Shure MV7 USB Microphone for Podcasting, Recording, Live Streaming & Gaming, Built-in Headphone Output, All Metal USB/XLR Dynamic Mic, Voice-Isolating Technology, TeamSpeak & Zoom Certified – Silver

After getting by with a basic home set up of a blue yeti shared between two people for our podcast, we decided to invest in some decent quality gear and grab two of these on boom arms linked to an m-audio duo. First thing to say is that they are really well packaged and robustly built which inspires confidence. I've only used them so far via XLR inputs into the interface so I cant speak to the USB link and software, but what I will say is its made editing the mix a dream. As someone thats worked in a few pro studios as a performer, producer and an engineer over the years, I know a quality bit of gear the second I start working with it and these are definitely that.They are quite directional, so proper mic technique is preferred and close positioning is a must, but you'll be rewarded with an instantly rich, mid-focused and warm sound that is recognisably NPR like in its audio and so quality to begin with you could easily get away without processing it at all. Despite the natural warmth of the sound theres a nice level of clarity and treble detail that can easily be brought out with the most basic of EQ, but by default is never harsh or tinny. I used to have an effects chain of 10 plus plugins on our audio in a desperate attempt to even it out and get a half decent sound, with these mics I have 2 very gentle plugins just to add a last bit of polish and thats it. They are a little prone to plosives sometimes depending on how forcefully someone speaks, so an extra pop filter is a very good idea, but then I'd say that with any decent close-mic setup and filters are incredibly cheap.The directionality is actually pretty useful as they don't pick up much of the room at all, and again this is without SHUREs processing software so it is an actual characteristic of the mic. I'd say you could mic your speaking voice up in a marble hallway and as long as you spoke close to the mic it'd sound studio like, so that whole reputation of "so good it can fix a bad room" is very much deserved. No more spending hours trying to remove reverb for me! (as an aside, if you're struggling with reverb or "removing the room" on any mic setup I'd recommend ERA 4s reverb remover, its literally the only one I've ever found that works. Just dont set it above 50% or you can hear the wash).All in all I'd say these were a bargain, and if you wanted any better you'd be looking at £800+ per mic for a Rhodes or similar and even then the difference would be minimal. They really are that good. If you have the money and are looking to elevate your audio to pro level without dropping thousands, these are the perfect choice. I've actually had other podcasts contact us to ask about our setup because we now sound so good, and everyone assumes we are recording in a pro studio rather than a front room. An absolute must buy if you want to compete with the big boys, we sound better than 99% of the podcasts in the game and that has improved our listener numbers significantly. Do not hestitate to invest, they are virtually foolproof and take all of the stress out of audio production.

This is a well-rounded, great sounding dynamic microphone, with an overall warm sound, ideal for voice overs, Radio broadcasting & Podcasting.Build quality is excellent (all metal) and on par with other Shure Microphones, such as the SM57, 58 & the SM7B.The mic is not too heavy and most boom arms, even the cheaper ones will hold it, with only some minor adjustment - I use a Rode PSA 1 & PSA+, which are both excellent.The mic capsule underneath the windscreen is protected by a metal, rounded type grid (see pics), which also helps with noise reduction, but plosives are an issue with the provided windscreen – more on that later…The dual connectivity of XLR & USB (again, see pics), made this a pretty obvious choice if you want to use with an audio interface and/or just a computer.It’s also useful that one can act as a back-up should the other fail.You have access to the Shure companion App for this mic which lets you adjust the sound of the mic along with headphone monitoring. There are also some touch controls (mute/volume etc. on a slider/pressure strip with corresponding LEDs) on the mic itself, which again can be controlled via the App.Note though, that the App and touch controls only work when the mic is connected via USB, not XLR.If using USB only, gain is not an issue, but if going XLR, you will have to push our audio interface (Focusrite/Behringer/Steinberg) input gain up quite a bit for a good level. You may wish to invest in a gain booster/cloud lifter, but if using something like the Rodecaster Pro 2, you won’t need one.There are only minor negatives for this mic:1. The USB connection is a micro one and not USB-C, which was a little disappointing, but not a deal breaker.2. The windscreen is pretty bad, and you’d be better off replacing with the RK345 one from its bigger brother, the SM7B, as this really cuts down on plosives (I had great results using this).3. The yoke that attaches to the mic stand/boom arm, does not screw down independently as with the SM7B and you have to rotate the whole mic instead.4. The price – a little steep, considering what other options there are on the market today, but my personal opinion is that it is worth it.I will say after over a years’ worth of constant use, I have had no issues with the mic or the connections and have absolutely no regrets in purchasing this microphone and would do so again.There is an XLR only version out now, but I still like the option of the 2 types of connection and when moving forward, you should be adding to an exiting product, not taking away from…

Before I bought the Shure MV7+, I sounded like I was yelling into a toaster from across the room. Now? I sound like I host a wildly successful podcast about obscure conspiracy theories and artisanal coffee. The mic is so good, my dog respects me more. Easy setup, great sound, and it hasn’t judged me once for recording 47 takes of the same sentence. Worth every penny just to feel like a radio DJ from 1997.

So let’s get the good bits sandwiched between the bit so good.The sound quality is so good, you feel like you are in a professional studio, the metal casing is robust and inbuilt jog sensors ensure that the taps and knocks on the desk doesn’t transfer into the recording.The not so good is the micro USB port, why oh why does a modern microphone use this!. The worst part is often the cable will fall out as it meaning you have to start the recording and/or apologise to your stream for their loss in sound.Surely a usb-c port should have been the bare minimum expectation when designing the model for those wanting to connect to their computer directly.The mic cover is also very loose and not snug fitting. A simple addition like the sm7b clip-in wouldn’t have added much cost to the unit.Overall - I love the microphone, the build is great albeit a couple niggles, the sound quality is awesome and you do get value for money. I would recommend this model if you are looking to start out in the streaming world. This model simply has to be your starting point