More people than ever appear to be sharing their talents online by streaming, gaming and creating content from the comfort of their bedrooms. But, as any professional can tell you, an audience will forgive bad video but they'll have a harder time forgiving bad audio.
And while some might not be familiar with the brand Shure, chances are you’ve probably seen some of your favourite musicians use their microphones.
Now the company are turning their hand to making high-end mics specifically designed for streaming with the Shure MV7. Sound quality is key, but not all USB mics are the same, which can make buying the right one for your needs a little tricky.
So what separates it from the competition and is it worth it?
Design and features
In the box, you’ll find the microphone itself, a pair of 3m cables – one USB-A, one USB-C – a bracket with a standard 5/8in thread and a small desktop microphone stand. Once in your hands, you can immediately tell that the build quality is exceptional.
There are none of the typical ‘gamer’ troupes like RGB LEDs as Shure looks to keep things simple and in a broadcast style. The MV7 is covered in an all-metal black barrel to protect it from knocks and bumps but this also gives it a proper professional feel.
There is a touch-sensitive strip for volume control to quickly adjust the mic and headphone levels.
However, the placement of this feature does feel like a little bit of an afterthought because once you angle the mic in the bracket it becomes harder to see the buttons without craning your neck.
If you attached the mic to an arm, the problem can be easily sorted but this is a pain on the stand that’s supplied. At the bottom of the MV7, you’ll find both an XLR and USB port, which doesn’t just give you a choice of interfaces but can also be used simultaneously.
This means you can stream via USB while recording in a high-resolution file at the same time if you have a sound card to hand.
In terms of ease of use, the Shure MV7 is as simple as plug and play but to make most of the microphones potential, then I’d suggest downloading the ShurePlus MOTIV app for your desktop.
Sound
This is a cardioid dynamic mic, which is designed to reduce the sound of ambient noise and give you that professional ‘radio’ sound.
However, unlike microphones with condenser recording cartridges, like the Blue Yeti X, the Shure MV7 is designed to be used exclusively at close range with the microphone directly in front of you.
This is fine for podcasting and YouTube streaming but might be a bit problematic for streaming games via Twitch unless you fork out the money for an arm to bring it closer to you. Positioning aside, the Shure MV7 has exceptional sound quality and is hard to beat without paying thousands of pounds for a studio.
What’s more, the ShurePlus Motiv software allows you to play with and fine-tune your sound with relative ease. I was able to mess with things like adding compression to my voice, adjust the EQ, and add a limiter.
There’s also an Auto Level Mode which is useful if your content involves lots of shouting. Perfect if you’re worried about bursting your viewers' eardrums when a jump scare gets the better of you. Even without the fancy apps the plug and play nature of this microphone is arguably one of its strongest features.
Verdict
Overall, the Shure MV7 microphone is a remarkable piece of kit but the price tag of nearly £260 does put it out of reach for most.
With that in mind, more casual streamers and gamers might want to consider cheaper alternatives.
But for those looking to dig deep into their wallets and invest in sound quality, the MV7 really does excel beyond expectations and is well worth the price if you’re looking for a serious level up a cheaper setup.
The Shure MV7 is available now for £259 on their website
