Shure’s powerful new Motiv Mix software was just released in April 2024 and is still in ßeta. Motiv Mix brings both refreshing freedom compared with RØDE Connect, while still lacking a couple of functions which may disappoint some users until they hear about my suggested workarounds. That’s why I invested so much time testing and comparing it and creating the chart you’ll see ahead. Shure Motiv Mix replaces the prior Shure Motiv for desktop computers (macOS and Windows). Shure even says we should uninstall the original Shure Motiv app and favor only the Motiv Mix app. The Shure Motiv mix app allows adjusting the DSP in certain Shure microphones and the MVX2U interface I reviewed in August 2023. One area where Shure Motiv Mix is more open is the fact that it can allow use with «foreign» (i.e. non-Shure) USB mics and audio interfaces, something that RØDE Connect does not allow directly, although it can be done via third-party software, as I covered in How to use a non-RØDE interface with RØDE Connect using Audio Hijack.
Number of audio input sources
The first line of the comparison chart (Number of audio input sources) isn’t as obvious as it might first appear. Motiv Mix offers a simple «5 total», while with RØDE Connect it’s 4 supported local mics/interfaces, 2 virtual audio sources plus its inboard virtual cart playback.
Support for external communication services
Many producers would like to connect their virtual audio mixer with at least one external service like Call In Studio, Cleanfeed, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Jitsi, Skype, Riverside, Streamyard, Squadcast or Zoom. In the comparison chart, you’ll see that Shure Motiv Mix currently supports one at a time reliably, while RØDE Connect currently supports up to two together, reliably.
Acceptance of «foreign» mics and interfaces
Shure Motiv Mix offers the freedom of using «foreign» (non-Shure) USB mics and interfaces. However, at least with the current version, that limits its capability of delivering a custom mix-minus to each USB mic (or interface) for monitoring. See my recent related article Mix-minus for recording/broadcast vs for monitoring. On the other hand, by limiting compatibility to specific RØDE USB mics (and one interface to date), RØDE Connect is able to deliver a custom mix minus for monitoring to each one.
| RØDE Connect version 1.3.39 |
Shure Motiv Mix ßeta version 1.1.1.907 |
|
| Number of audio input sources | 4 local mics + 2 virtual sources + inboard virtual cart playback (soundboard) | 5 total |
| Supports external communication services like Call In Studio, Cleanfeed, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Jitsi, Skype, Riverside, Streamyard, Squadcast, Zoom with foolproof mix minus, meaning that the remote person (or people) using this service (or these services) will never hear her/himself as an echo back from RØDE Connect or from Shure Motiv Mix since RØDE Connect and Shure Motiv Mix only send the local mix, minus the remote audio to the remote service. | Up to 2 at a time, reliably | 1 at a time, reliably |
| Accepts «foreign» USB mics | Not officially, although possible via Audio Hijack, and this would occupy 1 of the 2 virtual input channels with each non-RØDE mic. |
Yes, directly, no problem |
| Accepts «foreign» audio interfaces | Not officially, although possible via Audio Hijack, and this would occupy 1 of the 2 virtual channels with each non-RØDE mic. |
Yes, directly, no problem |
| Offers mix minus monitoring for each local participant (see my related article: Mix-Minus for recording/broadcast vs for monitoring | Yes,with up to 4 «native» supported mics/interfaces, each with its own headphones or in-ear monitors plugged into the headphone jack of the particular microphone or interface. | Yes-partially:to a single designated device at a time. Use a headphone splitter or distribution amplifier if there are more local participants who need to hear remote guests and soundbites. See article for important details. |
| Allows direct adjustment of DSP inside «native» mics & interface(s) | Yes, with «native» supported mics/interfaces only (RØDE only) |
Yes, with «native» supported mics/interfaces only (Shure only) |
| Output virtual audio channel for live broadcast/streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Inboard virtual audio carts (soundboard) to play pre-recorded opening, bumpers, stingers, soundbites. | Yes | Not with current software. Currently requires a third-party app like Farago and would occupy the single virtual channel. Otherwise, connect a tablet, external iPod or music player via an audio interface as one of the 5 available sources. |
| Can save current inputs and settings to remember in an upcoming session. | Yes | Not as of ßeta version 1.1.1.907. Currently, it forgets it after quitting the app. |
| Native audio recording format | 48 kHz WAV 24-bit only (with current software version) Stereo or Multichannel |
48 kHz WAV 32-bit float only (with current software version) Stereo or Multichannel |
| Supported operating systems | macOS & Windows (Linux is sadly still unsupported) |
macOS & Windows (Linux is sadly still unsupported) |
| Language support | English-only(The initial versions supported many languages. Since then, RØDE dropped the non-English ones in RØDE Connect. | English-only(so far) |
Comparison chart © Allan Tépper and TecnoTur.LLC
Mix-minus monitoring
(Please read my recent relevant article Mix-minus for recording/broadcast vs for monitoring to understand the important difference.)
From my experience with the current version of Motiv Mix, there is currently mix-minus monitoring for a single designated USB microphone (or interface, i.e. the main host/presenter’s USB microphone (or interface), so that s/he can hear the mix minus of everything except her/his own voice via the headphones or in-ear devices connected to that USB mic, which should provide latency-free monitoring for her/himself together with that custom mix-minus. I proved that by plugging my headphones into the output of the MV7+ (review pending) and I was able to hear the mix of everything, including audio from Skype sent to the Motiv Mix virtual channel and sound from a «foreign» microphone, the PodMic USB (review pending). The Motiv Mix app did the right thing by sending me the mix, minus my own voice, since my own voice was already sent to me by the MV7+ (review pending).
