Features June 20, 2024

Shure’s MOTIV Range Gives Content Creators the Freedom of Movement

MARK WINTER

Once upon a time, if you wanted to record something of release-quality, you went to a fancy studio filled with expensive German microphones, racks of outboard gear, and a desk worth more than your house.

And boy, did you pay for it! The results were usually great, of course, or at least a lot better than the recordings you could smash out at home, but it hurt the bank account big time.

Now, all of those factors have changed. Thanks to the smartphone revolution, portable digital devices fit in your pocket and are capable of recording on-location for hours. The problem is that they don’t sound that great. Well, thanks to microphone titans Shure, that is no longer the case. Enter the MOTIV range – products which raise the audio quality of portable digital devices to studio-level.

Equipping mobile devices with Shure’s industry-leading microphone technology, MOTIV is a game-changer for portable digital recording. Applicable to everything from music recording to podcasting, video capture and streaming, MOTIV has a range of products tailor-made for specific objectives.

To find the MOTIV system that is right for you, you need only ask two questions: ‘what?’ and ‘where?’.

Are you recording a band in a club? A podcast in your garage? A lecture in a classroom? From there, the selection is easy. Shure have optimised each MOTIV product according to its intended usage – meaning you only have to focus on creating great content.

That’s not to say you can only use your MOTIV product for one thing. On the contrary, versatility is one of the key tenets of Shure’s engineering. So let’s dive in and have a look, focusing on a few options that cover most of the needs of mobile digital content creation. If this is the field you’re in (or are keen to learn) be sure to check out Shure’s website to discover the full MOTIV range.

MV7

Podcasting has become one of the greatest innovations in multimedia, ranging in format and style from impacting longform interviews, to comedic panel discussions, to cutting-edge social commentary and current affairs. The top podcasts absolutely eclipse the legacy media channels in terms of viewership, so it’s safe to say that podcasting is viable as both a hobby and a career.

Shure knows this, which is why they have focused so much attention on creating podcasting products that are capable of broadcast-level audio on a budget accessible to most people. The perfect example of this is the MV7. Ideal for podcasting, streaming and gaming; the star of the show here is the MV7 microphone – an affordable alternative to the flagship SM7B.

Mountable, portable, offering both XLR and USB connections, equipped with a windshield, and boasting glorious audio fidelity; the MV7 microphone is easy to set up, easy to use, and a masterpiece of reliability. Available in configurations with different headphones, earphones, booms, tripods and accessories, the MV7 is priced at entry-level, but offers an elevator straight to the big leagues.

Features

Micro-B to USB-C Cable (10ft)
Micro-B to USB-A Cable (10ft)

MV88+

You won’t believe how good the audio sounds through the MV88 premium stereo condenser microphone. Coupled with the ShurePlus MOTIV audio and video apps, you have the ability to create broadcast-quality content on-location, anywhere anytime – with fun additional features like simultaneous phone charging. But that’s just the mic… let’s talk about the MV88+ Video Kit…

The best and most affordable portable audio and video recording kit on the market, the MV88+ gives you all the tools you need to capture, monitor, enhance, edit and share audio and video on the fly. The kit includes a sturdy, flexible tripod, phone clamp and mount, as well as iOS and USB-C cables to get you connected without a fuss. All you need to add is your phone.

Although we take them for granted, smartphones are still one of the marvels of our time… and the MV88+ takes them to an absolutely new level of greatness.

Features

Foam Windscreen
5/8″ Swivel Mic Clip
Micro-B to USB-C Cable (10ft)
Micro-B to USB-A Cable (10ft)
5/8″ to 3/8″ Euro Thread Adapter
Zipper Carry Case

MV5

A stylish, high-quality condenser microphone, the MV5 sounds as beautiful as it looks. Connecting straight to your computer or your phone, the MV5 is as portable as they come, but what really makes it shine is its versatility. Offering ‘flat’, ‘speech’ and ‘instrument’ modes, the MV5 is designed to be a studio all-rounder.

Whether you’re tracking vocals, instruments like guitar and piano, or even an ensemble, you’ll be able to capture clear, release-quality audio with the MV5. Coupled with the ShurePlus MOTIV app, you’ll have all of the monitoring, editing, saving and sharing options you could possibly need, all with the added bonus of portability.

Available in bundles like the Shure Mobile Recording Kit (which also includes a pair of SRH240A headphones) the MV5 is perfect for musicians, songwriters, engineers and budding producers who need that legendary Shure audio quality without the big-time studio price tag.

Features

2-in-1 iOS and USB connectivity
Compatible with all common iOS audio and video apps
Angle-adjustable desktop stand and integrated ¼” thread mount
Low-profile design
Durable
Zero-latency headphone output with mute and volume control
Lightning® and USB cable included
Compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and PC
Free ShurePlus MOTIV app

MVi

While much of the MOTIV range is aimed at giving emerging mobile content creators a leg-up, the MVi digital audio interface caters more to the advanced user who may be moving into the digital capture realm. What the MVi essentially does is allow you to plug your existing XLR microphone or instrument into a computer, laptop or mobile digital device.

If you’re old school, this will no doubt be music to your ears. The beauty of the MVi is being able to bypass a whole bunch of hardware while still getting the same results. This truly allows you to create and capture on the go – unencumbered by heavy audio interfaces and outboard gear that effectively anchor you to the spot.

That means if you’ve already invested money in XLR gear, you can transplant it straight into your mobile digital capture game. Not only is that very convenient, it means saving a whole bunch of money. All you need is the gear you already own, and the the MVi to bridge it all together. Magic!

Features

5 DSP preset modes (‘speech’, ‘singing’, ‘flat’, ‘acoustic instrument’, ‘loud’)
EQ, compression, limiter, gain, mute, headphone volume
JFET Class A buffered instrument preamplifier input
XLR microphone and 6.3mm instrument input
Phantom power
Free ShurePlus MOTIV app

ShurePlus MOTIV App

The nerve centre behind the MOTIV range is the ShurePlus MOTIV app, which gives you a powerful way of capturing, monitoring, editing, and optimising your audio. Think of it as a distilled DAW (ie a platform like ProTools, Ableton Live or GarageBand) where all of the features you need are onboard, and all the ones you don’t are discarded. Lean, clean and powerful.

Starting with an array of handy presets, you get perfect results from ShurePlus MOTIV right out of the gate. If you’re a tinkerer, you’ll enjoy the freedom to further enhance your ShurePlus MOTIV experience with settings for mic setup, distance, basic tone colouration, EQ, limiter, compressor, and gain. Depending on your usage, you will also have phantom power control, mic mute, and a separate monitor mix channel. Again, like a powerful mini-DAW.

ShurePlus MOTIV is available in both mobile and desktop versions, with are streamlined for ease-of-use and transfer between one and the other, but optimised for each application. Even if you have never touched an audio interface before, the brilliantly intuitive GUI will guide you forward. As well as this, Shure have all the documentation you need to learn the ShurePlus MOTIV app, and users have created incredible tutorials you can find online.

So that’s the basics of the MOTIV range… an amazing double-team of hardware and software that takes the mobile device you already own and turns it into a studio.

What Else Is There to Say?

It’s mind-blowing how far Shure have pushed this tech in such a short period of time. They literally heard a generation of emerging content creators crying out for an industry-wide update, and answered it. What Shure have given people with MOTIV is not just the ability to be completely mobile, but nimble. If you are an existing or hopeful digital content creator, then this is for you.

Find out more at Shure’s official website.