Shure MV88+ User manual

MV88plus Stereo USB Micro-
phone
Shure MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone
The Shure digital USB microphone, MV88+ Stereo USB, user guide.
Version: 1.0 (2021-I)

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Table of Contents
MV88plus Stereo USB Microphone Shure MV88+
Stereo USB Microphone 3
General Description 3
Features 3
Quick Setup 3
Windscreen 4
The MV88+ Microphone 4
Microphone Orientation 4
MV88+ Outputs 5
Aiming the Microphone 5
Audio Recording 6
Audio Interview (Tabletop) 6
Handheld Recording 7
The Shure MOTIV Desktop App 7
Mic Setup 8
Preset Modes 9
Custom Presets 9
Polar Pattern Selection (Stereo and Mono Settings) 10
Monitor Mix Blend 11
Advanced Mic Settings 11
Limiter 11
Compressor 11
High Pass Filter 12
Left-Right Channel Swap 12
Equalizer 12
Streaming Tips 12
Control your Levels 12
Use Lock Mode to Lock In Your Sound 12
Monitor Your Sound 12
Troubleshooting 12
Firmware Update 13
Keep equipment connected during updates 13
System Requirements 13
System Requirements and Compatibility: Mac 13
System Requirements and Compatibility: Windows 14
System Requirements and Compatibility: iOS 14
System Requirements and Compatibility: Android 14
Specifications 14
Certifications 16
Information to the user 16

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MV88plus Stereo USB Microphone 
Shure MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone
General Description
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cap-
turing 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.
Features
Mid-Side Stereo
Supports the classic mid-side stereo recording technique. Uses coincident cardioid and bidirectional capsules to adjust the
stereo width while providing excellent mono capability.
Plug-and-Play Operation
Compatible with iOS, Android, PC and Mac devices.
Note: See https://wwww.shure.com/MOTIVcompatibility for information on supportive Android devices.
Compact and Durable
Lightweight, all-metal construction and small enough to carry anywhere. Like all Shure products, ensures reliability in the field.
Flexible Recording Control with the ShurePlus MOTIV App
The MOTIVrecordingappcontrolsmicrophonesettings,suchasgain,stereowidth,andpresetmodes,andincludesthefol-
lowing features:
Landscape or portrait record options
Basic audio editing
Markers for keeping track of audio
Dark theme for low-light recording situations
Support for all MOTIV microphones
Five band equalizer
Live streaming capability
Dropbox , AirPlay and Bluetooth support
Factory and custom user presets
Virtual mic options in demo mode
Multiple bit depth and sample rate options
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Quick Setup
Mounting the Microphone
Windscreen
The windscreen offers maximum protection from plosives and creates a warmer, more intimate sound for speech applications,
like podcasting and gaming.
The MV88+ Microphone
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
Microphone Orientation
Rotatethemicrophonebarrelinthemiccliptoensurethatyourstereorecordingsareaccurate.Pointthefrontofthemicro-
phone 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.

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Note: The app has a Left-Right Channel Swap to flip the audio channels.
MV88+ Outputs
3.5mm monitor output for connecting to headphones and earphones
Send audio to your recording device using the micro-B USB port
MV88+ LEDs
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

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Aiming the Microphone
Thefollowingsuggestionsarefortypicalusecases.Keepinmindthattherearemanyeffectivewaystorecordasource.Ex-
periment 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.
Audio Recording
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.
Audio Interview (Tabletop)
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.

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Handheld Recording
The legs collapse to create a portable hand-held stand.
The Shure MOTIV Desktop App
Use the Shure MOTIV desktop app to quickly adjust microphone settings. The device stores the most recently used settings for
quick setup.

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Mic Setup
①Settings Click the three dots to access MOTIV software information, manage presets, application preferences and check for
firmware updates.
②Mic Selection/Settings Lock Use the drop-down menu to access settings for your microphone. Click the lock to lock and
unlock selected settings.
③Custom Presets Use the drop-down to create your own custom presets.
④Mic 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.

