The Shure MV88+ is a professional quality condenser microphone that plugs directly into a mobile device using a Lightning® or USB-C connector. Two microphone capsules in a Mid-Side configuration provide an adjustable stereo image, suitable for capturing a variety of sources, including music and speech. The ShurePlus MOTIV™ app allows you to customize your sound with digital signal processing (DSP), preset mode selection, gain adjustment, compression, and stereo width control.
Supports the classic mid-side stereo recording technique. Uses coincident cardioid and bidirectional capsules to adjust the stereo width while providing excellent mono capability.
Compatible with iOS, Android, PC and Mac devices.
Note: See https://wwww.shure.com/MOTIVcompatibility for information on supportive Android devices.
Lightweight, all-metal construction and small enough to carry anywhere. Like all Shure products, ensures reliability in the field.
The MOTIV recording app controls microphone settings, such as gain, stereo width, and preset modes, and includes the following features:
Mounting the Microphone
The windscreen offers maximum protection from plosives and creates a warmer, more intimate sound for speech applications, like podcasting and gaming.
The MV88+ features two capsules: one capsule has a cardioid pattern and picks up sound directly in front of the microphone. The other is bidirectional and captures sound from the left and right sides.
Microphone Cartridge
Rotate the microphone barrel in the mic clip to ensure that your stereo recordings are accurate. Point the front of the microphone toward the sound source. For landscape (horizontal) recording, position the L and R indicators to the right and left. For portrait (vertical) recording, simply rotate the microphone barrel in the mic clip.
Note: The app has a Left-Right Channel Swap to flip the audio channels.
| iOS | Android/Mac/PC |
|---|---|
| Green: Mic active, audio flowing | Green: Power is on |
| Amber: Error | |
| Flash Amber: Firmware is updating | |
| Red: Microphone is muted | |
| Flash Red: Audio is clipping | |
The following suggestions are for typical use cases. Keep in mind that there are many effective ways to record a source. Experiment to find what works best for you. The MV88+ fits into a standard A25D mic clip. So, you can place it anywhere that you can put a mic stand.
Tip: For correct stereo orientation, ensure that the Shure name is clearly visible on the top of the microphone. If the name is not visible, adjust the microphone accordingly.
Position your recording device so you can monitor the recording. Aim the front of the microphone toward the source, with left and right sides of the microphone barrel facing the appropriate directions.
Attach the mic clip directly onto the Manfrotto mic stand. Select the MONO BIDIRECTIONAL polar pattern in the MOTIV app. Point one side of the microphone barrel toward the subject and the other toward the interviewer.
The legs collapse to create a portable hand-held stand.
Use the Shure MOTIV desktop app to quickly adjust microphone settings. The device stores the most recently used settings for quick setup.
① Settings Click the three dots to access MOTIV software information, manage presets, application preferences and check for firmware updates.
② Mic Selection/Settings Lock Use the drop-down menu to access settings for your microphone. Click the lock to lock and unlock selected settings.
③ Custom Presets Use the drop-down to create your own custom presets.
④ Mic Mute / Mic Gain Use the toggle to mute and unmute your microphone. Use the slider to control microphone gain.
Note: Some programs can control microphone gain while in Manual mode. We recommend locking your mic settings once you have it set the way you'd like.
⑤ Monitor Mix slider Move the slider to adjust the levels of mic and playback sound sources. See "Monitor Mix Blend" for more information on monitoring.
⑥ Preset Modes Set stereo width, equalization, and compression for specific applications. See "Preset Modes" for more information.
⑦ Polar Pattern Selection Swipe to choose your pick-up pattern. Use the dots (handles) to adjust the width of the stereo image.
Tip: Consider the location of the microphone and the size of the sound source when adjusting the width. For example, speech benefits from a narrow width, which improves clarity and rejects ambient (room) sound. Use the dots to quickly set stereo width.
⑧ Advanced Features Fine tune your audio recording with limiter and compressor controls, high pass filter, left-right swap, and equalization settings. See "Advanced Mic Settings" for more information.
