Both the Shure MV7 and the Rode Podcaster have been popular broadcasting mics since their introductions, however, the Shure MV7 costs roughly $200 more than the Rode Podcaster.
As a result, this article may be used to determine whether the price difference is justified, and which microphone is the best.
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| Primary Rating: 3.5 | Primary Rating: 3.5 |
| $249.00 | $159.99 |
Shure MV7 Rundown
The Shure MV7 is essentially the renowned microphone company’s entry-to-intermediate consumer market play.
There are many alternatives available in this price range for this audience, which often prefers content production and streaming over more conventional music apps, for example.
Shure would have to stand out in order to stand out from the competition.
However, they could have succeeded with the MV7.
At the highest level, you’re receiving a dynamic microphone with twin XLR/USB output that is primarily designed to record speech in all of its forms. More on this later.
Rode Podcaster Rundown
An Australian business called Rode produces attractive, high-quality condenser microphones for a tenth of the price of its more expensive equivalents.
Its entry into the market for USB microphones is therefore a logical progression.
With the included camera connection kit and powered hub, the Rode Podmic Microphone can be connected directly to a USB port on your Mac, PC, or even an iPad, doing away with the need for an audio interface.
As the name says, this condenser microphone is specifically designed for the rapidly growing podcast industry. With episodes covering almost every subject conceivable and including some of the most well-known personalities, podcasts have become more popular.
It goes without saying that a versatile microphone is essential, and one designed specifically for the medium should yield outstanding results.
To meet this need, Rode has created one of the quickest and simplest methods for recording excellent audio quality and speaking performances.
Shure MV7 Vs Rode Podcaster
Build And Design
The Shure MV7 is an extremely tiny dynamic microphone that is slimmer and shorter than the Blue Yeti X, making it an especially excellent choice if desk space is limited (also see, ‘Best Dynamic Microphones‘).
The professional all-black look also ensures it won’t attract too much attention – but streamers may prefer something a bit more ‘in your face,’ like the Trust GTX 258 Fyru with its inbuilt RGB lights.
Having said that, the MV7’s all-metal chassis seems and feels sturdy.
The MV7 has a 5/8″ screw attachment for mounting into stands and boom arms, as well as a 3/8′′ adapter in the package for optimal compatibility.
For entry-level users, Shure provides a (slightly more costly) bundle that includes a Manfrotto PIXI tripod, but we’d recommend investing in a specialized boom arm if you’re interested in podcasting or streaming.
The Rode Podcaster, on the other hand, is a massive, weighty beast of a microphone right out of the box.
The all-metal chassis gives you confidence that it’s built to last, as Rode gear is known to be, albeit it does require a proper mic stand to keep it steady.
It’s unfortunate that there isn’t one in the package. Rode would be wise to add a desktop stand, or maybe incorporate a kickstand into the microphone itself.
If the presumption is that everybody purchasing a microphone already has a stand, that is not necessarily the case when purchasing a USB microphone.
There is a sleek, glossy white finish, which is a welcome contrast from the normal matte black found in this category.
The Podcaster is an end-address mic, so it must be pointed straight at you, however, we found that speaking slightly off-axis to decrease plosives produced the greatest results, despite the built-in pop filter.
There aren’t many settings on the mic itself – the assumption being that you’d use your recording software to monitor levels – but there is a single LED that does provide some visual indication if you’re going much over the threshold.
Finally, there is a 3.5 mm connection for headphone monitoring as well as a volume control for the headphones.
Performance
Unlike condenser microphones, the Shure MV7 is meant to be used primarily at close range, with the microphone immediately in front of you.
This restricts the use of the microphone to specific applications.
It’s good for podcasts, YouTube streaming, and voiceovers, but you can’t use it to record a group conversation or a face-to-face interview because there’s no omnidirectional mode.
The microphone is selective in what it records, which is a bonus.
It picks up sound almost entirely from in front of the microphone, thereby rejecting sounds from the sides and back of the microphone, and fully eliminating background noise.
Even if you don’t like the preset sound profile, you can customize it using the accompanying Shure MotivPlus program (compatible with Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS).
Gain, EQ, compressor, limiter, and monitor mix are among the common suspects.
The Rode Podcaster is a good microphone in terms of sound quality. It captures the sound of a radio DJ: clean and crisp, with a wonderful richness to it.
However, the lack of a stand means that the $229 price tag does not tell the entire story—at the absolute least, you’ll need to spend $15 to $20 extra on some form of stand.
Most microphones similar to this have receivers at the front, however, the Rode Podcaster is an end address microphone.
This results in the cleanest sound when speaking directly into the top. Furthermore, the front-facing mesh body and tight cardioid pickup pattern exclude off-axis noises.
With the zero-latency monitoring port, you can hear precisely what your microphone is picking up, so you know what you’re recording before it’s recorded.
Because this is a dynamic microphone, it is designed to take up audio from a distance while canceling out a lot of background noise.
Conclusion
It all boils down to your budget and the stuff you currently have. If this is your first microphone and you do not already have an audio interface or a mixer, the Shure MV7 is your best bet.
This is due to the fact that acquiring an audio interface and an XLR connection will cost you at least $100, and you should be contemplating a more costly interface with more inputs anyway; otherwise, choosing an XLR mic over one with USB connectivity makes little sense.
