Chord DM01 vs Samson Q7

I’ve been very happy with my cheap dynamic mic (a Chord DM01) and have received many complementary reports on my audio.  However, having recently been asked to co-present a podcast I needed to confirm the mic was up to the job;  high fidelity podcasts are a world away from audio squashed into 2600kHz and bounced off the ionosphere.

Chord DM07

Initial tests sounded a little flat and lifeless;  nothing that couldn’t be solved with a little compression and EQ but this started me thinking about better solutions.  My previous ‘go to’ mic has always been the Shure SM58 but I was reluctant to spend the money, especially when recent reviews of other brands claimed better performance for significantly less cost.

So, meet the Samson Q7.  Great reviews almost everywhere you look.  Many users reporting better real world performance than the Sure SM58, some saying it’s now their preferred choice of mic and some even going as far as saying they’ve replaced all their mics with Q7s.

Samson Q7 (top), Chord DM01 (bottom)

Fantastic! Just what I need, at at £25 delivered it seemed a bargain!

First impressions?  Flat, dull and lifeless with booming bass.  Suddenly, my Chord DM01 is sounding like a microphone costing many times the cost.  Perhaps I underestimated the Chord all along?

I tried several tests (both recorded and on the air) including varied positioning.  The Chord performed better in all tests, sounding significantly livelier.

For communications in poor conditions this extra clarity is of utmost importance but even for podcast use, I think the Chord wins hands down.

If you’re curious, I recorded a brief test and review; click the play button below.  This was recorded directly from the mics; no pop shields, EQ or compression was used.

Click to Play

Can you recommend a better dynamic microphone?  I’m open to suggestions regardless of brand or model but would prefer to avoid condensers as my shack/studio environment is far from quiet.