With this year’s MTV Video Music Awards seting a record for the most viewed and engaged VMAs in history, the Firehouse Productions production team responsive for the event chose Shure Axient Digital Wireless Microphones and PSM 1000 IEMs as their preferred wireless audio systems.
The audio production team comprised Audio Coordinator Mark Dittmar, Broadcast Production Mixer Sean Prickett, Music Mixers Eric Schilling and John Harris, RF Coordinator Cameron Stuckey, FOH engineers Dan Gerhard, Adam Armstrong, Simon Welch and Mike Bové, and monitor engineers Chris Prinzivalli, Brett Taylor and Tom Pesa.
Broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, Firehouse Productions deployed 56 channels of Shure Axient Digital Wireless Microphone Systems and 52 channels of PSM 1000 In-Ear Personal Monitoring Systems, including 110 P10R receivers at the show.
‘Even with the huge differences in artists and their performances, the Axient Digital system, coupled with ultra-reliable Shure capsules, made every vocal performance predictable and rock solid,’ says Music Mixer John Harris. ‘From Busta Rhymes' hip-hop to Alex Warren's massive pop vocals, and from reggaeton with J Balvin to country rock with Bailey Zimmerman, I always had the control and sound that I needed.’
‘Shure wireless provides us with the seamless technology to execute a large show like this, and of course, the sound quality is amazing,’ adds Audio Coordinator, Mark Dittmar.
Shure microphone capsules graced the stage with many of the show’s performers, including Doja Cat on a Beta 54 headset mic, and Alex Warren, Sombr, Bailey Zimmerman, and Busta Rhymes on SM58 capsules. Notably, J Balvin and Mariah Carey – recipient of the 2025 Video Vanguard award – both sang into new Nexadyne 8 vocal microphone capsules. Lady Gaga, Artist of the Year winner, shared a pre-recorded performance using the new Shure SM39 headset microphone.
‘For the MTV VMAs we debuted the Shure Nexadyne capsule with J Balvin, and it was a game-changer. Right out of the box, the capsule delivered a crystal-clear vocal that sat perfectly in the mix, we barely touched the EQ on his channel strip. Huge clarity, great rejection, and broadcast-ready tone without extra work,” says Hugo Pinzon, monitor and broadcast engineer with J Balvin.
Each of these artists, in addition to Lola Young, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter, and Conan Gray, all relied on Shure Axient Digital wireless handheld transmitters.
‘It's an honour to support such talented artists and dedicated audio professionals at the MTV VMAs. Seeing our technology help deliver standout performances is incredibly rewarding,’ says Shure Manager of Artist & Entertainment Relations, Jenn Liang-Chaboud.
More: www.shure.com