Blue Yeti vs Shure SM7B Reddit

Whenever I see people here looking for mic suggestions, I always see two mics that get brought up constantly.

For beginners, the most recommended mic is the USB Condenser mic, the Blue Yeti.

For people looking to get something more professional, people always recommend the XLR Dynamic mic, Shure SM7B.

Both of these are bad and lazy suggestions. I wanna explain why, as well as give anyone who may stumble upon this post now or in the future some actionable shopping advice. Mic selection is not a "one size fits all" process.

Part I - What is the difference between USB and XLR microphones? What about Condenser vs Dynamic?

You need to understand the basic elements of a microphone in order to be able to make smart mic purchases.

There are two ways mics can connect to your computer: USB cables or XLR cables. I think there's a common misconception that XLR mics have better sound quality than USB mics. This isn't totally true. The only difference is ease of use and customizability.

XLR - XLR mics provide more precision and customizability because XLR cables need to first be routed into an audio interface before the audio gets to your computer. This is great for people who want that type of control, but it's not so good for transportability, ease of use, or price.

USB - USB mics provide exceptional ease of use, as well as far better transportability because of the lack of a need for an audio interface, as well as a cheaper price tag for the same reason. These are generally recommended for beginners.

Now we get to the most important distinction, Condenser vs Dynamic:

Condenser - Condenser mics are most known for their sensitivity to a a broader range of frequencies. This is great because they provide a sharper high end (high pitched frequencies) and a generally more natural sound, but it's a pretty big disadvantage if you have a loud environment and/or an untreated room (no acoustic panels/general acoustic optimization), as these mics will easily pick up those pesky background noises and echo.

Dynamic - Dynamic mics are most known for their deep, rich sound and their phenomenal ability to block out background noise. These mics are far less sensitive to higher frequencies, which blocks out any high pitched hissing or similar noises, and it has a low volume sensitivity which makes it reject any super quiet noises.

Part II - Why are the Yeti and the SM7B bad suggestions?

Blue Yeti:

The Yeti's price tag of $130 is absolutely ludicrous. It's overpriced as hell, and it's easily outclassed by several cheaper USB options. Remember, the Yeti is a condenser mic. This means it's incredibly sensitive to background noise. Condensers are generally horrible for beginners imo because they really need proper optimization to sound their best. Giving a condenser mic to a beginner is like throwing a first time gamer into a Dark Souls game.

SM7B:

The SM7B is actually a badass mic. Probably one of the best professional options out there. That said, I don't recommend for anybody to buy an SM7B unless they're actually making money on YouTube, or if they're producing music. A $400 mic purchase is unnecessary for almost every person here. There are options with comparable quality that are 25-50% of the price. I'll get into those later though.

Part III - What should I buy instead?

Blue Yeti Alternatives:

• Samson Q2U ($70) - The Q2U is a USB Dynamic mic which means that it hits both of the qualifications, having both the ease of use of a USB mic as well as the beginner friendliness of a dynamic mic. The cool part about this mic is that it also has an XLR port which means you can also use it via XLR if you ever decide to get an audio interface. Oh yeah, and it's also only $70! I think this is by far the best beginner mic, so I won't bother listing any more.

Shure SM7B Alternatives (I'll provide two dynamic options, as well as a condenser option):

• Shure SM58 ($100) - The Shure SM58 is an affordable XLR Dynamic mic. Being the cousin of the SM7B, you'd be correct in assuming they have a similar sound. The SM58 is definitely a step down from the SM7B, but if I'm being honest, your audience wouldn't notice the difference if you EQ the SM58 properly.

• Shure MV7 ($250) - Two Shure alternatives! Remember how I called the SM58 the cousin of the SM7B? Well, the MV7 is the little brother of the SM7B, as it's literally a budget version of the SM7B. It doesn't sound all that different unless you're really listening for it, and it's almost half the price. Like I said with the SM58, your audience really can't tell the difference. The MV7 is a mic that can be used via both USB AND XLR, which gives it unmatched versatility, the MV7 is also a Dynamic mic.

• Rode NT1-A ($220) - The NT1 is an XLR Condenser mic. It will provide you with crisp and clear vocals, with a more natural sound due to it being a condenser. This is a great option for those who have acoustic treated room and a quiet environment to record in.

For XLR mics, you're gonna need an audio interface. I'll provide both a budget option as well as a more expensive option:

• Behringer UMC202 ($89)

• Scarlett 2i2 ($180)

Conclusion

I hope this helped any NewTubers looking to make a mic purchase! I hope this post empowered you to be able to make your own mic decisions without blindly buying up the most popular option. If you have any additional questions, leave them down below!

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