In fact, Motiv Mix even informs the user with a prompt on screen that to hear her/himself, s/he should connect her/his headphones directly to her/his USB mic or interface in order to hear her/his own voice latency free. The designers of Motiv Mix (and the designers of RØDE Connect) evidently understand this essential fact. The current Motiv Mix implementation is ideal if there is going to be a single host/presenter in the location where Motiv Mix is used, together with remote guests connected vía services like Call In Studio, Cleanfeed, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Jitsi, Skype, Riverside, Streamyard, Squadcast or Zoom. However, this current implementation is not ideal with multiple local participants, since they won’t hear the other local participants, remote guests or soundbites through their headphones connected to their own device.
A workaround to solve that situation (until Shure improves it) is to divide that main host/presenter’s headphone output using a headphone splitter or powered headphone distribution amp to feed several in-ear devices (or headphones) to be used in one or both ears of each of the other local participants. Sadly, each one of those other local presenters (other than the main one) will hear her/his own voice with a slight delay, but it’s a valid workaround for now so they can hear the remote guests and soundbites and be able to respond and react to them.
On the other hand, RØDE Connect already offers proper custom mix-minus for each supported USB mic or interface, although they must be supported RØDE models.
Direct adjustment of DSP inside «native» mics & interface(s)
Both Shure Motiv Mix and RØDE Connect allow for direct adjustment of the DSP within «native» mics and interface(s). However, that fortunately does not limit us, since if for some reason you either prefer (or already own) the RØDE PodMic USB (review pending), you can still use it with Shure Motiv Mix by presetting the DSP as desired and then quitting the RØDE app before opening Shure Motiv Mix. On the other hand, if you prefer the Shure MV7+ (review pending), you can preset its DSP functions with Motiv Mix, quit Motiv Mix and then open both Audio Hijack and RØDE Connect.
Inboard virtual audio carts (soundboard)
The Shure Motiv Mix app does not currently include any built-in functionality for virtual carts to play pre-recorded openings, bumpers, stingers or soundbites. In order to use this function today, you could use a third-party app like Farago and it would occupy the single virtual channel. Otherwise, you could connect a tablet, external iPod or music player via an audio interface as one of the 5 available sources in Motiv Mix.
When I asked Shure whether they plan to add this feature, the response was:
«We will certainly take this feedback into consideration and look into what opportunities we could bring to MOTIV Mix.»
On the other hand, RØDE Connect already has a built-in soundboard to play virtual carts.
Save current inputs and settings to remember in an upcoming session?
Currently, Motiv Mix does not have any way to save the current inputs and settings to remember in an upcoming session, so we must reset them all manually each time we open the app. I imagine that this will be added soon to an upcoming version of Motiv Mix.
On the other hand, RØDE Connect always saves the current settings, although it would be better to allow saving specific presets.
Native audio recording format
I find it surprising that the current Motiv Mix records 48 kHz WAV 32-bit float only (either stereo or multichannel), considering that (to my knowledge) none of the Shure USB mics currently output 32-bit float. I suppose this is designed either for use with future Shure USB mics and/or interfaces or with «foreign» 32-bit float USB mics and interfaces. There should be an option to record 24-bit to save space when using all 24-bit sources.
On the other hand, RØDE Connect currently offers only 48 kHz WAV 24-bit recording, either stereo or multichannel.
I wish both apps would offer an option to record WAV 48 kHz mono 24- bit to save 50% space to be set specifically whenever the prerecorded audio carts are mono (not stereo).
My requests to the Shure Motiv Mix development team
Motiv Mix is doing great as a ßeta version. Keep up the great work. Here are my suggestions, in order of priority.
- Add support to save settings, to be recalled after quitting. Ideally, the user should be able to save presets for different productions.
- Add support for custom mix.minus for monitoring for each source (even though this feature may need to be only for certain supported Shure devices) as explained earlier.
- Add a second virtual channel, to connect more than one remote service at a time, like Call In Studio, Cleanfeed, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Jitsi, Skype, Riverside, Streamyard, Squadcast and Zoom.
- Add a built-in soundboard for virtual audio carts.
- Add support for Linux, as already offered by Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Studio and Audacity.
- Add support for other languages, i.e. Castilian (castellano) aka «Spanish».
- Offer more 48 kHz recording options, including 24-bit (in addition to 32-bit float) and also mono recording (in addition to multitrack and stereo) to save 50% space compared with stereo recordings.
Conclusions based upon the current versions
It is great that there is competition in the market, since it means more flexibility for audio/video producers. I hope this article will help you pick the best software-based audio mixer recorder, based upon the current offerings. I’ll publish more articles and reviews, as each offering evolves. Be sure to be on the road (or «Be Shure to be on the RØDE.») to be on one of the following mailing lists or services to be notified when I publish more.
Related article
PSA: best way to connect headphones or earbuds to USB mics
Lee este artículo en buen castellano
Aplicación Motiv Mix de Shure: ¿Cómo compite con RØDE Connect?
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FTC disclosure
Neither RØDE nor Shure has not paid for this article. RØDE and Shure has sent Allan Tépper units for review. Some of the manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur, BeyondPodcasting, CapicúaFM or TuSaludSecreta programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur LLC via affiliate programs. Allan Tépper’s opinions are his own. Allan Tépper is not liable for misuse or misunderstanding of information he shares.