My early Black Friday deal of the week is the best podcast and streaming mic I've used in years

The Shure MV7+ Podcast Microphone — (Image credit: Shure)

Shure MV7+ | USB | Dynamic | Built-in pop filter | 50 Hz to 16,000 Hz | $279 $249 at Amazon (save $30)
If you're looking for the best USB podcast microphone, look no further. We loved this mic so much in our review, it immediately went into an entirely new category in our best microphone guide. It needs a separate boom arm or stand, unfortunately, but other than that it's one of the best mics you can get your hands on right now. It'd make a mean pro-level streaming companion, too.

Price check: Shure $249

When I saw the original Shure MV7 was being discontinued, I felt a genuine pang in my gut. That sounds like an odd reaction to a microphone being removed from sale, I know—but when you use something day in and day out for years that's genuinely brilliant, it becomes like an old friend.

I needn't have worried though, because when I reviewed its replacement, the Shure MV7+ Podcast Microphone, I discovered it was even better. I've just spotted it for $249 at Amazon, and while it might be a slim discount, a $30 saving on a mic that's only been out for the best part of six months is still worth shouting about.

Particularly one as brilliant as this. Professional-sounding audio is supposed to be difficult, but the Shure MV7+ has a magnificent party trick up its sleeve. Thanks to some mercifully straightforward software, the MV7+ is about as plug-and-play as it gets—and that shot it straight into first position as our best microphone for podcasts recommendation.

Noise cancellation? On by default, and excellent at what it does. Gain levels? Auto-adjusted out of the box, meaning you can move around in front of it and it'll keep you sounding as consistent as possible. Plosives? Eliminated, thanks to a Digital Popper Stopper (gosh, I even love typing those words, never mind saying them) and a chonky foam surround that keeps everything sounding svelte.

What about EQ? Reduced to a single slider, and excellent at what it does. Keep it in the middle for a natural, crisp sound, pull it over to dark for a hot-radio kinda vibe, or push it in the opposite direction for extra clarity.

Ordinarily, I'd hate overly simplified controls on a mic. But here, Shure has taken all its many, many years of audio capturing know-how and reduced it to its bare essentials—and as a result, anyone can get a superb sound out of this truly stonkingly good microphone.

Drawbacks? Well, it doesn't come with a stand. Given that this is for those looking for ultimate audio quality, I'd highly recommend buying a cheap boom arm to get it nice and close to your laughing gear (that's British for mouth) to capture the best results. Thankfully, your options here are legion, as the Shure MV7+ should screw into a standard fitting with no issues at all.

Personally, I'm a fan of this Tonor model but feel free to shop around. Anyway, once you've hooked it onto a mount and placed it somewhere near your face, all you need to do is press record. The Shure will take care of the rest, leaving you free to do what you do best and ramble on about whatever it is you'd like the rest of the world to hear.

It's a fantastic bit of kit, this Magic Mic, and one that I recommend to anyone who'll listen. Now go forth, my friends, and capture vocal audio that sounds spectacular.

Andy built his first gaming PC at the tender age of 12, when IDE cables were a thing and high resolution wasn't—and he hasn't stopped since. Now working as a hardware writer for PC Gamer, Andy spends his time jumping around the world attending product launches and trade shows, all the while reviewing every bit of PC gaming hardware he can get his hands on. You name it, if it's interesting hardware he'll write words about it, with opinions and everything.