So between Shure and Apogee not working, I'm guessing pretty much any lightning connected microphone that draws power from the iPad isn't going to work in FaceTime, Skype, or similar programs. Few manufacturers offer DSP and DSP-free signals in the same mic, so that is an advantage of the Shure Motiv lineup. You'll most likely want to record with the least DSP possible when in USB mode if you want to try to go back and forth between XLR and USB connections for the same recording scenario. For the price, its overall audio quality, ease of use, and DSP flexibility are all quite appealing.
Here, there are touch-sensitive controls for Mute, a slider for adjusting levels, and a button for switching the slider function between mic gain (slider LEDs are green) or headphone volume (slider LEDs are orange).
In instrument mode, for instance, you can opt for slightly more compression, or less, and create your own EQ curve.
If your main recording scenario will be analog, we suggest going with the actual SM7B or another XLR option, but if you want versatility, or will be using an exclusively digital/USB connection, the MV7 is an excellent mic worthy of its price. That guarantees a firm digital handshake between your MOTIV product and your iOS device, if that's what you use. It’s versatility is a huge bonus—you can record with USB one session and use XLR the next, and the clean signals will sound pretty similar, although, as mentioned, the Motiv app is for USB use only, so any EQ or compression settings won’t necessarily carry over. (The exception: instruments run through a DI box, but there's a solution for those, too.).
Using GarageBand on a Mac Pro, we found the MV5 … Contributing Editor Tim Gideon has been writing for PCMag since 2006.
The affordable Shure MV5 microphone delivers quality audio and adjustable DSP and EQ settings through a free companion app. What am I doing wrong and how can I fix this?
We discuss this more in the next section.
It plugs right in to the headphone jack of any iOS or Android device with recording capabilities and can be hidden easily in a pocket or clothing.". Best Malware Removal and Protection Software. So you can get the unadulterated clean signal, or Shure gives you some basic tools to work with.
It adds a reasonable amount of compression and the EQ is on the subtle side. Depending on your mobile device, Mac or PC, you won't need a separate power source. It has a larger diaphragm for capturing sound, more processing modes, and touch-bar … 5 DSP Preset Modes: Speech, Singing, Acoustic, Loud, Flat, Ideal for: Stereo Field Recording, With or Without Video, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac, PC and Android Compatible, Includes an Integrated Kickstand for Tabletop Use and a Microphone Stand Adapter for Traditional Mounting, Ideal for: Podcasting, Vocals and Instruments, 3 DSP Preset Modes: Voice, Instrument, Flat, Ideal for: Vocal and Instrument Recording, Ideal for: Recording with Any XLR Microphone or ¼" Instrument, iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android Compatible, Powered through 1/8" (3.5mm) TRRS connector, Ideal for: Close-Mic Speech Recording Applications. The MV5 also features two DSP (digital signal processing) recording modes and a flat, DSP-free mode.
The Shure Plus Motiv recording app is free and allows you to tweak the MV5's EQ and compression modes, as well as make and edit recordings. An onboard gain knob would nice. For the iOS connection to work, you'll need iOS 10 or higher, and at least an iPhone 5, an iPad Mini, a 4th-gen iPad, or a 5th-gen iPod touch. What am I trying to mic (a band, a lecture, a podcast)? When I connect it to either device, the replay is inaudible. (The filter is only removable so it can be replaced with various color options—it needs the filter on to properly protect the capsule.) Recording a male voice with some depth to it, you can get into boomy territory pretty quickly here, especially if the speaker is close to the mic.
In the higher-priced USB mic realm, we’re also fans of the $350 Apogee Hype Mic, the $285 Blue Raspberry, and the $200 Razer Seiren Elite. Available with black or silver metallic enclosures, the MV7 may be based on the SM7B, but as mentioned, they aren’t identical.
We are slightly more enthusiastic about the Blue Snowball Ice for two reasons—its lack of DSP and lower price. Visit www.shure.com/motiv to learn more and to purchase MOTIV products. In the higher-priced USB mic realm, we’re also fans of the $350 Apogee Hype Mic, the $285 Blue Raspberry, and the $200 Razer Seiren Elite. November 13, 2020, Shure & Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation Showcase 'Autumn of Music', How CalArts Shifted to Remote Recording amid COVID Concerns, Black Lives Matter Inspires Live Music Course for Women. This is ideal if you plan to use EQ or compression during mixdown, but want a pure signal to work with. First, we compared the MV7’s signal with that of the SM7B in ProTools.
Oddly enough, we found instrument mode to be the better of the two for recording typical speaking vocals. The Shure Motiv app (for PCs and mobile devices) opens up more of the MV7’s possibilities—in it, you’ll find EQ presets, tone presets, dynamic compression and limiting, …
The back panel of the mic houses the 3.5mm low-latency headphone jack, as well as the micro USB connection for the two included cables—one terminates in USB, the other in Lightning for iOS devices. For those with less recording experience looking for a plug-and-play, ready-to-go vocal mic that will deliver quality results, the combo of the MV7 and Motiv app will get the job done, applying the DSP needed for your vocals to sound clean, pop-free, and dynamically even. There are also controls on the back panel, including a mode selector for the three DSP modes (voice, instrument, and flat, with status LEDs that show you the mode you're in), a volume dial for headphones, and a mute button. Ultimately, it's hard to complain about much here. I have a Shure Motiv MV5. Of course, most recording software has similar EQ and compression tools for you to play with, but having more doesn’t hurt. The XLR connection doesn’t feel like a gimmick—it’s certainly useful if you bring the mic to a studio, or any sort of setting where XLR inputs are used.