Shure MV7 vs SM7B and Super 55 By Joe Crescenzi, Founder Staten Island, NY Posted: 11/3/2020 12:00:00 PM I'm very impressed with this microphone. Simply stated, it's a great low cost and easy to use alternative to the SM7B. Here's why.There are two major types of microphones, Condensers and Dynamics. Condenser mics are very sensitive, so they often pick up distracting room noise and echos. Dynamics are less sensitive, so they only pick up whatever is right in front of it. That's why the SM7B is so popular among podcasters. Unfortunately, the SM7B is out of range for many people because it's not only more expensive, but you need a bunch of expensive gear to use it.That's what I LOVE about the MV7. It gives you some of the best features of the SM7B, without all the complexity or expenses. It can be connected directly to your computer via USB, plus it has an XLR connector for more advanced users like me who will be connecting it to another device.I recorded a head to head video in an untreated room using the XLR cable using the MV7 and the SM7B. There were definitely subtle (and subjective) differences in the tone, but both mics did a great job of eliminating background noise and room echo.I also connected the MV7 directly to my Mac using the USB cable and tinkered with some of the settings such as the tone, gain, etc. I decided to use the neutral settings, but some people may prefer a darker or brighter sound, depending on their voice.Shure mentions compatibility with the iPhone, iPad and Android, so I decided to try them out too. I installed Apps from both the Apple and Android App Stores with mixed results. The first problem is that my Android devices have a MicroUSB connection and they don't include a cable with dual MicroUSB connectors in the box. They also don't include a cable to connect from an iPhone (Lightning) in the box.I tried using Apple's $39 USB 3 Adapter (dongle), and while it did let me record crystal clear audio, their software didn't specifically recognize it or give me the options to change mic settings. I ordered the official Shure cable from their site, and also ordered a dual MicroUSB cable for my Android devices. I'll post an update after they arrive to see if they work.This is a new mic, so I'm guessing they'll address the problems in a future update.There is a work around. I noticed that whenever I changed settings on one of my Macs, the MV7 uses the same settings even after I plug it into a different Mac, so I'm guessing if you change the settings on your Mac, then plug it into an iPhone or iPad, it will likely use the same settings.I should point out that the XLR ignores any settings you make using the USB connection, so the signal is sent out unmodified regardless of what you may have configured while it was plugged via USB.The bottom line is I LOVE this mic. In fact, I purchased a second one to keep next to my office computer for Zoom meetings.Hopefully you found this review helpful. Feel free to post questions or comments. Joe Crescenzi, Founder (Reply N/A) (Edit Topic N/A) (Like Topic N/A) [1 ] 6522 Views
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