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⑤Monitor Mix slider Move the slider to adjust the levels of mic and playback sound sources. See "Monitor Mix Blend" for
more information on monitoring.
⑥Preset Modes Setstereowidth,equalization,andcompressionforspecificapplications.See"PresetModes"formoreinfor-
mation.
⑦Polar Pattern Selection Swipetochooseyourpick-uppattern.Usethedots(handles)toadjustthewidthofthestereoim-
age.
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.
⑧Advanced 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.
Preset Modes
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per-
formances
Mediumstereowidthwithsubtleequalizationtoaddrichnessandclarityforanat-
ural sound.
Flat
any Anunprocessedsignal(noequalizationorcompressionsettingsused).Addsflexi-
bility 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im-
proves definition by reducing frequencies that can make the instrumentation
sound crowded.
Custom Presets
Create and save custom presets to quickly access frequently used mic settings.
Start with the preset mode that best suits your application needs.
Adjust advanced settings, like compression, for clarity and consistency.
Tap Save to rename your preset, or use the default name.
Custom preset is added to your list.
To access saved presets:
Tap the caret (arrow) in the Preset row to view your list of saved presets.
Tap custom preset and Apply Preset to instantly apply gain, stereo, equalization, and compression preferences.
Tip: You can save a custom preset at any point by tapping Save.

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Polar Pattern Selection (Stereo and Mono Settings)
Thefollowingdemonstratesmicrophonecapsulepick-uppatterns.Whenoperatinginamonomode,stereowidthisnotad-
justable.
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.
Raw Mid-Side Output
For increased post-processing flexibility, use the Raw Mid-Sidesetting.Thisrecordssignala2-channelsignalwithastereoim-
age 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.
Manual Decoding and Stereo Width Adjustment
If your digital audio workstation software (DAW) has no mid-side decoder, use these steps to adjust and manipulate the stereo
image:
Extract the left and right audio signals from the 2-channel Raw Mid-Side file as individual mono tracks.
Create 3 blank audio tracks:
First track: Use the audio signal (front/cardioid) from the left channel only as a mono track, panned to the center.
Second track: Use the audio signal (side/bidirectional) from the right channel only as a mono track, panned all
the way to the left.
Third track: Copy the side/bidirectional signal from the second track. Pan this track all the way to the right and re
verse the phase.
Group the right and left side tracks, and set the volume at the same level for simultaneous adjustment. Increasing the
volume of the grouped tracks increases the stereo width, while decreasing their volume narrows the width.
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.

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Manual Decoding of Raw Mid-Side Audio
Monitor Mix Blend
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.
Move the slider towards the microphone icon (Mic) to hear more of the audio going into the mic. Like when you're singing
over a recorded guitar track and want to clearly hear your voice.
Move the slider towards the device icon (Playback)tohearmoreofthetrackplayingback.Whenyou'rerecordingahar-
mony to your original vocal track and want to clearly hear the original performance.
Advanced Mic Settings
Afterselectingthepresetmode,fine-tuneyoursoundwithlimiter,compressor,andequalizersettings.Thesesettingsarere-
tained in the microphone when using other audio and video applications.
Limiter
Toggle the limiter on or off to prevent distortion from volume peaks in your recording.
Compressor
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.

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High Pass Filter
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.
Left-Right Channel Swap
Use Left - Right Swaptofliptheleftandrightaudiochannelstomatchthestereoimagetothepicture.Forexample,whenus-
ing video to record yourself.
Tip: Use the L and R indicators on the microphone barrel to make sure that left and right is accurate.
Equalizer
Change the preset modes to hear the DSP changes, and use the equalizer to boost or cut bands of frequencies to improve
sound clarity.
Note: EQ persists between preset mode changes.
Streaming Tips
Control your Levels
To ensure consistent volume levels, keep the microphone as close to your face as possible.
Use Lock Mode to Lock In Your Sound
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.
Monitor Your Sound
To hear your audio, plug headphones into the headphone output on your MOTIV device.
Troubleshooting
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mi-
crophone settings.
You hear no audio even
though the desktop appli
cation is displaying the
correct microphone.
Check the Monitor Mix blend. Move the Monitor Mixslidertothecentertoheartheaudiogo-
ing into the mic and the audio being played back at the same time.

