Shure is updating its MV88 microphone for the modern age by adding a USB-C connector for mounting directly to your smartphone. The original MV88, released in 2015, had a Lightning connector, but obviously that’s not practically useful anymore. The MV88+ added USB, but relied on a cable and didn’t mount directly to a phone or tablet. The MV88 USB-C brings back the original form factor with a modern connector.
The MV88 USB-C is a condenser microphone with four polar pattern options: stereo, mono cardioid, mono bidirectional, and raw mid-side. There are also apps (MOTIV Video and MOTIV Audio on mobile, and MOTIV Mix on desktop) that offer presets, as well as manual control over gain, plus a five-band EQ, limiter, compressor, and high-pass filter for fine-tuning your sound.
If you’re not interested in getting into the nitty-gritty of things, though, you can just plug the MV88 USB-C directly into your phone, turn on the Auto Level Mode and Real-time Denoiser, and start vlogging or livestreaming with minimal hassle. Those features, plus the included foam windscreen, mean you should be able to walk down a busy street without being drowned out by traffic or clipping your audio signal.
Shure is pitching the MV88 to content creators. Its $159 price puts it in the same range as many wireless lavs, like those from Rode, that might be better suited for solo vlogging. But if capturing the ambient noise of your surroundings is part of your vibe, or if you want to capture multiple subjects without mic-ing people individually, the MV88 might be appealing.