Shure MV6 Review: A Clean Looking Gaming Mic

Getting started is as simple as plug and play, but you need software to dive into every setting. I’m not a big fan of the The Reason Mix software recommended on the box. Before I could download it, Shure required my full name, city and state, zip code, and email address for software updates, which seemed unnecessary.

The software gives you the option to switch to manual gain, adjust a tone slider from Dark to Bright, with Natural in the middle, and turn the denoiser and plosive reducer on or off, and add a high pass filter for the background noise. There are also settings for monitor and mute if you choose to record with Motiv Mix. Nothing groundbreaking here, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to access these settings otherwise. I wish there were only handles on the mic.

Can you hear me?

As far as I can tell, the settings you change will stick even if the software isn’t open, so feel free to make adjustments, then close and go back to whatever you were doing. I ran a few comparison tests with different settings while recording, and after listening, I generally felt that the default settings worked pretty well. There is nothing here that I would think out of the ordinary or goofy in any way. The plosive reducer works well enough that I don’t need a pop filter for my Ps. I didn’t notice a particularly strong change from disabling the denoiser, although that’s probably helped by the mic’s rear rejection, which helps keep my keyboard noise down.

The auto level did spike a bit if I suddenly shouted after whispering, but it adjusted pretty quickly, and brought me back just as quickly when I spoke quietly. It’s nice not to have to worry too much about the levels, since there is no interface for quick control, and the MV6 lacks controls or feedback on board.

People who listened to recordings or chatted with me on Discord noticed that my voice sounded clear and crisp, a noticeable improvement over my usual gaming headset. I think you could easily use this microphone for streaming or occasional podcasting, and have no complaints. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything from the sound if I use this instead of mine Audio-Technica AT2035at least when it comes to regular speaking quality. Professional audio engineers might feel differently, but if you don’t inspect waveforms or record audiobooks, you probably won’t.

Photography: Brad Bourque