Making Videos On Your Phone? This Usb-c Mic Is The Easiest Way To Get Pro Audio

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Shure MV88 USB-C is disposable for $160.
• It's a beginner-friendly action for anyone looking to adhd a master furniture to their audio recordings.
• It's champion for group who grounds exclusively pinch their smartphones.

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

If you usage your telephone for vlogs aliases societal media videos, but find that its built-in microphone degrades video quality, it mightiness beryllium time for an upgrade. Shure's MV88 USB-C is simply a awesome action if you want an easy-to-use solution that offers much customization than a inexpensive mini lavalier mic. 

Also: How 1 mini microphone solved my biggest video accumulation problems

However, if you're looking for a microphone that useful from acold away, this 1 isn't it. The MV88 USB-C easy upgrades your phone's microphone, keeping your recording's audio level accordant while reducing inheritance noise. At $160, location are little costly options, but they mightiness not connection nan aforesaid accumulation features. Here's what to cognize earlier you buy.

The MV88 USB-C is astir nan size of my palm, truthful it's easy to propulsion successful a container aliases transportation successful your pouch erstwhile it's not successful use. You tin plug nan MV88 into your smartphone's larboard and commencement recording. Additionally, location are 5 audio presets for your audio recordings: speech, singing, flat, acoustic, and loud. 

These presets tin beryllium customized, but I recovered myself sticking to nan original settings. I utilized reside mode for signaling voice-overs, which was particularly adjuvant successful minimizing nan room reside from my location office's heater successful my recording.

Also: How I download YouTube videos for free - 2 easy and reliable methods to do it

I besides utilized nan MV88's Auto Level Mode while signaling regular vlogs astatine CES this year, a characteristic that promises to stabilize nan microphone's summation aliases sensitivity. With this characteristic on, mixed pinch nan real-time denoiser, I didn't person to interest astir nan ambient sound from ample crowds interfering pinch my audio. 

Jada Jones/ZDNET

While signaling pinch nan MV88 and stepping nan streets of nan Las Vegas Strip, nan cars honking made it into nan mic's audio features, but it was dampened capable to adhd colour to my signaling alternatively than distract from my voice.

All of these features tin beryllium toggled successful nan Shure Motiv app, including adjusting nan microphone's polar patterns and nan guidance successful which it captures audio. The MV88 features a mono cardioid pattern, which records audio straight successful beforehand of nan microphone pinch little accent connected rear- and side-facing audio. This pickup shape is nan astir useful for vlog-style recordings, truthful I didn't stray from it.

Also: My 9 must-have gadgets for creating value YouTube videos

The Shure Motiv app saves your preferred microphone settings, moreover erstwhile you disconnect nan MV88 from your phone, truthful you don't person to fiddle pinch settings each clip you want to record.

The MV88's only limitation is that it must beryllium tethered to your telephone erstwhile recording. If you're conducting an interview, you'll request to usage nan bidirectional pickup shape and guidelines comparatively adjacent to your interviewee. If you want a wireless microphone aliases a instrumentality that performs good for signaling astatine a distance, nan MV88 won't activity for you.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Shure MV88 USB-C microphone is an incredibly elemental and beginner-friendly solution for budding contented creators aliases anyone who makes videos. It importantly improves your audio signaling complete your phone's built-in speakers and allows much customization to adhd a furniture of professionalism to your videos. Even more, nan mic easy fits successful your pouch aliases container without weighing you down.

However, nan MV88 USB-C is only a feasible solution for group who sprout exclusively pinch their smartphone and for illustration vlog-style videos. It's not a wireless device, and its capacity importantly decreases erstwhile trying to seizure cleanable audio from afar. 

If you've upgraded beyond shooting astir of your videos connected your telephone and nary longer find yourself speaking straight into it, see much precocious options.