Five selectable modes optimize settings for gain, stereo width, equalization, and compression. Set the microphone level and try the modes to find which sounds best. Preset modes can affect the strength of the input signal, so adjust the microphone level as needed after changing presets.
| Mode | Application | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
Speech |
speech | Narrow stereo width to reject background noise, equalization that emphasizes clarity and fullness, and gentle compression. |
Singing |
solo or group vocal performances | Medium stereo width with subtle equalization to add richness and clarity for a natural sound. |
Flat |
any | An unprocessed signal (no equalization or compression settings used). Adds flexibility when processing the audio after recording. |
Acoustic |
acoustic instruments and quiet music | Medium stereo width with transparent compression to smooth out volume spikes and bring out quiet passages. The equalizer setting emphasizes detail and an overall natural sound. |
Loud |
live performance and louder sources | Wide stereo to increase separation between sources. Equalization further improves definition by reducing frequencies that can make the instrumentation sound crowded. |
Create and save custom presets to quickly access frequently used mic settings.
To access saved presets:
Tip: You can save a custom preset at any point. Tap Save and give the current settings a new name.
The following demonstrates microphone capsule pick-up patterns. When operating in a mono mode, stereo width is not adjustable.
 |
Stereo |
Front = On Sides = On |
 |
Mono Cardioid |
Front = On Sides = Off |
 |
Mono Bidirectional |
Front = Off Sides = On |
 |
Raw Mid-Side |
Front = On Sides = On See "Raw Mid-Side Output" for more information. |
For increased post-processing flexibility, use the Raw Mid-Side setting. This records signal a 2-channel signal with a stereo image that can be adjusted even after the tracks have been recorded:
Left: Cardioid (front)
Right: Bidirectional (sides)
Use the Raw Mid-Side setting with audio recording applications that have a mid-side stereo matrix decoder. Or use the manual decoding instructions to adjust the stereo image of the recorded tracks.
If your digital audio workstation software (DAW) has no mid-side decoder, use these steps to adjust and manipulate the stereo image:
Advanced tip: Using compression with a fast attack setting on the grouped tracks keeps transients (the first part of a sound, such as when a drum stick strikes a cymbal) toward the center of the stereo image and allows them to expand within the stereo field as the sound decays.
Manual Decoding of Raw Mid-Side Audio
Use the monitor mix slider to adjust how much of each source you can hear. For best results, start monitoring at the midpoint and adjust.
After selecting the preset mode, fine-tune your sound with limiter, compressor, and equalizer settings. These settings are retained in the microphone when using other audio and video applications.
Toggle the limiter on or off to prevent distortion from volume peaks in your recording.
Choose no compression, or select light or heavy compression to control volume when your sound source is dynamic. Quiet signals are boosted and loud signals are lowered.
Choose no HPF for the most natural sound. Or select 75 Hz or 150 Hz to reduce wind noise, room noise, or proximity effect.
75 Hz Low frequency cutoff Provides a 6 dB-per-octave cutoff at 75 Hz. Helps eliminate floor rumble and low-frequency room noise from heating and air conditioning systems. This setting may also be used to compensate for proximity effect or to reduce low frequencies that make an instrument sound dull or muddy.
150 Hz Low frequency rolloff Provides a 6 dB-per-octave rolloff filter at 150 Hz. Use this to compensate for proximity effect or to reduce low frequencies that could make an instrument sound dull or muddy.
Use Left - Right Swap to flip the left and right audio channels to match the stereo image to the picture. For example, when using video to record yourself.
Tip: Use the L and R indicators on the microphone barrel to make sure that left and right is accurate.
Use the equalizer to boost or cut bands of frequencies to filter out unwanted sounds and improve sound clarity.
To ensure consistent volume levels, determine the microphone placement that works best for you and maintain that distance. Record several practice tests to determine the spot where your voice sounds best and background sounds are minimized.
When you've tested your audio and have found the settings that sound great, press and hold both Mute and Monitor Toggle for 2 seconds to lock and prevent accidental adjustment and ensure that your audio remains consistent.
To hear your audio, plug headphones into the headphone output on your MOTIV device.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Microphone is plugged in, but not detected. | Unplug and reconnect the cable so that the app recognizes the microphone. You'll know that the connection is made when you see the MOTIV desktop application display the correct microphone settings. |
| You hear no audio even though the desktop application is displaying the correct microphone. | Check the Monitor Mix blend. Move the Monitor Mix slider to the center to hear the audio going into the mic and the audio being played back at the same time. |
| Audio is distorted | Audio distortion usually comes from overloading the microphone which causes clipping. Lower your mic gain for the best sound recording. |
| Left/right stereo channels do not match video. | Depending on the orientation of the recording device, it may be necessary to engage the Left-Right swap in MOTIV settings. If the audio has already been recorded, you can switch the left and right channels in most audio editing software. |
| Headphone LED flashes. Audio sounds higher or lower pitch than normal. | Your microphone and computer have a sample rate mismatch. To adjust your computer sample rate settings, go to the Shure FAQ topic for information on correcting sample rate mismatch. Note: Windows update 10 v2004 (April 2020) solves this problem. |
| Miscellaneous issues | It may be useful to reset the app to restore functionality. Perform a hard reset by unplugging and re-plugging the microphone. |
| General troubleshooting |
|
Note: Contact Shure Service and Repair if you continue to experience any issues.
