Shure MV7 USB Podcast Microphone - Silver

The single most incredible mic I've ever owned.I never doubted it would be, I'm a research-a-holic. I try and find the best bang for my buck and budget. I always looked back at the sm7b and knew it was a bit out of my range for what it required and ALOT of people badtalk this mic because they expect the sm7b....well unless your willing to drop and extra 800 dollars on top of the 400 for that mic, sorry, you're not going to get the sound you want. And people get critical of this mic, comparing to the sm7b.Why? I'm sorry. But I have friends with sm7bs. As a content creator, having a clear and golden sound while live with the amount of sound that does play through whether it's games or music or other people. This mic stands in a different category against them. This mic literally delivers damn near EVERYTHING the sm7b does, and obviously not quite that signature broadcast and output the sm does, but it's close. And you don't need to have a cloud lifter or phantom power. You don't even need XLR, though it is always nice, but the micro USB alone helps it push SO much more than I ever expected . Let's put it this way...I'm a bit of an audiophile. I'm picky. I won't deny it. I listen to others all day long and watch streams and videos all the time, and I can't stand bad audio. Music even, singing, rapping whatever your are doing, can't do the bad audio. Even for myself. I purchased a crappy cheap cardioid thinking it was going to help me push audio quality on another level than my headset mic. It didn't. I have a Logitech g pro x with a blue mic and that mic was LEAGUES ahead of my snowball, and even my yeti frankly with the adjustments I could make. And that dives into another point....audio tuning. I've used audacity and voicemod for all my tuning. I plugged this mic in and put it through its paces. I downloaded motiv, used it a little and it is basic. I thought I needed more. I shut it down and used my good ol audacity andnvoicemod and I was told that the difference was noticeable but not that much. I had audio issues. I dealt with alot. Finally got fed up and deleted audacity and voice mod and all thenfilters and plug-ins I have in obs and said screw it, just gonna run it with nothing and so be it because I'm tired with how much time I spend working. And TONS of people literally said woah. I literally got told they could just listen to me talk all day because of how incredible I sounded. How clean, and strong my voice came out. It literally elevated my audio with NOTHING on to what I wanted, and blew my mind. And after installing motiv and using the basic stuff. Literally running at at far with the dark setting on simple instead of advanced, more and more people have come to just listen and just talk as they have literally said it just sounds incredible and it's enjoyable and it's so clear and it feels like I'm actually talking to you. It's changed my life. For literally 250, yoy get one of the highest quality Podcaster and broadcasting mics you could ever own, which is reasonable. That is a bang for the buck. Don't hesitate, just buy it.

A friend and I have been talking about a podcast for years, long before we even knew what to call it. We still aren't there, but close enough to begin navigating the hardware and software. I did a lot research before landing on the MV7. The MV5C was a contender and I actually tried that one first – it is a fine mic but it was a bit too bright for me. I was sorely tempted to go for the SM7B, which has a stellar reputation (and a price tag to support that reputation.) Though the SM7B is nearly twice the cost of MV7, that fact alone did not steer me away -- I learned long ago that there is a cost for quality.In the end, my decision was based on three factors:1. The MV7 was largely designed from the SM7B's blueprint: While the MV7 does not deliver quite the same richness as its predecessor, these two mics are very similar – honestly, given the $150 difference, they are close enough for my ears. Furthermore, Garageband with a decent audio interface should be able to compensate for any shortcomings.2. Unlike the SM7B, the MV7 offers the flexibility of a digital (USB) or analog (XLR) connection: For me, this was a game-changer. For direct-to-computer connections, Shure provides a simple configuration app ("MOTIV") which provides some very cool configuration options (some of which are mentioned below.)3. Variable pickup range and direct headphone monitoring: While the SM7B is amazing, it requires the user to speak directly into the mic and maintain close range. The Shure MOTIV app delivers some powerful configuration options to create presets for near and far pickup (up to 18" away). That means the mic can remain out of camera view for conference calls and still work really well. Plus, the built-in headphone monitor means you can hear yourself perfectly without the need to purchase additional hardware like an audio interface or headphone monitor.To summarize, at $249, the MV7 has inherited enough of the pro-level quality of the SMB7 to satisfy most podcasters. In addition, the MV7 offers some unique features that "big sister" cannot provide -- notably the dual USB and XLR output options and integrated headphone monitor. Singers may prefer to spend the extra money on the SMB7 but, for spoken voice, the MV7 is an all-one-powerhouse that's hard to beat.