The kit comes complete with all you need to capture great-sounding audio on your Mac/Windows computer or a mobile device equipped with USB Type-C. The stereo mic slides snugly into the mic clip, which can be mounted on any mic stand with 5/8 or 3/8″ threading.

To connect and power the mic, use either of the included 10′ USB cables—one features a USB Type-C connector for newer laptop computers and compatible mobile devices, while the other has a USB Type-A connector for use with older laptops or desktop computers.

Unlike your phone’s built-in mono mic, the MV88+ can be configured with different settings to optimize your sound according to your recording situation. The mono cardioid setting, for example, is a smart choice for an interview focused on a single subject.

For a two-person interview, the mono bidirectional setting might yield better results. The stereo settings offer pickup patterns with variable width, great for recording musical performances or environmental sounds. The raw mid-side setting lets you capture dramatic stereo imaging, which you can adjust later in postproduction.

Whichever setting you choose, you can rest easy knowing the mic captures high-quality 24-bit / 48 kHz audio. This means you can edit the audio in any DAW or NLE if need be without losing resolution.

The mic’s built-in 3.5mm headphone output lets you properly monitor your sound in real time, so you can always know what you’re recording and be sure your content sounds great. Slip the windscreen over the mic to reduce wind noise, and you’re ready to fire up the MOTIV app or your favorite audio recording software.

The Monitor Mix function for the headphone output lets you blend between live monitoring and device playback, great for overdubs. Alternatively, you can use the mic’s headphone output to record to the analog line input of an audio recording device (USB powering of the MV88+ is still required).

The ShurePlus MOTIV app for Mac/Windows computers and iOS/Android mobile devices is an integral part of your kit. It controls the mic and audio settings, and functions as a full-featured audio/video recorder. The app also offers digital signal processing (DSP) with presets to get you started quickly. Included is a limiter to avoid overloading the input, a compressor to help level out volume differences, and a 5-band EQ to tame problem frequencies and reduce low-end rumbles.

The app lets you capture your audio and video in multiple formats, edit it, and share your creations via email, text, iTunes, AirDrop, and Dropbox. You can also choose to livestream right from your computer and share your video in real time with your online audience.