Why I Record Maxwell’s Kitchen on the Shure SM7B

If you have watched or listened to Maxwell’s Kitchen, you have seen the same microphone in front of my face since the early episodes. It is the Shure SM7B, and I am very attached to it.

When I started this podcast, I did not want the gear to be the star of the show. I just wanted my guests to sound clear, comfortable, and normal. No harshness, no “phone call” sound, and no weird room echo pulling you out of the conversation.

As I started out I couldn’t afford two SM7B’s so I used some cheap condensers. It did not sound great. They picked up too much of the natural reflections of the room. Then I picked up a couple SM7B’s and everything was better.

What I like about the Shure SM7B for this show

I am not a full time mix engineer. During the day I work in brand marketing at MeyerPro, an AV and live events company. Although I’m not out in the world mixing shows, I understand the value of a high-quality production.

I know I need a mic that:

• Sounds great on lots of different voices

• Forgives guests who move a bit while they talk

• Handle rooms that are “pretty good” but not a perfectly treated studio

• Survive being set up, torn down, and bumped into over and over

The SM7B checks all of those boxes.

It has a full, smooth tone that does not get too bright. It handles louder laughs and reactions without getting crunchy. It also rejects more of the room than a typical condenser, which helps when you are recording in a normal space and not a purpose built booth.

In other words, it gives me one less thing to worry about.

How I set it up for Maxwell’s Kitchen

My setup for this show is intentionally simple.

• Shure SM7B on a boom arm

• Clean gain into a Zoom H6 recorder

• A little EQ and compression to keep levels under control

I keep the mic fairly close, about two to four inches away, and slightly off to the side so I am not speaking straight into the capsule. That keeps the tone full but helps with “p” pops and harsh consonants.

For guests, I give a quick one minute talk before we start:

• Stay about a fist-width away from the mic

• Try not to rock the boom arm around

• If you turn to look at someone, move the mic with you

Once we settle in, people usually forget about the gear and just talk. That is the whole point!

Where MeyerPro comes in

A lot of what I know about this mic and how to set it up comes from working with the team at MeyerPro. They deal with voice, panels, and live content all the time, so they think in terms of real rooms and real people, not just ideal studio conditions.

The engineers there put together a practical Shure SM7B podcast setup guide that goes deeper on gain staging, mic placement, and basic processing. If you want more of the technical side, it is worth a read:

You can find it on the MeyerPro site as their Shure SM7B podcast setup guide.

Why I am staying with the SM7B for future episodes

Could I switch to a different mic at some point? Sure. There are a lot of good options out there now, especially for creators.

For this show, though, the SM7B gives me a few quiet advantages:

• It gives the podcast a consistent sound from episode to episode

• Guests do not have to be perfect with mic technique for us to get a usable track

• I know how hard you can push it and it always stands up to the challenge

Most important, when I sit down to record, I am not thinking about the microphone. My brain is free to wander and find that little idea nugget that is floating around the universe.