Shure MV6

It's always exciting when a serious manufacturer decides to design a more consumer-oriented product. Beyerdynamic has been on this mission for a few years, and now Shure is following suit. Yes, they have made more affordable products before, but there is nothing as 'middle-class' as a gaming microphone, and that is exactly what the legendary microphone manufacturer has created.

It's called the MV6, and first and foremost, it's a rather nice piece of hardware. Shure clearly knows what materials to use where, and everything you touch and use on a daily basis feels like aluminium. It's also matte black with rather attractive neon green accents, and the MV6 therefore manages to strike a balance between the playful and the professional - so, no notes.

More specifically, it's a cardioid capsule microphone, which means that it records in a semi-tight pattern that, both on the hardware side and via software, excludes background noise and focuses on one person's voice. It's plug-and-play, which means that there is no need for a DAC or other XLR interface; you just plug it in with USB-C. The resolution is 16/24-bit between 50Hz and 15KHz with a maximum SPL of 128dB, which is quite respectable.

Mysteriously, there is no physical gain scrolling on the microphone itself, which is a decidedly bizarre omission, as you have to use Shure's otherwise excellent MOTIV Mix app. Furthermore, there is no height adjustment on the included stand.

Other than that, it's pretty much good news all the way through. First and foremost, the recordings themselves are crisp, deep, and clearly aided by Shure's built-in DSP, which really works to remove noise from a mechanical keyboard in the background, among other things. Yes, much of this is software, such as "Auto Level Mode", which eliminates the need to constantly fine-tune the gain, as this is done automatically based on noise and voice, but there is also "Digital Popper Stopper", which works very directly with P, S, and B sounds to ensure that these do not pass through the built-in windscreen and create peaks.

As a rule, these manufacturers are concerned with striking a balance between good, solid, reliable hardware and powerful software solutions, and it's clear that Shure is working hardest in the latter category. That said, there is nothing here that needs to be adjusted, switched on, or maintained. It works automatically when the MV6 is plugged into the computer, and the effect is immediate and remarkable. As they say, "you can't argue with results".

The MV6 is cheaper than Shure's other gaming microphones, costing around £130, and the first thing you notice is the direct, analogue control via on-board buttons and scroll wheel. But as an automated tool you buy for holding meetings, streaming semi-professionally on Twitch, or just to talk more clearly with friends, this is one of the better automatic microphones we've seen.