Latin America. Shure is entering its 96th year as an industry leader in audio technology and is planning many celebrations related to the company's history over the next 12 months.
S.N. Shure founded the audio company in downtown Chicago in 1925, selling radio parts kits. Since then, the company has become a world leader, offering a diverse portfolio of revolutionary wired and wireless microphones, personal and professional audio products, and solutions for conferences and meetings.
Shure products are now sold in more than 120 countries, and over the decades, they have been used around the world by personalities such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela, The Beatles, and every president of the United States since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Throughout its anniversary, Shure will celebrate key milestones, including the following:
- 25 years ago (1996) Rose Shure was appointed President of the Board. Sandy LaMantia was hired as vice president of engineering (who would later become Shure's third president).
- 50 Years Ago (1971) Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn appear in Nashville as an image of Shure products. The company begins to aggressively market its products within the country music industry.
- 55 years ago (1966) the Shure SM58® is introduced, one of the most iconic vocal microphones in history.
- 60 years ago (1961) the subsidiary Shure Electronics Ltd was opened in London, the company's first wholly owned subsidiary in the UK and the forerunner of Shure UK today.
- 65 years ago (1956) Shure completes the move of its headquarters from Chicago to nearby Evanston, Illinois.
- 70 years ago (1951) Shure introduces the Unidyne II Model 55S, known as the "Super 55" for its revolutionary styling. This microphone is a smaller version of the revolutionary Unidyne I Model 55 from 1939.
- 75 years ago (1946) Shure makes the production transition in wartime, and returns again to products in peacetime.
- 80 years ago (1941) the Uniphase Acoustical Network patent is granted to Shure engineer Ben Bauer, the most valuable in the company's history.
While these are historic milestones, today Shure continues to promote innovations that stand out in the market.
Over the past 12 months, the company has expanded its systems integration business with the acquisition of Stem Audio and the expansion of networked audio ecosystems for the corporate market, educational institutions, government headquarters and other entities, in order to conduct high-quality virtual meetings. Last summer, Shure IntelliMix® Room software, a revolutionary innovation in digital signal processing (DSP) for AV conferencing, was introduced worldwide.
In the field of professional audio, Shure presented its DuraPlex® microphones that include the new models of flap and subminiature omnidirectional headband (5 mm) of medium level. It also launched the SLX-D® Digital Wireless System, the latest addition to Shure's digital wireless portfolio. This release is the digital replacement for the company's popular SLX system, with new mechanical designs, exceptional audio quality, more reliable RF performance, optimized configuration, and other benefits. Shure also increased the frequency of the Shure Audio Institute's free online training sessions in order to provide audio professionals with the latest tools and information.
For consumers, the AONIC audio product line now also includes the AONIC 3, 4 and 5 models. In response to the growing demand from the podcasting industry, Shure launched its MV7 and MV5C microphones with the goal of increasing its microphone options for podcasts and home office.
"Although our 95th year presented several challenges when it comes to the pandemic, we remain always focused on product innovation and customer support," said Christine Schyvinck, president and CEO of Shure. "Our founder, S.N. Shure, would be proud to see how all associates came together in order to persevere the company during these difficult times, and position it for a successful 96th anniversary."
