel That You Connected SM7B To
Using the square button at the top of the fader.
Select Shure SM7B Preset
Using the touchscreen menu.
Set Gain For Shure SM7B
Speak into the microphone naturally and increase/decrease the gain until the meter peaking inside the green area on the Rodecaster Pro II screen.
Turn Up Fader On Desired Channel
This will add the microphone to your main stereo output/mix.
Press Record
You can record to three different types of media:
1 – SD Card: Inserted into the back of the Rodecaster Pro II
2 – External Hard Drive: Connected to the USB output of the Rodecaster Pro II
3 – PC/Mac: Use the included USB-C Cable.
In-Line Preamp (Cloudlifter)
No In-line Preamp/ Cloudlifter is required for the Shure SM7B!
The Rodecaster Pro 2 has more than enough clean gain to properly power the Shure SM7B, unlike the Rodecaster Pro, which requires an inline preamp.
We recommend the Rodecaster Pro 2 because no outboard gear is needed, and it covers the cost of purchasing an in-line preamp.
Shure SM7B
When you buy the Shure SM7B, you get the microphone, a windscreen, and an optional windscreen.
SM7B Stand And Boom Arm
We have two options when selecting which stand to mount the microphone: a table stand or a boom arm.
Table stand
These are:
- Inexpensive
- Portable – pack down flat
- Sturdy and tough
- Durable – we’ve used them for many years
The downsides of using these are:
- They do not offer sound isolation. Taps from the table move into the mic through the stand.
- They take up valuable table space.
A boom arm
The other option is a boom arm.
We recommend the Rode PSA1+ boom arm.
Mount the Shure SM7B by screwing it into the boom arm. No extra tools are required!
The benefit of this stand is that:
- The neoprene material on the arm offers sound dampening. It takes the clicks and clacks out of your recording.
- The arm will hold the microphone in whatever position you set it at. Whether it is low, medium, or overheard, the microphone will not droop or float.
- No tools are needed while adjusting the microphone. Unlike other stands, the PSA1+ does not need any cranking or screw tightening as you move around the microphone.
- The arm can be customized. We covered ours with gaff tape and placed a vinyl decal of our logo.
The Shure SM7B is a heavy microphone, and the Rode PSA1+ will perfectly hold it where you want it.
Connect SM7B To Rodecaster Pro 2
Shure SM7B > XLR Cable > Rodecaster Pro 2
Connect an XLR cable to the Shure SM7B.
Connect an XLR cable to the mic input on the Rode Rodecaster Pro 2.
We will need an XLR cable to connect the microphone to the audio mixer.
We recommend the Canare star-quad XLR cable with a male and female connector. The black connectors look good on camera and they come in a variety of colors which make it easier to track your connections.
Mic Positioning
Position the mic 2″-3″ away from your mouth.
Point the mic towards your mouth, slightly off-axis.
Nothing on the Rodecaster Pro 2 will sound good if we do not have proper placement.
If it is too close to your mouth, your audio will sound poppy and boomy.
If you have it too far away, you’ll have to turn up the volume on the audio mixer so high that it will make the microphone sound on edge and too sensitive. In the end, you will have too much background noise.
We like to position it slightly off-axis because it does not obstruct the face while on-camera.
SM7B Preset
Select the SM7B preset on the Rodecaster Pro 2’s mic settings.
The default setting is dynamic. You’ll notice a 10dB increase in gain when you select the SM7B preset. This is because the audio mixer knows you need a lot of gain for the Shure SM7B.
Level Setting
Turn up the mic fader.
Make sure the level setting is at 55 dB.
The audio mixer has a green bar that indicates where exactly your voice should be. It would be best if you were around the middle of the green bar when you speak loudly. When you speak naturally, you need to be somewhere at the beginning of the green bar.
Turning the level too much will lead to clips and distortions in your audio that can not be fixed.
Post-Processing & Presets
Post-processing
Keep post-processing turned on.
Post-processing is turned on by default. When you turn it off, you will hear the natural state of the Shure SM7B. You will add depth, sparkle, and punch into the microphone when you turn it back on.
Presets
Click presets button.
Select podcast studio.
There are three presets for you to play around with neutral, podcast studio, and broadcast. We recommend the podcast studio because it sounds compressed and dialed in like an old AM radio.
When we compare audio presets from other companies, the ones on the Rodecaster Pro 2 are honed down for recording without the need of going into the advanced panel.
SM7B Alt Windscreen
The alternate windscreen is larger and sounds a bit muffled than the lightweight windscreen.
However, we have found ourselves liking it and here are our observations when in use:
- It rounds out higher frequencies offering lisp protection.
- It is conservative when it comes to pop protection.
- It sounds a bit muffled.
Headphones
We need a high-quality set of headphones to complete this setup for our podcast or live stream.
We recommend the Beyerdynamic DT990 PRO headphones and the closed-back version the DT770 PRO. You can also complete this setup with the Rode NTH100 PRO headphones.
Rodecaster Pro 2 & Shure SM7B | Setup & Demo | Price & Specs
- Shure SM7B Dynamic Microphone: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
- Rode NT1 Condenser Microphone: https://currentprice.io/rode_nt1_kit
- Rode Rodecaster 2 Audio Mixer: https://currentprice.io/rodecaster2
- Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones: https://currentprice.io/beyer_dt_990
- XLR Cable: https://currentprice.io/xlr_cable
- TRS Cable: https://currentprice.io/trs_cable
- Mic Stand: https://currentprice.io/desk_stand
- Rode PSA1 Plus Boom Arm: https://currentprice.io/psa1_plus
Rodecaster Pro 2 & Shure SM7B | Setup & Demo | Topics
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 0:56 – Price & Specs
- 1:12 – Video Setup
- 1:34 – In-Line Preamp (Cloudlifter)
- 2:10 – SM7B Windscreen
- 2:20 – SM7B Stand And Boom
- 4:23 – Connect SM7B To Rodecaster Pro 2
- 5:30 – Mic Positioning
- 6:08 – SM7B Preset
- 6:28 – Level Setting
- 7:10 – Post Processing & Presets
- 9:00 – SM7B Alt Windscreen
- 10:05 – Headphones
- 10:41 – Final Thoughts
