Shure has been one of the most popularmicrophone brands for professional creatorsfor years now. Even though the Shure MV7+ has made professional audio much more approachable, the higher price tag has still kept many gamers out. Luckily, with the release of the Shure MV6, this is no longer an issue. Gamers can get into the world ofprofessional audio qualitywithout taking a course in audio engineering and without breaking the bank.
Last month,we tested the Shure MV7+, and now the Shure MV6 is getting the same treatment. Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen what the Shure MV6 is made of and whether it really is a dream microphone for gamers of all levels.
Shure MV6
Get ready for game-changing audio with the Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone. Designed to make professional audio simple and affordable for gamers and streamers, the MV6 is packed with features such as Voice Isolation Technology, Auto Level Mode, Digital Popper Stopper, and Real-time Denoiser.
Unboxing and Setup Process
With years of experience, it’s no surprise that the Shure unboxing experience is incredible. Even at this price range, the Shure MV6 feels like a premium product when you take it out of the box. The setup process is incredibly straightforward: screw the stand together and put the microphone on the stand.
The included USB-C to USB-C cable makes the microphone easy to set if you are using a laptop, but because we tested mainly with a desktop that doesn’t have a ton of USB-C ports, we ended up sourcing our own cable. We had no issues with the included Shure cable, and even with the third-party cable we had lying around, there was no issue.
We praised the MV7+ for being accessible, and that praise is easily extended to the MV6. Whether you are a professional and have used a myriad of microphones or this is the first standalone microphone you have ever used, the MV6 can be set up in just a matter of minutes and ready to record.
Design and Connectivity
The Shure MV6 has a reasonably similar design to the MV7+, but it has pretty much everything shrunk down. This microphone takes up much less space from the capsule to the included stand than the MV7+. Even compared to other similarly priced gaming mics, the MV6 has a very compact form factor that can easily fit on pretty much any desk.
While the MV7+ is by no means a large microphone, the MV6 is much more portable and still retains a similar level of performance. If you are looking for a microphone, you’re able to easily pack up one or two microphones and a laptop in a backpack and be ready to record in the field wherever you want. The only USB mic offering something similar is the Rode NT USB Mini, but the MV6 provides a simpler interface that everyone can feel comfortable using.
Most of Shure’s microphones follow the same sleek black design, and while the green accent stripe might not be everyone’s style, it makes it stand out from the other microphones available. It is nice to have a detail that makes the microphone more attractive, but doesn’t necessarily resort to RGB lighting. While RGB lighting can make something immediately feel more gamery, sometimes it can be too much, especially on a microphone.
The only physical interaction for the MV6 is through the touch-sensitive mute button. This limits the ability to quickly change gain levels like you can on the MV7+, but because Motiv Mix is pretty light on your system even when kept open, we found it pretty easy to switch over to the software and lower the gain when needed. Also, we want to mention that the mute function does look like it is a press button, but it is definitely touch-sensitive, so do not attempt to force it.
Connectivity-wise, the MV6 is pretty barebones, with just a USB-C output and a 3.5mm headphone port for monitoring levels. While that can feel a bit limiting, compared to the MV7+, just having these two ports doesn’t make the microphone feel inferior. Unless you are moving higher up in audio quality and getting a mixing board, a USB connection will be just fine for most gamers.
Performance
Side by side, the MV6 doesn’t sound exactly the same as the MV7+, but at about a third of the price, it gets pretty dang close. When we are not directly comparing it to other microphones, the MV6 absolutely blew us away. Even just plugging this microphone in and using the out-of-the-box settings, this microphone produces very natural voices regardless of the user’s pitch.
If you choose to use the MV6 with box settings, you must practice reasonably good microphone etiquette. However, thanks to the auto leveler and Digital Popper Stopper, available through Shure Motiv Mix, you can be fairly relaxed about microphone etiquette and still get stellar sound quality.
For most of our testing period, we set it up on the corner of our desk about one to two feet away from our mouth and got fantastic quality out of it. Because of the cardioid pick-up pattern and the Real-time De-noiser, even though the microphone was about six inches away from our PC with fans going, we never picked up fan noise in our testing, whether we were recording, on a Discord call or streaming.
While testing the MV7+, we did run into some problems with the stand, causing some bumps and noises when it was hit with a mouse, or there was too much movement on the desk, but there is something different with the stand that came with the MV6. We didn’t have any issues with that at all this time around.
Software
In our review of the Shure MV7+, we sang the praises of Motiv Mix, and the integration with the MV6 is no different. This software is not only unobtrusive and stays out of the way when you need it to, but also offers a good amount of control; from EQing the microphone, to even running your own virtual mixer.
This virtual mixer also allows you to add multiple microphones via a USB connection, which anyone who has tried to do on Windows knows is an incredible headache. All your sources appear in the left-hand column, and you’re able to drag and drop them into the mixer when you want to add them as an input source.
Arguably, Motiv Mix’s best part is that your multiple inputs don’t even have to be Shure microphones, even though the price of MV6 makes it much more approachable. Being able to bring old microphones when you have multiple people recording, or, if you want to set up a music stream, you’re able to mic your guitar and a mic without needing an XLR interface or mixing board.
Is The Shure MV6 Right For You?
Shure is always an easy recommendation for microphones, regardless of the price range, so it is no surprise that the MV6 also makes the cut for budget-minded gamers and streamers alike. For this price, it is hard to beat the microphone’s performance, build quality, and ease of use.
While gaming headsets are an all-in-one solution, if you want to improve your microphone quality, you will be hard-pressed to find a gaming headset that offers this good quality for this price point. Plus, because it is a single cable, running this microphone, a headset, or a pair of headphones won’t even strain your I//O.
Of course, if you rarely hop on Discord calls and don’t plan on streaming or recording your gaming content, this microphone might be an unnecessary expense. However, if you are looking to get a gaming microphone of any sort, the MV6 should definitely be on your list.
Related Products
If you still aren’t sure about the Shure MV6, check out these similar standalone microphones and see whether there’s a better match for you and your setup!
Higher-end option also from Shure
Similar performance with more gaming aesthetics
Professional Quality with smaller form factor
FAQ
Q: Why is Shure so popular?
Shure has earned its fantastic reputation after decades in the audio business and is the go-to choice as a microphone brand regardless of what field you are looking at. Now, with Shure moving to the gamer side of things, we will surely see a surge in their popularity, even more than when they released the MV7+.
Q: What is the Shure mic everyone uses?
If you are watching a podcast recording and see a Shure microphone, there is a good chance it is the SM7B. In recent years, this has become the go-to microphone for pretty much every podcaster, although with the MV7+ gaining more popularity, you might see more of these pop up as well.
