Shure MV6 review: A clean looking gaming mic

Getting started is as easy as plug and play, but you’ll need the software to dive deep into any settings. I’m not a huge fan of it Reason Mix Software Recommended in the box. Before I could download it, Shure required my full name, city and state, postal code, and email address for software updates, which seemed unnecessary.

The software gives you the option to switch to manual gain, a tone slider with natural in the middle from dark to bright, and turn the denoiser and plosive reducer on or off, as well as adjust a high pass filter for background noise. There are also settings for monitor and mute if you want to record with Motive Mix. Nothing groundbreaking here, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to access these settings otherwise. I wish the mic had just knobs.

can you hear me

As far as I can tell, the settings you change will stick even when the software isn’t open, so feel free to make adjustments, then close it and go back to what you were doing. I ran a few comparison tests with different settings while recording myself, and after listening back I generally felt that the default settings worked well enough. There is nothing here that I would think of as simple or stupid. The plosive reducer works well enough that I don’t need a pop filter for Ps. I didn’t notice a particularly strong change with the denoiser disabled, though it’s probably helped by the rear rejection of the mic, which helps keep my keyboard noise at bay.

The auto-level takes me a bit too high when I suddenly shout after a whisper, but it adjusts quickly enough and brings me back up just as quickly when I speak quietly. It’s best not to worry too much about levels, since there’s no interface for quick checks and the MV6 lacks any onboard controls or feedback.

People who listened to the recording or chatted with me on Discord noted that my voice sounded clearer and crisper, a noticeable improvement. My usual gaming headset. I think you can easily use this microphone for occasional streaming or podcasting and you won’t have any complaints. I don’t think I’m missing anything word-wise if I use that instead Audio-Technica AT2035At least when it comes to the quality of regular speaking. Professional audio engineers may feel differently, but unless you’re inspecting waveforms or recording audiobooks, you probably won’t.

Photo: Brad Bourque