Take advantage of additional features and design enhancements by updating the firmware when prompted. A notification will appear when a firmware update is available. You have the option to download the update immediately or at a later time.
To access firmware update at a later time, tap the . Tap the caret icon and if the available firmware package is newer than the current version, tap Send to device. Contact Shure Service and Repair if you experience any issues.
Keep the MOTIV device connected to your mobile device when updating to ensure that there are no update issues.
Note: iPad Pro (USB-C) is not supported.
Will work with any Android device that has:
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Note: See https://www.shure.com/en-US/motiv-compatibility for information on supportive Android devices.
Yes
Speech/Singing/Acoustic/Loud/Flat
Cardioid (10 mm)/Bidirectional Condenser Cartridge (10 mm)
Adjustable Width Stereo/Mono Bidirectional/Mono Cardioid/Mid-Side
Mid-Side
20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
0 to +36 dB
-37 dBFS/Pa at 1 kHz [1] [2]
120 dB SPL [2]
Yes
Yes
5-band
Powered through USB or Lightning connector
All metal construction
| Without Windscreen | 79.0 g (2.78oz.) |
| With Windscreen | 81.5 g (2.87oz.) |
| Without Windscreen | 27 x 27 x 77 mm H x W x D |
| With Windscreen | 44 x 44 x 93 mm H x W x D |
[1] 1 Pa=94 dB SPL
[2]At Minimum Gain, Flat Mode
| Bit Depth | Sampling Rate |
|---|---|
| 24 | 48 kHz |
| 24 | 44.1 kHz |
| 16 | 48 kHz |
| 16 | 44.1 kHz |
Frequency Response
| MV88 Foam Windscreen | AMV88-WS |
| MV88 Carrying Case | AMV88-CC |
| 1 15 inch USB-C cable | AMV-USBC15 |
| 1 15 inch Lightning cable | AMV-LTG15 |
| Mobile Device Threaded Clamp | DeviceClamp |
| 10 inch Micro-B to USB-A cable | 10 inch Micro-B to USB-A cable |
| 10 inch Micro-B to USB-C cable | 10 inch Micro-B to USB-C cable |
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction manual, may cause interference with radio and television reception.
Notice: The FCC regulations provide that changes or modifications not expressly approved by Shure Incorporated could void your authority to operate this equipment.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Industry Canada ICES-003 Compliance Label: CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This microphone for use with any microphone stand with a 5/8" threaded adapter.
Note: Testing is based on the use of supplied and recommended cable types. The use of other than shielded (screened) cable types may degrade EMC performance.
Hereby, Shure Incorporated declares that this product with CE Marking has been determined to be in compliance with European Union requirements.
The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at the following site: https://www.shure.com/en-EU/support/declarations-of-conformity.
This product meets the Essential Requirements of all relevant European directives and is eligible for CE marking.
Made for iPad (5th generation), iPad (6th generation, iPad (7th generation, iPad (8th generation), iPad Air 2, iPad Air 3, iPad Mini 4, iPad Mini 5, iPad Pro 9.7-inch (1st generation), iPad Pro (12.9-inch) 1st generation, iPad Pro 10.5-inch 2017 (2nd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2017 (2nd generation), iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone SE 2, iPod Touch (7th generation).
iPad, iPhone, iPod and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad Air, iPad mini, and Lightning are trademarks of Apple Inc. The trademark “iPhone” is used in Japan with a license from Aiphone K.K.
This equipment is compatible with Android devices that support USB Audio Class 2.0 and USB-C connectivity. Not all Android devices are compatible. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
PIXI® and Manfrotto® are registered trademarks of Vitec Imaging Solutions. Mini tripod maximum weight: 1Kg/2.2 lbs.
Publications
