Hiss when using m box pro 2 with shure sm7b

[heyitskeith]

Hey all,

I'm a brand new pro tools user and a all around noob when it comes to recording in general. I just picked up a brand new sm7b for recording hip hop vocals with my M Box 2 Pro. I know the sm7b requires lots of gain to get a decent level. I can achieve the desired level but have to crank up the input on the m box nearly all the way. I'm getting an unwanted hiss/hum sound that is extremely loud. Loud enough to the point its not even worth using the mic.

Has anybody had this issue before using the same set up?
What do you guys recommend I do?

Thanks a ton.

[albee1952]

Are you using a straight XLR-XLR cable? Is it good on all 3 pins?(a bad connection on pin 2 or 3 will still make sound, but at a much lower level). Does the mic have a pad switch on the back end? If so, turn it off(I can't remember what the switches do and mine is not in front of me).

[heyitskeith]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Are you using a straight XLR-XLR cable? Is it good on all 3 pins?(a bad connection on pin 2 or 3 will still make sound, but at a much lower level). Does the mic have a pad switch on the back end? If so, turn it off(I can't remember what the switches do and mine is not in front of me).

Yes, I'm using a working XLR-XLR cable. No pad switch on the back. It has a bass and presence boost.

[Ry-Fi]

I recently rented an SM7b and used it for tracking vocals with my Mbox 2 Pro. I also noticed and was a bit bummed with the level of hiss/noise in relation to the signal.

I normally record with peaks at about -10dB - -6dB, as long as I'm not pushing the pres too far (good for about 99% of all mics I use), but then end up bringing tracks down below unity when mixing large sessions. Given this, I decided it was best to record the SM7b with a lower level, thus not pushing the pre as hard and getting a better S/N ratio. I probably peaked at about -18dB - -15dB. When mixing my session, my vocals were pretty much at unity, so my guess was close.

I ended up getting phenomenal vocal recordings, and the noise captured was far below a noticeable level in a full mix!

But yeah, that mic sure needs a lot of gain, and the Mbox 2 Pro isn't exactly the cleanest pre...

[heyitskeith]

Thank you for the numbers Ry, I'm def gunna keep those in mind when I do the next recording. I'm upgrading from a at 2020 so I'm looking forward to how the new mic will sound this weekend.

Just curious- when you guys use this mic, what settings do you recommend for hip hop vocals? I'm referring to the bass roll off and presence switch on the back.

[beauhero]

General settings are a great way to learn how different Mics and FX processors work when you are just starting out because you can tweak them and find the sound that YOU or YOUR client like. Do a lot of playing around with different settings and mic positions because it is easy to fall into bad habits like using the same settings for every vocal and instrumental.

I produce hip hop instrumentals for a living and do my own solo projects on the side.
Here is some stuff I was taught.
When you are using any mic, audition the artist and listen for plosives and sibilance first. Most of the time I like to keep the mic about 6 inches or more away from a hip artist because they tend to step into the mic because they see it done that way in music videos. Every voice is different. So depending on the pitch you should know when to cut or boost.