Shure MX395 is an XLR microphone with excellent quality and hardly noticeable presence. With the variety of polar patterns, it can turn into a better alternative to gooseneck microphones. It perfectly fits spaces like conference rooms, boardrooms, small huddle rooms, and podiums.
If you need a microphone for a permanent installation designed to be used by one or a few speakers simultaneously, MX395 is a great option.
Table of Contents
At a Glance
With its 1.25 inches diameter, it is hard to notice the MX395 location in the room. It has a firm, stable minimalistic design and a simple and stylish look.
The last version of the model was released in 2017. The LED status indicator is a new feature that was additionally added.
The microphone is offered in white, black, or aluminum finish. It comes with rubber isolation rings and a wing nut for installation.
What’s this mic’s main purpose? What is it suited for?
Shure MX395 is a perfect choice for situations where the speaker is stationary. For example, small meetings in a huddle with the participants sitting on a table or standing on a podium.
Shure MX395 can be used as a podium microphone, especially with the cardioid polar pattern. In such situations, the speaker has to comply with the polar cartridge pattern. As a rule, the speaker should stand at a maximum distance of 2 feet from the microphone.
For more detailed info about different polar patterns, take a look at the picture below:
A single Sure MX395 microphone can be used:
– by one or two speakers – with the cardioid polar pattern,
– two speakers sitting against each other – with the bidirectional polar pattern,
– and up to four participants using the omnidirectional polar pattern.
For a larger number of participants, using a greater number of microphones is recommended. This should not be an issue as the mic’s design is so minimalistic, so a greater number of mics wouldn’t disturb the participants in the meeting.
Audio Specifications
Although Shure MX395 is a boundary microphone, it can be accepted as an alternative to gooseneck microphones.
Gooseneck and button microphones are designed to be used by a small number of speakers from a short distance. The advantage of MX395, as a boundary mic, is that it is discreet and does not bother the speaker. Still, the mic keeps excellent sound quality.
One or more speakers can use it depending on the polar pattern.
The microphone is available in three polar patterns – omnidirectional, cardioid, and bi-directional.
One or two speakers use the cardioid polar pattern.
The bidirectional pattern is suitable for two speakers standing against each other. This polar pattern offers a minimal possibility for the speaker to move freely. The reason is that it has a sharp angle of about 90 degrees per speaker.
The omnidirectional polar pattern captures the voice of up to 4 participants standing around the mic. The omnidirectional option may lead to more ambient noise, as it catches sound in all directions.
Shure MX395 is part of the Microflex series. Like the rest of the mics of that series, it possesses Shure’s patented Commshield Technology protecting against radio-frequency interference.
How to install the MX395?
This mic is designed to be permanently installed on a flat surface – a desktop, a podium, or a ceiling.
You need to drill a hole 1 inch in diameter. Put the rubber isolation ring on the microphone and install the microphone inside the hole. Tighten the microphone from the backside using the wing nut (provided in the box with the mic).
The microphones with a cardioid or bidirectional polar pattern should be installed with the molded grille facing the speaker.
The place where the mic is installed should be carefully chosen. It is meant to be permanently installed; this makes moving the mic from one place to another a complicated task. It is a cable microphone, so the cabling and the audio equipment should also be moved with the mic. It might be an easier task to move the whole furniture with the installed mic on.
This is one of the very few drawbacks of this button microphone.
Connectivity
Shure MX395 is an XLR cable microphone. It uses a 3-pin XLR cable for the versions without a LED status indicator. For the mics with a LED indicator, it is necessary to use a
5-pin XLR cable(a 5-pin XLR connector is included for the LED model).
The LED model may not function when connecting to devices that do not have internal “pull-up resistor” logic circuits. For further details on connecting the LED mic to a mixer, it is best to consult an audio specialist.
Final words
Shure MX395 is a button boundary microphone, one of the few of this kind. It has the advantages of a boundary mic, and its range and purpose of use are comparable to a gooseneck mic.
If you need a microphone for a permanent installation designed to be used by one or a few speakers simultaneously, MX395 is a great option.