Getting started is as easy as plug and play, but you will need software to delve deeper into all the settings. I’m not a big fan of Motiv Mix Software recommended on the box. Before I could download it, Shure needed my full name, city and state, zip code, and email address for updates regarding the software, which seemed unnecessary.
The software gives you the ability to switch to manual gain, adjust a tone slider from Dark to Bright, with Natural in the middle, turn the denoiser and plosive reducer on or off, as well as adjust a pass filter -high for background noise. There are also settings for monitor and mute if you choose to record with Motiv Mix. Nothing revolutionary here, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to access these settings otherwise. I wish there were just buttons on the mic.
Can you hear me?
As far as I know, the settings you change will remain even if the software is not open, so feel free to make adjustments, then close it and go back to what you were doing. I did a few comparison tests with the different settings while recording myself, and after listening back I generally felt that the default settings worked quite well. There’s nothing here that strikes me as unusual or ridiculous. The plosive reducer works well enough that I don’t need a pop filter for my Ps. I haven’t noticed a particularly big change from turning off the denoiser, although this is probably helped by the rear rejection of the mic, which helps keep my keyboard noise out.
The auto level brought me up a little if I suddenly shouted after whispering, but it adjusted fairly quickly and brought me up just as quickly when I spoke quietly. It’s nice not to have to worry too much about levels, as there’s no interface for a quick check and the MV6 doesn’t have any built-in controls or feedback.
People who listened to recordings or chatted with me on Discord noted that my voice sounded clear and crisp, a marked improvement over my usual gaming headset. I think you could easily use this microphone for casual streaming or podcasting, and you would have no complaints. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything sound-wise if I use this instead of my Audio-Technica AT2035at least as far as regular speech quality is concerned. Professional audio engineers may have a different opinion, but if you don’t inspect waveforms or record audiobooks, you probably won’t.
Photography: Brad Bourque
