Getting started is as simple as plug and play, but you’ll need software to deep dive into any settings. I’m not a huge fan of the Motiv Mix software recommended on the box. Before I could download it, Shure required my full name, city and state, postal code, and email address for updates regarding the software, which seemed unnecessary.
The software gives you the option to switch to manual gain, adjust a tone slider from Dark to Bright, with Natural in the middle, and turn on or off the denoiser and plosive reducer, as well as adjust a high pass filter for background noise. There are also settings for the monitor and mute if you choose to record with Motiv Mix. Nothing groundbreaking here, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to access these settings otherwise. I wish there were just knobs on the mic.
Can You Hear Me?
As far as I can tell, the settings you change will stick even if the software isn’t open, so feel free to make adjustments, then close it and go back to whatever you were doing. I ran a few comparison tests with the different settings while recording myself, and after listening back I generally felt the default settings worked well enough. There’s nothing here I’d think of as out of the ordinary or goofy in any way. The plosive reducer works well enough to not need a pop filter for my Ps. I didn’t notice a particularly strong change from disabling the denoiser, although that’s probably helped by the mic’s rear rejection, which helps keep out my keyboard noise.
Auto-level did cause me to peak a bit if I suddenly yelled after whispering, but it adjusted quickly enough, and brought me up just as quickly when I spoke quietly. It’s nice to not have to worry too much about levels, since there’s no interface for a quick check, and the MV6 lacks any onboard controls or feedback.
People who listened to recordings or chatted with me in Discord noted that my voice sounded clear and crisp, a noticeable improvement over my usual gaming headset. I think you could easily use this microphone for occasional streaming or podcasting, and you wouldn’t get any complaints. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything sound-wise if I use this instead of my Audio-Technica AT2035, at least when it comes to regular speaking quality. Professional audio engineers might feel differently, but if you aren’t inspecting waveforms or recording audiobooks, you probably won’t.
Photograph: Brad Bourque