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Issue Solution
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sam-
ple rate settings, go to the ShureFAQtopicforinformationoncorrectingsampleratemis-
match.
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
Quit and re-start the app.
Reboot the computer.
Check for firmware update. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select About
MOTIV > Check for Update
Note: Contact Shure Service and Repair if you continue to experience any issues.
Firmware Update
Take advantage of additional features and design enhancements by updating the firmware on your MOTIV Desktop Application
whenprompted.Anotificationwillappearwhenafirmwareupdateisavailable.Youhavetheoptiontodownloadtheupdateim-
mediately or at a later time.
Tip: For best results, before updating the application, make sure that the microphone is connected to your computer. Do not
disconnect until the update is complete.
To access firmware update at a later time, tap the three dots > About > Check for Update. 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ex-
perience any issues.
Keep equipment connected during updates
Keep the MOTIV device connected to your mobile device when updating to ensure that there are no update issues.
System Requirements
System Requirements and Compatibility: Mac
MacOS 10.13 to 10.15
64 bit

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Minimum 2 GB of RAM
Minimum 500 MB of hard disk space
System Requirements and Compatibility: Windows
Windows 10
64 bit
Minimum 2 GB of RAM
Minimum 500 MB of hard disk space
System Requirements and Compatibility: iOS
iOS: iOS 12 and higher
iPhone: iPhone 6 and higher
iPod Touch: 6th gen
Note: iPad Pro (USB-C) is not supported.
System Requirements and Compatibility: Android
Will work with any Android device that has:
Android Oreo 8.0 and higher
USBHostPowerRequirementof≥100mA
USB Audio Class 1.1 support and higher
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Note: See https://www.shure.com/MOTIVcompatibility for information on supportive Android devices.
Specifications
MFi Certified
Yes
DSP Modes (Presets)
Speech/Singing/Acoustic/Loud/Flat
Transducer Type
Cardioid(10mm)/BidirectionalCondenserCartridge(10mm)
Polar Pattern
Adjustable Width Stereo/Mono Bidirectional/Mono Cardioid/Mid-Side
Stereo Principle
Mid-Side
Frequency Response
20Hzto20,000Hz
Adjustable Gain Range
0to+36dB

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Sensitivity
-37dBFS/Paat1kHz[1][2]
Maximum SPL
120dBSPL[2]
Limiter
Yes
Compressor
Yes
Equalizer
5-band
Power Requirements
Powered through USB or Lightning connector
Housing
All metal construction
Net Weight
Without Windscreen 79.0g(2.78oz.)
With Windscreen 81.5g(2.87oz.)
Dimensions
Without Windscreen 27x27x77mmHxWxD
With Windscreen 44x44x93mmH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

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Frequency Response
Certifications
Information to the user
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Note: 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.Theselimitsaredesignedtoprovidereasonableprotectionagainstharmfulinterferenceinaresidentialinstalla-
tion. 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:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
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per-
formance.
This product meets the Essential Requirements of all relevant European directives and is eligible for CE marking.
The CE Declaration of Conformity can be obtained from: www.shure.com/europe/compliance
Authorized European representative:
Shure Europe GmbH
Global Compliance
Jakob-Dieffenbacher-Str. 12
75031 Eppingen, Germany
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
www.shure.com

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Made for iPhone Xs Max, iPhone Xs, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone SE,
iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro (12.9-
inch) 2nd generation, iPad Pro (12.9-inch) 1st generation, iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad Air 2,
iPad Air, iPad (6th generation), iPad (5th generation), iPad (4th generation), iPod touch.
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.
Android Compatibility
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.
® ®